Corporate Finance Analyst (M&A) Review
at RSM
Placement (10 Months+)
Banking, Accounting
Crawley
Review Submitted: May 2021
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
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Overview of Role
5/5
-
Skills Development
5/5
-
Support and Guidance
4.5/5
-
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.
As an analyst I can either be working on live deals or helping win new work through targeting and business development.
When working on deals I am expected to help the deal team by conducting research and analysis for example: buyer research, working capital analysis, EBITDA multiple maps etc. I am also expected to keep on top of admin to ensure that the deal process is running smoothly since there are so many moving parts.
When I am not working on deals I am working on targeting, this is trying to identify potential new clients that RSM can build a relationship with. I will also work with the team to compile a tailored pitch document when tendering for new work.
Were you given much responsibility during your placement / internship?
I was given meaningful work after the first week, the team made sure that I was given tasks that would help with my professional development. A lot of work is client facing and therefor requires responsibility.
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?
My Excel knowledge has developed leaps and bounds since starting my placement. I am now confident using advanced formulas and navigating through a business model. I have also learnt a lot about putting together attractive and insightful documents using Powerpoint. This could be for things like pitches, buyer research documents, reports etc. My accounting/finance knowledge has improved, I am a lot more confident reading financial statements and with general industry terminology.
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?
As a placement student I was assigned a line manager and a graduate 'buddy'. Both check in with me regularly to see what I am working on and how my professional development is going. My line manager is very accommodating towards my needs. He/she regularly asks if there are any specific parts of the deal process I would like to gain exposure to and ensures I get it.
My 'buddy' regularly helps me when I have questions or get stuck on tasks.
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?
The Corporate finance team has a friendly atmosphere, colleagues work well together in a constructive and fun environment.
Something that really stood out for me was how strict the team were about resourcing, they ensure that each team member has a fair amount of work. My line manager controls my workload and we have honest conversations if I have too much work on my plate.
Rob Donaldson, the CEO does a company wide call every quarter to talk about the state of the business, future plans and to answer any questions. This provides employees with transparency and allows them to have have their voices heard.
How would you rate the inclusiveness of the culture?
5/5
How would you rate the social opportunities?
4/5
How would you rate the diversity initiatives?
5/5
How would you rate the charity, sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives?
4/5
Overall Experience
To what extent did you enjoy your placement / internship?
I have thoroughly enjoyed my placement even though the majority of it was outside the office. I have really bought into the RSM brand and its ethos. The company provides an exciting and fast paced work environment where no two days are the same. This keeps me on my feet and means that I am constantly learning new things.
I have had the opportunity to gain valuable work experience and transferable skills. The exposure to live deals are invaluable and is something that can't be taught in a class room.
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 RSM
5/5
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend RSM to a friend?
Yes
What advice would you give to others applying to RSM
Try and really understand what RSM does and where it's positioned in the market. Research specifically for the service line you have applied for.
Demonstrate your uniqueness and why you would be a valuable asset within the team.
