Discover EY Participant Review

I really enjoyed my time at EY. Before coming to the insight event I was skeptical about the company having had little experience with them before. However after my two days with them I can honestly say they have convinced me as to the fantastic company they are. The staff all spoke passionately about the areas they worked in and one thing I liked is that they we not afraid to talk about the other big 4 companies. If any of them has either trained with another company or had any sort of experience with them they mentioned it and rather than it being a taboo topic they used it to their advantage to say why they preferred EY which I found refreshing.

I felt very valued when being at EY. Many types of staff came to talk to us from people in a year placement right through to partners and the showed me a range of views in both the tax and assurance areas. The hotel that was given to stay over in as well as the restaurant we ate at were both very nice and gave me an idea of how much we were valued and how much they value their employees.

In every task we were faced with there was a member of EY at our table or nearby that we could ask for help with. This was very helpful and meant we also got to ask staff questions that we were not as comfortable saying infront of the whole room. They also gave us lots of tips for applications and advice for things they wish they had known before joining.

I would say the main skills that were developed over this time were during the second day and the group activity involving the business case. During this time it gave a chance to take on many roles and use my own personal skills in a real life situation. We also had the chance to find out what type of learner we were which was very helpful and definitely be of use in the future. As an area for improvement I would say that I felt the business task on the second day was very short and although it got us to work under pressure I think everyones skills would have been used better in a longer space of time.

On the first day they told us an outline of the day which was stuck to very well. Having a good structure allowed us to get the most from the experience however I would say that they could possibly have made the timing of the two business games on the first day longer. As far as I am aware no group managed to complete either game so extending the time could have meant we learnt more from what was two very interesting games!

I felt the atmosphere was very relaxed and everyone at the event seemed keen to get to know each other. The lady that led the whole event did well at using games to bring people out of their shell and I would say that she was one of the main reasons the two days were so relaxed and informative.

On the second day they provided a business case and set it out like a real life scenario. This showed me that someone had spent time planning the whole day and made sure every little detail was correct. They also did games like the one mentioned above about finding out about the best way we all individually work which was helpful in improving personally in the future.

The case study on the second day gave us a real idea of what it would be like to work full time for EY and the sort of things we would have to deal with everyday. The staff that spoke to us all gave us an idea of the challenges they face and things they enjoy as well as things that they don’t.

The staff at the event really gave a good idea as to the company culture. They really showed as to why they are different to they’re competitors which can be hard to do.

The event has been such a help in deciding on my future career path. Before the event I was not really considering either Tax or Assurance as I felt they were not for me however after hearing what employees had to say I have decided that Tax is an area I am not considering. Information that I did not know was given at the event such as difference in working environment at regional and london offices and this has been very helpful in deciding the area and location I wish to pursue in the future.

We were reinbursed for up to £100 of travel expenses and if you lived two hours or more away, you were given a hotel room for the night before and the first night. Breakfast and Lunch were included on both days as well as dinner on the first day.

Yes, throughout the days we were put into different groups which meant we got to speak to everyone in the room. There were also various members of staff that we got to talk to both in the day and at the meal.

The networking opportunities were good. Throughout the two days I would say I was put in about 4 or 5 different groups which meant that by the end of the event I had spoken to most people there.

This was an area that I felt was lacking. Although a few activities were mentioned briefly, no one spoke specifically about employee benefits or extra activities that staff could participate in. To improve EY could have dedicated 10 minutes explaining about societies they have as well as employee benefits,

I would definitely recommend discover EY. The whole event has been such a help in deciding the area of professional services I am interested in and the information that I gained from attending will be used again in the near future.