A huge congratulations to Zong Qin on securing a summer internship with EY which he found with one of our bright Network email updates. Here he gives us some useful tips to future applicants.
Why did you choose this firm and this role?
In my experience attending university presentations and recruitment events, the people I met at EY were extremely lively, friendly and passionate about what they did. They were also extremely helpful in providing information about the Summer Internship programme. I ultimately chose to apply to the Transactions service line after speaking to a fellow Malaysian working there; he told me about the recent deals he got to work on, as well as the amount of support provided when he was completing his accounting qualifications while working.
What was the toughest part of the application process? And your favourite part?
The toughest part of the application was definitely the assessment centre. In particular, the group exercise really tested the candidates' abilities to work well in a team while completing the tasks which were very time-pressured. Having said that, it was a pleasant experience and the assessors were really friendly, which definitely calmed my nerves. My favourite part of the application process was definitely the partner interview. I really enjoyed talking to the partner and the conversation felt natural as opposed to some of the other interviews I had with other firms.
Were you surprised by anything in the process?
I was surprised at how quick the whole process took from the online application right up to the partner interview. You always hear stories about how firms take a long time to reply emails, but that definitely wasn't the case with EY. They were really engaging.
What three top tips would you give your fellow Bright Network members?
- There are lots of ways to gather information about the firm apart from visiting their website. For example, take the effort to speak to as many representatives as possible as they're the ones who can give you information regarding the firm that may not necessarily exist online. Besides, interviews like it if you bring up the name of the representatives you spoke to, as it shows you've put in the effort to find out more about the company.
- Apply to as many firms as possible. People always go about how you should aim for quality over quantity, and while that is true to a certain extent, you usually only realise whether a firm is a good fit to you once you've gone through the interview process. Think of it this way: every firm has its own unique application process to select the candidates which meet their requirements, and filter those who do not.
- Go for the job role, not the name. I've heard numerous of times of people who apply to the most prestigious companies, but in roles they do not necessarily enjoy, because they find the attractive roles too competitive and they think that it'll be easier to do an internal transfer later on. However, unless you hear from the company representatives that it is in fact easy to do an internal transfer, it is advised that you don't as you may find yourself stuck in that role. Starting off in a less well-known company but in a role you enjoy, and later on applying to a more prestigious firm, is a better way to go in the long run.
What was the toughest question you faced at interview?
I was asked to suggest a strategy for EY to help its clients in complying with the General Data Protection Regulation, and was subsequently asked to evaluate the profitability of providing such a service.