2014 Graduate Programmes Applications

Exciting times! Anyone who has questions regarding Deloitte or Audit, feel free to PM.

I'll see how it goes with PWC. I am confident I am the right material for these firms given my academics and work experience as well as my interests, but I don't want to balls it up by not putting sufficient time into it. I'll definitely get the applications in ASAP.

However, do they not usually want to work within deadlines, or are they willing to take things slowly once the application has begun and passed the psychometric test stage?

I am going for tax, though I have been giving business restructuring some thought, as it is one area that will prosper regardless of how terrible the market is, given its nature.

My Deloitte application went very similarly, apart from with them it takes even longer to progress to interview stage, so even more time to prepare. In the end I had my PwC & Deloitte final interviews back to back so was able to prepare for them both simultaneously.

Many people who were applying at the same time last year experienced really frustrating delays with getting partner interviews arranged so there could be quite a significant gap before that...


I applied to a regional office so I presume that in terms of the time-scale the whole process was a bit more relaxed than it would be for London. I applied for all the firms in early September.

Hey, I'm going to be away for 3 weeks from 20th August. Based from your experience (or anyone elses) do you think I should submit an application to Deloitte now, or wait until I come back early/mid sept? This is for a graduate tax position in London. Same goes for E&Y when their vacancies open. I don't want any stages to be disrupted, and I know sometimes they can't offer alternative dates.

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Also to anyone else, I received 40% in an Introductory Management Accounting in my first year. Will this really dampen my chances if they see this? From my pov, it didn't reflect lack of understanding etc. but I wasn't really on the ball in my first year (I will spin this out another way if asked in an interview). So I don't want it to seem as if I'm not going to be able to handle the basics of the subject area.

Just on the Deloitte application now and it says uploading a cv is non-mandatory. Is it best that I upload one? Everything on mine has pretty much been said on the site application apart from a few minor achievements and a language, so not sure if it's worth adding?

Hey, I'm going to be away for 3 weeks from 20th August. Based from your experience (or anyone elses) do you think I should submit an application to Deloitte now, or wait until I come back early/mid sept? This is for a graduate tax position in London. Same goes for E&Y when their vacancies open. I don't want any stages to be disrupted, and I know sometimes they can't offer alternative dates.

/

Also to anyone else, I received 40% in an Introductory Management Accounting in my first year. Will this really dampen my chances if they see this? From my pov, it didn't reflect lack of understanding etc. but I wasn't really on the ball in my first year (I will spin this out another way if asked in an interview). So I don't want it to seem as if I'm not going to be able to handle the basics of the subject area.

Just on the Deloitte application now and it says uploading a cv is non-mandatory. Is it best that I upload one? Everything on mine has pretty much been said on the site application apart from a few minor achievements and a language, so not sure if it's worth adding?

The Big4 applications were a joy in comparison to the medium-sized once like GT, BDO etc... Filling in those application questions took forever and was just really annoying!

I remember someone mentioned a website that offers access to practice tests based on the ones the firms actually use for like £10 or so. KPMG's are definitely the worst, but I did well on those last time. Still, I'd need to practise them a bit before doing them as it's been over a year since I last did.

Thanks, this was very helpful. Were there any sites you used for practising psychometric tests? I find the ones provided by the firms to be borderline useless, as they often don't mirror the questions asked in the test itself. Once you know which equations to use they are fine, but the practice tests are often at odds with the actual test. I remember someone mentioned a website that offers access to practice tests based on the ones the firms actually use for like £10 or so. KPMG's are definitely the worst, but I did well on those last time. Still, I'd need to practise them a bit before doing them as it's been over a year since I last did.

Also, does anyone know how direct tax compares to indirect tax as a business line?

I am tempted by the corporate finance programmes but from what I understand you can always get exposure to this line later on in your career.

Thanks, this was very helpful. Were there any sites you used for practising psychometric tests? I find the ones provided by the firms to be borderline useless, as they often don't mirror the questions asked in the test itself. Once you know which equations to use they are fine, but the practice tests are often at odds with the actual test. I remember someone mentioned a website that offers access to practice tests based on the ones the firms actually use for like £10 or so. KPMG's are definitely the worst, but I did well on those last time. Still, I'd need to practise them a bit before doing them as it's been over a year since I last did.

If you're looking to go into consulting or join the big banks in M&A and the sort, it's been said by many that corporate finance is the best place to start if you are gonna join a big4. Why? Because you get more exposure early on and you won't have to fight with all the audit leavers for positions as you'd already have relevant experience.

That being said CF is more competitive.

Yeah, thanks, the prices seem reasonable too.


To be honest, it is more out of a personal interest, to improve my own ability to assess investments. I'd need to go to London to pursue a career in that area, and it's not something I am really keen on, and also it raises the bar for entering the firms. What I might do is apply for CF with one of the Big Four, and go for tax with the rest.

I've already sent off my apps for Deloitte, KPMG and EY. Got rejected after the verbal and numerical for KPMG (bladdy hard!) but through to the E-tray for Deloitte and the tests for EY. Can't seem to access my test though for EY! =/

I've already sent off my apps for Deloitte, KPMG and EY. Got rejected after the verbal and numerical for KPMG (bladdy hard!) but through to the E-tray for Deloitte and the tests for EY. Can't seem to access my test though for EY! =/

If you think the KPMG tests are hard, Deloitte's e-tray will be quite a shock

For Deloitte's e-tray, do you do it in your own time or do you have to go to a Deloitte office?

What is so hard about it? Calculations? The tasks? Time pressure?