EY

Life at EY

BRING YOUR THINKING TO A GLOBAL STAGE

At EY, share your ideas with more than 300,000 colleagues around the world. Like you, each person brings a different point of view. We listen to and value each and every member of our team.

CREATE YOUR FUTURE

With some of the largest clients and most interesting projects, both locally and globally, our dedication to development ensures you can achieve your aspirations. No matter what you want to become, make sure you give yourself the best start possible. We can help you to create your future by becoming a professional in a particular field or by giving you the opportunity to apply your key strengths to industries that you have a particular interest in.

CHOOSE YOUR ADVENTURE

Whether you’re at school or an undergraduate, we’ll help you discover what we offer and what you’re capable of. We offer a range of programmes for students: Career Compass, Intern and Graduate.

BUSTING THE MYTH

Developing excellent relationships and delivering effective business solutions requires people from many different subject areas – not just accounting or commerce. Our people have a range of degrees, including human resources information systems, information technology, computer science, engineering, law, science, environmental studies, actuarial studies, economics, finance, maths, arts and psychology.

BE SUCCESSFUL

At EY, there is no one path for everyone. You’re encouraged to create a path that reflects your individual talents and aspirations. We assess your individual strengths and development needs and provide a tailored framework to advance your progress. We’ll work with you to help you succeed professionally and personally.

EY AND YOU

Learn through our structured, formal programs. You’ll be supported to achieve professional certification. Coaching will nurture you in your day-to-day work. Get feedback, counselling and mentoring from experienced people who can help and show you how to realise your talents and aspirations.

BE REWARDED

We’ll reward you for your work and your commitment. Here are just some of the benefits you’ll enjoy during your first few years — and beyond:

• flexible leave
• career breaks
• corporate discounts
• salary packaging
• study assistance
• employee assistance program
• health and wellbeing programs

FEEL INCLUDED

In our inclusive work environment, everyone’s opinion is listened to and valued. You’ll be encouraged to build strong relationships across the world and seek diverse opinions. You’ll gain perspective and insights that will help you provide better answers for your clients.

GIVING BACK

Through our EY Foundation programs, EY has shown an ongoing commitment to sharing the responsibility of caring for the community. Whether it’s for local businesses, disadvantaged people or the environment, we volunteer our skills and time to give back to those in need. Together we can build a better working world.

INFORMATION

Click here to start your career journey!

Take Control of Your Career

Whether your future lies in Assurance, Tax, Strategy and Transactions or Consulting, we’ll provide the learning, experiences and coaching you need to become a successful professional. At EY, there is no one path for everyone. You’re encouraged to create a path that reflects your individual talents and aspirations. We’ll work with you to help you succeed professionally and personally. With EY you can influence the future of your career, the businesses you work with and even the world you live in.

Your journey starts here

Providing excellent relationships and delivering effective business services requires people from many different subject areas — not just accounting or commerce, but law, human resources, technology, science, actuarial studies and engineering degrees as well.

Meet Alex

Consultant in Tax – Private Client Services at EY

I enjoy working with people who have a “give-it-a-go” and “can-do” attitude. These people are really team players and will learn quickly in a job like mine at EY.

What’s your job about?

EY teams work with clients to build a better working world. My job is to be an interpreter and storyteller – financial statements are like another language for many of my clients so it is my job to help them understand and decide which direction to head next.

As a consultant in Private Client Services (PCS) I prepare my clients’ financial statements and income tax returns. To do this I collate the information provided by the client, then, using my tax and accounting knowledge, I present the information in the formats needed to meet the client’s compliance and accounting needs.

When these documents are presented to the client it’s important that they understand the reports and the picture they paint for the entity. So, another part of my job is helping clients go beyond the numbers. For some of my smaller clients, I will meet with them in person and go through the reports with them. For my larger clients with in-house accountants, we add value through our tax knowledge and know-how.

Outside of financial statements, tax returns and accounting & tax literacy, my other responsibilities consist of tax consultancy work. This type of work usually revolves around a problem that our client has. I need to explain to the client how the problem impacts their tax or accounts or their business generally and present to them the best way to resolve the issue.

What’s your background?

I spent the first half of my childhood in the Waikato. I moved around a lot when I was younger living with my mum, my grandma and then with my dad – before I was 10 years old, I’d attended 6 different primary schools! Although this meant lots of goodbyes, this experience early in my life taught me how to adapt to different audiences and make friends & networks quickly.

When I was 9 years old my dad remarried and we moved to Wellington where I have lived ever since. This move was huge for me. I moved from Tokoroa, a town with a population of 13,600 people, to Wellington, a city with 212,700 people. With this change came challenges and opportunities. My step mum helped me navigate this change and became a strong role model in my life.

At college, I began to think about my life after school and where I wanted to work. I decided that I would study commerce and become an accountant like my step mum. I wanted to learn skills that would enable me to work anywhere and with anyone. I also wanted a job that would allow me to be self-sufficient and support my love of travel.

I interned in the EY Tax team in Wellington in 2016, after which I accepted my grad role. I’ve been a tax consultant with EY for over 2 years now.

Could someone with a different background do your job?

YES. We look for people with all sorts of backgrounds. We think the best teams, are diverse teams!

There’s no cookie cutter personality necessary to do my job but a similar bunch of characteristics certainly help. I think people who are curious and like to get to the bottom of things would find my job interesting, and be great at it. I enjoy working with people who have a “give-it-a-go” and “can-do” attitude. These people are really team players and will learn quickly in a job like mine at EY.

What’s the coolest thing about your job?

The people. Every day I get the opportunity to work with professionals, whether it be tax partners, my peers or my clients themselves. Although this can be demanding, it pushes me to deliver my best. These opportunities to learn from the best and eventually pass that knowledge on is the coolest part of my job.

What are the limitations of your job?

The Tax team in Wellington is small, meaning I get to work directly with amazing people every day- but the smaller the office the bigger the responsibility. Our smaller team presents the opportunity to take on responsibilities early in your career. These could be managing client relationships, client billing or new proposals. These opportunities make for steep learning curves and are roles which you will be held accountable to. This accountability can be difficult to manage at times and will limit other commitments you may like to take on.

3 pieces of advice for yourself when you were a student…

1. Get to know your peers – chances are you’ll work with some of your university or high school year group.
2. Get those study habits right from the start – if you can study smarter not harder you’ll save yourself a lot of time and get the grades you deserve.
3. Make time for you – your interests and passions make you interesting, so take time to work on these for yourself… it will also help shape your CV!

Meet Henry

Consultant – Tax

I thoroughly recommend the internship to anyone thinking of joining EY. It was an awesome way to get exposure to the great people and culture of the office.

What’s your job about?

My job is as a consultant in the Private Client Services team, which sits under the Tax service line. We help prepare financial statements, tax returns and provide general operational and tax advice to privately owned businesses, families and individuals. It’s a great way to get exposure to how the finances of business work and how decisions are made on a day-to-day basis.

What’s your background?

I studied a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Finance and Economics. I finished university halfway through 2020 and then went on to complete a Graduate Diploma in Hotel and Tourism Management. Prior to completing my studies, I was an intern in the EY Christchurch office over 2019/2020 summer. I thoroughly recommend the internship to anyone thinking of joining EY. It was an awesome way to get exposure to the great people and culture of the office.

Could someone with a different background do your job?

Absolutely! There are a wide variety of backgrounds and skillsets in our office. If not my job, there will be something else at the EY organization for you.

What’s the coolest thing about your job?

I think the coolest thing about the job would be seeing how businesses grow and what drives their decision-making. Getting this experience first-hand is really valuable. Outside of the job itself, the EY people and the social scene is great.

What are the limitations of your job?

I don’t think there are many limitations to my job. It can be hard adjusting from the study schedule to working life. It means you’re a lot busier 9-5 which can be tough at first, but it also means you won’t have to worry about spending Sunday studying at the library! Fortunately, the EY organisation encourages flexible working hours which is a massive help when you’ve got important personal commitments during the workday.

Three pieces of advice I would give to myself as a student:

• Work hard but have fun. I think it’s important to have a balanced life outside of work and study, EY does a great job of encouraging this.
• Look around at graduate and intern opportunities. There are some really great opportunities out there and the university is the perfect time to look around and decide what path you want to take.
• Eat well and exercise. It’s really easy to forget about looking after yourself (especially on the weekend). Regular exercise and healthy eating are a great way to avoid getting run down.

Your exceptional EY experience begins here

Once you’ve finished high school, there are many programs that you can get involved in at EY to kick-start your career.

The Exceptional EY Experience. It’s yours to build.

Career Compass Programme

How can undiscovered opportunities help you discover your best self? Discover your direction with the EY Career Compass Programme. During our structured learning sessions, you’ll learn how to evaluate your career options to make smarter decisions for your future. The Career Compass Programme experience is designed to give you a first-hand experience of EY, so you can find out as much about us as possible about EY people, culture, how EY teams operate and provide services, and most importantly, how we can help you to build your future. Demonstrate that you’re a high achiever, and you may be invited to interview for the EY Internship Programme.

Internship Programme

You want an internship that’s more than a line on a resume. You want an experience, a challenge and a launchpad for lifelong relationships and career growth. You can find that here.

Throughout the programme, you’ll hit the ground running with dedicated on-the-job training, coaching and technology onboarding. You’ll work alongside EY professionals on real clients – right now. You’ll get the opportunity to be immersed in EY culture, network with EY people, and experience the transformative work done for EY clients. Plus, the best bit is, if you impress us, we might offer you a permanent position after you graduate.

Graduate Programme

Where do you start if you want to change the world? You start right here. Join us full-time as a graduate and we’ll help you achieve your career goals with continuous support, learning and experiences. We’ll propel you forward so you can start to build the future you want immediately. You’ll enjoy early responsibility, expand your network and build your skills. Just imagine the confidence you’ll gain through new experiences with leading clients in different industries. You’ll get to work with experienced professionals who’ll guide you to be your best. After all, we want to help you be the best you can be, because when you shine, we do too.

We Celebrate Diversity

Talk to anyone at EY and they’ll tell you it’s a rewarding place to work in so many ways. EY teams attract high-performing individuals from different backgrounds and experiences who – like you – bring a unique point of view and business skills.

EY welcomes all people, no matter who they are or what their background. Each of us is different, and when people feel valued for their differences, they feel part of something greater; they feel like they belong. That’s when creative ideas flow, igniting innovation and inspiring more effective solutions.

EY has multiple aspects of our identity, some of which may not be visible to others. Whether cultural background, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or family status; we value diverse viewpoints and see them as the catalysts that lead to better questions and better answers. Using a variety of internal networks, inclusive leadership behaviours, flexible working and mentoring programmes, we use practical solutions to create your personalised work experience, all supported by a strong, authentic culture and our fundamental belief that we all ‘belong’.

Māori & Pasifika

For EY New Zealand, our Māori inclusion strategy is driven by EY Tahi, a standalone, member firm of EY – an indigenous. EY Tahi’s kaupapa (purpose) is ‘Hāpaitia te iwi Māori, kia puāwai a pito mata’ meaning that its singular focus is to achieve Māori success.

Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori

In September 2018 and 2019, the New Zealand offices recognised Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori (Māori language week) with a series of challenges designed to increase the use of Te Reo Māori in everyday life, including learning basic greetings, place names, and how to order a coffee in te reo Māori  (Māori language).

Kōrero mai ki EY

Following on from Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori 2018, a te reo Māori course called Kōrero mai ki EY was run  for the second year at the Wellington and Auckland offices. Learning outcomes included: basics of tikanga (Māori customs and protocols), correct pronunciation, basic greetings and introductions, and a waiata (song) and karakia (chant/prayer).

Matariki

New Zealand offices celebrate Matariki (Māori New Year) and in 2019 a special celebration was held in the Christchurch office, through the sharing of Māori food and Māori produced beverages with Selwyn Hayes, EY Tahi Managing Partner in attendance.

Pōwhiri & mihi whakatau

EY Tahi continued the incorporation of tikanga Māori (Māori customs and protocols) into the welcome of EY New Zealand interns and graduates through the delivery of pōwhiri or mihi whakatau (traditional Māori welcome). A Pōwhiri and mihi whakatau is a culturally appropriate way of welcoming manuhiri (visitors) by tangata whenua (home people e.g. EY people) and removes the tapu (sacredness) surrounding manuhiri so that they become one with EY people.

Gender Inclusion

The EY Gender Inclusion Network is for EY people of all genders and provides opportunities for members to learn and expand their networks by bringing everyone into the conversation to share different perspectives on gender in the workplace.

EY offers the opportunity to take paid parental leave on a part-time/flexible basis in order to facilitate more male employees to access their leave. Parental Leave is also available to care for a new child through adoption, surrogacy arrangement, long term or permanent foster care, Home for Life, Whāngai and grandparents with full-time care and kinship. All parents are supported through the transition to parenthood and return-to-work process, through access to mentoring and a digital coaching platform.

Disability

Ability is an EY network for allies who support disability inclusion across the workplace and communities, those who care for a person with a disability and EY people living with a disability. It aims to elevate disability inclusion on all agendas and ensure accessibility at EY, recognising the contribution all EY people make to the working world.

EY is proud to be one of the 4% of organisations across the globe who include disability in the EY diversity agenda (World Economic Forum 2019) and one of the first companies to sign up to the Valuable 500.

In 2017, the first Accessibility and Inclusion Plan was launched, outlining the ongoing commitment to disability inclusion for EY people and clients; EY are making great inroads but acknowledge there is plenty to do.

Be. Lab

In 2019, EY New Zealand worked with Be. Lab to onboard two interns with accessibility needs, both of whom have progressed to permanent roles. This programme will continue into 2020, with 17 EY people volunteering to provide professional mentoring to other programme participants.

LGBTQI+

The EY network group, Unity, supports LGBTI EY people and their straight allies to create an inclusive culture where LGBTI individuals can be their authentic selves at work.

In New Zealand, EY has maintained the Rainbow Tick since 2017. EY Oceania Unity Leader, Gina Mills, won the Inspirational Role Model award at the 2018 New Zealand LGBTI Awards for her work in raising awareness and providing support in the LGBTI community.

Cultural Diversity

CD@EY, supports culturally diverse and emerging leaders to realise their potential by fostering two-way dialogue and knowledge sharing between professionals of different heritages and faiths.

The EY Cultural Diversity mentoring programme is now in its third year and pairs culturally-diverse individuals with leaders to explore career and development opportunities.

EY’s flexible working policy allows EY people to substitute public holidays for days of cultural significance and cultural agility training is a key focus to improve the cultural capability of EY teams.

Flexibility

Underpinning EY’s commitment to a diverse workforce is the leadership commitment to providing EY people with the flexibility they need to meet both their professional and personal goals.

Challenging EY’s assumptions about where, when and how work gets done, we maintain a clear focus on the results we want to achieve together, so we can be agile and responsive to the diverse needs of EY people and clients. Informal flexible working, such as working from home and flexible hours, are increasingly popular within EY, but we have also recently increased our formal flexible working options to include:

• Life leave
  The ability to take between 6-12 weeks of self-funded leave in one or two solid blocks of time.
• Temporary part-time
  Adopting a part-time arrangement for up to 3 months in length.
• Term-time working
  A part-time arrangement with an income similar to a 4-day week, using self-funded leave. This would allow people to work full-time during school term times, but not work during school holidays.

These options join existing options of permanent part-time, job share, career breaks and FLEX-leave (purchased leave).

EY STEM App

The EY STEM App is an innovative gamified mobile app that aims to spark interest, inspire, and empower the next generation of girls into STEM subjects and careers. The free-to-use app is designed as an out-of-school learning tool and targets female students aged 13-18 years.

The app has over 450 activities that focus on STEM. It features topics focused on science, such as climate change or space exploration; technology, such as artificial intelligence, 3D printing and blockchain; the future of work and skills that may be required for future, yet-to-be-defined jobs; and inspirational stories of women in STEM. These activities map to transferrable skills in the OECD 21stcentury skills framework and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

With an incentivised learning model, girls earn points as they complete learning activities such as reading an article, interviewing members of their community, completing an experiment or watching a video. As they build up points, girls can redeem various rewards such as:

1. Digital vouchers to be spent across selected retailers
2. Mentoring workshops delivered by EY (topics include Future of Work, Day in the life of a Consultant and Women in Leadership)
3. Ability to pay it forward to a selected charity

Click here for further information about the app.

Following an extensive pilot to over 7,000 girls in India and the United States, the program is now being scaled to countries globally – including Australia and New Zealand, with the aim of reaching 100,000 girls in 2022.

Express your interest!

Click here to express your interest.

We are seeking interest from organisations that work directly with schools/teachers to facilitate girls’ participation. There is no cost to you, schools or end-users of the app (girls).

If you are interested in delivering this opportunity to your member schools/teachers, please reach out to the EY STEM App Program Manager – Brook Rudolph, to discuss further.

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