Audit Associate Review

I really enjoyed the placement for the 7 months and so extended it by a further 3 months during my gap year. I have since worked during my Easter holidays and also over the Summer holidays of university and have had the chance to split my time between the Manchester and Newcastle offices on various placements.

My year were excellent and I feel I quickly felt like I was a valued member of the staff performing roles that actually had an impact on the outcome of a job. I was never treated as anything different to any of the graduates even though I was 4 years younger and straight out of school.

The managers were some of the best people at the firm with the support I gained and as the firm is quite young in nature with rapid career promotion then the people that are your managers were only a few years older and so could relate quite well to me.

This varied hugely depending on the client though I never would say I was overworked there were a few evenings I had to work and a saturday or two along the way to ensure the job got done. The long hours some days are more than outweighed by the other days when you're sent home just after lunchtime.

My responsibility within the teams grew as my placement went on with me by the end controlling the files of entire companies and performing roles which are critical to the success of the job but I didn't feel that there was too much responsibility on me, as you build the experience most of the tasks and roles become easier to handle at the same time.

I gained lots of confidence in dealing with lots of new people from meeting the 40 or so people in my year, the 300 or so in my department and the thousands of people I have met on client sites. I have also developed skills in managing a team and encouraging other people. I also feel more confident in my abilities of time management and the accountancy skills I've learned no doubt help with the student loan management.

At times it was tense and at others it was lots of fun, it varies through the year as there is the busy season at the start of the year when a lot of companies are being audited at the same time whereas there were times at christmas when the office is very quiet and you could happily take two hour lunches, leave early and arrive late. The office atmosphere though is very upbeat with good banter across the desks and people always willing to help if you have a question.

Very well. The scholar team organised the placement well and managed to get my contract extended through discussions with HR and the schedulers without any impact personally to me. When I arrived everything was arranged and jobs are lined up for you and communicated to you.

There was a lot of training at the start and a few weeks in college and ever since I have been on the job which I've found thoroughly rewarding.

Good, I need to have one final interview after university but will continue with my placements and build up a good feedback file to ensure the prospects are as good as they can be.

Incredible, my intake were an extremely social and we were frequently out on the town. There was a great number of meals and drinks events provided during the year.

I was living at home so my cost of living was quite small. Socialising costs were reasonable in Manchester.

Good. I was taken to many new places by people in my year who had been to University in the city.

Lots of chance to get involved in community work and football etc.