I applied through college or university. The process took 3 weeks. I interviewed at RSM (Chicago, IL) in Oct 2013
Interview
Spoke with them at campus career fair. I was told to apply through both the McGladrey website and the university website. Invited to campus interview and a dinner at an up-scale local restaurant the night before. Each table a the dinner was a mix of candidates, partners, and associates.
The on-campus interview was 30 minutes with a partner. Relaxed interview, went over my resume and experience. Maybe 1 behavioral question. I received an invitation for an office interview within a couple of days.
The office interview started in the morning in the conference room with all the candidates interviewing and the campus recruiters. Basic ice-breaker stuff, introducing ourselves, playing a trivia game, plans for the weekend, etc. I then had two 45 min interviews back to back. The first with a manager and the second with a partner. From what I gathered interviewers at this stage do not follow a script and the style varies from person to person. Both of my interviews were conversational (Why do you want to work here? Why accounting? Why Audit, etc.) There was maybe one behavioral question in each interview (Tell me about a time when...). If you have gotten to this point they are pretty sure you have the technical skills and they are trying to see if you are a good fit personality wise. After the interviews were over, they had some of their newer associates take us on an office tour and then out to lunch at a nice restaurant. I did not even make it back to school before the campus recruiter called and extended a job offer.
One huge interview block that had 3 30 minute interviews back to back, I didn’t get screened by a recruiter though! Varied on difficulty for questions, my second interviewer asked a lot of technical stuff that through me off guard though.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Tell me about a time when you had to communicate to people on technical teams that had a different background than you
It had a group discussion round followed by a general technical test and then the interview. All rounds were easy. The interview had technical questions and questions relating to background,
Structured Interview:
The interview will include a mix of behavioral and technical questions. Expect to discuss your experience with audit procedures, risk assessment, and client interactions.
Sample questions might include:
“Can you describe a time when you identified a significant issue during an audit?”
“How do you ensure compliance with relevant accounting standards and regulations?”
Technical Assessment:
You may be asked to solve a case study or complete a practical task related to an assurance scenario. This could involve analyzing financial statements, identifying errors or discrepancies, and suggesting corrective actions.
Cultural Fit and Soft Skills:
We’ll also evaluate your communication skills, teamwork, and problem-solving abilities. Be prepared to discuss how you handle tight deadlines, manage multiple priorities, and work with clients or colleagues.
Q&A Session:
You’ll have an opportunity to ask questions about the role, team dynamics, company culture, and career progression.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Tell me about yourself
Why did you decide to interview with RSM
Name a time you had to resolve a conflict between peers