Audit Associate Review

The internship is very interesting experience. You get to work within a Big 4 firm, that audits some of the biggest companies in the world. I do have issues with how the Big 4 value their interns and graduates, but equally, this is not specific to just EY. If you are interested in career in Accounting, this is for you.

One of the biggest hang ups for me is the valuation of an intern. Everything is about charge out rate within the Big 4, and you are the lowest valued as an intern. As a result, you get moved around a lot and usually to perform the most basic and simplistic tasks.

There is a really big support network within EY. You are given a mentor before you join and then you join the buddy system on day 1. This means you have someone to talk to and confide in with any issues. Other than that, you get a lot of on the job tutoring to make sure your work is up to scratch.

Two words. Busy Season. If you are going into Audit, you should already know about this. Its four months of being incredibly busy. Your hours are a lot longer from January to the end of April, but this is something part and parcel of the job. The rest of the year is okay, but you have exam periods which are also high pressured and busy.

The more you prove yourself, the more responsibility you are given. Most employees have been through the same process as you, and as a result do try and make it as interesting as possible. You are there to develop and I think that this is widely appreciated by management across the business.

I studied a related degree to the work I was doing, so that definitely will be useful when going back to University. Seeing the theory in practice is really valuable as well. You are also focused on effectively organizing your time correctly. I know I will be a lot more organised when i go back

Very young atmosphere which I was surprised about. The office is also super diverse with lots of people coming from around the world. The Partners are really the only parts of the business that aren't young. There are lots of events put on for interns to meet people across the business and other people on the scheme.

Very well organised. Because they take so many interns each year, there is a really defined process and steps for you to undertake including introduction to senior business leaders and beginning your exam seasons. You always feel like the next steps are planned out ahead of you which is really motivating.

Everything is paid for. Lots of travel opportunities and meals paid for by the company (especially if you work late). The biggest investment from the firm is for them to enable you to undertake your professional exams. In my case, this was the ACA. These would be very expensive if you were doing them on your own.

I changed my opinion on working in audit so for me I am not that interested in future employment opportunities. I was offered a place on their grad scheme, but am more interested in working in consultancy within the financial industry. However, it is highly competitive and the EY graduate scheme in particular is very highly regarded.

Could have been slightly better, but most people were really keen to be involved in a relative social scene. There is a real focus on internal community within the interns with lots of nights outs, meals and social activities organised. I lived with other EY interns, something I would recommend. It means you have a hub of friends before you have even started.

Its London. Above that, its CentralLondon. Long gone are the days of University £1 pints. All you have to remember is that no one likes paying the money so you just have to lump it. Rent is high, but i would advise living somewhere close to the office (walking distance) so you avoid the cost of the tube everyday. It is expensive, but manageable if you plan your finances.

Close to Central London and the City so there is always something going on. i was personally not that fussed about living in the capital before doing this internship. Now I cant imagine living anywhere else. Whether you are interested in going out or just chilling in Central, there is always something going on.

There were several team events organised including the annual corporate social responsibility day. This is something that opens up your perspective on the corporate goals of the company. There is a lot of social activities, in my own experience these were football, karaoke nights, Christmas party and the monthly drinks events