Tax Associate Review
at BDO
Higher Level Apprenticeship
Accounting
London
Review Submitted: May 2021
Overall Rating
3.1 /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!
2.5/5
-
Overview of Role
3/5
-
Skills Development
3/5
-
Structure and Support
Overview of Role
Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:
3/5
My job responsibilities as a Tax Associate include the following:
• Assist in tax investigations and disclosure processes through external liaison with clients and HMRC
• Analyse data and compute tax liabilities
• Drafting of disclosure report sections and preparing appendices
• Assist with administration and correspondence
• Develop knowledge of UK taxation through studying for the Chartered Tax Advisor (CTA) qualification
• Prepare tax returns when required
• Assist in tax investigations and disclosure processes through external liaison with clients and HMRC
• Analyse data and compute tax liabilities
• Drafting of disclosure report sections and preparing appendices
• Assist with administration and correspondence
• Develop knowledge of UK taxation through studying for the Chartered Tax Advisor (CTA) qualification
• Prepare tax returns when required
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
2/5
I did not really enjoy the programme. The work is very monotonous and leave little scope for professional development. I expected to be doing more variety of work. such as drafting reports and liaising with clients, instead of always being given data entry/billing tasks. The colleagues in my team are supportive and friendly however, and I appreciate the culture where working overtime is strongly discouraged.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
3/5
I was undertaking the Chartered Tax Advisory (CTA) qualification. There were internal training courses available.
I learnt technical skills such as excel functions, data entry, technical tax knowledge; client take on and risk reporting processes, report drafting and preparation of tax returns. I also learnt soft skills such as how to work better in a team and time management.
I learnt technical skills such as excel functions, data entry, technical tax knowledge; client take on and risk reporting processes, report drafting and preparation of tax returns. I also learnt soft skills such as how to work better in a team and time management.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
3/5
In terms of the qualification, the programme is very structured. There was a 2 week residential induction at Cambridge when we first joined, and there are a lot of internal training courses throughout the year. There are a number of internal training staff to support your studies throughout.
Task delegation has not been particularly organised - some grads seem to get way more work than other grads do. There is also a lot of hierarchy within the team in that junior staff will only be expected to do certain level of tasks.
Task delegation has not been particularly organised - some grads seem to get way more work than other grads do. There is also a lot of hierarchy within the team in that junior staff will only be expected to do certain level of tasks.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
3/5
I receive a lot of support from my people manager, who checks in with me once a week. I was assigned a buddy as well when I joined. There was some support from HR during Covid but I did not feel the support was tailored to me. There is a general supportive culture but this has worn off a bit due to Covid.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
3/5
My training provider is my employer. There are a few tutors and they are easy to contact and will answer any questions you have. There is a lot of supportive towards the qualifications, including courses, consolidation work, and more. I did not particularly enjoy the content of the studies however - it is very technical and dull.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
3/5
My qualification help me understand the technical complexities and legal basis of the tax cases better. I definitely gain more knowledge about tax through the qualification. Sometimes the immediate application isn't directly felt, but it can be useful in helping in report drafting and interpreting case law, particularly if one progresses to be in a more senior position.
Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)
3/5
There are quite a few corporate social responsibility events that staff can get involved in and there are general allowances (10 days towards CSR activities). There are events to get involved in although because of covid a lot of them were cancelled. I attended the Christmas ball as well as a few other events.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend BDO to a friend?
Yes
Why?
If you are interested in pursuing a career in audit/tax, BDO will support you throughout your apprenticeship and studies and offer you plenty of opportunities for learning and training. The work life balance is also quite good (at least in my team) that management appreciate that after 5:30 + weekends are your own free time.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to BDO?
Be genuine and relax. They want to see how you demonstrate your strengths throughout the assessments. There is no right or wrong answer to each question, but make sure you do your research into the team you're applying to and what you expect the role to involve. Lastly, do not be afraid to ask questions!
