KPMG Hiring Process: Job Application, Interviews, and Employment

KPMG Hiring Process: Job Application, Interviews, and Employment

The hiring process at KPMG involves various stages, including the job application and interview processes that you will be expected to pass through to be employed by the Company.

Please, continue reading to learn about the KPMG recruitment process and how you can be employed:

KPMG Company Overview

KPMG is a multinational professional services network and one of the Big Four accounting firms offering tax, audit, and advisory services.

It was formerly KMG which stands for Klynveld Peat Marwick but became KPMG after its merger with Goerdeler in 1987.

KPMG presently operates in 154 countries with 207,050 people, and has its headquarters in Amstelveen, Netherlands.

The KPMG Hiring Process

KPMG has a unique recruitment process for employing new people into its workforce and they are as follows:

1. Application Process

The first step in the KPMG hiring process is to fill out an online application form at the company’s website to provide information on your personal details, your chosen job interest, KPMG referral, educational background, accounting qualification, employment history, and language skills.

This form serves as your resume, so there is no option for uploading one or CV. The entire application process may require about 30 minutes completing it.

KPMG has a greater interest in applicants from leading institutions of learning and a high average GPA.

They also take interest in applicants’ work experience at organizations’ with a dependable recruitment process and good learning and development program, and a successful track record.

Hence, when completing the application form, it is important that you provide the necessary details, and also provide information on your work experience in terms of achievements rather than tasks.

2. Online Assessment

After sending your application and the information provided meets the KPMG standard, then you will receive an email link inviting you to take an online assessment (SJT).

It is a behavioral test designed to ascertain your response to work-based situations that you might encounter as a KPMG employee.

You will be required to pick the least and most appropriate response given the specific situation for about 20 separate scenarios.

There is no time limit to taking the test but the faster you are the higher your chances of success.

To increase your chances of success also, it is important to understand the KPMG’s core behavioral capabilities which should guide your answers.

3. Online Numerical and Verbal Reasoning Tests

If you are successful with the SJT test, then you will be invited for online numerical and verbal reasoning tests. This is the case for graduate jobs, experienced hires will skip this test phase.

The test should be taken in the same sitting and it is timed, about 20 minutes for each session.

They are designed to assess your ability to analyze numerical and verbal information.

The keys to success on this phase are:

• To prepare ahead brushing on your basic math skills and reading speed
• Ensure to take the test in a relaxed mood
• Also take the test in a distraction free environment
• You may not necessarily finish the test, it is designed to put you under time pressure.

4. Digital Submission

After a successful completion of the reasoning tests, you will be invited to complete a digital submission in audio format.

This stage is aimed at assessing you on Career Motivation’, ‘Seizes Business Opportunities’ and ‘Makes an Impact’.

It involves recording your responses to questions sent by KPMG either on your phone or computer.

Ensure to demonstrate your communication skills and motivation for pursuing a career with KPMG in a convincing manner.

Here are questions you can expect to see:

• Why are you interested to work in the business area you chose?
• Why did you choose KPMG?
• Tell us how do you think technology will impact KPMG’s business in the future?
• What would you do if a client does not like your methodology?

Tips for success on this stage:

• Consider things you would enjoy working at KPMG
• Learn about the responsibilities of the role
• Have a thorough review of the website
• Learn about the skills you require for success on the job
• Demonstrate your drive and commitment to going the extra mile for clients.
• Confidently communicate your ideas both verbally and in writing
• Ensure your message is being presented in a concise manner.

5. Launch Pad Recruitment Event

This is the last stage of the recruitment process and you will only be invited if you are successful at the digital submission stage.

It is a full-day event that may begin in the morning and finish at about 5:00 p.m. it offers you an opportunity to learn more about working at KPMG and how your career could progress within the company.

The day typically begins with a welcome presentation, as well as an overview of the daily routines at the company, and then a group exercise, analysis exercise, and a partner interview, plus networking sessions.

As you engage in the various activities, remember to keep the key KPMG behavioral capabilities in mind, and find ways to demonstrate how you meet each one whenever you can, because an applicant may still be dropped at this stage.

6. Group Exercise

It involves a group exercise where your group will be assigned a task and you would need to discuss ideas with the other candidates, identify issues and come up with solutions.

The key skills assessed here are leadership and teamwork skills while you are working with others and someone may be required to represent the group.

7. Analysis Exercise

This phase is to check your ability to analyze information and provide solutions to business problems using sound judgment, as well as your communication skills.

You will be given a limited time to read a brief, and then write a report based on the information provided, ensure to include specific issues and set out detailed recommendations.

8. Partner Interview

This is a one-to-one interview with a senior member of the KPMG team and is crucial to determining whether you will be hired or not.

Here are some KPMG partner interview questions you may expect to answer:

• How the Launch Pad event is going so far?
• Why did you choose to apply for this job role or KPMG?
• What would your responsibilities be during your early years at KPMG?
• What is your idea of a typical working day at KPMG?
• How did you handle a stressful situation you experienced?
• How do you manage your time and ensure you deliver quality?
• What is your idea of work-life balance?

9. Networking Sessions

This is a chance to show your interpersonal or people skills. It offers you an opportunity to talk to a variety of KPMG staff and other candidates.

10. Hearing from KPMG after the Interview

If you are successful at the Lunch Pad stage, within one to two days you will be given an employment offer to join the company officially.

11. Orientation

Just like every other professional service organization, KPMG usually organize an orientation program for the newly recruited staffs.

The reason for this is to ensure that every new employee is well informed and educated about the culture and regulations at KPMG.

It is typically a learning process that involves a computer based training (CBT), and it lasts for a few hours.

All participants (new employees) in this process program will properly begin their duties in their various departments after the orientation has been concluded.

KPMG Jobs and Careers

KPMG is able to provide varieties of jobs to applicant who are qualified enough to join the company’s workforce.

Here are key roles that you can apply for:

• Business analyst – senior associate: This employee is trained and skilled in KPMB analysis services and tools made available in order to ensure requirements are being delivered successfully. The role is also responsible for communicating within the effort (sponsors, stakeholders, and project team) with the help of analysis services PML.
• NLP data scientist – senior associate: This position has a responsibility in working within multi-disciplinary as well as cross-function teams to enable the translation of business requirements into modelling approaches and artificial intelligence goals.
• Work day learning function lead – senior associate: This employee is usually a significant participant in workday HCM projects that involves implementation support and strategy, as well as enterprise resource planning, and optimization that pertains to IT (information technology) operations, security, business processes, and data integrity needed for the Workday applications.
• Manager – resource management: This role is assigned to handle the management of resource requests through the validation of requirements and appropriate schedule and propose allocated resources with improved availability to a high possible opportunities aligning with their expertise, and professional goals.
• DevOps engineer – senior associate: This employee is responsible for developing, building, and configuring, deploying, and supporting information technology solutions for shared services that pertain to CI/CD, SCM, artifact management, monitoring, and automated testing.
• Director – data assets and architecture: This position has a key responsibility in developing and maintaining data assets registry and providing trust to advisory leaders and developers of solution to make sure reuse and speed to market are possible.

What to Expect Working at KPMG

KPMG has a lovable culture and practices, and the management values employees.

Based on the department you work in, you will get lots of exposure and opportunities to travel within and outside the shores of the country.

KPMG ensures that employees are being developed. Hence, series of trainings are conducted frequently in the company.

However, if you have decided to work at KPMG, you should be ready to experience work pressure, especially if you work in the audit department.

Teams are different from one client to another, and this might make you work with managers who are inconsiderate.

Conclusion

At KPMG, all employees are expected to possess various qualities such as behavioral capabilities, communication of ideas precisely, self-motivation, and professional decision making.

As you go through the hiring process, all these qualities will be evaluated. Failing to demonstrate most of the required qualities may prevent employment.