We recently spoke to Moesha about how she secured her Audit Trainee position at BDO. She speaks about how she built up her commercial awareness ahead of the interview, how Bright Network helped her secure her role and her top tips for members looking to follow in her footsteps.
What stood out to you about the firm you secured your role with?
BDO's core values and unifying culture stood out to me. During the first lockdown, many firms had closed or postponed their graduate programme but BDO was one of few that were still promoting their programmes and holding live events. BDO also held talks discussing the Black Lives Matter movement and what BDO as a firm could do to support its BME employees and clients. BDO core values of being bold, being courageous, being responsible and being genuine are forefront in every action they take, and I would be proud to work here and carry these values.
How did you build your commercial awareness before the interview?
I built my commercial awareness by being very active on LinkedIn, following firms in the business and experts in the industry and reading up on articles posted on LinkedIn daily. This action allowed me to receive the latest news about the industry and join in the current discussions that were being had, increasing my commercial awareness. I also have a subscription to the Financial Times that allows me to read articles around the industry, so this also helped. Another massive help was attending Bright Network's Internship Experience UK. This allowed me to network with people in the industry, take part in case study work and attend industry talks which grew my commercial awareness.
What would be your top tip to members going through the application process?
My top tip would be to remain optimistic. The application process can be very long and tiresome but treat each stage of the application process as one step closer to securing the role.
How did Bright Network help you secure this role?
I found the role advertised through Bright Network. I used the tools on the website to prepare for each stage. I found the numerical cheat sheet very helpful to prepare for the psychometric tests, a section that I was struggling to pass in other applications.
What top three tips would you give Bright Network members looking to follow in your footsteps?
- Attend the insight day to learn more about the company and the recruitment process. This will allow you to feel more prepared for the application process.
- Research the company to know whether the company is the right fit for you. Does the company's purpose, values and vision align with yours? Read and watch videos on the company site on why others have wanted to join and what life at the company would be like.
- Connect with a career advisor they will help in polishing your interview techniques and they can help you to better understand how to effectively communicate your strengths, skills, and desire for the role.
