EY
36 opportunities
Australia
Isobel
Bachelor, Commerce
Consultant, Strategy and Transactions at EY
My name is Isobel and I’m a consultant in the Strategy and Transactions service line and part of the Turnaround and Restructuring Strategy team. I studied a Bachelor of Commerce with a double major in accounting and finance at the University of Western Australia, graduating in 2020. I joined as a graduate earlier this year after completing the Vacationer Program.
What’s a typical day for you?
Our team works with companies from every industry who face an array of difficulties. The challenges business might face can be macroeconomic or geopolitical changes, competitor innovation or changing stakeholder expectations. We work with companies to review their financial position and operations to then form a strategy to restructure or wind down the business whilst preserving value for creditors such as employees.
Every aspect of a company needs to be considered when looking at their position. We work alongside banks, lawyers, key stakeholders and directors to understand the businesses and the challenges they’re facing. We also work with creditors, suppliers and government bodies such as the ATO and ASIC to get an overall picture of the businesses position.
A day in our team might consist of drafting correspondence to government bodies, creating and maintaining a cash flow, reviewing litigation matters and liaising with lawyers or working with the business to understand operations.
Describe the culture at EY
EY understands that people have commitments outside of work and actively encourages work life balance and flexibility. Working from home is available in my team and service line. EY has so many opportunities outside of day to day work. There is volunteering with EY Ripples, sponsored further education and secondments to EY offices around the world. These opportunities create a culture where you are encouraged to develop both personally and professionally.
What’s been one highlight to date?
My first networking event at EY was with lawyers from an organisation we work closely with, we played beach volleyball! It was a great informal way to break the ice and get to know them better whilst being in the fresh air.
What’s a tip you would give to incoming graduates and vacationers?
Be open to any opportunity you’re given and make the most of what’s on offer at EY. This might be working with another team or attending professional events. Every experience will be an opportunity to meet people and learn something new.
Cody Rapley
Bachelor of Economics, Consultant, Strategy and Transactions at EY
Share insights into the mentorship or guidance you received during your journey within your team and the wider EY community.
The foremost reason I chose EY is because of the people. They were amazing when I began my journey as a vacationer and are amazing to this day. Starting when I was a vacationer, my team was incredibly welcoming and supportive, helping to create the best experience I could have in my short internship. During the internship, my counsellor would sit down with me regularly and check in to see how I was going. During these sessions, I would bring a big list of questions, which he would then run through with me one-by-one and make sure I understood. Many of those conversations formed the basis for what I understand today.
When I returned as a consultant, I began performing more extensive, complex tasks and whole projects. While I mentioned this was daunting at first, I continued to have the full support of my teammates whenever I was struggling with a certain task. In addition to that, I regularly meet with my counsellor to discuss my career and what I should be focusing on to advance. Those discussions have been invaluable and have steered me forward in my career.
Outside of my team, there have been a number of other EY people who have supported me while also celebrating my culture. I am the first in my family to work in the corporate environment and one of the few Indigenous workers in the Brisbane office. Having Yarns with these people has been one of the best ways to relax and embrace living in two worlds.
Describe a specific project or task from your early days that stands out as a valuable learning experience. How did it contribute to your professional growth?
A standout project for me would have been a due diligence project my team performed on an allied health franchise. In the first few months when I started in my role, I performed small tasks across different assignments. The due diligence project was the first project I saw from beginning to end, and there were several tasks that I had not completed before. While the learning curve was steep and a bit stressful at times, I had a senior consultant alongside me, walking through anything I needed to do and ensuring I was on the right track. Overall, that project gave me my first real taste of transaction diligence and how it works. I can now look back at the tasks I performed on that project and do them in a quarter of the time.
What aspects of your job have evolved since you started, and how have you adapted with these changes?
The largest change, I would say, is growth in responsibility. At the EY organisation, the responsibility you hold during projects is linear throughout your career. At the beginning of my career, I was allocated tasks and explained how to do them, whereas now I participate in discussions on how certain projects can be approached and even give tasks to new staff. Ultimately, I would say it’s a significant advantage as you have the opportunity to contribute and grow at a faster pace than in typical corporate environments.
How have you actively sought out opportunities for skill development and advancement within EY?
One of my favourite aspects of EY is that it has a culture of constant learning and growth. For my team specifically, we have recurring lunch and learn lectures specific to our work and dedicated transaction diligence courses for each junior level spanning two to three days. Aside from that, I also like to use EY’s free access to online learning modules, and I am looking to begin my Chartered Accounts this year.
In what ways have you contributed to the company culture and fostered collaboration among colleagues since joining as a graduate?
My biggest contribution to our organisation's culture would have been my involvement in EY's Yarning Circle. I started attending the Brisbane Yarning Circle when it first began in 2021. I became increasingly involved as it went on to the point where I am now the national co-lead. In my role, I help run and facilitate the Brisbane and National Yarning Circles and organise Brisbane's NAIDOC and Reconciliation Week events. Running the Yarning Circle has allowed me to connect and network with people of all ranks across EY that I wouldn't have otherwise met. I truly enjoy the work we do at the Yarning Circle, and it is fulfilling to know that we are creating a more safe and culturally intelligent workplace.
Catherine Ma
Bachelor of Politics, Philosophy and Economics, Consultant, Financial Services at EY
My name is Catherine and I started at EY as a vacationer in November 2022. I’m now working in the Finance team under FSO Consulting and I studied a Bachelor of Politics, Philosophy and Economics, majoring in Economics at UNSW.
What was the biggest surprise transitioning into a graduate role from a vacationer role at EY?
The biggest surprise for me transitioning from a vacationer to a graduate role was finding out about all the different learning opportunities available at EY. The internship definitely provided me with a glimpse since I had the chance to complete an EY Bronze Learning Badge and also sign up for a Ripples initiative, however once becoming a graduate there were just so many more, including learning guides, Udemy, Coursera and training specific for certain applications.
Describe a typical day for you in EY in your team.
There really isn’t a typical day for me, and it’s one of the main reasons why I love consulting so much. In the finance team, we could be working on accounting and reporting, data analysis, business analysis, finance architecture and systems, gap analysis, implementation processes, or even sustainable finance, just to mention a few. And we use a multitude of applications too, including Excel one day, PowerPoint the next and anything in between. I’ve worked with PowerBI, Anaplan, ARIS and a multitude of other applications!
What do you enjoy the most about work at EY?
Definitely the diversity of projects and people. Having the opportunity to work on different projects and with other teams really keeps the work interesting and presents lots of great learning opportunities. And because of EY’s global reach, it’s always really cool when you get to connect and work with people from all over the world.
If you could go back in time and give your university self some advice, what would it be?
Work hard, play hard! This would be some general advice that I think always works well, but it’s especially important to strike the perfect balance which essentially comes down to each person as an individual. Everyone knows how hard they work and play so just always checking in and seeing that both elements are being taken care of to the right degree.
What is your top tip for incoming graduates or vacationers at EY?
Don’t be afraid to ask questions and contribute your ideas. It can be really daunting at times, and imposter syndrome can sometimes be a real challenge, but the team is always there to support you. Be brave, be proactive and it’ll really pay dividends.