RateMyPlacement and RateMyApprenticeship are now Higherin: Learn More

Higherin

Tax Advisor Review

at EY

Higher Level Apprenticeship

Tax

London

Review Submitted: January 2024

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 - Overview of Role
3/5 - Skills Development
3.2/5 - Structure and Support

Overview of Role

Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:
2/5
Preparation of advice, technical update notes, billing summaries and meeting decks; client correspondence; client take-on and internal administrative procedures; business development work involving targeting new businesses/sectors; working with the juniors in the team to support their development; secondment to client firm to assist with reviewing their group VAT return
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
2/5
Not a great deal. I find the potentially enjoyable parts of the role are interrupted by tedious and monotonous administrative processes. I also find the pressure of utilisation targets difficult to manage given that I do not always have control of what work gets allocated to me - particularly if I am involved in business development projects which are non-chargeable but nevertheless important.

Skills Development

Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
3/5
I have developed a better understanding of the working world and businesses make strategic decisions in practice, including the interaction of technical and commercial considerations. I believe my communication skills have also improved through interactions with clients and various other members of the firm. Finally, I have begun to learn the skill of delegation and managing teams/projects.

Structure and Support

How well organised/structured is your programme?
3/5
The internal/external training courses themselves have been well run but the dates thereof are not always communicated very far in advance which impedes planning.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
3/5
The team is very supportive when approached but it can sometimes be difficult to bring stuff up without it coming across as complaining. They also refused to give us more than 1 day off for an important exam which led me to take 6 days of annual leave and still fail the exam (probably - results pending) - this was a very stressful experience.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
4/5
The training courses were run well and provided plenty of opportunity for Q&A. I also understand that the tutors made themselves contactable out of hours, though I never followed up on that.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
2/5
Very little. The training is very broad whereas the role is somewhat specific/niche so a lot of the training is superfluous. The parts that are relevant have been useful though.
Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)
4/5
Yes - I have been involved in the rugby and tennis teams. There are also various 'enhance your experience' events which seem to be run on an ad hoc basis and are usually decent.

Recommendations & Advice

Would you recommend EY to a friend?
Yes
Why?
Its not great but its also not too bad all things considered and I think the team and the opportunities for progression make the other tedia worthwhile. Its also nice to work with clients that are household name brands.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to EY?
Don't set unrealistic expectations - its a big firm with great clients but work is work at the end of the day.
In This Review
Join Now

Join the Higherin Community

Save Time

Easily add jobs from Higherin or external platforms to keep everything organised.

Personalised Alerts

Get tailored job recommendations and updates straight to your inbox.

Exclusive Features

Access tools like application tracking, deadline reminders, and saved searches.

Stay Ahead

Be the first to know about the latest opportunities and deadlines.

Completely Free

Create an account and unlock powerful features at no cost.