Summer Intern, UK&I Audit Review

From my first day I was accepted into my team and challenged by the work I was given. Everyone was really friendly, the atmosphere in the office was welcoming and I found myself settling in almost straight away. Due to a few days of inductions prior to starting, I had built up good relationships with other interns which meant that there were plenty of opportunities for socialising even from the get-go, although as the weeks progressed I also had opportunities to socialise with other staff as well. Overall, I had a really positive experience at EY and found myself growing in confidence.

The team I was working with gave me plenty of work to do, and I was surprised by the level of responsibility I was given from the outset. I felt like the work I was doing was benefitting the team, and so in this respect I felt valued. I was included in discussions and meetings that were above my level, just for the experience, and I was even taken along with managers on business trips, allowing me to get a true feel for the career I am considering. By the end of the internship I felt like I had built strong networks and relationships with my team, which will no doubt benefit me in the future.

Every task I was given was explained thoroughly to me, and I never felt like too much was expected of me. One of the things that was drilled into me before starting was the importance of asking questions; by following this advice, I never found myself stuck or feeling lost, as everyone was really willing to spend time addressing any queries I had. I had regular meetings with my 'counsellor', a senior employee there to help me get the most out of my time, and these were useful for discussing my aims and goals, and finding opportunities outside my own team.

I always had tasks to do, and my colleagues were happy to find other things for me to do if I ran out. The more I worked on the team, the more they trusted me and therefore the more work I was given, so as the internship progressed I became busier; this meant that I felt more a part of the team and overall my experience became more enjoyable as well. I never had to work too late, and my tasks were usually to be completed within one day, so I never felt overwhelmed by the work I had to do, but if I had done I'm sure my team would have been able to help me prioritise my workload. The key I found was to ask for work; a day gets very boring if you have nothing to do!

From the beginning I was given the opportunity to take ownership of tasks and was allowed to work independently. EY places importance on independent learning and I felt I was given the opportunity to do this; I was allowed to go away and put my own stamp on tasks. I never felt that tasks were too difficult or too high-level for me to complete, but I was expected to produce work of a high quality the same as everyone else.

The most important thing I developed, in my opinion, was my confidence, both socially and in a work environment. I learnt to network, when to interact in a professional manner and when it's ok to not, and I gained the confidence to present my work to managers and other senior staff and to be proud of what I had done. I was trained to use various software specific to EY, which will no doubt help me if I choose to take up a graduate position with the firm. The 6 weeks were a huge learning curve, and I had so much to take away from it. I now feel inspired to complete my degree in order to help my career progress.

The atmosphere in the office is friendly and open - everyone stops to chat to each other and someone is always offering to go on a coffee run! People work hard but there is definitely not the attitude of working in silence glued to your desk. EY are currently updating their workspaces so the new floors are modern and open plan, with big collaborative working areas. Most people in the office hot desk (i.e. no-one has their own desk) so this is a good opportunity to sit with different people and get to know lots of colleagues.

The first two days of the internship were inductions organised by the Student Recruitment team - these were really well organised and a great chance to meet other interns and get to know each other. However, once we entered the office, the first few days were a little unorganised - it felt like no-one really knew what to do with us! We weren't allocated to clients/teams until the second week of the placement, so the first week was a little bit awkward (sometimes I felt like I was just in the way!) but once I joined my team I quickly found I had a lot to do and felt part of the organisation. Overall, the placement is well run, with start and end socials and a work away day in the middle, so all the interns keep in touch. As long as you are proactive and look for work, someone will make use of you or find you something to do!

During the first few days we had various inductions, covering everything from IT to networking and asking for feedback - this meant that I entered the office with a good set of skills that really helped me throughout my placement. Once I started work within my team, every one of my colleagues took the time to explain tasks thoroughly to me, and as a result of this my understanding of the job, the audit process and the business world in general really grew. If you ask questions, someone will always explain - this is a really great atmosphere to work in. There weren't really opportunities for training during the internship, but the general ethos of developing people as individuals really shines through.

I am hoping to be offered a graduate job as a result of my internship, and if this happens I will definitely be accepting! EY offers the opportunity to study for a well respected qualification and to have a varied and challenging career - you can't really say no.

During the first few days the student recruitment team organised a few socials for all the interns, which were a good way to get to know each other better after work. After that, lots of Whatsapp groups popped up and us interns got together quite often after work for drinks at the nearby pub. There are department and team socials quite regularly as well, and if you get the chance to work away from the office the team will often go for dinner and drinks together.

Obviously London is expensive! I got lucky and didn't have to pay for my accommodation, but I know that for many of my friends this was a significant expense. However, the internship pays well and the money you get is more than enough to cover these costs. The price is worth it for the experience of living in London!

London has amazing nightlife, and the bars, pubs and restaurants near the office in London Bridge are really good and often filled with EY colleagues after work! There is a great social scene to get involved in.

EY has various networks that anyone can get involved in, as well as a range of sports teams. Even if you're only interning for six weeks, you can join these teams and meet people from across the business.