Internship Review at Ernst & Young

The Role

Role Description

After a 1-week induction week, the group of 60 interns were sent to their respective business units. I went to Corporate Tax, and spent the remaining 5 weeks at the International Tax and Strategic Growth Markets desks, on a rotation basis. The allocation of these particular sub-divisions was seemingly random, and within Corporate Tax, there are several others.

The work I was given was quite varied, and I had to be quite pro-active in order to get it. Highlights included shadowing Partners and attending client meetings, but there was less glamourous work too such as filing and photocopying. In between these two extremes, were a number of research related tasks.

1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

The people I worked with were all friendly and ready to explain anything I wasn't sure about, which made me feel comfortable in the work environment.
I found the tasks which challenged me at just the right level made work the most enjoyable.

2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

As above, because the staff were friendly and easy to get along with so everyone felt quite valued.

3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

We had an hour or so worth of tutorials every week which gave us (the interns) a basic grounding in Corporate Tax, which are good idea, at least in principle.
The firm also has an extensive online support network for any technical queries.

4. How busy were you on a daily basis?

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Rated 6/10

It really varied from day to day and on the individual I got the work from. Some were ready to supply task after task, others less so.

5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?

★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 5/10

In a number of tasks, I was given some considerable responsibility, such as contributing my research to a near-final draft copy - which went to straight to the line Partner for review.

6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?

★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 5/10

I developed a good awareness of the Tax/Assurance industry which helped me strengthen my career direction.

The Organisation

7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Rated 6/10

Most people were up for a chat when the opportunity arose. Good relationship existed between the interns.

8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

The scheme ran like clock-work - very well organised. A social every week and a dedicated HR team looked after the interns.

9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

The company provided weekly tutorials for the interns in various areas of Tax and permanent employees were prepared to spend considerable amounts of time explaining technical points, so it felt that I was being well invested in.

10. What were the perks on your work placement?

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

• Company Parties/Events

11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

My particular service line has a graduate scheme that incorporates training for the ICAS (chartered accountancy) qualification, so this is highly appealing for anyone wishing to pursue a stable and fruitful career in the professional services sector.

Other Information

12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

Some interns partied hard, others less so - each to their own. But the opportunity was definitely there!

13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

London is quite expensive!
But if one were to shop around, all sorts of discounts can be found.

14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

Central London has some expensive clubs, but as above, do your research and you can have a good, affordable night.

15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Rated 6/10

The hours weren't horrific, so yes is the answer to that. Depending on personal preference.

In addition to these questions, is there any extra information you would like to leave about your experiences on your work placement that other students may be interested in?

This is definitely worth a go if you're considering a career in professional services - it's good experience and good pay (for a summer job).
And you might learn something!

Review 284/284 for Ernst & Young

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