What degree did you study at university and what different career options were you thinking of in your final year?

I studied Maths at university and looked at actuarial, data analytics and accountancy as possible options for a career. At that stage I did not have commercial awareness in business so thought audit was a good way to understand the operations within a wide range of companies and maybe see what opportunities may open up from there.

Most of the career options I was interested in came with further study as part of the contract, so ACA studies within audit suited me.

How did you juggle looking for work with finals and do you have any tips for other students?

Most companies big and small have some sort of AI in their process. It can be quite frustrating as you are limited to the time frame you have available to answer questions. Hillier Hopkins versus the others was more personable and it felt as if you got through by merit rather than luck-based AI. My career search was a bit of a scramble but with hindsight now, I would say to look closely at websites and decide on companies you definitely would like to work for, then work hard to make sure you have a targeted approach to get in with them rather than have a scatter gun approach with applications. Quality rather than quantity.

What have your first three months been like?

When I first started, I made sure that I asked lots of questions. Luckily, I was encouraged to do so which made me feel comfortable and therefore more confident that the work I was producing on sections of the audit file was accurate. I know a lot more now and feel I have been given responsibility for tasks. Some early repetition of work such as bank reviews helps to build your agility and with the support given you learn tasks quickly. Each audit you work on you get to meet different people and you are invited to team social events and audit lunches. Recently all three offices shut down for a day to have a summer event in Canary Wharf where I managed to meet colleagues from different offices and departments in a purely social setting. So far, balancing work and study has been manageable as the study time (remove the word off) given is enough to get everything done. The exams will become harder but at Certificate Level, so far, I am managing it well and enjoy the variety.

So far, balancing work and study has been manageable as the study time off given is enough to get everything done. The exams will become harder but at Certificate Level, so far, I am managing it well and enjoy the variety.

What tips do you have for a graduate starting their first job?

Ask plenty of questions, get to know as many people as you can and make an impression with the work you do and the people you work with.