Junior Tax Associate Review

Preparing tax returns. Calculating annual allowance tax charges to do with NHS pensions. Researching general queries to do with medical tax.

Learnt more about how tax is calculated and rules surrounding tax.

I enjoy it a lot, I feel like I still have a lot to learn but I also have another 2 and a half years left.

I feel like the graduate rotations within my company aren't very well structured. We often don't get told if/where we are rotating until the last minute. The rotation is also only 4 months so may not allow us enough time to experience the different areas of tax fully. In terms of Kaplan, I have found their communication and general procedures within the apprenticeship very confusing. It took a long time just to enrol on the programme. After that it was unclear what role my company had in my development and what role Kaplan had.

We receive paid study days for taking exams leading up to the exam date so I would say that is a big bonus. Sometimes i feel that training sessions could be more tailored towards graduates as often the general training sessions provided within the company are aimed at those with significant knowledge in tax.

I feel like support is accessible should I need it. However, I find there are a few different platforms and points of contact and sometimes that can be confusing. I sometimes struggle with knowing who to go to if I have a problem as they often point me in another direction.

I think my qualification has provided me with knowledge of tax. However, I find the other aspects of the apprenticeship such as demonstrating skills like leadership etc irrelevant. I often don't present these skills on a day to day basis as I am a junior in my team. I find the concept of constantly having to demonstrate that I have these skills quite worrying as I know this will impact on my apprenticeship.

N/A

Yes

I feel there is interest in how I am progressing, I am currently due to have a careers conversation and I feel like these sorts of opportunities where senior members of staff are taking an interest in more junior staff are quite frequent.

BDO values how you are as a person. Even if you do not come from an accounting background, if you can demonstrate that you are capable and considerate in other areas then I think anyone can stand a good chance in the application process. For example one of the key things I spoke about in my interview was my time spent in another country volunteering. I also spoke at length about my part time employment and the skills and attributes I had achieved from that (although this job was unrelated to my field of employment).