Hi, my name is  Paul Cherubuini and I work in Tax Consulting with KPMG.

I attended Maynooth University and studied Law for four years. Law is a relatively new course in Maynooth, so although there aren’t many fellow Maynooth Law graduates here in KPMG I’m expecting to see more in the years to come.

I had seen KPMG at various graduate recruitment events, so I thought it would be worth my while to apply for a graduate position. What stood out to me from the beginning with KPMG was how friendly the people within the organisation are. When I was offered the position I didn’t hesitate in accepting it.

What I enjoy about working in Tax Consulting is the variety of different tasks I get to do each day. Each client is different, and this variety keeps the work interesting. From preparing tax returns for filing, to dealing with client queries there is always something different to do. The work can be challenging, but you have a good team around you to rely on who are always there to help.

Several skills you gain from studying law are directly transferable to working in Tax Consulting. Firstly you often use legislation so familiarity with working with this is a bonus. Other skills such as research, drafting and writing letters and emails to clients and businesses are also applicable.

It can be challenging to juggle both work and study, however you do have a vast amount of resources at your disposal. All your books are provided, and notes and lecture slides are all online and easily accessed. What makes it easier also is that your colleagues are studying the same material as you, so there is always somebody to bounce your questions off.

In addition to the resources I just mentioned, you also have access to the KPMG Business School. You get to attend a number of useful courses with people both working for KPMG and people who work with the institute. Lecturers and experts come in to teach you the material in a smaller setting, where you can ask questions, do some practical work and receive feedback. An example of this is, the weeklong financial accounting course we did before we came into the office with a lecturer from the Institute.

One of the best things about working here at KPMG is the social aspect. There always seems to be some event on! My intake organised a trip to Galway for a weekend after our induction training, celebrating fellow employees passing exams etc. There are also upcoming events like tag-rugby tournaments and 5-a-side football amongst others, so there’s plenty to get involved in.

Overall I’m really enjoying my time here so far, and would highly recommend it to anyone interested in applying.

NeuroScientist turned Tax Trainee 

Hi! My name is Clodagh Phelan and I am a tax trainee in Tax Consulting with KPMG.

I completed a Bachelor of Neuroscience degree in UCD. I found my undergraduate degree very interesting and challenging however I could not imagine spending the rest of my life working in a research laboratory. After spending hours in a laboratory and months doing my thesis I realised that I would like to pursue a career where I interact with people on a regular basis and utilise my interpersonal and communication skills. Therefore I decided to pursue a career outside the spectrum of Neuroscience. I decided to choose Tax Consulting in KPMG.

The skills that I obtained from my undergraduate degree, such as the ability to work through and analyse complex data, have been invaluable since I started working in the Tax Consulting department.

I had heard many great things about KPMG’s Tax Consulting practice. I felt that a career working in KPMG would allow me to gain an understanding of interesting domestic and international tax issues. I spoke to some people who were working in the Tax Consulting area at a graduate fair. They all stressed the amazing support that the KPMG Business School provided, in terms of day-to-day tax training but especially in preparation for the exams.

I enjoy working in Tax Consulting because I get the opportunity to work with huge clients on a daily basis. I am exposed to dealing with very diverse and broad tax issues in respect of a variety of companies. Every day is a new learning experience. Tax Consulting is very much legislative based and our work involves the application of this legislation to practical and real world business scenarios.

It can be very challenging to manage both work and lectures, however the support provided by KPMG is invaluable. All of the material is online so readily available, and all of the relevant books are provided. I find it comforting that everybody in the office has been in the same position before so there is always good advice available and help at hand.

One of the greatest aspects about working in KPMG is the people. The Tax Consulting department is a young and vibrant place to work and there is a huge social element. There are numerous social outings held during the year such as karaoke on intake night, and the annual Christmas party. My intake also organised a trip to Galway after our induction training. There are also lots of societies and events to get involved in which are great for meeting people in different departments. I have also become involved in one the companies many CSR projects. In December I was involved in organising the tax department’s fundraiser for Irish Cancer Society. We organised a Pink day and a bake sale and raised a lot of money for the charity.

The training complimented by the people I work with along with the work life balance makes KPMG a fantastic company to work for. I would highly recommend KPMG to anybody who is considering a position in KPMG as a Tax Consultant, this company is second to none.

Emma's Journey with EY Continues

We last met with Emma as she told us about her summer internship experience with EY.

We catch up with her now as she moves on to their graduate programme.

At the end of my summer internship I interviewed with a partner and was offered a position in the graduate programme. I accepted this offer as I thoroughly enjoyed my experience as a summer intern and decided that tax was definitely the right place for me.

I came to this decision through discussions with EY employees in the tax department and other students who were also partaking in the internship. Throughout final year in college I was also a brand ambassador for EY, this role allowed me to keep up contact with the firm throughout the college year. One key factor in my decision to return to EY was the exam support. The supports provided include extra classes and a very generous study leave package in order to help students pass on their first attempt.

Another key factor in my decision to come back to EY and more specifically to return to the tax department was the fact that, as I mentioned before, the field of tax is constantly evolving. An example of one such change that is topical at the minute is the OECD Base Erosion and Profit Sharing (BEPS) initiative. This initiative looks at taxing companies in the countries where they have real and physical substance. This makes it a particularly interesting time to be in tax as this initiative will impact many multinational enterprises operating in Ireland.

The area of tax in Ireland is also of particular interest as Ireland has a very attractive corporation tax rate of 12.5% which attracts many MNEs to operate in Ireland. This rate results in those working in tax in Ireland interacting with some of the largest MNEs in Europe and in fact the world.

Upon starting the graduate programme I really appreciated the fact that I had undertaken the summer internship, as I was familiar with the firm and its common processes. From day one of the graduate programme you are given real responsibility over your client list as a primary point of contact. The responsibility that is placed upon you results in improved learning speed and submersion into the tax environment.

My Future?

I am currently enrolled with Chartered Accountants Ireland (CAI) to do my CAP1 exams. After completion of my Chartered Accountant’s qualification I will then go on to enrol with the Irish Tax Institute and complete my Part 2 and Part 3 tax exams. Although it will take some time to become fully qualified, the excellent exam support in EY and the friendly environment will hopefully help me to succeed!

An Engineer takes on Tax 

Hi my name is Michael Wendel.

I studied Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering in UCD. I never thought I would end up working in professional services for a company like KPMG.

I had first decided to apply for KPMG while I was working for a technology company, in which I spent two years after graduating. I found out there were people from a variety of disciplines working at KPMG, and so I decided to submit an application.

I had applied for a position in Tax Consulting as I had an interest in that area –  I like to know exactly what taxes I am meant to pay and more importantly not meant to pay. Tax is also universally applicable around the world. As I love to travel and enjoy a diverse life this was perfect for me.

Since I started the graduate programme, I have already learned so much. I came to KPMG with no prior knowledge of accounting, tax or business other than what I had picked up myself from bits and pieces of light reading, but from day one the firm had given us everything we needed to get up to speed.

As you can imagine engineering and accounting / tax don’t have a lot of technical commonalities, however that’s not to say that my degree hasn’t had a positive influence on my work to date. It also goes without saying that the maths element of engineering is a big help when you are dealing with numbers as your day to day job.

When I found out that I also had to go back to college as part of my training I did have a moment of apprehension. Then I looked at the positives, I will have another professional qualification. It is a massive achievement when it is done. I found out that KPMG provide unparalleled assistance to their staff when sitting exams. There are multiple study sessions, an abundance of exam leave and extensive material at your disposal. I am learning so much from the job that I can count that as study in its own right. I quickly found a healthy way to balance work, life and study. The way I see it, it is an investment in yourself.

The office environment I am in is excellent as you share it with a number of likeminded individuals. I have made many friends with people in the office and it has resulted in a new social circle forming in my life.