experiences

pauldrums

Hey

Just wondering how you guys got on in the milkround and what you thought of the different companies and their recruitment process?

I had 3 interviews, I took the third so i didn't bother with some of the others i had lined up.

The first was mazars, i thought the interview went well although the main interviewer talked about himself a lot and the other interviewer obviously didn't like him. at their presentation i talked to one of their partners and he wasn't too bothered about talking to me, gave off a really bad impression.

The second was a small company who were really nice and came across like they wanted me to work there, it has a hard choice to turn them down.

The third was one of the big four, they impressed me the most and it was my first choice with the department i wanted.

Grant thornton called me up, asked me if i had a second to talk (I thought it was about a time for the interview), then they gave me a mini interview on the phone, caught me totally off guard, a bit sneaky i thought.

Fiona44

i had interviews with the big 4.

E&Y gave a good presentation & drinks reception before the interview. The interview itself was very straightforward, the 2 people that were giving the interview seemed very serious and boring...it didnt really leave any impression on me one way or the other.

The KPMG interview was my least pleasant. I had 2 interviews in the one day, the first was with someone from HR...she was very friendly & it was more like a chat. The 2nd was with a partner- she asked a few inappropriate questions like 'oh so you're obviously just doing accountancy because your dad pushed you into doing it' (when i told her he was an accountant). That interview put me off working there...i dont want her as a boss!!

Deloitte interview process was v.intensive. Had interview with partner, and then day long assessment with another interview, group assessment, presentation & case study analysis. Was very impressed throughout the whole process. Everyone was very friendly & professional.

PWC interview was by far the easiest, first we were treated to a lovely 4 course meal with employees to give us a chance to ask questions. then the interview itself was only 20 mins long and just like a chat. Was also very impressed with their shiny new offices!

- decided to accept offer from PWC based on my good experiences during recruitment process, handy location & the new offices of course!

seanieclarke

hope u dont mind me askin but when and where do all these interviews presentations take place?

pauldrums

they hapened over the last 6 weeks or so and they were normally held in hotels

seanieclarke

pauldrums wrote: »

they hapened over the last 6 weeks or so and they were normally held in hotels

thanks for that.

when i heard people referring to the milkround,i presumed it was the graduate fair in the RDS or something similar.

does there be a lot of small practices represented at the milkrounds?

cheers

pauldrums

a few did, but not too many of them recruited too much

Running Bing

Fiona44 wrote: »

i had interviews with the big 4.

E&Y gave a good presentation & drinks reception before the interview. The interview itself was very straightforward, the 2 people that were giving the interview seemed very serious and boring...it didnt really leave any impression on me one way or the other.

The KPMG interview was my least pleasant. I had 2 interviews in the one day, the first was with someone from HR...she was very friendly & it was more like a chat. The 2nd was with a partner- she asked a few inappropriate questions like 'oh so you're obviously just doing accountancy because your dad pushed you into doing it' (when i told her he was an accountant). That interview put me off working there...i dont want her as a boss!!

Deloitte interview process was v.intensive. Had interview with partner, and then day long assessment with another interview, group assessment, presentation & case study analysis. Was very impressed throughout the whole process. Everyone was very friendly & professional.

PWC interview was by far the easiest, first we were treated to a lovely 4 course meal with employees to give us a chance to ask questions. then the interview itself was only 20 mins long and just like a chat. Was also very impressed with their shiny new offices!

- decided to accept offer from PWC based on my good experiences during recruitment process, handy location & the new offices of course!

What was this for Fiona? I went for audit in Deloitte and we had none of that to do.

EY sent me out a letter on the day of presentation about three weeks after I applied. Also heard some bad stories(dont know if true or not but I had options so there was no point taking a chance) so I didnt bother with them.

Deloitte were great. Everyone very friendly, relaxed atmosphere, seemed a good place to work.

KPMG assessment was tough but I had an offer and with the pressure off it wasnt to bad. People I met were really nice and I felt very comfortable there and got a good vibe.

PWC, nice but I didnt relish walking my ass all the way down the quays every morning:D


I took KPMG in the end purely because I felt I would be more suited there but it was very very close between Deloitte. Also KPMG is like a 15 minute walk from were I live which is always nice:D


Oh I also went to BDO as well and was very impressed by them. Seemed a really good place to work and a lot more scope to move around than in the big 4. I would not have been disapointed had I only got them but in the end the big 4 name on the CV swung it as I dont see my long term career in an accountancy firm.

pauldrums

Babybing wrote: »

Also heard some bad stories(dont know if true or not but I had options so there was no point taking a chance) .

you want to share the stories??

Running Bing

pauldrums wrote: »

you want to share the stories??

Of course but you must remember thats all they are stories. I now nothing about Ernst & Young bar what I have been told by people at other firms.


I was told that basically they are losing lots of clients, they cant keep staff, they have huge staff turnover rates and because of this the amount of work is ridiculous.

I also heard that they had trouble with one of their partners and they are no longer allowed audit US funds.

Are these stories true? I have no idea whatsoever. Fact is I had other options and I didnt see the need to find out. If I really wanted EY i dont know wheter these stories would have stopped me though.

dudara

Babybing wrote: »

What was this for Fiona? I went for audit in Deloitte and we had none of that to do.

That sounds like the recruitment process for Consulting in Deloitte, unless it's also applicable to some of the other departments.

Fiona44

yep sorry forgot to clarify, went for consulting in deloitte & audit in the other three