Trainee Chartered Accountant Review

My job title is a trainee chartered accountant and I work in Audit and Business services. If I'm in the office I role forward files for future Audits or I complete audit tests which can be done off site. I normally respond to managers or seniors for each job that I am put on. If I'm booked to be on site I normally conduct fieldwork which is gathering data from clients to complete audit tests. Since, this is my first year, my responsibility is mostly to get a feel for my job and complete tasks which are much simpler than what my colleagues above me would do. Each audit I go on improves my understanding and I use the previous experience to do better in the future.

I have learnt so many new skills. My very first week was internal training which was very helpful as I learnt to use caseware which is the programme we use to file the audit work for the Clients. I was shown the basics which was very useful in my first audit as I didn't feel lost. I think when you have a new experience, you feel vulnerable so the training made me comfortable. The external training courses would be the Kaplan study days which is for the ACA exams. This was useful as I had a tutor to help me with exams which were very new to a school leaver like me. The exams were nothing like I had come across before and I was scared at the beginning and so having a tutor that I can contract anytime was very comforting. In college I mostly pick up skills and knowledge for exams.

I really enjoy my company because there is a good balance between work and social life. I think it is very easy to get swallowed up by work especially with tight deadlines such as in Audit but the social events allow individuals to relax. The teams are very nice and helpful and always try to help with exam questions as well. I was expecting the office to be quite boring and repetitive because that is what I've seen before but at Smith and Williamson the atmosphere is so lively and never boring because you are with different clients at different places which means things don't get repetitive. I really enjoy the variety.

I really like Smith and Williamson as they are very understanding about personal needs so they put you first instead of thinking about the business side of things only. The managers pic things up quickly and there is a constant level of appreciation. Also, I am allowed to complete audit tests instead of sitting back and watching, this made we feel valued despite of being new.

The organisation is very good, so the induction and training was in the first week and then I went to college for the next week and then on an audit the week after. This meant that I was able to apply what I learnt straight away. Also, we have a mentor system in which we are allowed to have a coffee catch up and a lunch to have discussions with the mentor about any issues or queries. I think it was well organised because even though at the beginning it felt rushed, in the long run it was helpful as you get used to it even quicker.

I get access to a tutor online any time and the tutor for the exam is available by phone or email if you prefer that. The attitude is normally that they want to help you to pass.

I receive a lot of support from my employer so if I was upset I can go to my mentor or appraiser. They are always willing to help and will take calls even in out of office hours.

My salary just about meets my costs because I pay for a full train ticket, and then living and daily costs. It's just about enough to pay for everything but it's not enough to save as well

There are many company events such as curry and bingo night, football, base ball, and pub events. The location is very good as Smith and Williamson is close to St. Pauls and the Royal exchange so there are plenty of places to sight see. There are team building exercises which happen twice a year. there is a Christmas party and a summer party. This means there are many opportunities to meet people and build relationships.

Yes

I would recommend Smith and Williamson because the company doesn't make you feel small. I think other companies might leave you behind until you have a experience in the company. however, in Smith and Williamson I was put on an audit straight away.

I would say it is very helpful to research the company when applying because it helps in interviews and it is a great conversation starter with higher management such as partners. There are many opportunities to go overseas and even try other departments so you can continue to add to your experience through out your journey at Smith and Williamson.