KPMG - Tax Vacation Programme Review

Over the four weeks I was at KPMG I gained an insight into what it's like working for one of the Big Four. I was given more than enough work to do and was always treated like a member of the team. There were a number of social events put on too.

KPMG really put in the effort to make sure you feel at home with them. Everyone is aware that you're going to be joining them for a short time so they're ready to accommodate a new arrival with very limited knowledge. All employees were very welcoming and patient. I was given plenty of work to get on with. Whilst some of it was trivial, there were times where I was given complex work to get on with that really impacted clients.

The student recruitment team are constantly in touch, making sure you're enjoying your time and that everything is running smoothly. Your performance manager is also in touch often to ensure you have work to do and to continually review the work that you're doing. If you're ever unsure on how to do something, everybody is more than happy to assist.

As it was only short, and most of the work wasn't incredibly difficult, I don't feel I developed many skills that I didn't already have. One big one that I definitely do think I developed though was organisation and time management. Having to be in the office everyday for nine, and then having to juggle a number of tasks all of different priority for different employees/clients was not something you can experience simply through school and university.

The insight was incredibly well structured. The first day was a very general induction day as is generally the case with these sort of things. After that we went down to London to attend the Tax Business School for a couple of days training (though this later proved to not be relevant to the area of tax I was in - no harm in a trip to London though). Once back in Leeds there were a number of colleagues who had work prepared for me to jump right in with, and finally I had my partner interview on the final day.

KPMG has a very, very relaxed environment. Whilst they work a lot and put in a lot of effort, the actual office environment is very laid back and very friendly. The entire office is open plan and they hot desk, so one day you could be sat next to a graduate and the next be sat next to a partner.

A considerable amount. After the first day we travelled down to London for two days training at the Tax Business School in Canary Wharf. Whilst here we spent a couple of days discussing different types of tax legislation, what is and isn't taxable, and how to calculate each specific tax.

Whilst you're at KPMG you're completely immersed in everything they do. From the hours different grades work, to the difficulty and complexity of the work they have to do, you see everything. It's a great way to understand what kind of clients they work with, how many clients they work with, and how they engage with each client individually.

Spending 18 full days in the office gives you a great understanding of the company culture. Everyone is very laid back, and sitting next to a partner one day and a new graduate the next is a great way to make everyone feel valued. There are plenty of nights out available if you're up for them, and the company also run corporate responsibility days, where you spend a full day giving workshops to people from completely different backgrounds. On my day, a group of interns went to an un-privileged area in Leeds and ran a workshop for first time female offenders on day release who were hoping to get a job once they were released permanently. It's a great way to give back to the community and allow other people to benefit from the skills you've developed at KPMG.

One great aspect of the vacation programme is that you get a very in depth view into what it's like working in the area you've been placed in. However, this is only really beneficial to you if you've been lucky enough to be put in the area you hoped for. I was put in people services, and then within this I was put with the rewards team. Whilst I didn't mind this, it isn't exactly what I had in mind. There also isn't much scope for gaining experience in other areas. I'm leaving the placement with absolutely no idea what corporate, indirect, or private client is like, and I think this is where the scheme lets itself down. I think it would be better to allow people to rank which areas within the department they've applied to they'd like to join. Everyone seemed to have a preference, and most of these were different, so it isn't as if one area would be terribly over subscribed. Though you don't necessarily have to work in that area if you're offered a grad job, it would be more beneficial to spend the time in the specific area you're interested in.

When travelling to London, the hotel was paid for and the train down was reimbursed. Any other expenses I may have acquired from visiting clients etc. would have also been reimbursed. I was paid £18,600 pro rata, and also accrued two days holiday. This amounts to roughly £1600 over the course of four weeks. This is much less than a tax graduate would be on, however you have no technical knowledge so this seems like an appropriate salary.

KPMG ran two networking sessions whilst I was there. One on the first day after the induction in the Leeds office, and one on the second day in the London office after being in the TBS all day. These are mostly attended by graduates, with a few assistant managers also attending. It's a great way to meet new people, network, and ask any questions you may have about KPMG in a more relaxed setting.

Very beneficial. They're a great way to meet the recent graduates and ask them about their time at KPMG, and it's also a great way to meet everyone else that's on the vacation programme with you. They generally last a couple of hours, so it's a good opportunity to find out everything you want to know before starting your vacation scheme properly.

KPMG run a number of societies for individually social groups, and also a lot of sports and music clubs. They encourage all graduates to look into these as they're a great way to socialise outside of work and meet different employees. As I was only there for four weeks it didn't make much sense to join any of these, so I perhaps didn't find out as much as I could have done.

Undoubtedly. I've been provided with invaluable insight into a big four. Not only in regards to what they do, but also the people and the social side to it. There's also a partner interview at the end of it, so the prospect of having a grad job before you start your final year of university is something a lot of people wish they had.