Interviews with
Professional Service
Firms
September 26, 2011
Who is this applicable to?
• This presentation is directed at all
individuals who have applied for first
round interviews to assurance or
advisory jobs for the professional
service firms.
Professional Service Firms are
Looking for the following:
• Leadership
• Teamwork
• Strong academics and quantitative skill set
• Certain personal characteristics (The “fit”)
Before the Interview…
• I assume you have been to or will go to the
company info session and explore every
other possible avenue to meet these folks
prior to the actual interview!
• Other presentations
• Recruiter office hours
• Email
The Interview…
• Be Prepared! Be Punctual! Be Professional!
• When does the interview start? Already did!
• Overall, first round interview is more behavioral,
less quantitative assessment
• This will change for advisory candidates involved
in second round interviews!
What Are They Looking For?
• Looking for good communication skills
• Friendly, interested demeanor
• Appropriate appearance, dress, grooming etc
(appropriate goes both ways!)
• Candidate knows something about the firm, its
sectors, specialties- shows you have done your
homework
• Confident as to what you want to do
• Candidate who delivers the “right” message
• The interview just might be fun… often a sign of a
good interview!
You Have Got To Tell/Show Them:
• Why you want to be an accountant/ or advisory
member.
• Why you want to work for their firm.
• What you have to offer.
• Show your leadership and teamwork experience
whenever possible.
What Kind of Questions Will They
Ask?
• May emulate the questions above..
• What are your strengths and weaknesses? “Personal Balance Sheet”
• Talk about a time when you faced adversity… failed… things didn’t
go well… etc… How did you deal with it? OR respond to it.
• Probably a question on working with teams or in projects. What did
you do with the person who controlled the project… or didn’t do
their fair share…
• How would you respond if you knew your boss had a wrong answer,
bad info or research… they are looking for responsiveness with tact
here!
• The old “Where do you see yourself in five years?”… be honest, but
it had better include you still being with firm, being an expert, being
a CPA, or expert in advisory!
What Should I Ask?
• Have some “prepackaged” ones all ready…
gets you over the hump if you are nervous.
• OK to ask about interviewer’s career…
• No questions on…
• Info already available at website… says
you didn’t do your homework!
• Payroll, benefits, hours, vacation, etc!
• Grad school questions… tells them you
are short term!
Good Question Types…
• What resources are available to help me grow?
• How do I grow professionally?
• Questions about mentoring, coaching within
firm?
• Training opportunities…
• How will I succeed in your firm?
Post Interview…
• Follow up! Email to interviewer is expected…
personal note? Card? Deliver your brand?
• Follow up with recruiter? Other staff you met?
All OK, frame it as “Building your personal
network”
• What if you don’t hear when expected?
What Do We Know About Each
Firm?
KPMG?
• Friday, September 30—Deadline
• Not much beyond that…
What Do We Know About Each
Firm?
PwC?
• Monday, September 26—FT Tech / Mgmt Advisory interviews
• Monday, October 3—FT /Summer RE Advisory deadline
• Monday, October 10—FT /Summer Tax and Assurance
deadline
• Wednesday, October 26—FT/Summer first-round interviews
• Tend to make offers pretty quickly
What Do We Know About Each
Firm?
EY?
• Wednesday, October 5 and Thursday, October 6—FT/Summer
first-round interviews
• Second interviews in city later in month
• Decisions by Thanksgiving