Summer intern Review

I enjoyed gaining an insight into audit and the type of work auditors do. I like the fact that I was treated like an actual member of staff and given actual client work. I liked being placed directly next to other auditors and I was able to experience what it is like to work in an office.

Initially I was not given an introduction to all of the team, this made me feel excluded and I had to make myself known via email instead. However later in the placement I was introduced to most of the team which was nice. At times when I had little to do I felt not valued by BDO however when I was given work to do they placed trust in me in dealing with complex and confidential work and this made me feel extremely valued. Also when I completed tasks for member's of staff they always expressed their gratitude.

My counselling manager offered support when I asked. Although apart from the brief introduction to the online platforms BDO uses I was given little guidance on how to navigate through my laptop and complete simple tasks such as producing timecards and accessing retain. It didn't help that my buddy was not at the office once throughout the whole placement so minor queries often went unanswered as I did not want to bother management.

Throughout the placement I became familiar with basic accounting terminology and tasks such as casting accounts. I can use this knowledge when I enter the profession as a school leaver. Although the information I received was in small amounts spread across the two weeks and I believe I could of received more if the placement was more structured. I developed some personal skills such as timekeeping and accuracy which will come in handy for study and life.

The first week had completely no structure at all. Partly my fault as I had to miss the first two days (introduction to BDO) however I notified BDO of this months in advance and so they had enough to accommodate this. When I arrived On Wednesday I was given a brief tour of the floor I was on and the eating area, however this seemed like a missed opportunity to introduce me to the members of staff I would eventually meet throughout the placement as we walked directly passed their desks. I was also given an induction. After that I was shown a desk and told to set up my email. After that I had no idea what I was supposed to do. The learning section on insight was down and so I couldn't access that to expand my knowledge. I had to then email asking for work and after a couple of hours waiting was given some work to do. Thursday was a similar situation I turned up at 9:30 and had no assignments so I just read through the induction pack and after emailing around I finally received a piece of work at 4pm!!! The next week I am grateful to say was much better organised. On Tuesday a manager in my department put together a plan for the rest of my placement including client work and a client visit which was nice .However the first four days of my placement were completely unorganised and a waste of my time hence the low rating.

It was not as serious as I expected it to be and there was a lot of fun being had in the office such as people bringing back edible souvenirs for the office, deciding where to have lunch and making office jokes. However I was never involved in this fun and was more of an onlooker. I was however sometimes offered a drink which made me feel a bit more involved. Initially it was a bit awkward as I was not introduced to the people in the hot seat area and so I did not feel comfortable in starting up conversation or asking for help. There were numerous activities such as raffles being emailed around which I was able to participate in and this lightened the mood of the office significantly.

The learning portal on insight was down the whole of my placement so I was not able to complete any learning online. There was a an appraisal system in place to aid my development and at the end of the placement I received personal feedback from the members of staff I worked with which I can now use to develop. however throughout the placement there was no active feedback given and I was not given any specific training. I was taught some new things but in small amounts.

I think I was able to recognise what the working environment would be like. However I wasn't able to identify what the workload would be if I joined as a student leaver. A conversation with a member of staff on the school leaver scheme was helpful in telling me vaguely how the scheme is set up and what tests I have to do. However it would have been nice to have been given a leaflet or something written on paper so that I can refer back to it at a later stage.

I have overheard members of staff talking about 'socials' and I have also seen posters up around the office however I still don't fully understand what this is. I have received emails about the reward system in place for staff which shows BDO is very appreciative of their staff's efforts. I have been able to experience the company culture vaguely however it has not been explicitly explained to me.

I was able to witness and complete some tasks that I would complete if I was to become an accountant and this allowed me to evaluate whether I would find it enjoyable or not. However the work I done was quite basic and I would of liked to of experienced more complex work I would do once qualified possibly through shadowing or sitting in more meetings. I am still just as undecided after the placement as I was not really told the benefits of becoming an accountant although it is good that BDO allowed me to decide for myself on whether accountancy is suitable for myself or not.

I was given £200 for participating subject to completing the placement and I am hopefully going to be reimbursed travel expenses once I submit my claim.

I was able to meet with members of staff when they assigned me tasks however it was not an informal situation which meant it was harder to ask general questions that weren't directly related to the task. I was able to socialise with a few members of staff briefly in the kitchen area whilst making drinks. I am aware that other interns were given the opportunity to have lunch with their buddy and counselling manager which would have been a good opportunity for me to ask any questions about BDO or accountancy but unfortunately this opportunity was not offered to me. I was also rarely given the opportunity to socialise with other interns throughout the placement.

I did not participate in any networking/social event at all throughout the whole placement. except for a lunch with other interns on the last Friday of the placement. I am aware that other interns were given the opportunity to have lunch with their buddy and counselling manager but I was not. There were no socials during my placement for me to attend as far as I am aware.

I saw posters around the office advertising socials and some form of online forum for staff however for someone new to the office like myself the posters weren't descriptive enough to give me a complete understanding. I also saw a football trophy labelled to BDO and received an email about my departments victory so I guess that BDO hosts in house football tournaments.

Yes because it is perfect as a slow introduction into accountancy because the work set is suitable for a beginner but also is actual client work so it gives you a taste for actual work you would complete as an accountant. You get to experience the company and a professional working environment which is a are opportunity as not all companies offer such an opportunity. Despite a slow and unorganised start the experience is still worthwhile and I may of just chosen the wrong department as I know other interns had a more organised experience. Unless they had a similar placement available to them already I would definitely suggest if they had the time