Work Experience Insight Review

The Work Experience Programme at BDO was a really fantastic week of learning, development and networking. I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to returning in the near future. The two-weeks allowed us to gain an in-depth insight into the firm, how it operates and how to find a career there.

I felt extremely valued during my time at BDO, there were always several HR or Recruitment staff on hand at every event to take questions and make sure everything ran smoothly. Everyone was made to feel very comfortable and it was a fantastic week in terms of the students getting on learning what they wanted to.

We were very well guided throughout the two-weeks from people taking us round the departments to running through out time tables on a daily basis. There was a great structure and I felt that I could have turned to HR for any purpose. My fellow students and I were very well looked after during the week.

The information I received and the development I gained from BDO has been essential to assist me in my degree and beyond. I learnt that a lot of my studying is used every day in the role which I want to go into (Accounting) which was very reassuring. On top of this, it has helped me learn which areas of the firm interest me most and where to focus my career.

The week was extremely well structured with a time table given to us a few days before the two- weeks commenced. Travel was arranged in advance and the process was very smooth – I couldn’t fault it at all. Whilst it was structured we were able to choose certain activities/areas which meant we had flexibility whilst not being inconvenient.

The general atmosphere at BDO was fantastic, as there were many students taking part it meant that it was very lively. Obviously, different areas had a very different atmosphere and so it was even more incredible to get shadow a vast variety of areas there. The atmosphere was very comfortable and enjoyable to be in, especially from a networking perspective.

I believe BDO invested heavily into us throughout the two-weeks. We received many presentations, talks and activities from senior personnel within the firm which was very inspiring and motivating for us. On top of this, they also gave us the opportunity to run through an assessment centre to expect for future applications to the firm.

There were many networking events which allowed us to be able to meet graduates and current employees. This was a great experience as we were able to learn about their line of work as well as the culture within their area and the firm as a whole. This was really insightful and gave me a great ‘bigger picture’ view of the firm and how it operates.

During my time at BDO I was able to learn about the culture of the firm and how it is aligned with their objectives. The key take away here was that I learnt just how important the culture of a firm and a team can be. In this line of work you will be spending many hours with your colleagues so work place culture is extremely important.

The content given to us throughout the week was essential in helping me choose my future career path. I knew that I was interested in accounting but, by meeting several staff in several areas, I was able to network my way through different departments and learn as I went along. This was invaluable to me and it has really helped me find the area which I hope to specialise in.

I had my travel expenses reimbursed quickly and efficiently – it was a faultless experience.

There were many opportunities to network and meet other people during my time at BDO. There were many social events too which took place throughout the week and involved meeting many colleagues – this was great as it was slightly more informal and you were able to learn much more about each other.

As explained above, the networking opportunities were fantastic. I left the work experience programme with the contact details of over 20 employees within the firm, let alone staying in contact with the other students from the programme too. The opportunities were constant and very enjoyable too which led to it being a great programme.

Activities outside of work weren’t explained in great depth but I was able to learn a lot from meeting employees and networking with other departments. This is an important area which I think is important because you spend so much time with your colleagues that you need to be able to enjoy yourself with them.

Absolutely – the programme was really enjoyable and I loved every day there. I enjoyed it so much so that I was sure to get in earlier than my fellow students and leave later just so I was able to meet more people from the business. I truly loved every minute during my time there and would honestly recommend it to anyone.