Final round at KPMG in 2 weeks. Any advice?

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  • #189456

    also at 2 midsize firms. All these final rounders are with multiple interviewers, several hour, all-day affairs. How to make myself shine enough to win the job? All advice welcome and appreciated.

    AUD - 84
    BEC - 88
    FAR - 81
    REG - 79
    If I passed so can you!!
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  • #614321
    Anonymous
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    Know enough about each firm to be able to confidently explain why you are interested in working there.

    Be professional and personable with your host, during presentations and during the interviews.

    Dress for success.

    Prepare solid questions about the firm; culture, keys to interviewers success, etc. and build more questions based on their answers for a good conversational flow.

    Provide good nonverbal communication throughout the interview; good eye contact but don't make it weird, sit upright in your chair but lower your shoulders to seem comfortable.

    Calm your nerves, everyone will be a little nervous, but try to seem controlled and calm throughout the interview and it will better help you converse and answer questions.

    If the firms do presentations between interviews be sure to act engaged, take notes over things that may make good questions during the interviews, and ask good questions at the end of presentations, most candidates won't ask questions so this will give you an opportunity to stand out.

    Additionally, I don't like to show up to anything empty handed, bring a nice leather portfolio with a copy of your transcripts, resume, a note pad and an ink pen to take notes. (Sometimes I cheat and write clues to my questions/answers for the interview on the bottom of my note pad and look over them discretely if possible to keep things fresh on my mind.)

    #614322

    Hey, thanks for all the good advice. I actually don't usually bring a leather portfolio, but a zippable black binder that I use plastic slides where I keep documents like my resume, etc. It looks professional (to me), and I've been bringing it to interviews.

    ARCPA, do you think it's important that I swap this item out for a leather portfolio keeper? If so, I might consider it. I just really like this black binder, because it keeps everything so organized and never bends anything.

    AUD - 84
    BEC - 88
    FAR - 81
    REG - 79
    If I passed so can you!!
    #614323
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    No definite answer, as long as you feel it looks professional I would say it is ok, but that's just MY opinion. I just don't like showing up empty handed.

    #614324
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    I'm in a similar situation as the original poster. My KPMG interview is two days from now.

    I know this question has been asked so many times before, but how are we to express why we prefer one Big 4 over the others? Honestly, for me, I just felt like I connected with KPMG's people better, but I don't think that's good enough of an answer. But really, the firms all seem quite similar in most aspects to me. I do like KPMG's diversity initiatives, as well, but I think that's more of a peripheral thing, ie: not related to the job.

    #614325
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    @anotherb4hopeful

    Use their website to your advantage, look at their mission statement, objectives, etc. Look into the organizations they are involved with through community service. See if you can find awards given to employees for involvement in certain activities based on exemplifying their core values, community involvement, etc. Find anything that they do that you feel relates directly to your personal goals or interests and relate that to the firm. See if they service any different industries than the other Big 4 in your city. Just keep digging through their website or internet articles and you'll find plenty of information that will help you relate to the firm.

    KPMG doesn't have an office in my city so I'm not very familiar with them specifically, but the above is what I did to find what really attracted me to the individual firms in which I applied. Plus, they'll know you did your research.

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