Ex-summer intern
Manchester
University of Durham
@GT_Lizzie

I chose Grant Thornton for my internship because it seemed like a friendly firm and I didn’t feel intimidated. The firm is the fifth largest and I know they’re going to grow – it’s already grown so much since I was here last summer, and it’s really exciting to be part of that.

From the start of my six-week internship I was treated like a first year trainee and thrown in at the deep end. I was talking to Financial Directors in my first week, which I didn’t expect. People say accountancy is just numbers, but I really like the fact we were mainly on site with clients, which is a great experience and lots of fun. I did the simpler parts of the audit, but always felt I was integral, and I was always busy. You have to know everything about your client’s business, and how they’re doing in the market at that moment, so you get a real understanding of how business runs and start to see all the ins and outs. The internship was a great tester for whether I wanted to do audit or not, and whether I wanted to do it at Grant Thornton.

I haven’t even had to apply for a job because by mid-August last year I knew I had one for next August. This year, at university, I opted to be a brand ambassador for Grant Thornton on campus. Our team was asked our opinion about what we thought would work at our university and given control of the budget, which is a real responsibility. It’s really made me feel part of the firm, even though I’m not even working there yet.

Q: What's the best bit of advice you've received?
A: Always smile

Q: What’s the best bit of advice you've received while working at Grant Thornton?
A: Learn to manage your time well, because as a trainee you have to balance work and study.

Q: What is the best bit of advice you have given a client while working at Grant Thornton?
A: Telling a client they should send their child to my university, Durham, because I loved it so much!

Q: What is the best bit of advice you would give a graduate looking to join Grant Thornton?
A: Don't rush your application and don't just write standard answers for all firms you apply to, make it personal to Grant Thornton.