We caught up with Jess about her experience as a Business Tax Graduate with Evelyn Partners. She gives us a great insight into the last 4 years at the firm and tells us her top tips so you can stand out in the interview.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background
I joined Evelyn Partners 4 years ago on their Graduate Programme and prior to this, I completed a Summer Internship at the firm. At university I studied French and Management, I did a placement year in Audit in Luxembourg and came back to Evelyn Partners for the 6-week internship before finishing my final year at university. After graduating, I then went on to do the 4-year Training Contract alongside completing the ACA and CTA qualifications.
So, 15 exams later I’m now qualified as an Assistant Manager in the Business Tax Team.
What made you choose Evelyn Partners?
The firm stood out to me as it has a small firm feel but a large client base. I had previous experience at one of the big 4 but I decided I wanted to work with a smaller close-knit team. When it came to meeting people at the firm, there was a really nice vibe, and everyone was so friendly, but it also had that big client mentality that I was looking for. So, it was a good mix with lots of interesting, varied work.
What does a day in the life of a Business Tax Graduate involve?
Your role changes quite a lot over your training contract. To start with, we had lots of training getting to know how the different systems and tax works. There’s also a keen focus on passing your exams at the beginning, which then progresses on to getting to know your clients and building a client portfolio.
My current role is based in client management, so I ensure that they’re happy and that they’re getting everything they need from us. In the background, we’re preparing their tax compliance, working with their auditors and making sure their tax returns are submitted to HMRC on time. The main focus towards the end of the grad programme is about creating those client relationships while ensuring we’re delivering on their needs.
What do you enjoy the most about your role?
The client focus is something I enjoy the most, I love picking up the phone to call my clients! Now I’ve been here for 4 years, I feel like I know them quite well. You tend to stick to the same clients all the way through so you’re able to build a good bond with them. Currently, I’m moving into finding my own clients which is really interesting. This involves networking and introducing our cohort of graduates into those client teams and getting them involved.
The main difference between tax and audit is the variety of tax work, I can speak to five different clients a day on five completely different topics which makes every day different and interesting. We don’t work on a project basis so your client portfolio tends to be very broad and very varied.
Top tips for members wanting to apply?
My number one tip is to be yourself in the interview! We really value authenticity at Evelyn Partners. You don’t need to have any tax knowledge; it’s more important that you are able to come across well, are switched on and a good all-rounder.
In the interview I got to talk about my experiences and all life experiences are valued! An experience that you might think is small and is not tax related, is actually very relevant. So, bring your whole and true self and be really open about what experiences you have.