Women in Consulting Discover EY Review

I greatly enjoyed the Women in Consulting Discover EY event. The speakers were friendly, informative, were high-performing women in the firm with inspiring journeys and great insight into consulting that they kindly shared with us. I felt that every segment was carefully made so that they stay engaging throughout the day. I would recommend these discovery days to any student interested in finding out more about this career path.

I felt like I received a very warm welcome to the discovery day by the recruitment team, with reassurance that this event would be a strong first step in progressing along a career path with EY. It was encouraging and has motivated me to apply for the summer internship next year.

One of the key focuses of the event was to set participants up for success, and I felt that was carried out very well. I feel a lot more supported and better prepared for the forthcoming stages in applying for summer internships, thanks to the information and all the top tips given throughout the day.

As someone with a background in STEM, this event has shown me that consulting is achievable and a definite possibility as a career, with the right attitude and work ethic. What I appreciate greatly were the workshop-like segments that helped to build confidence in your own personal brand, gave a reflection on personal resilience, as well as highlighting EY's commitment to diversity and inclusiveness.

Although this particular discovery day had been adapted to be virtual/online due to current circumstances with COVID-19, it was done very well, went smoothly and was well-organised. We were given a schedule at the beginning of the event that was followed on time, and with frequent breaks. Segments were not too long so remained engaging.

The general atmosphere of the event was friendly and supportive, which has been said to reflect the wider company culture that EY has as well. I felt the speakers were approachable and felt comfortable asking my questions and giving my responses in the workshops. I enjoyed meeting fellow participants as well.

The event organisers held a segment on Diversity and Inclusivity; one on career planning, sponsorship and mentoring; and one on how to create a culture of belonging, as well as an Introduction to Consulting and the structure of EY subunits. This, alongside all the insightful tips given by speakers, were helpful for development and knowledge building.

The event hosted speakers from varying stages of their consulting career with different backgrounds on how they got to where they are. Overall, very informative; they outlined the career progression in EY clearly, detailing on how teams are structured and projects allocated, as well as the skills development programs and other support structures available when working at EY.

Based on the comments from panellists and their experiences in the firm, hearing about the skills/personal development programs in place, the Women's Network helping to accelerate gender parity as well as a dedicated segment about diversity and inclusivity during the event, I gained a lot of insight on EY's company culture.

The great level of detail at which the opportunities in consulting were presented to us, especially the insight from panellists in differing subunits, helped me to get a bearing on consulting at EY as a possible career path. I feel I am able to make a better decision on which area in consulting I would be more inclined to and would fit better into, after having attended the event.

Personally I did not require travel reimbursements. However, had the physical event taken place in EY London office, there was a possibility to reimburse travel if you were based more than a few hours away.

Due to the event being online amidst the COVID-19 situation, meeting the recruitment team and the consultants in person was not possible. However, the opportunity to connect on LinkedIn and other channels was encouraged and still provided a good platform to network, and there was the opportunity to engage with and ask questions to panellists.

Social events were hindered somewhat due to the online nature of the event, however networking was still possible through LinkedIn and a dedicated chat function throughout the conference call/online meeting.

Yes; there was mention of a few winter and summer balls, and one panellist said that generally the teams in which you would work with are quite social. There is opportunity to get involved in networks, talks and larger events like International Women's Day through networks such as the EY Women's Network, as well.

Yes! I would recommend this Discover EY program to first and second years in a four year course who have an interest in consulting and financial services, and want to get early exposure before embarking on the summer internship application process. Useful information given about EY which can help massively.