Assurance Intern Review

The day-to-day role involved working across different client engagements, and cooperating with the various teams involved with them. Much of the job is spent on excel, assisting in the audit process for large clients such as [This section of the comment has been removed by a member of the RateMyPlacement Team because it did not meet our site terms and conditions]. However, there is also time given to in person contact with the clients themselves, and working on their client sites. Moreover, there is a reasonable amount of attention given to social events - with three induction days provided in London and other regional events.

I have certainly developed new skills, both technically and interpersonally. For the former, I have been able to develop knowledge on the principles and terminology of accountancy and finance more generally. More specifically, I have been able to use excel more competently, and use the software to assist with the auditing process. Interpersonally, I have learnt how to better work with others in an office environment; how to ask for help, how to work towards a common project in a team, and how to help others.

The amount of responsibility I faced varied largely from task to task. During some engagements, my role was purely administrative - helping out on the fringes to tidy up and prepare certain jobs. However, elsewhere I did face real responsibility within my team and towards our client. This involved drawing up from scratch certain auditing tests, contacting the client myself, and filing my work online when the job was done. I was pleased to be given these opportunities when they arose.

The support I received was genuinely excellent. Everyone in the office was extremely patient and actually wanted to help whenever they could, even if they had their own work. This was in part because the office was so young, so they all had immediate memory of what it's like to just be starting out. This was aided by broader team-building events and social occasions which were always great for networking and gaining a sense of place in the office.

The company culture in the Newcastle office I was in was very intimate and personable. People were genuinely interested in how others were getting on, aided by a well integrated culture of teamwork and approachability of those above you. The nature of this culture is probably best exemplified from our experience raising money from our EY Foundation Charity walk - where the Newcastle office rallied round us to raise over £500, far more than any other region.

I would say I greatly enjoyed this internship - beyond my expectations. I got on very well with the other interns - probably helped by the fact there was only 5 of us in the Newcastle office, allowing for more intimate bonds - and felt immediately integrated with the wider team. The work itself was varied, as were the people on each engagement. There was also a wide variety of social events which gave a well-rounded picture of what working for EY would be like both in working hours and outside them.

Yes

Even if you are not sure if the service lines of Assurance, Tax or Consultancy are for you, EY will offer you a superb experience in financial services and working within teams in a professional environment. I would say, don't be put off if you don't have any prior knowledge or qualification in these service lines - it really is a case of how you think rather than what you think and know in EY's student recruitment.