Intern Review

I thoroughly enjoyed my internship. I enjoyed the work I was doing, I learnt new things every day and really enjoyed spending time and learning from the people I was working with.

All of my colleagues were extremely welcoming regardless of their title. Everyone was so happy to help when you got stuck and were always grateful for the work you'd completed. I have made many friends throughout my internship, both people within my office and service line, but also interns from across the country as we were encouraged to come together and share ideas and opinions.

I was supported and guided on every piece of work I completed. Throughout the internship we were constantly told to 'ask questions' and that 'no question was a silly question.' I never felt like I couldn't ask for help and everyone was very clear with their explanations and patient when I got stuck. One of the fantastic things about the internship was the buddy system, I was assigned a first year associate. Although I only worked with her directly once, she was more Han happy to answer any non-work related queries I had. The day before I started she took me for coffee and showed me the office, this took the nerves off for the first day. I really appreciated having that person I could go to.

Some days I would be rushed off my feet with work, and other days it would be slow and I would be expected to find something to do. In this time I would usually research and practise my presentation for the assessment at the end. At no point did I feel overwhelmed with work as I enjoy being busy, and everyone understands you are an intern so things may take time.

Towards the end of my three month placement I gained more and more responsibility. I attended client meetings and sites on my own, and was in charge of pieces of my own work. I felt this gradual movement towards having more responsibility was very well timed and have me a sense of accomplishment.

I have gained a wider knowledge of technical accounting, the industry and the firm. This will assist me in my degree as I can apply it to my studies as I have seen it in practise. I have also gained skills for life as my confidence has massively improved, my ability to communicate with clients and co-workers has also improved.

Everyone in the office was very friendly and happy to help. General chat usually occurred across desks which have me the opportunity to get to know others. There is a hot desk system which means different people are in on different days which is a great opportunity to meet a range of people. Causal Friday's are always nice, with a collection for charity passed around. There were also many social events such as cake sales, raffles and pizza nights which were really fun and made the day a bit different.

The overall nationwide project was set up really well. We all knew what was expected of us, what we would gain from the experience and how to make the most of it. The National events, such as going to Bradenham, were a great opportunity to network with other interns. Personally, my manager was a bit unsure as to their role and was busy with other thing so at times my personal experience was not so well organised. But they acknowledged this and they said they'd know where to improve next time.

I was lucky enough to go on the graduate induction which meant I was given a crash course in the firms systems and a guide to audit. This was very beneficial and I learnt a lot. I also spent lots of one on one time with managers and above who would train me in a range of aspects of audit.

Throughout the internship we were assessed on goals we had set for ourselves, feedback from clients and colleagues and a presentation we did infront of managers and above in our final week. Throughout this process I felt supported despite how nervous I was. On my final day I had an exit meeting and was given my contract to come back as an associate.

Throughout my internship I went to several meals with my teams and other. I went to a summer social BBQ for the whole office which was thoroughly enjoyable. We were invited and actively encouraged to attend social events, we were welcomed openly and I really enjoyed this side of work. I also had the opportunity to become involved in the sports teams and compete at the Corporate Games.

I worked all over the North West so it varies depending on where you are for that day. The firm were happy enough to cover travel and expenses.

Manchester is a large city with a very active nightlife. There is a lot to get involved with should you wish to.

The firm has a wide range of clubs which I wouldn't have expected. There were sports teams, book clubs, alumni associations and many more. You could find out about how to get involved through the intranet and go along to any events.