Tax Trainee Review

My role here is to help clients with tax compliance and give tax advice where needed, as well as being involved in other admin work related to my clients. This involves preparing tax returns, warning clients on their impending tax liabilities and writing reports on how tax may affect them and their finances.

I have developed many skills whilst working here, most revolving around tax knowledge and how tax affects high net worth individuals, but also more business related skills, such as preparing for a meeting, organising a presentation and working in a large group to reach a common goal. I have also nearly finished my first tax qualification and have been involved in many different processes within the firm.

I really enjoy the programme here, as it gives me a chance to do what I want to do within work, get professional qualifications and be part of a larger firm, all whilst getting paid. Compared to university, this is a much better option for me, and I feel like in the year and a half I have worked here I have learnt so much and really feel ready to progress to the next stage of my career.

I feel very valued here at Smith & Williamson, as although I am an apprentice and haven't been here that long, I am still involved and working with people who are fully qualified and doings the same work that they are doing with similar clients. Due to the area that I am specialising in, I have people who are fully qualified ask me questions on what needs doing with a particular client, and that makes me feel very valued here.

The programme is reasonably well structured, as I know what exams I need to complete to get my qualification and I know when they will be done to make myself fully qualified. However, there is a secondary apprenticeship portfolio I have to complete which revolves around other business skills, such as using excel and presenting a presentation. Although these skills are useful, they are often mundane and slightly simplistic in comparison to what I actually do at work so rarely improve me.

I receive a fairly good amount of support from my training provider. I have training sessions regularly on the build up to any exam for my qualification, as well as revision sessions run by Kaplan, the training provider. I also have my books and training tools sent to me before I arrive at the training sessions so I can review what I could be learning before I arrive.

I receive quite a lot of support from my employer to go towards my training, this includes having days off to study and given help to train when needed, as well as a motivation to complete my exams, financial and in work. There is also the support of the people who I work with who help to motivate me to succeed and also give help with anything I don't understand when ever I need it.

My current salary meets my costs and needs very well, as although I have moved into my own house and have a car, I can still afford to pay for all of these things and still have enough money to save or have fun with. I live not very far from the office, so can walk into work everyday which saves me a huge amount of money.

There are many opportunities outside of work. Smith & Williamson often organise meals and drinks to meet and socialise with people outside of the work environment, as well as numerous sporting events to get involved in such as playing football or cricket with people within the firm and against other firms nearby. Smith & Williamson also does many things with their clients that you can get involved in, such as going to an Orchestra.

Yes

Smith & Williamson is a very good firm to work for, as they care about the future of the apprentices that they hire as they see them as the future of the firm as a whole. This means they will try to make sure you feel as comfortable as possible in your working role and have as many benefits as they can offer to convince you to continue working for and with them.

Make sure when you go through the application process that you know who Smith & Williamson are, what the role you are applying for actually is and know about in general the specialities of that particular office or area you are going into. Most importantly, be confident and yourself, at the end of the day, we are a client facing firm, and Smith & Williamson want to hire people who can do he qualifications and be good workers but also can build a rapport with the clients.