Early careers: frequently asked questions (FAQs)

You don't need to love spreadsheets or numbers to thrive here. Professional services is about understanding how businesses work and there's room for all kinds of people. You'll get variety, fast progression and the chance to work with a wide range of clients across different industries. It's hard work, but the rewards are real.

Here is an honest picture of what it involves:

• Every day looks different! The mix of clients and projects keeps the work interesting.
• There is clear progression, with structured routes from Assistant to fully qualified adviser.
• You’ll be part of a team delivering solutions to real businesses with real challenges.
• You’ll also be part of a community – students studying alongside one another and office colleagues doing work life together.
• There is real studying involved, and it takes effort, but the qualification at the end is respected everywhere.

Not at all. Strong teams are made up of people with all kinds of qualifications, skills and interests. What matters most is an analytical mindset, a willingness to learn and a genuine interest in how businesses operate. Most of our roles are open to you whatever you've studied.

No. RSM is a national firm with offices across the UK, and every one of them matters to how we operate. The industries and clients you work with may vary by location, but your access to opportunities and career progression is the same wherever you’re based.

Anyone who meets our entry criteria is welcome to apply, regardless of background. We don’t require specific GCSE subjects, and whether you're finishing your A Levels, have been to university and decided it's not for you, or are looking to change direction our programmes are open to you.

A lot. You'll have on-the-job training from senior colleagues, access to internal training courses, and dedicated support at every stage of your qualification. We fund your studies in full and give you the time and resources to succeed.

We know you'll likely use AI tools at some point during the job search and application process, and that’s great – using AI is an important skill that we encourage and develop at RSM. Please have a look at our guidance on how to use AI during our assessment process here.

We accept applications from all candidates who meet the relevant programme criteria. Visa sponsorship is available in some circumstances, subject to Home Office eligibility requirements and minimum salary thresholds. Here’s what you need to know:

• Sponsorship is only available for certain early careers roles in select office locations, due to minimum salary requirements set by the Home Office.
• Where a Graduate visa can be independently obtained, we may be able to support sponsorship after the first 18 months of the training contract.
• We cannot sponsor internships, placements, work shadowing or school leaver programmes.
• We cannot proceed with applications where your right to work in the UK does not have a route to indefinite leave to remain (ILR) without sponsorship, in locations not listed as eligible on our job adverts.
• Immigration rules can change at short notice. If they change before your start date in a way that affects your application, we reserve the right to adjust how we manage sponsorship accordingly.

Check your eligibility before applying and refer to individual job adverts for further details. Proof of right to work will be required as part of standard onboarding.

Our work experience programmes run throughout the year during school and college holidays, giving you multiple opportunities to gain valuable insight into life at RSM. If applications aren't currently open, you can register your interest and we'll let you know as soon as new opportunities become available. This way, you'll be among the first to hear when applications open and can start planning your experience with us.