Audit Associate Review

I found it to be an enjoyable job, I was given responsibility from day one but was encouraged to ask a lot of questions and there was a lot of support when needed.

I felt extremely valued, people were keen to make themselves known and say hello, the department is quite social so I was able to get to know people I don't work directly with and get to know everyone generally. Everyone was very happy to help you if you had a problem.

This is the best thing in my experience about KPMG, they actively encourage you to ask questions and it's really drilled into you that there's no such thing as a stupid question. They'll explain a task they'd like you to do and once you understand it leave it completely down to you, but are always there to ask questions if you are stuck.

Unfortunately I work in audit which means that February to April are extremely busy, particularly seeing as I was commuting from Reading to London, I would not recommend doing this length of commute if you work in audit, it takes too much time out of your social life. Outside of this busy season though there was a good balance.

The work is always challenging but you work in a team and there are always people to help you. I would say on average that I was given work which was slightly too hard for me to do but there was really excellent support to help me so that I improved really quickly. The boring and easy tasks are spread evenly amongst the team so there are some more monotonous elements but it definitely isn't all stuck on the most junior member, if anything the team leaders take on more of those jobs.

I was given a weeks induction in a really nice hotel to get to know KPMG methods and get to know fellow graduates (you are treated exactly like a first year graduate), I was put through 5 of the 15 ACA exams (first year graduates do 8, which is the only distinction), and I was able to do various internal courses to improve my general audit skills. I can't fault KPMG for the amount of effort/money they have put into me.

It was really fun and relaxed for most of the time, we had loads of good social events, however in the busy season everyone is very busy which does bring the mood down.

It was really good, the only criticism I would have is that because I was treated exactly like a first year graduate I got sent a lot of emails etc. explaining instructions for first years with no mention of how this differed for placement students. In all but one case this was because there was no distinction so this was perhaps just me expecting to get less training etc. than graduates but it still would have been easier to have that clarification - or an up front clarification that placement students aren't distinguished from first year graduates.

I was put through professional exams, had lots of opportunities to take internal training etc. I couldn't fault it.

I've been told that I have a final interview at the end of the placement which results in a gradate job if I pass but this hasn't come from KPMG themselves, I've heard very little about this so far but I do have a few months left of placement. I have heard various references to when I come back though.

Loads of social events and our quiet period is coming up which apparently means even more social events. During the busy season it is quiet but to be honest I was too tired to be social during that time anyway.

I worked in London so it was extremely social and there was loads to do - but everything was really expensive. On the social events I've been to I've never spent any money but in terms of socialising outside of organised events, it is expensive.

I worked in London, so the nightlife was amazing.

KPMG run a few schemes, you can take something like 3 or 4 days a year to volunteer for a partner charity of KPMG's, you can also volunteer to help in a few schemes such as one I'm helping with where you take a work experience student for a day.