Audit - Summer Intern Review

The work that I performed in the Audit department during my placement was above and beyond the expectations I had before my internship. I was fortunate to be given the opportunity to work with numerous clients, operating in various industries, which was an aspect of the job which really appealed to me.

I found my colleagues to be very accommodating, particularly in the first couple of weeks whilst I got to grips with the nature of the work. My colleagues were supportive whenever I needed assistance with performing a task, and were extremely patient when answering my numerous questions about the job during the early weeks!

My in-charge for each client always made an effort to brief me on the work that the team was performing that week. My manager also gave me guidance on how to make the most of my opportunities with KPMG in the longer term; something I will definitely take on board when I commence my graduate role next year.

At the start of each week, my in-charge would provide me with a breakdown of the audit tests that we would be performing; this was a good way of allowing me to manage my workload for the week. I would sometimes complete tasks in a time frame that was earlier than expected, and so would assist colleagues to ensure that I was kept occupied.

I was given the opportunity to work autonomously during the latter half of my placement, and my in-charge would provide me with a list of work that needed to be done, and I would manage my own time to ensure that the work was completed in a timely manner.

My KPMG internship has already proved to be an invaluable experience, since I have now secured a graduate role for 2014. My commercial awareness and accounting knowledge increased immensely during the internship, which will undoubtedly help me when I begin my career with KPMG next year.

The atmosphere was positive and collaborative, and there was a real sense of community when working at the client site. My colleagues were sociable, and I felt satisfied with the levels of interaction in the office.

There were no issues with regards to the set up of my internship. I had been booked to clients before my first day, and was given a say in which clients I would prefer to work with. Colleag usually had work to provide me with if I had finished tasks.

Whilst KPMG didn't tangibly invest in me, with respect to professional qualifications training for example, all of my colleagues invested their time and effort into making my KPMG experience positive.

I had a partner interview (the final stage of the recruitment process) a couple of weeks after my internship finished. I actually found the partner interview extremely enjoyable, and I think the fact that I had already had prior experience with KPMG and had received very positive feedback was a big factor in this.

There were no social events organised for interns during the placement, except during the two induction days at the beginning of my internship. There wasn't much opportunity to interact with other interns, simply because I wasn't placed on the same jobs as them - this wasn't an issue however.

I didn't live in the area that I worked in, so I can't comment on the cost of living. However, the cost of socialising was roughly in line with the average cost of socialising in the South-East - I didn't find the costs of socialising to be unreasonable.

I didn't live in the area that I worked, so I can't comment on the quality of the nightlife. Opportunities were quite limited since most staff drove to the office.

There was an active social club which organised regular events, as well as celebrations for staff birthdays.