The Student Room Group

Grant Thornton telephone interview - advice on process please

Hi

I have a telephone interview with grant thornton soon and was wondering if those who have been through the process with them could answer a few questions:

Firstly the email says it lasts 20 minutes - seems like a short amount of time! :eek:
And competency areas are:
motivation
drive
work experience
organisation
teamwork

and the the usual why grant thornton, why that area etc. and probably commercial awareness

1) What questions do they ask? Is it a typical competency based interview. Do they have a set list of questions and just read those?

2) Will it be someone from HR or someone from department I have applied to? Or does it vary?

3) What questions should I ask at the end? What can I ask if its a HR person?!

I have never had a telephone interview before, so am a bit nervous.

Will the interview be very robotic, or is it like a discussion type conversation? :confused:

Grant Thornton doesn't seem to get mention much round here....

Any advice will be much appreciated :smile:
Reply 1
There is a thread on here somewhere about GT. In terms of the telephone interview, don't worry about it at all. Tbh I found it a big boring and generic with the usual "give me an example" questions. Mine was from someone in HR and as far as I am aware, all of the first round phone interviews are. Feel free to ask them questions at the end as my interviewer coudlnt' asnwer mine but said she's find out for me.
just had one with barclays...also just done online tests with GT...waiting for results....im sure she'll just be robotic..i dont think itll be chatty...itll probs start why GT and why the area youve chosen...this is a good place to impress them...as its like the first questions they asked...just have examples of those competences....and learns some stuff that has happened recently...maybe going back a while and talk about the impact specifically on you area.
Reply 3
davemarkey
<snip>


I got the same email today lol.

My interview is next Tuesday at 10am. What about urs?

Also, can some1 put down the process for applying to Grant Thornton. I couldnt really find it on their site :frown:
Reply 4
I was invited for telephone interview in december, but it is happening next week. I have had a few first first round competency interviews before, and have struggled on how much to say, and so didn't get through to the next stage. Lack detail, but don't want to talk for too long and be boring. :frown:

Is it ok to say, "Would you like me to go into more detail?" "What would you like to know?" etc. or does this look like I am unprepared and nervous? :frown:
Reply 5
ok had my interview on the phone today... was told they would reply at the end of the week.

THEY REPLIED TODAY:eek:

Some how I am through.:biggrin:

My first interview i passed :woohoo:

1 slight problem. The Assessment Centre is THIS FRIDAY:eek:

Off to look more closely at the company lol.....
Reply 6
Well done! :biggrin:

Could you give me any tips or advice?

How long did it last?

Did they only test the competencies that they said they would in the email, or did you get some difficult and tricky surprises?

Can you remember any of the questions they asked, and would you be kind enough to tell me? hee hee :smile:
well done np_desi
*waiting on tests results*
Reply 8
Thanks Bright Shadow:redface:

davemarkey
Well done! :biggrin:

Could you give me any tips or advice?

How long did it last?

Did they only test the competencies that they said they would in the email, or did you get some difficult and tricky surprises?

Can you remember any of the questions they asked, and would you be kind enough to tell me? hee hee :smile:


It was not a normal interview I assume, since she calls on my mobile, and I cant hear her properly, so asked her to call on the home phone, and then again calls the mobile, cause we have anonymous call barring:wink:

Just as we were starting, her fire alarm went off for a few seconds... waited for that to finish, then 5-10 secs later, another alarm went off:biggrin: Yes so it was a pretty funny start.

Anyway, so it started.

Why my uni?
Why my course?
Why GT?
Why this summer placement?
Talked about my work experience last summer.
Hardest q of all I thought was an example about where I used my initiative.
Why I am right for the placement?
Any q's I wanted to ask.
Interview lasted for approx 18 mins:biggrin:

The person at the other end of the phone was very nice, so I wasnt too nervous:redface: So that was good:wink:

There must be a few more q's that she must have asked, but sorry I cant remember them. So on the whole it was nothing too surprising. So considering I am not too good at interviews, I think u have a good chance of passing:cool: :cool:

edit: at the end she said what the next stage was, and said they would contact me by the end of the week regarding the outcome. I kind of got that 5 hours after the interview ended :colondollar:
Reply 9
np_desi
ok had my interview on the phone today... was told they would reply at the end of the week.

THEY REPLIED TODAY:eek:

Some how I am through.:biggrin:

My first interview i passed :woohoo:

1 slight problem. The Assessment Centre is THIS FRIDAY:eek:

Off to look more closely at the company lol.....


Hey i am a new member and was just scrolling through the page when i saw your comment.
I had an interview this tuesday and have an assessment day this friday as well.
i am going to do some research as well but dont really know what to do lol
i guess i will see you there
Reply 10
Hey
probs being picky - but on the GT site, it says if you pass the first interview, its just a partner interview after that?? ie not an "assessment day" ... anyone who has been on a GT assessment day, please clear this up - thanks
Reply 11
It goes online tests- phone interview- assessment day (the interview on the assessment day is with another HR person- again competency based)- final interview (partner and line manager)
Reply 12
-pixie-
It goes online tests- phone interview- assessment day (the interview on the assessment day is with another HR person- again competency based)- final interview (partner and line manager)


Apparently the AC was the final thing I THINK:confused:

but yeah, ONLINE FORM>>>ONLINE TESTS>>> HR PHONE INTERVIEW>>> ASSESSMENT CENTRE>>> something else?
Reply 13
Well I was told at the AC that there is a partner and line manager interview after the AC. I got through to it but I cancelled my app as got an offer from elsewhere. Also, at the AC my interview was from an HR person so it makes sense to have a formal partner one after as well.

Maybe some people have the partner interview on the same day.
Reply 14
Hello everyone, I am new to this forum. I am so desperate, please help me. I have 2 days left to do the numerical and verbal tests at Grant Thornton. Please shed light on level of difficulty and speed required. Tried efinancialcraeers practice tests, failed! Bottom 30%. Did well in the Kenexa one and GTIOS. Please, any advice greatly appreciated.
Please don't bump old threads. I haven;t taken the GT tests, but for most of them you need to be fast, although personally I haven't found them all that difficult.

Latest