Kick-starting my career at 18 in one of the world's top accounting firms: what to know before you take your next steps

James, an apprentice at Mazars, shares his journey so far and his top tips for securing your dream apprenticeship.

Since GCSEs, I had thought about the apprenticeship route, but I did not firmly decide on doing one until my second year of sixth form. I loved my Accounting A-Level course but I wanted to start putting my knowledge to practical use. After researching apprenticeships and qualifications like ACA, it became clear that I would qualify more quickly via this route rather than going to university first, and I would gain practical work experience too.

But first, I needed a plan.

Initially, I set aside a few hours a week in my free periods at college to start on applications, then at the weekends, I arranged a check-in with my parents who were helping me get through the process. We talked through what we knew about each position I was trying out for, what interviewers might ask me and the kind of answers they were looking for.

I spent a lot of time on websites like RateMyApprenticeship looking at the range of apprenticeships available to me. I had taken Politics, Sociology, and Accounting as my A-Levels – which is an unusual combination to some I am sure, but it made sense to me.

"I decided I wanted to pursue a career in finance but could not leave my interest in humanities behind. Mazars presented the best opportunity for me as there was a school leaver position in the public & social sector audit team, which I had not seen offered anywhere else."

Mazars was so welcoming and helpful throughout the application process. I remember being called 2 or 3 times by people who I now recognise as my colleagues in my team, checking in with me before my interview and assessment to walk me through how things were going to run and help me prepare. It was such a smooth process that made sure I was focused on putting my best foot forward in the interviews rather than anxiously not knowing what to expect.

Finding a position that perfectly balances your interests and then going on to be offered that position feels fantastic.

Now that I am working full time, I am definitely busier, but I like it that way – my time is much more structured, and I know what work I have to be doing.?

What about hybrid working...?

Hybrid working has also encouraged me to carefully consider where I want to do different types of work; whether I would be more productive at home or in the office, while also thinking about the kinds of things I would like to do in the evenings. I am enjoying having my weekends too – it did not occur to me until I joined Mazars that I had spent the last two years working every weekend alongside college during the week… now I have time to properly switch off before starting again on Monday.

"There is more to working with public & social sector clients than I could have imagined, and I am so grateful that I get to work on such a wide range of audits."

For example, getting involved in housing compliance audits have been the most interesting jobs to me so far – checking that new social housing provided by local councils is compliant with building regulations and legislation, so that those councils can receive grant funding. I am passionate about understanding these projects and ensuring they are up to standard, especially knowing in the back of my mind these are the kinds of entities we used to discuss in my politics classes.?

My top tips for applying to apprenticeships

• ?Do not compare yourself to your peers who are applying for university - It was quite challenging going through several job applications while my friends had 5 university offers to choose from. It helped to remind myself that we were taking different paths, and it was okay to lean on my support network when I was feeling overwhelmed. Each time I felt disappointed about not being accepted for one opportunity, it encouraged me to fight harder for the next one, which eventually got me to working at Mazars where I am doing a job I love, in the sector that interests me the most, surrounded by a hard-working and supportive team.
• Make regular plans around your workday - Once you have been hired as an apprentice and started your new role, finding your work/life balance can be quite tricky. Plan things to do in your evenings and on weekends that firmly remind you to switch off and enjoy what you have worked hard for. Whether that is going for after-work drinks with other apprentices and colleagues, or making time to do something nice with your family.
• Balance your work/life routine - It is important to keep making those plans and not let your new work routine take over from enjoying other aspects of your life. Settling into a routine also gives you the time to find new activities that you love that fit in better with your working life. For example, I was worried about how long it would take me to commute into the office until that worry was quickly replaced by how much I love walking across Tower Bridge after work while the sun is setting or being able to meet my partner for dinner at one of our favourite places nearby before heading home.

"Starting an apprenticeship is hard work, but so worth it for those moments where you remember the number of opportunities you have opened up for yourself, both in your career and life outside of work."

I would really recommend the apprenticeship route to anyone who prefers a more structured and dynamic environment to work and learn, especially if your desired career has a professional qualification as the industry standard. A lot of graduates I spoke to, who joined Mazars in September alongside myself and other school leavers, said they never knew that starting their career out of sixth form instead of university was possible and that they might have chosen a different path if they had known it was an option.

Find out more and apply for apprenticeship opportunities across all our service lines at Mazars