Audit Assistant Review

Enjoyment of my internship varied on a daily basis depending on which client I was working on. Some days were great and I was kept very busy completing documents which were helping towards the team's audit. However, there were unfortunately some days with limited amount of tasks for me to complete which meant sometimes the days seemed to drag a bit and I was sat around twiddling my thumbs. But on the whole I found the experience enjoyable and most of the people I worked with were lovely and very friendly.

I worked on many different clients throughout my internship which meant that I worked with many different people - both from my office and our partner office. On the whole I felt that most of my in charges tried to get me involved as much as possible by giving me a variety of tasks and as a result I felt very valued because it was my own work that was going onto the audit file. This was especially the case when I worked on busier audits where lots needed doing and I was responsible for whole sections.

Again, when I was out on site the rest of the team were very supportive and were happy to take the time to explain to me what I needed to do or even what they were doing so that I could understand the whole process and how each person was contributing. However, on the first day we were assigned a mentor figure who I felt did little to support or guide me as her contact was minimal (she wasn't even there on my first or last day and never checked to see how I was getting on).

This varied day to day. On most of my clients I had a very positive experience where I was given a perfect balance of work to keep me busy throughout the day. However, there were occasions where I wasn't really needed on the client I had been assigned to so therefore had nothing to do all day and just felt like a nuisance as I was constantly asking if there was anything I could help with. (This was particularly frustrating when the rest of the team seemed busy but there was nothing I could help with because it was all too complex for me. I felt that if KPMG had planned the internship a bit better then they could have left the easier work for me so that I could help them out a little).

I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of responsibility I was given during my time at KPMG. All the work that I was given went straight onto the audit file and was checked by the manager like anyone else's work was. This really added to my enjoyment of the internship as I felt like I was a valued member of the team as I was treated in the same way.

I actually learnt quite a few skills in many different areas which I feel will benefit me in future. Although most of the technical detail is not relevant to my degree, it will give me a head start when I work in audit after I graduate. I learnt many IT skills such as formulas in excel etc. that have already been of use since I have come back to university. I've noticed even little things like my communication and presenting skills have improved.

The people in the office all seemed very friendly and we often went for pub lunches altogether. However, due to the nature of audit I was rarely in the office and when I was, people didn't seem to know who I was as I had never been introduced. However, later on in my internship there was a group of us who tended to be in the office at the same time which made it much more enjoyable. Everyone seemed nice and chatty though so the atmosphere seemed good.

Some parts seemed well organised whilst others did not. Although we had been assigned a 'mentor' from the senior staff and a 'buddy' from the younger staff, I only saw both of them once each as we were constantly all out of the office at different times. Having a buddy system is a good idea because it helps you settle in but this loses its usefulness if the buddy isn't there for your first day in the office! There was also no-one there on our last day in the office so we weren't sure what needed handing back in, where we needed to take it, and when/if we would be contacted about a final interview.

I feel like KPMG invested a lot in my personal development as many people I worked with were happy to take the time to tell me what I needed to do or to explain what was going on. In addition to this online training was provided so if there wasn't anything I could help with around the office I could take some time to improve my skills and knowledge.

Very good. Was offered a final interview a few weeks after my internship finished and got a graduate job!

As I worked in a regional office there was only 4 interns in the whole office and only one of these was in my department. As I said earlier as we were often out of the office I hardly ever saw her. However, I spent a bit of time with other school leavers or graduates out of work and on the whole the social scene seemed very good amongst the younger workers.

I lived at home so didn't really have to spend much whilst I was working. However, if you didn't already live here the cost of living is probably quite expensive. (out of London though so cheaper drinks!)

I never went out with people from work but as this is where I grew up I know the nightlife is pretty decent.

Not whilst I was on my internship.