[Anonymous]

I am currently a student at an accredited university in Texas, and I recently received an invitation to KPMG’s Inside Look for one of their West Coast offices (I will be moving out to the area after graduation for family reasons).

Am I at a disadvantage if I’m interviewing for an out-of-state office? My primary concern is that although I got along wonderfully with the KPMG recruiters/people from Texas (hence me getting the second round), I have not met any of the people from KPMG’s West Coast practices, so I don’t really know much about their offices, and more crucially, I have not had the chance to meet/network/build relationships beforehand with any of the people who I might be interviewing with at the office.

I want to communicate that I REALLY want this position, so would it be better for me to reach out to the office’s HR and ask them who I might be meeting/interviewing with? I am worried that might come off as too pushy/nosy/desperate if I do so.

Or should I just wait until they send any more information or until the day of the office visit? I am worried that if I don’t take the initiative to reach out and ask about their office’s practice, they might misinterpret it as me being disinterested.

Thanks a lot!

[UCMCPA]

No.

I was in KC and flew down to Dallas to interview at PwC, if they are spending the time to fly you around and bring you in from a different market, they are fairly interested.

It's your job to lose.

FAR - 84
AUD - 94
REG - 86
BEC - 86

[NoCoast]

I wouldn't worry about it too much. I had a Big4 office visit in the midwest, and I go to school on the east coast, and received an offer the next day. Good luck! and remember its more of a personality test then anything else.

BEC- 77
AUD- 75
REG- 81
FAR- 76

FAR: 76
AUD: 75
BEC: 07/16
REG: TBD

[SomedayCPA2015]

Is this more of an open house, or actual interviews? I would personally want the names of the employees I would be meeting with to look at their LinkedIn profiles/gather any information possible. I do not know the process at KPMG, but with the firm I worked at, I was given the names of the 4 people I was interviewing with ahead of time from the recruiters. My point is, I do not find it pushy or desperate to inquire with the office's HR or recruiter. If it were me, I would try and connect with a recruiter as opposed to HR. What about asking the recruiter in Texas if they have more information, since you have developed some rapport? I think you will be fine either way, so inquire if you are comfortable but you will not be overlooked if you do not do so. Good luck!

REG - Passed
BEC - Passed
AUD - Passed
FAR - Passed!!!! I have my life back.

[Martha2013]

I was in the same position as you anotherb4hopeful, I went to college in a different state than where I was born/raised and I knew I wanted a change upon graduating, so I applied to KPMG in a different office in a completely different state. The first time I visited the state where the office was [and where I currently am working/living :)] was the day of the interview. I knew no one and nothing about the area. To be honest if it is one of the “interview days” that KPMG conducts for campus hires you don't need to worry about not knowing anyone. They put you in groups with other candidates so that they can observe how you work in a team setting and then you will have a series of interviews with some managers. I hadn't interned with the company and I didn't know any of the managers beforehand but it wouldn't have made a difference because of their interview style. I am not on the west coast, but I would say don't worry because I am in a major city/office and I had nothing to worry about!

Good luck!!!

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all your advice! I think it would be reasonable to ask their HR for whom I would be meeting with, so that I'll be a bit more prepared, but I guess I won't go out of my way to contact them beforehand or anything.

And thank you for your anecdote, Martha2013, because I think my situation is most similar to yours (I had a previous public accounting internship, but I haven't interned before with KPMG), so it's encouraging to know that you were hired with similar circumstances. *crosses fingers*

[Anonymous]

No you are not. I went to a small private liberal arts school in the midwest. During my pre-office visit dinner for the office out of state, I met the other candidates. It was in Texas so they were all big Texas/SEC school MPA/MBA grad students. I was in my 30's at the time and everyone else was a bunch of scared 22 year olds. It was an open bar so I ordered with class and talked to everybody. In my firm they look for people who can build relationships, not just college kids with high GPAs. That just gets you the interview.

[Author]

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