Before our new audit trainees finally join us in September each year, we invite them to become a member of our dedicated Facebook group. Hear from Viktor Gaydov, one of our new starters, how this group helps bridge the gap between receiving the employment offer and coming to the office for the first time.
The Facebook group is, to me, a fantastic opportunity to get to know some of your fellow trainees that you will be working and studying with. It is important to realise that you will be spending a lot of time with the members of the group over the next three years, and getting to know people beforehand can be very helpful. The group aims to create a supportive community where anyone can ask and answer questions, and provide useful information and suggestions. Free discussion is strongly encouraged, and you can post comments, videos and links about anything you deem useful (as long as nobody gets bullied or insulted of course).
The group consists of most trainees that are starting at the NAO in your year, but it also includes some admins – representatives from HR who have experience with the recruitment and on-boarding processes of the organisation, and can offer insight into any questions you might have.
Much like any other social network, the group is the most useful to those who use it. It is your opportunity to ask questions, as well as see questions you never knew you had but when you read them you realise you really wanted to know that. In our year, people have been sharing resources with information on preparing for the exams. Another thread suggested links to useful Twitter feeds relating to the NAO. Personally, I wanted to know about volunteering opportunities that you can participate in, and the admin team responded on the same day! There were even trainees that found their future flatmates on the group.
If I were to leave you with one thought, that would be, use it! The more you participate in the group, the more you will get out of it.