Tax Intern Review

I found the internship to be a very enjoyable experience. The work was varied and there was a network of support around to answer any personal or technical questions I had. The internship was well organised and involved a range of social activities, as well as technical training and other opportunities for development.

On the whole, BDO colleagues were very friendly and on hand to assist me with any needs I may have. Although the structure of the firm is that of a meritocracy, staff on lower pay bands were treated equally as school leavers, grads etc. Certain partners even made a conscious effort to develop a rapport with interns.

BDO particularly excelled in this area. Personal development meetings were regularly held to discuss my progress and there were regular opportunities to request alternative work/to get involved with a different project. Additionally, my mentor played an active role in assisting me with my work to ensure I got the most out of the internship.

I was generally busy everyday of the internship. At times when the workload slowed down, there were opportunities to ask for additional work, shadow colleagues or complete technical development. This made for an enjoyable experience as being kept busy added to personal morale as you felt like you were adding something to the firm.

A reasonable level of responsibility was given to me during the 6 week internship. All work had to be signed off by a senior, however you were given the opportunity to give the project a go independently then seek help if appropriate. Overall, the level of responsibility given was reasonable.

Ways it will help my degree: - Interpersonal skills were help with group projects at university. - Excel skills were certainly come in handy for any statistics modules in final year. Ways it will help future career: - Learnt software, such as Alpha Tax. - CV Ways it may not help so much: - Many skills were specific to the firm/division so wouldn't be transformable.

- Colleagues were very friendly. - Work nights out were common. Work football was common. - Colleagues were nearly always on hand to help, even when busy. - Working hours appeared to be reasonable, with not many people staying past 6pm. - Flexibility in the hours you can work was an option.

- Throughout the application process, I was kept in the loop with regard to the progress of my application. - I received a detailed itinerary outlining the plans for the induction week. - Regular progress meetings were set up. - Social events were organised in advance. - Client visits were also planned in advance.

Very much so, through: - Online training courses, such as Anti-money laundering courses and Alpha Tax training videos. - A 4 day induction programme, including 2 days of classroom based learning. - A presentation at the end of the internship. - Volunteering opportunities. Extra-circular opportunities to allow for personal development.

Overall, prospects are very good, because: - Graduate job offer is likely. - 3 year training contract which includes a sponsored professional qualification. - Social life is good which adds to the appeal of a future role within BDO. Drawbacks: - Work life balance when training. Some areas within the firm are niche.

- Regular nights out. - Sporting opportunities. - Interns kept in contact and organised meet ups, whether that be during work hours or outside of them. - Induction process and end of internship round up allowed for social activities. But also nothing was forced upon you if you didn't want to socialise with colleagues.