Private Client Tax Advisor - Associate Review

I work with managers to help deliver first class client service. During the day I complete tax compliance work such as tax returns, planning and occasionally small parts of advisory work, as i progress I will move more into advisory. I also partake in secondments to other department when our department is less busy, helping me improve on alternative skills that will benefit me in the future. I also spend time revising as I have exams and i often apply this learnt knowledge in my day to day job.

I have learnt so much about personal taxation, how it impacts individuals and what can be done to ensure everyone is paying the correct amount. I have built upon existing skills such as communication through emails, letter and over the phone, this has massively improved my confidence. I have also improved my time management as I have a large portfolio of clients to work on.

I enjoy my programme very much, I am always learning and improving on new and existing skills and i'm always being pushed to improve. The team I work with are very kind and accommodating and are always there to assist me. The programme has exceeded my expectations so far and i'm looking forward to the future with my firm.

I would say the programme is well structured, we mostly focus on work with occasional college weeks where we spend multiple days out of the office, either online or in person college where we learn and study for our upcoming exams. The college and exam dates are always well communicated so you do not need to worry about missing them. There is a strong network of support so there is always someone to talk to or ask if I am confused about a subject.

I would say we receive a high level of support from the company, my line manager is very supportive and is always there to assist. There are multiple levels of support, you are allocated a buddy to assist you wherever needed. The company also provides support in many other ways.

We receive a lot of support from the training provider, all college and exam dates are posted well in advance to ensure we do not miss them. All of the tutors are there to assist and seem like they genuinely enjoy teaching us. The lessons are always engaging and very informative. They also provide all revision material and past paper questions etc

My qualifications massively help me in my role, they are very relevant so anything learnt through revision is almost always applied to my role. I feel like over the past 1.5 years my work has improved hugely in quality due to taking these on the side, they also help with my confidence in my work.

There are often work social events, especially on a Thursday after work. There are networking events provided although I have not attended. I also believe there are many sports teams across different departments. I think the extra-curricular activities really help expand your network and help build strong relationships with colleagues.

Yes

I really enjoy the workplace, almost everyone is approachable and happy to talk to you. We are a growing firm and are now the 6th biggest professional services firm in the UK. The work we undertake is interesting and ever changing, with work and clients that can appeal to everyone.

I would recommend joining Smith and Williamson if you are interested in a career in professional services with one of the fastest growing UK firms, we deal with such a large variety of clients so there is something interesting for everyone. The fact that all college and exams are covered will ensure you continue developing and ensure you get the top qualifications in your feild.