Big 4 Accounting Firms Internships 2008 (4 Viewers)

[billbro]

Taking an interview casually will definately score you no points.

Depends what you mean by casually, I did my research for both my interviews and i think I was pretty thorough. However, I certainly wouldn't want to appear too uptight in the interview and I definitely enjoyed the conversational approach at KPMG - contrasted with the more formal feel at PwC.

Taking it in a 'casual' sense isn't necessarily bad, but as others have said research is important. I suppose there are always exceptions, one friend who got an EY offer apparently did no research and his answers were pretty blunt and direct - or for lack of a better word stupid (at least in my eyes).

In the end, I think to a large degree it always depends on how lucky you are in terms of the partner.

 

[iamabanana]

Anyone know how long it takes PwC to send off the offer package once u have recieved the phone call. I got the phone call on Thursday and was hoping to get it today but nothing has come.
Also do I have to be home to recieve it or can they just leave it outside my door or in the letterbox?

 

[billbro]

Anyone know how long it takes PwC to send off the offer package once u have recieved the phone call. I got the phone call on Thursday and was hoping to get it today but nothing has come.
Also do I have to be home to recieve it or can they just leave it outside my door or in the letterbox?

It's by courier, so I think someone needs to sign for it.

 

[Vagabond]

. Taking an interview casually will definately score you no points.

If by casually you mean exceedingly unprepared, unpolished, knowing few details... then I agree.

If by casually you mean down to earth and laid back then I strongly disagree, especially when firms have multiple interview stages, i.e. a manager interview, subsequent partner interview. Coming across 'casually' exudes confidence which is a major positive.

By the time you get to the Partner stage they couldn't care less (relatively) about your qualifications but rather they're seeing if you can communicate well, build rapport (especially in the big4) and fit culturally.

When i was getting interviewed for traineeships I had a few hit & miss interviews to start with but eventually got a big4 offer. After this I attended the rest of my scheduled interviews anyway (to see what else was out there and weigh up opportunities). I ended up getting offers after every single interview after my initial offer because I was so relaxed, casual and comfortable (and in all honesty didn't care about the outcome because I had already secured a job I wanted).

On one particular subsequent big4 interview my Q&A with the Partner diverted rapidly from the generic behavioral questions to a conversation about travelling Europe and living in Sydney. We ran out of time and he hadn't even gone through half of the questions he was supposed to because we spent the time talking casually and really clicked.

 

[skimmy]

i agree. i wouldnt want to come across as too uptight with no sense of humour. you just have to use discretion as to what's appropriate and that depends on your partner too.
i spoke to someone at deloitte who told me that his partner interview was so relaxed, he just said straight up, "i want vac work for the experience. i don't learn anything from uni, i don't even GO to uni" - haha i don't know if i'd admit that!

bilbro: nah it's cool, i'm not expecting anything from pwc as i know they've given out conquest invites

I'd try and play the partner interview with a straight bat (stay on topic and stay serious and enthusiastic throughout). They're also big on image, so make sure you shave, get a haircut etc beforehand. They'll also ask what skills you will need during vac work eg. time management, interpersonal, communication, analytical, technical, organisation etc. First thing I was asked was what do I think that i'll be doing during vacation work. Need to make sure that you know this one, so make sure you research beforehand.
Most importantly, prepare and do your research beforehand, be confident, serious and enthusiastic. Taking an interview casually will definately score you no points.

first round is with a manager or HR i believe. they said it would be allocated on the day. would i be questioned about accounting matters? e.g. what i think about Sarbanes Oxley, etc?
yeah they asked that q on the online application - the one that asks what you think you'll be doing. i answered that in a general sense (eg. liaise with clients and work on current projects), but do they expect you to list ACTUAL tasks?

 

[spalding]

Anyone know how long it takes PwC to send off the offer package once u have recieved the phone call. I got the phone call on Thursday and was hoping to get it today but nothing has come.
Also do I have to be home to recieve it or can they just leave it outside my door or in the letterbox?

I received phone call for an offer on thurs with pwc too, no package yet either. did u get any confirmation emails?

 

[iamabanana]

I just recieved the email for the cocktail night invitation today. No other confirmation emails.
Are you from Melbourne? And wat division did you get?

 

[spalding]

Ahh, i didnt get any emails from them yet. Im in Syd and got offer for assurance

 

[billbro]

would i be questioned about accounting matters? e.g. what i think about Sarbanes Oxley, etc?

Not to my knowledge, but I personally like to drop a comment in about it anyway xD

 

[iamabanana]

Ahh, i didnt get any emails from them yet. Im in Syd and got offer for assurance

I wouldn't worry too much unless u dreamed up that offer phonecall lol
Melbourne and Sydney will have different celebration nights so you wouldn't have gotten the email I did.

 

[Huy]

But are all of you guy's accounting majors? Or are some of you Finance majors? Do Finance majors even get hired by the Big 4?

ACCT (Accounting) major? No.
FINC (Finance) major? No.

• ECON (Economics)
• SOFT (Software Engineering)
• INFS (Business Information Systems)

I have done the usual ACCT1001/ACCT1002 though. USYD.

 

[Smeed]

Did anyone apply for the ANZ Summer Intern Program in Sydney (Corporate Banking)?

I applied a few weeks back and have not heard anything since then... however I heard that the people who applied for 'Accounting and Finance' in Melbourne got an email telling them that the internship program had been cancelled, so maybe something similar is happening with Sydney too?

 

[sunjet]

yeah i got phone call on thurs for pwc, nothing sent in mail or email yet.. might call them up :/

 

[pete_mate]

Not to my knowledge, but I personally like to drop a comment in about it anyway xD

gah, don't. Sarbanes oxley is old news now, if you ask it the manager will probably groan internally at your bad attempt at being topical.

I'm sure you can think of something more original.

 

[sunjet]

Ahh, i didnt get any emails from them yet. Im in Syd and got offer for assurance

oh didn't read this

 

[billbro]

gah, don't. Sarbanes oxley is old news now, if you ask it the manager will probably groan internally at your bad attempt at being topical.

I'm sure you can think of something more original.

It is old, but that also means they know about it extensively. I only refer to the fact that we are facing the tail end of SOX and inquire as to how this would impact growth, especially with the low figures this year. In fact, at KPMG the partner went into a lot of detail about SOX especially as he was part of a team doing SOX conversion for KPMG or something. At PwC the manager also had quite a bit to say about it as well.

However, if it really is bad then I'll keep that in mind.

yeah i got phone call on thurs for pwc, nothing sent in mail or email yet.. might call them up :/

Just a hunch, but I think they'll send the emails out at the end of the week when all the offers are made. Just like how my friend and I didn't get Conquest emails for quite a few days, probably because they were still calling candidates up.

I suppose they just like to mass mail, rather than do it in batches. Purely a guess though.

 

[spalding]

Just received call from PWC, cocktail party 2moro 6-8pm and they're going to hand out the offer package there =D

 

[iamabanana]

My pwc offer package was waiting for me when I got home today. Theres a folder with offer letter and contract and some blank paper inside as well as a 1gb ipod shuffle. No pen or business cards though
I actually got private client services when I had put down assurance. Very happy about it though and have no doubt its due to the guy interviewing me being from pcs.

 

[DexJnr]

Just received call from PWC, cocktail party 2moro 6-8pm and they're going to hand out the offer package there =D

Interesting, we (EY) got our post-offer celebratory drinks tmr evening as well 6-8pm.

is your one in sydney?

 

[sunjet]

see you there spalding..