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Ernst & Young Tax Intern Interview Questions & Reviews

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Updated Feb 15, 2012 – Interview questions and reviews posted anonymously by interview candidates.

Difficulty Rating [?] Based on 9 ratings

2.7

“Average” Interview

Interview Experience [?] Based on 9 ratings

Positive	89%
Neutral	11%
Negative	0%

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1–9 of 9 Ernst & Young Interviews

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1.0

Very Easy Interview

Overall Positive Experience

Received and Accepted Offer

Interviewed Jan 2012 in New York, NY (took a day)

I sent me resume in to the HR department and within days got an email setting up a phone interview. The phone interview was very easy-took about 30 minutes and asked me questions like "why I chose my university" and "why tax". No behavior questions.

Interview Questions

Why Ernst and Young"

Answer Question

Why the New York office?

Answer Question

Other Details

I got the interview through an Employee Referral and the interview consisted of a Phone Interview.

Helpful Interview?

Yes | No

Inappropriate?

3.0

Average Interview

Overall Positive Experience

Interviewed and No Offer

Interviewed Oct 2011 in New York, NY (took 1 week)

Applied through my university and got the first-round interview. One on one where she asked me about things on my resume, mostly. Was asked to come back for second-round "super day." Each interviewee was assigned their own E&Y associate to guide them to their 2 interviews. First interview of the day was much like the on-campus one. About half an hour long. Then the 2nd interview involved more behavioral questions. After that, the company takes you out to a nice lunch, which was the best part of the day : )

Interview Questions

Describe a situation where you were unable to complete an assignment your boss or teacher gave you, and how you handled it

Answer Question

Other Details

I got the interview through a College or University and the interview consisted of a 1:1 Interview.

Helpful Interview?

Yes | No

Inappropriate?

3.0

Average Interview

Overall Positive Experience

Received and Declined Offer

Interviewed Oct 2011 (took 2 weeks)

For 1st-round interview, it is taken on campus. Interviewer is a partner. He is nice. Just conversations, not Q&A. Talk about the past experiences. Just be yourself and enjoy the whole process:)

Interview Questions

Do you have any questions for me?

Answer Question

Other Details

The interview consisted of a 1:1 Interview.

Helpful Interview?

Yes | No

Inappropriate?

3.0

Average Interview

Overall Positive Experience

Interviewed and No Offer

Interviewed Sep 2010 in Raleigh, NC (took a day)

After requesting an interview through my university's career services, I was selected and scheduled for an interview 3 weeks later. E&Y conducted roughly 20 interviews on campus to fill a limited number of spring and summer internships. Questions were solely behavioral. The recruiter who interviewed me was very laid back and asked easy questions; some of my classmates reported "off-the-wall" questions, though.

Interview Questions

Describe a time when you worked with a team and had a difficult team-member.

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Other Details

I got the interview through a College or University and the interview consisted of a 1:1 Interview.

Helpful Interview?

Yes | No

Inappropriate?

3.0

Average Interview

Overall Positive Experience

Received and Accepted Offer

Interviewed Jul 2008 (took 4+ weeks)

I received an internship offer after attending the firm's Summer Leadership Program (SLP). I initially began networking with recruiters from the firm during a "Meet the Firms" career fair event for accounting majors. I applied for their SLP program after learning about it at the event. I was also invited to mixer/dinner by the firm's recruiters. After the dinner, I was invited to the SLP. The SLP was a two-and-a-half day event, during which candidates had a chance to network with professionals at the firm. There were a number of team-building type exercises; presentations by various staff, managers, and partners; games; and a lot of good food. The final half-day of the program candidates participated in three, back-to-back, one-hour interviews. My interviews were with a manager, senior-manager, and partner. The interview with the partner was very laid back. The other interviews were a little more conventional. I was asked typical questions you would expect for an entry-level public accounting position: why do you want to work here, why do you want to work in public accounting, behavioral questions aimed at determining leadership abilities, abilities to work in groups and under pressure, etc. A few hours after my last interview the partner who interviewed me called and offered me an internship for the following summer. Competition for Big 4 internships is pretty stiff. I had a 4.0 GPA, held a leadership position in an accounting organization on campus, and prepared well for the interview, so I my experience might be a little atypical. My best advice for getting the internship you want is to keep your GPA high, get involved in some organization, attend as many networking events as you can, and take advantage of whatever services your school's career office provides. Good luck, everyone. I hope this was helpful!

Other Details

I got the interview through a College or University and the interview consisted of a 1:1 Interview and a Background Check.

Helpful Interview?

Yes | No

Inappropriate?

4.0

Difficult Interview

Overall Positive Experience

Interviewed and No Offer

Interviewed Aug 2010 (took 5 days)

I applied through the Universities career site. Also, I went to the professional meeting held at the school. I was asked for an interview. During this time, I also went to Meet the Firms as well as a dinner that they hosted. They brought first year staff to both the professional meeting as well as meet the firms.

Interview Questions

Why do you want to go into tax?

Answer Question

Do you want to stay in the area?

Answer Question

Other Details

I got the interview through a College or University and the interview consisted of a 1:1 Interview.

Helpful Interview?

Yes | No

Inappropriate?

3.0

Average Interview

Overall Positive Experience

Received and Accepted Offer

Interviewed Oct 2008 in Boston, MA (took 4 months)

The process consisted of an initial screening phone interview. After that , I was invited to the Boston office, where I interviewed with 2 partners and 2 senior staff. Most of the questions were behavioral (also why thy type of job, why E&Y..). But there were no questions related to tax at all (interview was for an intern position)

Interview Questions

Why E&Y? Why tax?

Answer Question

Other Details

The interview consisted of a Phone Interview and a 1:1 Interview.

Helpful Interview?

Yes | No

Inappropriate?

3.0

Average Interview

Overall Neutral Experience

Interviewed and No Offer

Interviewed Oct 2008 (took a day)

There are mainly behavioral questions in the first round 1:1 interview, very nice recruitor.
However the second round is kind of confusing, they don't ask many questions but keep introducing there company. I only talked about my experience for less than half an hour during the 2.5 hours group interview.

Other Details

The interview consisted of a 1:1 Interview and a Group/Panel Interview.

Helpful Interview?

Yes | No

Inappropriate?

1.0

Very Easy Interview

Overall Positive Experience

Received and Accepted Offer

Interviewed May 2009 in Houston, TX (took 4 weeks)

Originally began with on-campus presentation from firm before Spring Break. After a week or two came a dinner with professionals from the firm, and the day after that dinner was a 30-minute 1:1 interview on campus. The next week, the firm invited certain students to continue recruiting, and for a two-week period, there were all kinds of activities (dinners, lunches, brunches, bowling, tours, etc.,) that determined who would be invited to the office visit. The office visit actually came after the school year ended, and it was a two-day affair. The first night was a dinner at a partner's house, so it was an informal interview at best. The next day was the tour of the office, with three 15-20 minute 1:1 interviews, a few presentations, some panel discussions from various staff.

Throughout the entire process, the professionals work hard to make every step of the process rather comfortable -- the various interviews never feel draining or tough, so the best piece of advice is to remember that no matter how relaxed things seem, everything counts. Recruiting events count. Dinner counts. Lunches count. All levels are watching and they are trying to figure out who would be a reasonable person to work with.

Interview Questions

What does the "People First" culture mean to you?

View Answers (1)

Negotiation Details

It appears the firms collude well as toward starting salary and bonuses (this was for an intern position in a specific location, though, so mileage may vary). However, the cool thing about the negotiation phase is that, as it takes place after the office visits, it is generally conducted through phone calls and emails if you are not nearby or may involve more meals if you are nearby. Negotiation doesn't change the offer contract, but it is a way for the firm to try to scope out their competition and then sell themselves one final time.