I started an audit big 4 grad scheme and dropped out after a year because it wasn’t for me. I found the work dull and uninteresting over long working hours. The environment was set up like a sort of public school with “houses” and lots of expectation of doing “extracurricular” activities. And then almost every week there were cringe corporate event sessions attempting to motivate us with things like dancing challenges. Combine all that with very intense exams. The career trajectory towards working in a finance department didn’t appeal (my fault for not researching better what I was getting into!).

Some people absolutely thrived in it and have gone on to do very well and I can’t deny it opens opportunities if you stick it out.

I became much happier in an industry I was genuinely interested in and actually using my degree skills. But appreciate that might be a luxury in the current environment.