How to apply: The Application Process
Our application process is designed to support you during this important stage of your career and ultimately assess whether we feel your skills, aspirations and experience are what we’re looking for.
The process is outlined below. If you feel you have any special requirements that need taking into consideration throughout the recruitment process then please don’t hesitate to contact a member of our Graduate Recruitment team.
Stage 1: Online Application Form
The application form is your chance to tell us about your academic background and any work experience. It should take about 20 minutes to complete.
Stage 2: Situational Judgement Test
After you’ve submitted your application form, you’ll receive a link to a Situational Judgement Test (SJT) within one working day. The SJT presents you with hypothetical, challenging situations that you could encounter at work as a trainee with KPMG. In response to each situation, you have a choice of possible actions you can take to deal with it. The SJT takes around 30 minutes to complete.
Stage 3: Online Numerical and Verbal Reasoning Tests
If you’re successful in your initial application and SJT, you’ll be asked to take both numerical and verbal reasoning tests online, lasting 20 minutes each. Designed especially for KPMG, they’re not only used to see how good you are at reading and maths. They look at your ability to analyse numerical and verbal data – skills that you’ll need on the job.
Stage 4: First Round Interview
If you’re successful in the reasoning tests, you’ll be invited to join a telephone interview that should last around 45 minutes. This will be with someone from the business area you’ve applied to and will focus on our behavioural capabilities.
Stage 5: Immersive Assessment Centre
On the Assessment Day we’ll provide background information about a fictional organisation based on KPMG. All activities during the day will be based on the fictional organisation for you to experience a ‘day in the life’ of a KPMG trainee:
• The Virtual Office Exercise is laptop-based. Simulating day-to-day situations, you’ll be given messages (for example, emails, voicemails) and expected to prioritise and deal with various tasks within a time limit.
• The Analysis Exercise is also laptop-based and lasts around an hour. We’ll ask you to review complex information and present your recommendations in written form.
• Lunch is your chance to relax, meet some of our trainees and hear their views about life at KPMG.
• Two Simulated Meetings assess how you’d handle a client and an internal meeting. This exercise is designed to give you a real insight into the types of meetings you could find yourself in at KPMG.
• After the meetings, you’ll be free to leave. We’ll send you an email in a few days time to let you know if you’ve been successful in securing a final interview with one of our senior interviewers.
If you’ve applied for the Audit London Programme, there’ll be a short wait after you have completed the Assessment Centre exercises whilst we assess the evidence to identify who has been successful in securing a final interview with a senior interviewer. This interview will take place on the same day as your Assessment Centre from any time between 5pm and 7pm. We will try not to keep you waiting too long and to help pass the time you’ll even be served afternoon tea!
If you’ve applied to a different graduate programme you will find out whether you have been successful at the Assessment Centre within approximately 3 working days. We will contact you by email to let you know the decision on your application. If successful you will be invited to complete a final interview with a senior interviewer.
Stage 6: Final Interview
If you’ve applied for the Audit Programme in London and are successful on the Assessment Centre Exercises, you’ll find out there and then and have your final interview that day with a Senior Representative between 5pm and 7pm. If you are unsuccessful you will be informed on the day and we will follow up with an email to confirm the decision and offer the option to request feedback.
Applicants to other programmes will be contacted regarding the outcome of their Assessment Centre by email within 3 working days. If successful you will be invited back to the office you’ve applied for to meet a senior representative from your chosen area. This will be more in-depth than the first round interview. If you’ve applied for our Advisory or Central Services Sales and Marketing business areas, we will also ask you to prepare a presentation.
