Izzie P.

Top Insider Advice

Everyone has certain personality traits or skills which they develop throughout school or university, which they might not even be aware of - they do not have to be technical/academic! Soft skills are so important in the world of work, and it's important to reflect on what you are good at and what sort of roles will sort this skill set. For example, if you're a friendly person who is good at making others feel comfortable, a client facing role might suit you better. On the other hand, if you have high organizational skills, you might excel in a job where you work on several projects/clients at one time. It might seem obvious, but excelling at work, especially in your first few years, is usually much more to do with your personality than your technical knowledge or understanding. Find a job where the working style comes naturally to you, and you'll be able to dedicate more effort to learning and developing.

Career path

Assistant Tax Advisor

EY UK

From 10/2018 to 03/2024

Company

What do you like about your job and the company?

I came into this job with zero knowledge of tax, accounting or finance. When I started, I felt like I had a lot of catching up to do! However, for me, the process of learning and developing is part of the fun. I love that in the 1.5 years I've been at EY, not one day has gone past where I haven't learnt something new, or at least consolidated my understanding of a new concept. An understanding of corporate tax is a unique skill that is employable in many different scenarios and jobs. As they say, the only two certainties in life are taxes and death! For those are motivated by the intellectual challenge and an ever-changing landscape, tax provides an exciting career path.

Greatest achievements

In my first year at EY, I went from being assigned to two audits only to having a portfolio of 15 clients, including coordination, compliance and audit clients. I have in particular built up my Real Estate compliance clients to a point where I am now stepping up into a senior/reviewer role on these accounts, managing junior team members and being the main client contact. This has accelerated my development, meant I now get to work with fantastic people and am genuinely enjoying the work I do. My industry knowledge is growing every day and I am increasingly able to support our clients with the unique challenges faced in the Real Estate sector.

Other insiders

Ross W

Top Insider Advice

Something I've learnt a lot in this role - as cliche as it may sound - is that whenever you have doubts about something in your line of work, it's best to ask for a second opinion. Especially when you're new to the role, it can seem a little embarrassing having to ask a question every five minutes (for me, the one that stands out is having to ask whether I was allowed to use the office milk with my afternoon cup of tea), but there's really nothing to be afraid of. Everyone wants to see you do well - your manager wants to see you develop; your team want you to contribute effectively to the engagement; and the client wants to make sure that they're getting as much as possible out of your audit. Something to keep in mind is that you'll be working with people who were in your shoes not too long before you! On my first engagement, I've been lucky enough to work with my assigned "Buddy" (a member of staff a year ahead of you in your programme/apprenticeship), as well as a "Senior" (a newly qualified member of staff, usually with about 3-4 years of experience). They've been really good at reminding me that they had the same questions a year or two previously. You'll also have other graduates/business apprentices at the same stage as you - make sure you help each other along the way!

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