You must embrace continuous learning as it ensures relevance in a rapidly evolving work landscape. This will allow you to increase your technical expertise and commercial awareness - both pivot to success. By improving your technical expertise, your work will be seen as more accurate and reliable. By increasing your commercial expertise, you will be able to take that one step further and decide which analyses to do at what time and what the output of an analysis actually means for a business. Networking is also extremely useful. There are so many things we don't know we don't know, but just a simple conversation with an experienced individuals can save you years of mistakes. They can provide guidance and deliver a roadmap as they can see the path you need to take when you aren't even aware of the next step. Similarly, reading and taking courses are very powerful as this allows you to consume decades of knowledge in just a few hours...

Having joined EY straight from school, my willingness to learn has been instrumental in shaping my professional journey. It has allowed me to embrace new challenges with enthusiasm and curiosity, rather than fear or hesitation. This eagerness to learn has not only helped me to quickly pick up necessary skills and knowledge for my role, but has also shown to my colleagues that I am adaptable, have a growth mindset, and I am committed to delivering to the best of my ability. Remember, as an apprentice you are not expected to know all the answers, so don't be afraid to ask lots of questions and keep learning!

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.