Audit Vacation Intern Review

I thoroughly enjoyed my time at KPMG. My internship gave me a really good idea about what it would be like to work for a big 4 as well as what a career in audit would entail.

Even though I was just an intern everyone from managers to partners treated me as an equal, valued my input and took an interest in my progression and opening me up to as many opportunities as possible.

Everyone I interacted with at KPMG was supportive or offered me some guidance in one way another. Whether it was helping me fill out time sheets or expense forms or taken time out of their work to go over more complex concepts and procedures my managers/colleagues/random co workers around the office were more than happy to lend a helping hand.

This is highly dependent on what client you're working on and what time of year it is. I had some periods that were pretty slow where I was working the normal 9-6ish because the audit had just been completed and the only things left to do were tie out numbers and paperwork. There were other times where we were right in the middle of an audit and I'd be working 9-9 because there was just so much work to do.

I would often complete my tasks fairly quickly (as an intern I wasn't given anything particularly difficult) but I would often ask my managers and colleagues for extra work. The amount of responsibility you're given is highly dependent on the amount of responsibility you are willing to take on. Often if you feel like you are capable of doing more complex work and are enthusiastic about learning your managers will give you more tasks and responsibilities.

A lot of the work I conducted required analysing large sets of data and pulling out key information and drawing some kind of conclusion. This has really helped develop my analytical skills which is an important skill and will be useful when I conduct my final year project and have my own data to analyse. Working in a team also helps build great teamwork and communication skills which are useful for any career.

As I was on a client for most of my internship I didn't spend much time or really know anyone that worked at the office. However the few days that I was there I found everyone to be SUPER friendly and very willing to lend a helping hand. Random people who you've never met are willing to stop to help you with little things like your expenses and how to complete a time sheet or point you in the right direction if you're to get lost. I'd often find myself having conversations with people in the lifts or waiting in the line for lunch which really made me feel very comfortable and at ease. Managers and even partners I had previously worked with would always stop to say hello and ask how I was progressing whenever they'd see me randomly in a corridor or working on the same floor. KPMG is generally the friendliest place I have ever worked and the people that work there take a genuine interest in you which is something you wouldn't really expect from such a big company.

I always had work to do and was always booked onto a client. Every time I started working on a new client either a manager or someone working on the team would email me notifying me of things like where the company was, what the team were doing, the tasks I would have to complete and who I'd have to report to which I found to be very helpful.

It's very easy for managers to give you mundane and easy work to do because that way they won't have to worry because the chances of you getting it completely wrong are pretty much nil. At KPMG however, managers push you achieve your best by actually giving you actual audit work. They take out time to really explain tasks and the concepts and reasoning behind why we do certain testing and are always happy to help if you get a bit stuck.

To say very would be an understatement. Working for KPMG opens up so many doors not only within the firm itself but in industry too. KPMG push individuals to pursue as many opportunities as possible and achieve their very best. I'm really looking forward to coming back to firm as a graduate and getting stuck into ACA exams and hopefully one day secure a secondment abroad somewhere.

While I was at KPMG it was Ramadan so I thought I would never be able to partake in any social events since I was fasting. I was the only Muslim on my team and we were away in Milton Keynes for two weeks on a client but everyone made an effort to make me feel as comfortable as possible. They would always wait until it was time for me to open my fast so I would be able to join them for dinner which was really great and we end up going for drink most nights (they'd always make sure wherever we went served mocktails) and as a result I really bonded with them and they became my extended family for two weeks. There also department socials which are always good fun to go to and a great way to meet new people.

Even though I was working at the Canary Wharf office socialising wasn't too expensive. I'd often go for drink with my co workers or the other interns and we'd just find somewhere with a happy hour. Lunch is very inexpensive considering you're given a lunch allowance so having a pizza on the 13th floor for lunch everyday with the other interns was pretty great.

I worked in the London office and although I didn't partake much in the nightlife aspect a lot of the other interns really enjoyed it. There are a lot of great bars and clubs that are pretty close to work where they'd often go.

There's lots of societies you can join at KPMG from ISOC to the women's society and they all hold their won events outside of work and it's a great way to meet new people. KPMG also have lectures and seminars for interns to attend which are really help build certain skills like confidence and communication, it's also a good way to meet interns from other departments.