Tax assistant Review

I'm part of the tax advisory team which is working on UK and international tax matters including Research & Development, Transfer pricing, Large business tax strategy and Company reorganisation. I have also had a little bit of experience working on tax compliance, personal tax employment and benefits and privately owned businesses.

I have learnt a number of skills - from business communication, to technical knowledge to business development and time management. I have had a great opportunity to play on my strengths during the apprenticeship course and really enjoyed talking about my goals and career perspectives with my line manager. I have also completed a number of activities where I demonstrated the skills that I have developed.

I have enjoyed the technical learning and working towards exams, however I struggled to find time to complete all the activities within the dedicated 3h per essay/activity. I have used additional study leave or annual leave to complete a number of exercises and that was challenging and very tiring.

The technical exams are really well structured, with 2 sittings - May & November, however the additional activities and online exams have very odd deadlines and it could be challenging to meet some of them. I had to be extremely strict with myself and dedicate as much as possible time learning in order to pass exams and progress further.

My employer was absolutely fantastic - I had the full support of my line manager, team and partner, as well as the HR team who were also responsible for any additional trainings and learning opportunities that I had been put on during the time of my apprenticeship. I'm very grateful for this support.

I had received some support, however the training provider was relatively slow when I had questions in respect of question. However the training materials and the courses itself were excellent. I have undertaken a lot of additional study time to complete successfully my qualification. I wish there was more support from the tutors in live sessions.

I think the technical qualifications that I am gaining out of the apprenticeship- ie ATT & CTA (Diploma Level 7) is very valuable. I believe that gaining that will help my career and i will be able to progress further much quicker. It is also very valuable client experience to gain.

Yes, I've done plenty of extra-curricular activities. Among these were joining BPS Aspire committee, doing charity work, completing CSR days, preparing videos and pictures from events, joining and organising business development events, webinars and speed networking. I have joined the netball team and played against a number of law and accounting firms. I have also done a 10k charity run.

Yes

I think Mazars offers a great working environment, friendly teams and a lot of flexibility and extra-curricular activities which could help a young professional to achieve a great work-life balance. I certainly gained a lot of support from my team and line manager - they have not only provided me with interesting work, but also supported me through my learning! I think a motivated and bright young professional has really a world of opportunities at Mazars.

Make a use of the mentoring scheme that is set up to help new applicants. The people running it are very friendly and could give you a great idea about their experience within the firm, their tips for passing the assessment t centre along with a taste of their daily routines. I would also say be prepared and read a little bit around the company, as this knowledge could be very handy. And finally, be positive and try to make the most of the opportunity to speak to people working in the industry.