My BDO first round interview experience

Accounting & Professional Services
#1

Hey everyone!

So I had my first round interview with BDO last week and at the end of the interview my interviewer told me that I have passed to the next stage.

It was a very relaxed atmosphere and we started off by talking about my application form. Then there were the competency based questions:

  • Tell me about a time when you did not get along with someone in a team or at work/ had a conflict in a team.
  • Tell me about a time when you had to communicate something to someone.
  • Tell me about a time where you delivered exceptional client service? I gave him the same example as the one I wrote in the application form and he was ok with that.
  • Tell me about a time when you had to promote a society or a cause
  • Why BDO?
  • Why Tax?
  • What do you know about the service line you’re going into?
  • What is your greatest achievement to date?
  • What are the qualities you think you can bring to this role?
  • He also asked me to list BDO’s values (yeah I know… really stupid question but luckily I remembered them).
  • Have you applied anywhere else? If so, what stage are you with your offers? I just replied honestly.
  • How would you go about choosing which company you would like to work for? I said that ideally I’d like an offer from BDO, but before making my final decision I would read through the contract, see how I found the application process and whether I felt like the company was a good match for me, and it would also depend on the lunch with the trainees because I would like to see what the people I will be working with are like

I think that’s it :slight_smile: I really enjoyed the interview actually… BDO definitely rely on the relaxed atmosphere to lure their employees in

1 Like
#2

i had an interview but it went atrociously :frowning:
just got news that i failed it.
i was asked relatively straighforward Qs but managed to mess them up.

i had so little sleep beforehand and when he asked how i promoted a society and a cause i made up something thats sounded crap :frowning:

what about you? what example did you put for such a a question, my interviewer specifically asked how i had promoted a society and i hadnt prepared one for a society

hope you passed x

#3

Sorry to hear it didn’t go well :frowning:

As I said above, the interviewer told me at the end of the interview that I had gotten through to the next stage so just waiting for my assessment day now.

The reason I found the question ‘tell me about a time you promoted a society/cause’ easy was because I was on the committee of a society at uni, so I just said that I had to promote my society to get more members. I can understand why it can be a tricky question though.

#4

HI
I have an interview with BDO on friday, is there any advice or suggestions u can give?

Thanks

#5

Hey! How did your interview go in the end? I put all my advice in this post.

For anyone who has an interview coming up I would suggest:

  • know how to answer the questions I wrote above
  • know BDO’s values because you WILL get quizzed on them
  • relax!!!. I was literally sat there very relaxed and had a great conversation with the recruiter. I was really amazed with BDO’s interview structure because it seemed so much more conversational and not daunting at all.
  • always try start the interview with small talk! that really helps, I commented on the building, the area, etc… This made the interviewer spend the first 5 minutes talking about random stuff

I was told at the end of the interview that I passed so I must have done something right :slight_smile:

Good luck everyone! if you prepare you WILL pass

#6

Hi,

I have an assessment centre coming up for BDO. Can someone please guide me through the group exercise and the In-tray exercise. Actually I am confused about these two. Can anyone explain a bit about the group exercise and In tray exercise. What Group exercise and In tray exercise is all about and how should I approach to them.

#7

when asked why BDO, what exactly did you mention about? Did you repeat the answer you gave in the application questions as well?

#8

is there an intray exercise, as I cant find any information about it on BDO website.

#9

hi there,
i’m applying for an internship at BDO and got an AC on thursday and I was wondering if the AC is the same for internships and graduate positions. I read that you had to prepare for a presentation during the day but I was told to prepare for a presentation before going to the AC about a specific company or industry.
also could someone help me with the kind of questions they ask at the interviews as it will be my first ever interview. (for internships they do not require first round interviews) and what the in-tray exercise is really about
thanks

#10

Hey everyone!

I had my first round interview with BDO last week and at the end of the interview my interviewer told me that I will phone the HR to let them know your outcome, in the next couple of day I called HR and discovered I have passed to the next stage.
According to my experience the interview was a very relaxing and we started off by talking about my application form and discussed my previous experience. During the interview the interviewer mentioned me you might like corporate tax as you got more knowledge than other tax area, I agreed with her but told her never mind I am ok with any tax field so she was fine with me and we had a very please conversation throughout interview, Interviewer was very professional and friendlier, she understand the value of human emotion.

The questions was the almost same as the ducesa post on 2 October 2011 - 5:44pm
I think that’s it :slight_smile: I really enjoyed the interview actually… BDO definitely rely on the relaxed atmosphere to lure their employees in

Next what happened I got a call from the HR office to offer another place in Epsom office for difference tax area which I was more interested in then I agreed with HR and she sent me email for AC day confirmation, I was about to confirm online she phoned me again and ask me to go to the first round interview again, then I was not very happy even though I decided to accept the challenge to go to the first round of the interview again, guess what happened the Lady who was taking my interview she looks very tired and was disinterred throughout the interview and it showed in her expression as, any way we went through the application form and kept the conversation as minimum as we can, I realised that the lady was not interesting in interview, which really you cannot do anything about it, I had email from BDO saying that I failed my interview now my advises is for every one if you want to pass the first round interview please do not accept any other offer it may ask you to start from the first round again which may harm you to go final round which I lost my final round, so now you guys can see they teach Ethics and you can see within the company two difference view of judging people and conflicts of interest between two manager, As I said earlier before the some people are very professional and some aren’t, but it causes the firm reputation to go down, the BDO for me is still a good firm to apply for graduate scheme .

Good luck every one

#11

Hi Guys,

I have applied to Business Outsourcing Advisory Programme in BDO… Have been invited to First Interview … Could anyone please give your insights into this stream and what questions would I be asked in the interview… I am really nervous as I haven’t got any experience in Consulting or Advisory fields… Moreover I have Masters degree which is not relative to this programme at all and I possess financial industry experience currently working for top UK bank. Please any advice for me and I would be grateful

Thanks in Advance

#12

I had my interview today for Human Capital Tax and passed it thanks to this thread so I thought I’d give back to the forum. I got asked most of the questions above plus a few more

-what do you know about our other services lines outside tax?
-tell me about a time when you made a mistake.
-I didn’t explicitly get asked why I wanted BDO, but I did get asked if I had applied elsewhere. I used that opportunity to say why BDO was better for my career aim ( Their awards in Tax + their work and life balance.

  • Regarding their values, I explained my understanding of them, not the company’s understanding of them. Bad move! Read their wording and use that in your interview.

Overall, the interviewer was really nice. My interview lasted an hour and a half because it was a genuine conversation. I was asking her about her job and career so far. I must have asked her 7 questions in a row halfway through the interview and she was quite happy to answer them in depth. It was quite informal. I made a joke or two, and confessed when I didn’t know the answer. But overall, I had done enough preparation and showed enough passion and gave good examples of how I had the skills for the job that I passed. Hope that helps.

Good luck everyone!

#13

Hi all,

I had my First interview yesterday and I have passed … thanks to this forum and all of your valuable insights … I was asked same questions as above mentioned apart from

give me an evidence of when people around you at work,/uni trusted you?

Its about their core value honesty & integrity

Preparation is the key and they are really friendly people …

Any Bristol A/C attending candidates around here please let me know which Programme you have applied for …

Thanks again to this forum as it has helped me a lot …

#14

Hi Rachel0709

I have my first interview tomorrow for the BOA business line. I was wondering if there were any commercial awareness questions in your first round interview

Neel

#15

I wiLL be having my first interview in BDO this coming mOnday. pLs give me a hint Of what wiLL be the questions that the interviewee wiLL ask. pLs… pLs… am reaLLy nervOus and am abOut to mutate…

Thanks! I wiLL appreciate it aLOt…

gOdbLess!

#16

Rachel, I had my interview in March. I got exactly the same questions as posted by Ducesa. Make sure you memorise their values and literally regurgitate them. Dont be nervous at all. It’s more like a chat. I didn’t have any commercial awareness questions at all.

#17

Hi,guys i will be having an exam and interview next week at BDO…i actually review and practice on how to answer all possible question just like the post of ducesa,but unfortunately i’m reluctant right n0w because there’s s0me0ne told me that Bdo is strict in terms of scholastic records,and sad to say that when was in college i had 1 back subject,but i already passed it in summer class…just wanna know if it’s true and what i’m gonna do now?i’m so nervous because of that.

#18

Hi,

I have applied for the 2013 audit graduate scheme and I have my first interview next week.

Can someone please tell me the interview questions that they got when they did their first interview?

Any help would be much appreciated.

#19

I will be having my final interview in BDO this coming tuesday. pls give me a hint Of what will be the questions that the interviewee will ask. pls. am really nervous and am about to mutate…

Thanks! I will appreciate it alot…

gOdbLess!

#20

I already finish my initial interview today at BDO, the HR said they will call me according to my application.what does it means did I pass the interview or not.How long should I wait.please help me.