Cadetships 2013 thread (8 Viewers)

[seremify007]

I stand corrected- definitely looks something more akin to a cadetship.

On another note, has everyone been attending the various firm events/info nights?

 

[Examine]

My exact thoughts haha. Yes it closed very early on the 30th of April. They had a ridiculous name for it, Deloitte Private achievers program, made it sound like a scholarship.

You had to start work in July this year, rather than wait till next year.

Lol GG (though I guess it doesn't affect me too much since it's first years only)

 

[crazy_paki123]

where does it say it closes on 30mApril

 

[Glaeder]

where does it say it closes on 30mApril

Near the end of the information about the program.

Then again if you don't mind sacrificing your social life you will find applications are still open for Tasmania.

 

[Chronost]

On another note, has everyone been attending the various firm events/info nights?

Any I can find. It seems like a good way to find the differences between firms, being to two so far, and surprisingly you do notice the differences in how each firm presents itself.

Edit:nvm I'll wait it out

 

[crazy_paki123]

Near the end of the information about the program.

Then again if you don't mind sacrificing your social life you will find applications are still open for Tasmania.

no way lol, live in sydney. anyways i now know my marks for all my subs pre-finals. (accounting = 78, finanace = 83, management = 66 and statistics = 79) along with my ATAR of 81.5( band 5s in business studies and economics, band 6 in 2u maths), are these sufficient marks to apply for say PwC and E&Y. or will they pull me down abit?

 

[Glaeder]

no way lol, live in sydney. anyways i now know my marks for all my subs pre-finals. (accounting = 78, finanace = 83, management = 66 and statistics = 79) along with my ATAR of 81.5( band 5s in business studies and economics, band 6 in 2u maths), are these sufficient marks to apply for say PwC and E&Y. or will they pull me down abit?

Not too sure about PwC, haven't heard back from them yet (although it appears they have already contacted people in Perth) for EY thats fine depending on your extracurricular and application quality etc, your uni marks are pretty much the same as mine atm.

Now for the Veterans I have a question. If the interviewer for the cadetships asks me if I have applied for other firms do you think it would be wise for me to say yes or would it have adverse effects?

 

[Jinks]

Now for the Veterans I have a question. If the interviewer for the cadetships asks me if I have applied for other firms do you think it would be wise for me to say yes or would it have adverse effects?

They know people apply for multiple firms so no point making something up haha! If they ask be honest, tell them you have applied for other firms because you know a cadetship is what you want to do and you think it would be silly to limit yourself by putting all your eggs in one basket. In saying this continue your answer by telling them why that particular firm is your primary choice and why an offer from this firm would mean the most to you!

 

[seremify007]

At the end of the day the interviewer is also trying to suss out whether or not you are likely to accept if you were offered a role. No point lying.

 

[crazy_paki123]

wtf y wouldnt someone whose applying not be keen on obtaining a cadetship?

 

[ZombieApocalypse]

I just submitted my application form for a cadetship. So many mixed messages though, two different HR managers from the same firm (but different offices) emailed me saying different things, so i'm a little confused. One said I wasn't eligible, one said I was. I sent the application to the one who said I was eligible though *fingers crossed*

 

[Glaeder]

wtf y wouldnt someone whose applying not be keen on obtaining a cadetship?

What he means is they want to check if you would even accept the offer from that particular firm if you had an offer come up from another company. Or along those lines.

As Paynee mentioned they are able to judge this by the interest you show in their firm during the interview.

 

[Glaeder]

I just submitted my application form for a cadetship. So many mixed messages though, two different HR managers from the same firm (but different offices) emailed me saying different things, so i'm a little confused. One said I wasn't eligible, one said I was. I sent the application to the one who said I was eligible though *fingers crossed*

Which firm, if you wouldn't mind me asking?

 

[Jinks]

wtf y wouldnt someone whose applying not be keen on obtaining a cadetship?

It is possible to have more than one offer.

 

[tambam]

Now for the Veterans I have a question. If the interviewer for the cadetships asks me if I have applied for other firms do you think it would be wise for me to say yes or would it have adverse effects?

I remember this came up in probably all my interviews. I was just open about it, especially since I'd applied for different divisions at each of the firms - it led to further discussions on what each division was about. At one of the firms I talked to the partner who interviewed me at the congratulatory afternoon tea thing, and he was pretty encouraging in terms of telling me that I should choose whichever feels the most right in terms of people and culture, and that whatever my decision I would be happy with it!

However, in saying that, don't go to a million interviews just for the sake of it. The big 4 interviews happen before the mid tier ones for a reason - and if you know you're not going to go to a smaller firm when you have big 4 offers lined up, don't waste their time and resources.

 

[ilikecats]

wtf y wouldnt someone whose applying not be keen on obtaining a cadetship?

Some people do get multiple offers from different firms. I know I had a few interested when I first accepted mine.
Some people also aren't completely set on accounting, it could be their backup. (Ie. If i don't get into medicine, actuary @ unsw or law, I'll do an accounting cadetship)

 

[Examine]

For current and past cadets, what do you usually do on a daily basis?

 

[ilikecats]

For current and past cadets, what do you usually do on a daily basis?

When I worked in Insolvency:
-Lodgement of docs with ASIC and ATO
-Calling ASIC, ATO, Creditors and Debtors
-Lots of finding docs in files, sorting docs and photocopying docs
-Helping with the preparation of reports and meetings.

The preparing reports and finding docs points took up a lot of my time. My team was 3 senior accountants all in charge of their own stuff, and (for some unknown reason) it always seemed like their deadlines were all at the same time. When something had a deadline, especially things that needed to be done to keep in line with ASIC regulations, it was horrible.

Towards the end of my time there I'd just started as the manager of my own job, which meant doing all this stuff by myself. It wasn't a particularly big job, but being at the bottom meant I literally had to prepare everything by myself and couldn't delegate to anybody else for assistance. Painful stuff when you need to have 30 forms lodged and 300 reports out by the end of the day D:


(I forgot being stressed. Everybody was permanently stressed and angry and it wasn't fun at all)




Now In tax I do:
-Individual & partnership returns. We do have quite a few company returns, but I mostly do these because it frees up the more senior people to do the ones that take more time.
-Calling ASIC/ATO etc. about anything and everything
-Annual statements for clients
-General adhoc stuff. I'm at a very small firm now, so everybody does help out, but I do a lot of the filing and fill in for our receptionist when she isn't in. On Thursdays I also have to answer the phones and greet clients.

In the future, I'll hopefully be doing more company returns etc. and delving into more work with clients outside just doing their returns. Where I work we also have superannuation, SMSFs, financial planning services and stuff like that, so I'd like maybe to see what those are like too if I have a chance

Again, being in a small firm now, my experiences in tax are completely different to a cadet in a big 4, where a lot of your clients would be insanely bigger!

 

[Examine]

When I worked in Insolvency:
-Lodgement of docs with ASIC and ATO
-Calling ASIC, ATO, Creditors and Debtors
-Lots of finding docs in files, sorting docs and photocopying docs
-Helping with the preparation of reports and meetings.

The preparing reports and finding docs points took up a lot of my time. My team was 3 senior accountants all in charge of their own stuff, and (for some unknown reason) it always seemed like their deadlines were all at the same time. When something had a deadline, especially things that needed to be done to keep in line with ASIC regulations, it was horrible.

Towards the end of my time there I'd just started as the manager of my own job, which meant doing all this stuff by myself. It wasn't a particularly big job, but being at the bottom meant I literally had to prepare everything by myself and couldn't delegate to anybody else for assistance. Painful stuff when you need to have 30 forms lodged and 300 reports out by the end of the day D:


(I forgot being stressed. Everybody was permanently stressed and angry and it wasn't fun at all)

Hmm. Although you were stressed would you say you found the work interesting/fulfilling? (for insolvency)

 

[ilikecats]

Hmm. Although you were stressed would you say you found the work interesting/fulfilling? (for insolvency)

Personally no, because I hated pretty much every single day I was there.

Speaking with other cadets, the team I was in was a huge factor (too many seniors with too much work, and a manager who was clearly trying to make themselves look ridiculously good to become a partner *cough*) Other cadets didn't seem to hate it as much, but I think the guys preferred it to the girls because well, they just don't get as emotional as girls

Like, the first phone call I made was just a reminder they needed to send us something. Instead the screamed and flipped out at me. Everybody was like "why didn't you tell him where to stick it?" and i was like, I'm not saying that to somebody! and just the way some things happened I didn't feel it was fair, but most people said "well thats just how it is". Eh.

I don't know, just within my team I felt people didn't understand I had absolutely no background in accounting/insolvency etc and wern't willing to work around that. My friend in another team though did more ATO and ASIC based work (as opposed to completing the jobs themselves) and she was in a team with 2 other juniors and only 1 manager, and had a wayyy better time because they were more willing to help and show her how things were done. Everybody in my team was nice people (well, expect my manager...such a cow) but together it just didn't mesh :/

Luck of the draw I guess. I did notice in my time, my team had a particular high turnover rate of juniors. Most of the other teams turned over a junior every 2-3 years, but mine was once every few months... I had a lot of warning signs I missed but never mind