At school I enjoyed studying mathematics and business, so when it came to looking at degrees, BSc Accounting and Finance made sense as an option. Before doing my application I got some experience in a few accounting firms. I found that accounting seemed to be a career that would play to my strengths, so I decided to apply to the degree at the School of Management.

I did my work placement at a small accounting firm in Essex. I was working in the audit department as an audit junior. This involved assisting on audits by visiting client offices, processing information and completing audit testing for review by colleagues. It also involved independent tasks like preparing financial accounts and completing stock takes at client premises.

My placement experience has already been invaluable to me. Having real-world experience in the industry meant that I had valuable examples to give when interviewing for graduate roles. The client-facing nature of my role also allowed me to significantly build my confidence. All of this led to me being much more successful in my graduate role search than I would have been otherwise. I have no doubt that my experience will continue to be beneficial as I move forward in my career.

The placement experience was difficult in a lot of ways. It was my first time applying for and working in a full-time job in the industry. But the challenges I faced have taught me a lot and helped my personal development. The placement team were instrumental in supporting me through those challenges.