My name is Bavithira Baskaran and I am an Accounting and Finance Graduate from the University of Reading. This summer, I undertook a 6-week summer internship at Holy Brook Associates as an Accounts Admin Intern.
Initial Expectations
Coming into this internship with zero training in accountancy software, I knew this internship will be challenging and demanding but equally rewarding. I looked forward to the personal and professional growth that I could gain from this internship.
Overview of the internship
Here is an overview of what I did throughout my internship:
- Became Xero advisor certified
- With support from more senior members of the team I assisted with year-end checks and reviews, reviewed VAT returns, bookkeeping tasks and helped to produce reports for our clients
- Reviewed Holy Brook’s compliance and GDPR annual check up
- Wrote blog posts
- Reviewed how sustainable the business is
- Assisted Rachel with preparing year end reports from manual ledger accounts
- Attended meetings with future potential clients
What skills did I develop/gain from this internship?
- Gained a deeper insight of what it means to be working in the professional world
- Increased my confidence in speaking up in team meetings and asking for help
- Understood the importance of and how to build meaningful professional connections with colleagues and clients
- Developed my technical skills: gained hands-on experience in recording financial transactions and reconciling accounts
- Improved my written and verbal communication skills when discussing financial information with other team members and clients
- Understood the importance of adhering to accounting standards and regulations
Key Takeaway/ Advice for future interns
“Never be afraid to ask for help”
Rather than being afraid of asking for help, you should be afraid of never knowing forever.
I am so grateful that I have the opportunity to ask questions at Holy Brook Associates. Not knowing something is welcomed and seen as a learning opportunity by everyone here.
Why is it beneficial for companies to hire interns?
- Gain a fresh perspective on the company’s strategies and decision-making processes to increase productivity and efficiency
- Experienced staff can take on mentoring roles which creates a supportive work environment
- Build your corporate social responsibility: invest in the professional development of individuals with little/no experience
Future Plans
My journey with Holy Brook Associates is not over! I am thrilled to let you know that I will be continuing to work as an Accounts Admin Intern part time.