Private Client Tax Assistant Review

I very much enjoyed my 12 months Placement with RSM and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a career in Accounting and Finance. It gives you a great insight into working in a corporate evironment and the different roles you could pursue in the field. I feel I have a learnt and developed a lot, which I look forward to utilising in my final year of studies and beyond.

Aside from the structured appraisal meetings we had with our Line Manager, different members of my team are always quick to tell you when you've done a good job! Everyone had also always been happy to provide feedback on request, so that you can see how best to improve in your role. Particularly in team meetings, your ideas are welcomed for how things can be done better.

From your first day, most of the training involved in my role was done on the job, and so due to the learning curve I found I had to ask members of the team for help. Throughout the year, everyone from junior to more senior members would always be happy to take the time to help explain when I was stuck.

From my first week I was producing billable, client work which was delegated to me by other members of the team, and due to the nature of my team we always had plenty of work to get on with. As such, I never found I was short of work to do so was kept engaged during the day.

As mentioned previously, I was given client work from my first week, after training, which also involved calling and emailing clients. Later on in the year, I was responsible for my own portfolio of clients alongside more senior members of the team, and so was responsible for making sure client work was turned around at an efficient rate.

Most noticably I feel I developed my communication and team work skills which will directly assist me in day-to-day work life in my future career, and even with group projects in my final year of studies. I feel that I became more confident with projecting ideas and discussing solutions for tasks in a team.

The placement was very well setup in my opinion, right from the actual recruiting process to the internal appraisal system. I found my firm to be particular quick to respond when progressing through the online application and video interview stages and that I was quick to hear back about the outcome of the interview.

In your first few weeks as a placement student, you get sent on different training courses which are held externally, which include courses to help you with your particular role and induction into the firm in general. It is also a great opportunity to meet students from other offices and build you personal network.

The employment structure of the firm is clear, and so if you are successful on your placement you can discuss graduate roles with your Line Manager and HR, even in different offices if this is more convenient. You are also fast-tracked through the recruitment process for graduate roles if you return.

I was pleasantly surprised at the number of placement students, school leavers and graduates in the office which meant for particularly social lunch breaks, general office environment and organising social activies after work. In my team, we always had a great atmosphere in general which was made for a very relaxed work environment, even in busy periods.