How a rigorous selection process helped me land a job at PwC US Advisory | Nikhil’s story
Preliminary Rounds:
- CV Shortlisting
- Telephonic Interview 1
- Telephonic Interview 2
Final Rounds (Personal Interviews):
- Case Round
- Director Round
- HR Round
Describe in detail the selection process for getting a job at PwC US Advisory?
Preliminary Rounds:
There were 3 preliminary rounds, the first of which was CV shortlisting. To breeze through this round, I got my CV reviewed by alumni. Only then did I finalize it. Post this, I revised my summers, work experience, case studies, and other CV content thoroughly. Ensuring that your CV is up-to-date so that you are able to leave a mark on an employer’s mind is key to crack this round.
The second stage of the Preliminary round was the Telephonic Interview. In this round, I was asked questions from my summers and work experience. I had gone through my CV thoroughly. So, I could answer all the questions to the satisfaction of the interviewer. This was followed by a guesstimate that I solved using a top-down approach. Although a bit tricky, I managed to crack this round easily.
Now, it was time for the final stage of the Prelims. This was again a Telephonic Interview in which questions revolved around my CV too. But this time, instead of a guesstimate, I had to solve an operations case. I managed to answer all the questions and solved the case to the best of my abilities. This round was a bit challenging but nevertheless rewarding.
Each stage of the Preliminary round was eliminatory in nature. Thorough CV preparation coupled with regular guesstimate practice and case study sessions helped me crack these Telephonic Interviews. Moreover, strong summers, work experience, and a sound CV played an instrumental role in striking up interesting conversations with the interviewer.
Final Rounds
After sailing through the Prelims, it was now time for the Final Round. The first round on-campus was a Personal Interview. The interview started with my introduction and an overview of my CV. They discussed my work experience at length. Some technical questions were posed to check my knowledge of the industry I had prior work experience in. Post this, I had to work on a case on Industry 4.0 and my knowledge from several case competitions helped me crack the case. The interviewer was impressed with my case solution. Finally, I was asked to summarize the case and give my recommendations. This round lasted for about 1 hour.
The second on-campus round was the Director round. The focus of this round was my CV again, Industry knowledge, and two years at the B-School. I gave an in-depth explanation of my CV and B-School experience. I emphasized on the fact that I had cracked the highest number of case competitions on-campus. This interview was short and lasted for only 20-25 minutes.
At last, it was time for the final on-campus round with the HR. This interview adjudged my company fit, culture fit, and personality. Several questions were posed related to my personal life and I managed to answer them satisfactorily. Finally, sailing through all the rounds, I was selected as an Experienced Associate-Operations Practice at PwC US Advisory.
I did not need to negotiate on the compensation front. On the personal front, I just wish to advise my juniors that preparation for final placements begins right from the first day of your B-School. To sum up, maintain a healthy balance between academics and extracurricular activities. This will give you the right kind of exposure and prepare you for the future. All the best!