Every day, I receive a question that sounds a little bit like this, "Big 4 Guru, what will I be asked in an interview with the smaller accounting firms and the Big 4 Accounting Firms? Is it the same questions?"
So to clear things up, here is an article that should help out! In my book, "The Interview" linked below. In the book, I go through, in detail over 15 questions that I have seen the big 4 ask, as well as the responses you should be giving. Here are a few examples of questions Big 4 Accounting Firms ask:
Is this firm your first choice?
Tell me about yourself?
Is this the office you want to work for?
In conclusion, know where you want to work (first choice) and make the interviewer you speak with has the authority to place you in that area. As a general rule, the best place to *say* you want to work, is in the city where you are currently living. Most likely the recruiter is responsible for that city.
Is this firm your first choice?
It turns out that my interviewer was only responsible for hiring for a handful of small regional offices and not the NYC office. If I said I was considering the NY office, he would have been unable to hire me. At best, I could have only hoped that he would forward my resume to another recruiter and start the whole interviewing process again. In conclusion, know where you want to work and make sure you are in front of the right interviewer. As a general rule, the best place to say you want to work, is in the city where you are in University. Typically, the recruiter is responsible for a city and has connections to get you in. Then, once you are an intern or starting full time and have the offers secured, you can ask to be moved to another office.
Tell me about your background.
*BEING PERSONABLE IS KEY* Here's an example:
Where are you from
Where are you from
What campus leadership roles are you currently in
Why are you here and interested in working for this company
REMEMBER TO BE PERSONABLE - Here's an example:
The recruiting structure of most Big 4 accounting firms is on a regional basis. For example, the recruiter that you are interviewing with has a territory that she is responsible for and she is not very interested about helping her peers in other regions. It is likely that they will ask you which office you want to work for.
Every day I would suffer through these science classes and then the accounting class just came so naturally. It was then that I realized that accounting is the path for me.
My preference is to work for PwC in the Hartford office after graduation. I have learned so much about PwC from the on campus events I've attended and speaking with (insert name of intern or staff), who was a past intern/staff. I am excited to be here today.
If you are associated with that person, in their eyes, you are more likely to fit in with their company and culture. Mentioning someone else who already worked at the company associates you with that individual and significantly ups your chances. If it is a partner, it can work against you so try for a lower level person.
So to clear things up, here is an article that should help out! In my book, "The Interview" linked below. In the book, I go through, in detail over 15 questions that I have seen the big 4 ask, as well as the responses you should be giving. Here are a few examples of questions Big 4 Accounting Firms ask:
Is this firm your first choice?
Tell me about yourself?
Is this the office you want to work for?
In conclusion, know where you want to work (first choice) and make the interviewer you speak with has the authority to place you in that area. As a general rule, the best place to *say* you want to work, is in the city where you are currently living. Most likely the recruiter is responsible for that city.
Is this firm your first choice?
It turns out that my interviewer was only responsible for hiring for a handful of small regional offices and not the NYC office. If I said I was considering the NY office, he would have been unable to hire me. At best, I could have only hoped that he would forward my resume to another recruiter and start the whole interviewing process again. In conclusion, know where you want to work and make sure you are in front of the right interviewer. As a general rule, the best place to say you want to work, is in the city where you are in University. Typically, the recruiter is responsible for a city and has connections to get you in. Then, once you are an intern or starting full time and have the offers secured, you can ask to be moved to another office.
Tell me about your background.
*BEING PERSONABLE IS KEY* Here's an example:
Where are you from
Where are you from
What campus leadership roles are you currently in
Why are you here and interested in working for this company
REMEMBER TO BE PERSONABLE - Here's an example:
The recruiting structure of most Big 4 accounting firms is on a regional basis. For example, the recruiter that you are interviewing with has a territory that she is responsible for and she is not very interested about helping her peers in other regions. It is likely that they will ask you which office you want to work for.
Every day I would suffer through these science classes and then the accounting class just came so naturally. It was then that I realized that accounting is the path for me.
My preference is to work for PwC in the Hartford office after graduation. I have learned so much about PwC from the on campus events I've attended and speaking with (insert name of intern or staff), who was a past intern/staff. I am excited to be here today.
If you are associated with that person, in their eyes, you are more likely to fit in with their company and culture. Mentioning someone else who already worked at the company associates you with that individual and significantly ups your chances. If it is a partner, it can work against you so try for a lower level person.
About the Author:
Before you start interviewing with the big 4 accounting firms, make sure you've checked out my book which has been the book since '08 and helped hundreds, even thousands of students get hired with the Big 4 accounting firms: http://www.big4guru.com/big-4-hiring-guide/
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