The EY interview is your chance to prove why you are an excellent choice to join the EY consulting team. This “Big Four” consulting firm is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. As such, EY is a top landing spot for any aspiring consultant and has a competitive hiring process. That said, with adequate preparation, you can ace the EY interview. So where do you begin? We’ll dive into the entire EY interview process, covering some expected EY interview questions, and offer our top tips to excel.
EY Interview Process
The EY interview process consists of an initial phone call (or more than one), a video portion, and an in-person portion. The EY interview rounds start with an online application, followed by a phone interview, then a video interview. If you are selected to move on in the process, you will be invited to participate in an on-site interview. During the on-site interview, you will meet with several consultants and participate in a case study. The case study will be used to assess your skills and abilities related to EY’s practice areas. The EY interview stages can be treated similarly, with the final stages challenging you in a more in-depth fashion.
The initial phone call lasts about 30 minutes and is led by a recruiter.
The second round consists of two 30-45 minute interviews, one a behavioral interview and one a case interview. This is led by consultants or managers.
The final round consists of three 30-45 minute interviews. One is a behavioral interview, one is an individual case interview, and the last is a group case interview. This is led by managers and/or partners.
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EY Interview Preparation
The EY interview process is competitive and an excellent test for anyone looking for a career in consulting. Wondering how to prepare for an EY interview? We break it down below.
For in-depth EY interview preparation with experienced professionals who know what it takes to get hired by top firms like EY, book a 1:1 coaching session today.
Steps to Solve the EY Behavioral Interview
When answering EY behavioral interview questions, use the below questions as a framework to guide your answers.
- Did you provide a relevant experience that answers the question?
- Did you explain what action you took?
- Did you describe what your action led to?
Make sure your answers are logical and address each of these three questions. If so, you are on track to acing the EY interview.
How to Prepare for the EY Case Interview
There are hundreds of differing opinions on online forums and blogs about the best way to prepare for EY case interviews, but after coaching hundreds of EY candidates to successful offers, we've found that success comes down to 1 thing:
Out-loud practice with a competent partner.
That's right. It may seem easy, but most beginners find out-loud case practice to be very challenging. Not to worry, we've got resources to help you prepare, namely a free case partner group and an expert team of interview coaches who can get you up to speed on the EY case interview.
EY-Parthenon Group Case Interview
The EY interview questions for EY-Parthenon (Ernst & Young's strategy consulting arm) will differ from the other interview stages because the format is a group case interview. Here are 5 steps for acing the group case interview:
- Make sure your understand the case at its core
- Ask clarifying questions
- Create a framework for solving the business’ problem
- Develop and test your hypothesis
- Deliver a recommendation.
On top of following these steps, you’ll want to be conscious of how much you contribute to the team. This is a chance to showcase your leadership skills, but you will want to listen to others’ ideas as well as use those to inform the direction of your case analysis.
Get a more in-depth breakdown of group case interviews here.
EY Interview Questions
Every EY interview question is an opportunity to make an impression. With that in mind, here are some common EY interview questions you can expect during the interview:
- Why do you want to work here?
- What interests you most about the position?
- If hired to this role here at EY, what do you see as one initial hurdle you will have to overcome in your first weeks on the job?
- Describe your approach to learning new skills.
- How would you keep yourself motivated when working with stressed colleagues and pushy clients?
- Describe a time you made a meaningful contribution to a team.
- Tell me about a time you stepped up as a leader.
The most effective way to answer EY interview questions is by telling a "hero story." In the story, follow the CAR format: Context, Actions, Results. In other words, start with the situation at hand (the problem being faced). Next, dive into the specific actions you took to solve the problem and overcome any obstacles you encountered. The goal here is to showcase your transferable skills, so weave those into the story when applicable. Finally, land the plane with the outcome/impact of your work. Consulting firms love to see an ability to drive results!
EY interview questions for experienced consultants and newer consultants will be similar. Why are EY interview questions similar regardless of role? The firm ultimately looks for individuals whose goals and values align with theirs, which transcends experiences and ability to perform the tasks at hand. That said, expect more in-depth case studies and questions related to your experience if you are a more seasoned consultant.
EY Interview Tips
What are the best EY interview tips? Firstly, it’s important to know your stuff about EY. Understand the company values and how those values align with your professional and personal aspirations. EY wants consultants who are ambitious and intentional with their career pursuits. It’s also important to practice case interviews – a lot. Case interviews are challenging, but you can prepare for them. Management Consulted can certainly help you prepare for case interviews. Finally, be sure to follow the processes recommended above to answer EY interview questions.
Conclusion
Your resume and background function as a screening mechanism. If you’ve received an interview, you can no longer rely on the strength of your resume. You’ll have to perform well in the EY interview. The EY interview process is indeed lengthy, with several different stages challenging applicants on various consulting skills and behavioral traits. To prepare for the interview, utilize our free case interview course and consider scheduling a session with one of our expert coaches to ensure you are ready for the EY interview!
Additional Resources:
- EY-Parthenon Case Interview
- EY Firm Overview
- Consulting Resume: Complete Guide
- Case Interview: Complete Prep Guide