Audit Assistant Review

Having spoken to KPMG employees prior to my placement, and given KPMG's pedigree as a top graduate employer, I had no doubts about how much I would enjoy my 8 week audit placement. It certainly delivered. From day one you are immersed in the high-pressure, demanding lifestyle of audit; travelling to client offices, meeting clients and genuinely driving value for the business. Expect to be given responsibility even in your first week, and be aware that the opportunity to get involved in all aspects of a global audit client is there if you show real desire and produce quality work. In terms of a gaining a real appreciation for what a future job may entail I doubt there is a better experience. For anybody interested in an internship with a financial services firm, KPMG should be your first choice.

If there is anything to take away from working for KPMG it is the people. Regardless of the pressure on work, I found that all my teams made me feel at home and were enthusiastic when I asked questions to further my knowledge. Although the tasks I was initially given reflected my level of experience, i.e. zero, all the work I completed was greatly appreciated and at no point did I feel like I wasn't helping the team. As long as you show a willingness to support your team and produce quality work, there is no doubt that they will value your input.

As part of the internship you are assigned a mentor, usually a manager, who is your point of contact outside of graduate recruitment. From my experience they were always available if I had any queries, they openly contacted me to check my progress and were key in supporting me prior to my final partner interview. I could not have asked for a more appropriate level of support - they do not suffocate you nor abandon you - and this really contributed to the family feel that KPMG generates.

On all of my clients there were very few times where I didn't have any work to do. Generally this was because of the nature of the job - a summer internship often coincides with the audit of half yearly accounts, which, although not as time-demanding as the year-end accounts, still provide plenty of work opportunity. In the quieter hours I would often help set up workbooks for my senior team members to aid their progress and although some tasks are less exciting than others, I cannot complain I never had too little or too much work to do.

Responsibility varied from client to client and was given where there was the opportunity. Generally busier jobs would demand more difficult work and a greater level of responsibility would be given. The work I completed varied from that of a total novice, e.g. ticking, to that of an experienced first year trainee, e.g. acquisition accounting, cash work and controls audit. Although at the discretion of the in-charge on the job, work would also require talking to the client directly, which is an aspect of my work that I really enjoyed.

The experience at KPMG is first class and the work will demand and develop skills that you may not recognise as being as important as others. In addition to technical skills, vocational skills such as team-work, communication, presentation, organisation, time-management and prioritisation are all key to the role. My final year at university is comprised largely of team-based projects and self-study modules, for which all of the vocational skills mentioned above will be instrumental. Beyond university there is no doubt that the ability to hold a professional conversation with senior members of my team or any clients I have will be very useful, as will those technical skills and accounting knowledge that I have developed.

Most of my time was spent at client offices in small teams, where the atmosphere was ideal. There was a good balance between getting on with work and having general office chit chat about an individuals weekend, for example, or current affairs. A big bonus of an internship with KPMG is you are guaranteed to meet intelligent individuals and take part in intellectually stimulating conversation that means there is never a dull moment on the job.

The internship structure was very well organised, whereby introductory days were run to 'break-in' all interns and help prepare everyone for their first day on the job and what they might be asked to do during their vacation programme. There was support throughout the entire process and particular attention was paid to ensuring all interns had a good spread of clients during their time with KPMG. The feedback process was well organised in support of the final partner interview, and at no point did I feel left in the dark.

Although there are opportunities to take courses as part of the full-time graduate role, the internship was more focused on giving me an taste of the job, which did not leave much time for extra training. However, all my teams were keen on giving me work to help me develop my skill sets which was a positive.

I was offered a job with KPMG following my vacation scheme having done enough to show the partners that I could be trusted in front of the clients and complete work in line with company policy.

Although there were few opportunities where all of the interns were available to do something socially (many of our jobs involved staying at hotels near clients in the week), we did meet up on a number of occasions throughout the scheme, whether it be an evening or an event run by KMPG (such as dinners or charity days).

I am not aware of the cost of living within Birmingham because I was living at home not far away, and so commuted from there. The price of drinks/food depends on the bar/pub that you visit, and can vary from a 'burger and a pint' for £6 to £5 a pint in some pubs. Generally night cubs would be £5/£10 entry and drinks could vary from a few pounds to £10 depending on what night you choose. There are plenty of bars/pubs which are free to get in and relatively inexpensive though!

Nightlife is great. There are plenty of pubs, bars and clubs in Birmingham and the surrounding area and, depending on what people enjoy, also lots of events such as comedy nights, live music etc.

There were not many activities outside of work, as most employees would want their weekends to themselves having had a busy week. However, at away clients I would often have dinner with the team or visit the local town/city that I was placed in. There are some sporting teams/events but they are not that frequent.