Looking at a career with one of New Zealand’s Big 4? As one of New Zealand’s Big Four Accounting firms, EY employs over 250,000 people worldwide and over 1,000 in New Zealand. They offer both graduate and internship programmes and many other employment opportunities in New Zealand.
Known for having excellent training & development, a diverse workforce and flexible working opportunities, EY is a great place to start your career after university. The best thing is you don’t have to go it alone. We surveyed graduates that have been there, done that. And done it so well they navigated the process into successful employment. Here are their five top tips to get a graduate job at EY.
As with many major corporations in New Zealand, gaining employment at EY involves a bit of a process. Before you make it to the assessment centre, there's an online application you’ll need to get through.
Not only that, your current grades and online assessment activities are considered through the process.
“Interviewers made me feel comfortable and able to open up and be myself. EY appreciated how people interacted within the group during the group assessment, rather than the one or two people bringing all the ideas to the table.”
Midlevel, Ohaupo
“Split out into two sessions - interview with staff and group assessment. Good to see how the person interacts on both an individual and group level. Intern programme a good opportunity to know whether the grad role is a good fit.”
Midlevel, Auckland
The interview stage can be daunting, so preparation is key!
Practice interview questions and your best responses in the mirror at home. Hit up your squad to role play the group situation scenario. And put some thought into the best ways to tackle the case study beforehand.
“Research the service line and sub service line you're applying for so you can share your knowledge and show interest. Additionally, this helps you to be able to ask focused questions. Have hobbies/interests that you're excited about - this is interesting for the people chatting to you. Team fit is also important, so be yourself.”
Midlevel, Auckland
“Prepare your answers in the STAR format! Definitely helped me answer their questions.”
Graduate, Auckland
“I wasn't really asked questions - I just had a chat with the partner about my experiences and what I wanted from a role and it all flowed from there”
Graduate, Auckland
“Why I want to be part of EY, transactions and my specific sub service line. What macro-economic factors would impact our clients. What I would be able to bring to the team.”
Midlevel, Auckland
“Why EY out of the BigFour, What challenges have I faced in previous jobs and how did I overcome them, How did my previous jobs help me gain skills I can apply to EY”
Midlevel, Auckland
You're interviewing for a career at EY, so you ought to know exactly why you want to work there! EY’s company values and culture are extremely important to them. So get ready to show them exactly how you talk their talk and walk their walk.
Start by heading to their website, connect with people that work there on LinkedIn, meet the team out on campus at career fairs, and research as much as possible on their values and culture. Get ready to show them how you apply these values in your own life and how you will continue to do so in the future.
The more research you do about EY, the more you’ll begin to look forward to working there. This will come out in droves when interviewing for a graduate or internship role.
And don’t be afraid to ask yourself the tough questions like ‘What is important to me? Career progression? Working hours? Working for a company that has a deep connection with the community?’
“Most people will move up the ranks steadily unless their performance is poor. Promotions are sometimes dependent on vacancies or team needs.”
Graduate, Auckland
“The firm really focuses on building a strong culture. Our team often holds events after work as a way of thanking us for the work that we put in. We have a massive emphasis on inclusiveness, which is not just lip service - there is a real emphasis on ensuring that you feel like you can bring your whole self to work.”
Graduate, Auckland
You can't prepare for everything. There will be a number of interactions you'll have during the EY recruitment process that'll challenge you. If you stumbled along the way, just remember: You made it through a pretty intense recruitment schedule. What an experience!
“Graduate recruitment run well, however rigid negotiation and completely different treatment (and benefits) for lateral with equivalent experience.”
Graduate, Whakatane
For more information on how to get a graduate job with EY, check out the EY employer profile and their graduate job satisfaction reviews.