After graduating from Cass Business School with a degree in Accounting & Finance, Bright Network member Klaudia secured herself a graduate role at BDO. Read below to find out what Klaudia had to say about the application process and what advice she has for her fellow members.
Why did you choose this company?
I chose BDO because the values of the firm stood out to me right away. One of the questions on their application form asked how the values of BDO align to mine; that was very easy for me to answer, and it made me realise that BDO, over other firms, was for me. The rest of the recruitment process proved to me, at every stage, that I made the right choice applying to BDO because of my positive experiences with the firm.
Why were you interested in this role?
The reason I was interested in a client-facing role is because I have been working in retail since I was 16, and I decided that I wanted to keep working with clients in my professional career. The reason I was interested in Corporate Tax specifically is because I like how there is a set of rules given each year by the HMRC, but there are still many different ways to reduce the client’s tax liability legally. Tax is an inevitable liability for all businesses, therefore it is essential to ensure that they are tax efficient and tax compliant.
What did the application process involve? Did you have a favourite and least favourite part?
The application process was made up of four main stages. The first stage was filling out an online application form; basic details and history of study and employment, but also answering a couple of open questions. The second stage was the numerical and critical reasoning tests. I found the critical reasoning test to be the most challenging part of the whole process because it was quite difficult. The third stage was a video interview; the questions were very straight forward and based on BDO’s strengths mentioned on their website. The final stage was an Assessment Day at the BDO office; this was my favourite part because the atmosphere was very friendly, welcoming, and relaxed right from the start, and the day was well-planned out.
What top three tips would you give to other students looking to follow in your footsteps?
Firstly, it is important that you research the firm and the role you are applying for. Make sure that you know that this is exactly what you want to do as it definitely shows through and you need to be able to persuade your interviewers that this is the case.
My second tip would be to make sure you feel comfortable talking about yourself as this means that you will not be thrown off by any question during the interview.
My last tip would be to just to try and learn as much as possible from the recruitment process because if you don’t get an offer this time, you might get one next time.
Do you have a lucky charm or pre-interview ritual?
My pre-interview ritual is just to try to relax as much as possible given the stressful situation. I also try to think of the desired outcome of the interview, and I encourage myself by being positive.
