Tax intern Review

I really enjoyed the insight week. It was a great opportunity to learn more about BDO, their values, and what exactly a role in Tax entails. I found the presentations on the Wednesday and Thursday very informative and were a great insight into the kind of work that a Tax employee caries out; I would say these presentations were the highlight of my week. I also thought the final interview was conducted well and I was made to feel at ease.

I felt valued; of course, it's hard to feel overly 'valued' in a one week virtual insight week but I thought all employees were very accommodating and friendly. There was a heavy theme of BDO's values throughout the week and I feel that all the employees really believed that these values manifested themselves in day-to-day life, rather than just being something talked about to attracted employees and then dropped on day 1. Hence, the inclusiveness aspect of this made me feel valued.

I think that while there was not a huge amount of guidance, this level of guidance was appropriate to the insight week. We had to prepare a presentation on Tuesday and present on Wednesday and while we were aptly prepared and given relevant documents to aide us, we were given a good amount of freedom as to how we wished to present and use our time. I think this was constructive and allowed members of our group to really get to know each other.

I think that despite the programme only being one week long (therefore limiting the extent to which the information received can assist me in my studies), it was very beneficial and helped me get a better understanding of the Tax department. It also acted as a fantastic opportunity to meet like minded individuals which I think will prove invaluable going forwards in terms of having a good network of connections, as I have stayed in touch with a few people from the insight week.

I think it was very well structured considering the week had to be made virtual due to Covid. The keys themes of BDO's values and helping us build up a picture of what a role in tax entails were retained, and suitable accommodations were made regarding moving all communication online. The structure of the week was very clear and I always knew what to expect from the next few days. I think Emails regarding Microsoft Teams/Skype meetings could have been sent out faster as there was some confusion when people had not received their plans for the day.

The general atmosphere was welcoming. We were not expected to be experts in Tax and the presenters were welcoming, regardless of whether you knew the answers to their questions. I think this was important as it made everyone feel at ease. However, I think a very good level of professionalism was maintained, and when I worked on group projects everyone took their work seriously. I felt that BDO, as a firm, were always very welcoming.

I appreciate that while it will always be difficult to give an accurate depiction of such a varied role in such a short space of time, BDO's insight week helped me get a feel for the kind of work Tax analysts perform and we were given ample time to ask questions to current employees and trainees. I think the 'buddy lunch meeting' was particularly helpful as we got a trainee's perspective on working life as part of BDO.

I feel that BDO strongly emphasized their company's culture throughout the week and hence I have a very clear picture of their values and ethics. Aside from merely stating their values, the employees who gave presentations seemed to genuinely believe that these values could be seen throughout the firm, and acted as a basis for the company's goals and direction. There were very clear messages of inclusivity and welcoming which I felt that created a good atmosphere among employees.

The content was very valuable in terms of helping me to decide on your future career path? It reaffirmed that a career in tax interested me and would allow me to utilise my strengths. Moreover, it made me certain that a firm such as BDO would suit me due to the firm's culture, but also due to the size of BDO; being part of a large firm would provide great opportunities to learn from some of the top professionals in the industry.

I was reimbursed fully for all expenses very quickly. My expenses for travel were fully covered up to a generous maximum, and the requests were processed quickly. The original internship scheme also had a generous salary, and despite the programme being moved online, participants were still paid £400 for the insight week. This helped us feel valued and made me feel that BDO cared about its employees; even those who had yet to be accepted into a full time role.

There were a multitude of networking opportunities provided throughout the week. Aside from getting to know the programme coordinators, it allowed everyone on the course to interact with each other and build meaningful professional relationships. I'm sure these will be very useful, going forward. Moreover, we were given the opportunity to talk to current trainees and many of us connected on LinkedIn; these are of course invaluable contacts to have as it was not long ago that they were in our shoes!

There were a multitude of networking opportunities provided throughout the week. Aside from getting to know the programme coordinators, it allowed everyone on the course to interact with each other and build meaningful professional relationships. I'm sure these will be very useful, going forward. Moreover, we were given the opportunity to talk to current trainees and many of us connected on LinkedIn; these are of course invaluable contacts to have as it was not long ago that they were in our shoes!

I would certainly recommend this to a friend; regardless of the outcome, the programme acts as a brilliant insight into the industry and allows you to make many professional connections, while developing yourself in a professional capacity. It was very interesting to see what exactly a role in Tax entails and get a feel for how a professional financial services firm such as BDO operates. I think the programme was multi faceted in terms of the value it provided.