Why did you choose the Deloitte Graduate Programme?
I chose the Deloitte Graduate Programme because I did my placement here for 6 months in 3rd year of college and really enjoyed the atmosphere and culture here. I was also keen on doing a masters in order to gain exemptions from the CAP 2 exams, as I would then be able to complete my accounting and tax exams during my 3 year contract (all going well!). Deloitte offered the opportunity to do the masters, providing financial support and with a job lined up for afterwards.
What did you study in college?
I did an undergrad in Accounting in UCC and then did a masters in Accounting also in UCC.
With this Graduate Programme are you now working in the industry of your choice?
Yes, I wanted to complete both my accounting exams and tax exams in as efficient a way as possible and this Graduate Programme allowed me to do that, while also gaining experience in corporate tax.
What were your first impressions and how easy did you find it to become integrated at Deloitte?
My first impression of Deloitte was when I came here on placement in 3rd year of college. I hadn’t studied tax much in college up to that point so I didn’t really know anything about the industry when I arrived in the door. People really took the time to try to explain what was going on, knowing that the other placements and I didn’t come from a tax background. The people here are really what makes the difference in terms of becoming integrated and making a first impression. It also helped that there were about four others that I was in college with also on placement in the tax department (albeit different service lines). So there was a good support network of people at my own level, even as a placement. There was also a morning once a month where lots of cakes were delivered and everyone would spend 15 mins chatting and eating cake, so that helped with first impressions too!
Can you describe a typical day in your role?
A typical day in my role could consist of spending half the day working on something alone (with the guidance of the manager of course), for example researching various parts of tax law/case law or interpretation of the law and writing up either advice or responses to various queries raised by clients. The other half could then consist of calls or meetings with clients or meetings with managers/partners to discuss approach and next steps in terms of a piece of advice for a client. There is also an element of project management involved in monitoring various tax deadlines and making sure clients are aware of these, or liaising with other service lines/teams for input or expertise that wouldn’t be my area.
Have you ever felt daunted by the level of responsibility presented to you while working in Deloitte? If not, why do you think that is?
I haven’t really felt daunted by the level of responsibility presented to me which I think is mainly down to the support you know is there in terms of the management and partner group. If I’m feeling overwhelmed or confused, I can go and speak to someone to either help me to understand what it is I need to do or to help balance or prioritise the workload.
What do you feel makes a good leader in Deloitte?
I think a good leader in Deloitte is someone who drives projects forward to achieve the end goal, while also taking the time to make sure that the team know what it is they should be doing and the approach to take, without micro-managing.
What is the social life like while working at Deloitte?
The social life is generally good at Deloitte. There is a few different levels of teams, e.g. corporate tax which is under the umbrella of tax as a whole which is under the umbrella of Deloitte as a whole. So, there can be various events/outings at each level. We have a social committee for corporate tax which regularly try to organise nights out and activities. We also regularly have tax wide drinks with the wider department where different service lines can socialise. At Christmas and in the summer, there is a firm wide party which everyone is invited to. So, as you can imagine there always seems to be something happening!
What makes Deloitte stand out as an employer?
In terms of somewhere to complete a graduate programme, one of the big draws for me looking back is the support provided in terms of exams. You get study leave before sitting the exams, but you also get tutorials from managers who have sat the exams previously and also dedicated workshops from people who specialise in preparing for that particular exam in the lead up to exams/study leave. The other main consideration I think is the reputation of the firm as a great place to train. Even if you leave straight after finishing your training contract, other practices and/or companies in the industry look very favourably on having trained in Deloitte, knowing that you will have gained good experience in your time here. What impact do you feel is made to the working environment by the diversity within the team at Deloitte? Diversity within the team brings different perspectives to the work.
Have you been involved in any of the Deloitte CSR activities?
Yes, each September the whole firm is given the opportunity to spend a day volunteering at various different off site locations – “Impact Day”. Last year, I went to My Lovely Horse Rescue Centre where they rescue and rehabilitate horses. We spent the day painting, cleaning and mucking out the stables. A bus was provided by Deloitte to and from the location as were all the cleaning supplies so the whole thing really was facilitated by Deloitte. We regularly have “Denim Days” through which people can fundraise for various charities. In the past, we’ve also had pancake parties, bake sales and quizzes where funds are raised for various charities.
I did an undergrad in Accounting in UCC and then did a masters in Accounting also in UCC.
With this Graduate Programme are you now working in the industry of your choice?
Yes, I wanted to complete both my accounting exams and tax exams in as efficient a way as possible and this Graduate Programme allowed me to do that, while also gaining experience in corporate tax.
What were your first impressions and how easy did you find it to become integrated at Deloitte?
My first impression of Deloitte was when I came here on placement in 3rd year of college. I hadn’t studied tax much in college up to that point so I didn’t really know anything about the industry when I arrived in the door. People really took the time to try to explain what was going on, knowing that the other placements and I didn’t come from a tax background. The people here are really what makes the difference in terms of becoming integrated and making a first impression. It also helped that there were about four others that I was in college with also on placement in the tax department (albeit different service lines). So there was a good support network of people at my own level, even as a placement. There was also a morning once a month where lots of cakes were delivered and everyone would spend 15 mins chatting and eating cake, so that helped with first impressions too!
Can you describe a typical day in your role?
A typical day in my role could consist of spending half the day working on something alone (with the guidance of the manager of course), for example researching various parts of tax law/case law or interpretation of the law and writing up either advice or responses to various queries raised by clients. The other half could then consist of calls or meetings with clients or meetings with managers/partners to discuss approach and next steps in terms of a piece of advice for a client. There is also an element of project management involved in monitoring various tax deadlines and making sure clients are aware of these, or liaising with other service lines/teams for input or expertise that wouldn’t be my area.
Have you ever felt daunted by the level of responsibility presented to you while working in Deloitte? If not, why do you think that is?
I haven’t really felt daunted by the level of responsibility presented to me which I think is mainly down to the support you know is there in terms of the management and partner group. If I’m feeling overwhelmed or confused, I can go and speak to someone to either help me to understand what it is I need to do or to help balance or prioritise the workload.
What do you feel makes a good leader in Deloitte?
I think a good leader in Deloitte is someone who drives projects forward to achieve the end goal, while also taking the time to make sure that the team know what it is they should be doing and the approach to take, without micro-managing.
What is the social life like while working at Deloitte?
The social life is generally good at Deloitte. There is a few different levels of teams, e.g. corporate tax which is under the umbrella of tax as a whole which is under the umbrella of Deloitte as a whole. So, there can be various events/outings at each level. We have a social committee for corporate tax which regularly try to organise nights out and activities. We also regularly have tax wide drinks with the wider department where different service lines can socialise. At Christmas and in the summer, there is a firm wide party which everyone is invited to. So, as you can imagine there always seems to be something happening!
What makes Deloitte stand out as an employer?
In terms of somewhere to complete a graduate programme, one of the big draws for me looking back is the support provided in terms of exams. You get study leave before sitting the exams, but you also get tutorials from managers who have sat the exams previously and also dedicated workshops from people who specialise in preparing for that particular exam in the lead up to exams/study leave. The other main consideration I think is the reputation of the firm as a great place to train. Even if you leave straight after finishing your training contract, other practices and/or companies in the industry look very favourably on having trained in Deloitte, knowing that you will have gained good experience in your time here. What impact do you feel is made to the working environment by the diversity within the team at Deloitte? Diversity within the team brings different perspectives to the work.
Have you been involved in any of the Deloitte CSR activities?
Yes, each September the whole firm is given the opportunity to spend a day volunteering at various different off site locations – “Impact Day”. Last year, I went to My Lovely Horse Rescue Centre where they rescue and rehabilitate horses. We spent the day painting, cleaning and mucking out the stables. A bus was provided by Deloitte to and from the location as were all the cleaning supplies so the whole thing really was facilitated by Deloitte. We regularly have “Denim Days” through which people can fundraise for various charities. In the past, we’ve also had pancake parties, bake sales and quizzes where funds are raised for various charities.
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