Summer Intern Review

I was placed in the Private Business Private Client Department within Tax, for my internship, which advises clients on tax implications of actions, and helps them pay the correct amount of tax, and options to pay minimum amount legally required. As an intern, on a day-to-day basis I would help out on more simple compliance tasks. This included research on tax laws for client's tax related questions, drafting HMRC letters or filling out spreadsheets with account information.

I have developed my interpersonal skills, and how to integrate into the office and form relationships to be able to find work and receive feedback. I developed my style of writing, and how to adjust language within emails to colleagues compared to letters to clients or governmental bodies. I learnt how to conduct myself in an office, and learnt how Tax operates. I also learnt new Excel skills, and shortcuts to get things done more efficiently.

The Team understood that my knowledge of Tax was very limited, so most of the tasks delegated to me were relatively simple. However, I was still given much responsibility, as I was working on real projects for clients, so the tasks I was doing mattered. I was also given tasks slightly above my skills so I was given the opportunity to push myself, whilst also having the support behind me to ask questions or for help if I was unable or unsure how to do the task.

I was allocated a Buddy and Career Coach. My Buddy helped me by introducing me to everyone on my first day in the office and throughout, showing me around and answering any questions I had. My Career Coach helped in a similar way, and also helped me choose goals to achieve whilst I was there. The wider team were all very friendly, answering any questions I had about tasks or in general, and provided me with a lot of feedback.

The company culture was very friendly. The office space is designed so people of every grade sit together and there is no designed office seats. As a result, everyone interacts with each other regardless of position, and interact with different people every day so the team is very connected and united. There are also many events and activities to get involved with, within teams and also company wide. The charity initiatives are also very fun, and as an Intern I had the opportunity to get involved in this.

I enjoyed it greatly. Everyone I met was very friendly and extremely willing to give me work to do or answer my questions. I learnt a lot of Tax knowledge I hadn't known previously, including a lot of specific knowledge through the tasks I was given. I was given the opportunity to help on tasks where I had to push myself, as I had to learn how to do something new, so I wasn't' bored with easy tasks.

Yes

The advice I would be is be yourself. In the interview process and assessment centre, it is very easy to get nervous and to exert yourself to seem professional and serious. However, I found it was better to, whilst maintaining a professional aura, remain calm and confident in myself rather than pretending to be someone else. The interview where I relaxed slightly and let my personality show through went really well and I felt that as I already had shown my academic skill, it was this connection that pushed me beyond the other candidates.