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Higherin
BDO

Corporate tax intern Review

at BDO

Internship (1 Month+)

Tax

Southampton

Review Submitted: August 2023

Overall Rating

4.9 /5

The Overall Rating is the average of all the ratings given in each category. We take those individual ratings and combine them into one final score!

5/5 - Overview of Role
5/5 - Skills Development
5/5 - Support and Guidance
4.8/5 - Company Culture
5/5 - Overall Experience
5/5 - Future Career Prospects

Overview of Role

Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis.
I worked on a variety of tasks in the corporate tax team, a small team, which changed day to day depending on which team members I was working with and how much work was available at my skill level. Generally speaking, the work I conducted involved creating fee proposals and engagement letters, learning BDO tax systems (tax computations, etc.), bills, client meetings, etc. In addition to this, there was a required training week at the beginning with additional learning modules to complete.
Were you given much responsibility during your placement / internship?
I was given a fair level of responsibility, working on actual customer projects and producing work that was delivered to clients, for instance. I was given the go-ahead to make calls to HMRC and create fee proposals for clients. However, since a manager or other person examined practically everything I did, this obligation didn't become a source of strain. Additionally, the majority of what I did was lesser chores because, obviously, I was unable to do much more, so the level of responsibility I was given was constrained.
Please rate how meaningful the work you were doing was
5/5

Skills Development

Have you learnt any new skills, or developed your existing skills?
I acquired some new knowledge, like how the BDO tax team uses particular computer systems, how to use Microsoft Office applications, and proper email and office manners. I improved my presentation and cooperation abilities because of the presentation we had to give at the end of the six weeks. More soft skills, like working with clients, taking notes, and creating emails, were also acquired by me. Furthermore, I know more about taxes than I did prior to the internship.
How would you rate the training provided during your experience?
5/5
How would you rate your development of industry-specific skills during the experience?
5/5
How would you rate your development of personal / soft skills during the experience?
5/5
Please rate how these skills have helped you in your career development
5/5

Support and Guidance

How much support and guidance did you receive during your placement / internship?
Everyone was happy to assist, and I never received a task without being given clear instructions on how to complete it in advance. If I required assistance, there were typically enough individuals in the workplace to respond, and if not, teams were always made up of people who could help. However, most of my coworkers also offered assistance. I was given a buddy and a line manager to assist me with any questions I might have. Moreover, we underwent a health examination.
How would you rate the support and guidance from your line manager?
5/5
How would you rate the support and guidance from the wider team?
5/5

Company Culture

What was the company culture and general atmosphere like?
Everyone was friendly and helpful, and the mood was more laid back than I would have expected from an accounting office, which speaks highly of the corporate culture. I was not excluded because there were a variety of people in the office, including people of different ages. However, because I worked in one of the smaller offices, I was the only corporate tax intern there. While this wasn't a problem, it would have been good to have someone else there.
How would you rate the inclusiveness of the culture?
4/5
How would you rate the social opportunities?
5/5
How would you rate the diversity initiatives?
5/5
How would you rate the charity, sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives?
5/5

Overall Experience

To what extent did you enjoy your placement / internship?
I had a great time during my internship; it was beneficial to have a sense of the variety of tax-related job as I interacted with a variety of people and learned how the office operated. It was undoubtedly a positive experience, and I gained a lot of practical knowledge. My main complaint is that there rarely is much to do, which can make me feel a little bored. This is understandable, though, as I am not yet competent enough to handle too much, and it hasn't impacted my entire experience.
Please rate your level of enjoyment on your placement / internship
5/5
Please rate how your experience met your expectations
5/5

Future Career Prospects

Please rate the future employment prospects at BDO
5/5

Recommendations & Advice

Would you recommend BDO to a friend?
Yes
What advice would you give to others applying to BDO
You can learn everything you need to know on the job, so dont worry if you don't have a background in accounting like the majority of individuals do. When submitting an application, consider your motivation for wanting to work for BDO as well as how your abilities would fit into the requirements of the position. Make sure to show that you can work well in a team, are literate and skilled in maths, and that you can create new ideas to benefit your team.
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