The recruitment process at EY: a candidate perspective

In this article, Paula reflects on the recruitment process she participated in almost a year ago, to become an EY consultant.

As I begin my new role as a career blogger at EY, I am grateful for the opportunity to share my journey at EY since September 2021, when I became a consultant within the Transaction, Strategy and Execution (TSE) team at EY-Parthenon Denmark.

In this first post, I will introduce you to my experience with the recruitment process — a grim topic for many bachelor’s and master’s students. Then, you will find out all about the critical phases of the screening process.

I encourage all the last-year students to apply for a fulfilling career at EY —  I am confident the effort is worth it.

The enrolment:

At EY, we believe that our people are our most valuable asset. Therefore, we remain committed to finding the best candidates for our clients and for our firm. That is why we work hard to provide helpful feedback that enables both the candidate and EY to gain valuable insight into how we can continue to improve our recruiting processes. Applying is relatively straightforward, with plenty of different options to get your CV to EY:

A) Job fairs and university events:

These are held yearly at CBS, ITU and DTU , where EY collects curriculum vitae (CV). You have to approach their stand, introduce yourself, and ask if they would like to see your CV.

B) Corporate website:

EY hires new Graduate Consultants (recently graduated students) every year. The application process for this program happens between October and November, and applications are submitted online. When the application period opens, EY’s dedicated corporate website shows all available job offers.

At a graduate level, the process is fairly simple. First, you must visit the EY website and search for the position you are interested in, ideally, positions with a description that fits your profile the most. Then, in the link to apply, you must attach your CV and grade transcripts.

I met EY at a job fair hosted by DTU, where they came to talk with students about their organization and career opportunities. Toward the end of October 2021, I applied directly to the Transaction, Strategy and Execution (TSE) Graduate Consultant job opening on their website.

The first interview:

In early November 2021, five days after submitting my application, I received an email inviting me to participate in the first round of recruitment — a video interview. Considering this was my first time participating in such an interview, I prepared for more than 20 questions over the weekend, not knowing what to expect. I also researched the team I was applying to, EY-Parthenon, and so on.

This preparation was helpful but not essential for this assessment because the assessment consisted of five typical first-interview questions and a series of easy, fun, logical and mathematical exercises.

The second interview (case study included):

A week after completing the first assessment, I was invited to a second interview with two managers from EY-Parthenon's TSE team. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this interview had to be conducted online. It turned out to be beneficial, as being interviewed from the comfort of my own home felt reassuring.

For this interview, I researched my interviewers, looked for things in common and learned certain terms specific to the business area, M&A.

Although nervous, I confidently answered the managers about myself and my capabilities. To my surprise, the interview with the managers went smoothly and was enjoyable. It felt like you were talking to friends about your education, experiences, goals and so on.

Following that, I was given a case study. The primary goal of this evaluation was to gauge how a person rationalizes and defends a business case under time constraints. Finally, the interviewers were delighted by my arguments, conclusions and recommendations.

The final interview (with manager and partner)

Two weeks after the second interview, one of the managers invited me for the final round. With excitement about visiting the EY office at Flintholm for the first time, I prepared for the upcoming interview round extensively.

On the interview day, I was pleasantly surprised by the accommodating atmosphere that welcomed me into the Frederiksberg office. After receiving my visitor’s badge from the reception, I was engaged in the interview 5 minutes later with a manager and a partner from the TSE team.

This interview consisted of standard questions like “Why are you interested in consulting? Why EY?” There were also some tricky questions like “What do you think of working on a proposal for a client and finally not getting the project? How would you feel about it?” and “Are you ready to work long hours during peak periods?”

Although formal, the interview went in a very welcoming and easy-going tone, and at the end, they explained several practicalities about their team to me. We wrapped up the interview an hour later, and the manager said she’d get back two or three weeks with the final decision.

The long wait

After the lengthy interview process and arduous wait, I received the call on 23 December with an offer of a position as a Graduate Consultant in TSE. Despite the stressful period of anticipation, I felt pleased to hear the manager congratulating me on my successful interview. Given the strength of my performance during the interview, EY had no hesitation in offering me the position.

As informed by the manager, in January 2021, I received the contract to start working at EY on 1 September. EY was kind enough to offer me ample time to finish my master's degree.

My final reflection

If you want to pursue a career at EY, start applying early — don't procrastinate. Applying to EY early gives you plenty of time to prepare. I'm glad I got to enjoy my last semester at university without stressing about searching for a job. In addition, my current position is ideal for my professional goals and allows me to use my interests and strengths to the fullest.

It was a great experience to be involved in the application process. At the same time, after all these months at EY, it has been one of the best decisions of my professional career. EY has provided me with invaluable knowledge I would not have gained otherwise. My experience here has been positive and helped me grow as a professional, both in terms of my technical knowledge and communication and management skills. And besides all this, working at EY is a fantastic way to grow your network and find out what you want to do with your life — if you're considering it, I wholeheartedly say go for it.