Interview and Social coming up

Thank you man I really appreciate it.

Good points. I will hold off.. I just don't want them to think I'm not interested. I've read some stories on the web that people not following up got asked later why they didn't follow up if they were interested but that's the internet and who knows if it is true. Lol.

Thanks man.

I had this. I am assuming that that it will be a group dinner, so 5 candidates and a partner at the table. At least mine was like that. This was for my internship last summer and I got the internship. I also got a full time offer upon graduation, so you can somewhat rely on me, but again you have to think if it makes sense to you and in your situation. Few Rules I think are helpful: ALSO, IF IT IS GROUP DINNER THEN MAKE SURE YOU SIT ACROSS FROM THE PARTNER AND NOT ON THE SIDE!! GENERAL KNOWLEDGE IS A MUST!! (Travel, Business, interesting facts.)

In my scenario, the partner started the conversation. She asked all of us what kind of sports we played. So everyone said a sport and she would add something to it. For example, Me: I watch soccer but I play basketball. Partner: My husband loves soccer and watches cricket. (I was surprised because I am in Canada where neither of those sports are famous or played a lot. So I ask her) Me: Is he from England? This could backfire but instead you could ask "oh that is an interesting combination. Is he from Europe or Australia?) Partner: Yes. So I continue asking do you watch soccer, to which she says yes I watch it with my husband. Then I ask what is your favourite team and we go blah blah for some time about Chelsea, ManU, Barcleona etc.

Also, the guy next to me was like 5'6 and he was bragging about how he was the point guard in his high school basketball. I was looking at the partner, as i was sitting across from her but a little to the right, and I felt that she was giving him a fake smile. You know trying to be polite. ( He didnt get an internship)

In another scenario, one of the candidate already had an offer because he had done some leadership conference. But he was not bringing it up because he was polite and didnt want to brag. But I said "Hey, (Partners Name), you know this guy already has an offer because he did (Leadership Program Name) last summer." This shows that you are humble and willing to acknowledge the success of others. Also, you are willing to promote your peers etc. You get the point right. Interesting thing was that the Partner did not know that they had a leadership program so that stirred another conversation.

In another scenario, a girl (who was also a bragger at the table) asked the most stupidest and the most planned out question of all time (at least i think so). Since most of us have either blackberry or an iphone this question could be asked to anyone. "So do you like blackberry or iphone?" So do not ask something that is like a conversation filler. But that is my opinion because when she asked that question, the girl and a partner had some face time to themselves. Then I added that Blackberry is more secure (again generic right) but I know a friend at Johnson & Johnson where they are giving out ipads instead of blackberrys to senior managers and training them to use them at workplace (This is an important information I gave to a partner).

This happened during the networking event not during the interview dinner. I forget how this came up but for some reasons the Senior partner said he was travelling to Australia. (Going back to General Knowledge rule) I immediately asked him, have seen that color changing rock. He got so excited because when he went they were able to climb it but now its a heritage site and hence you cannot climb it. (I forgot the name so I straight up asked up "I cant figure out the name? and he happily answers Ayers Rock. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE HELPED ME!) Maybe there could be a scenario like this at your dinner.

At the same networking event, I asked him (he was a Senior Partner lol not even partner) I am deciding on taking intro french or intro spanish but i hope to be bilingual. What do you recommend? He goes on saying how french is used a lot across europe after english while spanish is south america and spain. Finally, he says if anything learn Portugese because it is spoken in Brazil and Brazil is one of the BRIC nations (Emerging countries) (In my head I see he ended with BRIC.) So my next conversation, so I was reading about how some of the audit work is outsourced to India and I was surprised as to how that is possible (GENERAL KNOWLEDGE)? To which he says yea we do that too. So how this works is that Indians do all the technical work during the night (Day in India) for a third of the cost and we have it available in the morning. Then he says how he will be flying to Brazil next week for a meeting blah blah.

Also, there were times when the four other people talked about going to a cottage (I do not have one and neither do any of my friends) where I would not be able to contribute. That is OK! You can just say that but add something like I would like to buy my own cottage one day. Or they would go skiing etc. and i had never been.

I feel that, if you have general knowledge about things then in at least 7 out 10 conversations, you will have something to add. So read the newspaper, read some celeb gossip (helps if the partner is a woman, and no this is not sexist but a mere observation and a probability calculation because 8 out 10 women enjoy celeb gossip and not football loll), read the travel section of the newspaper, read the lifestyle section, the home section and finally the business section. READ THE ENTIRE GODDAMN NEWSPAPER loll and refrain from asking generic questions.

TO YOUR POINT OF: "I'm having them fill out a question-air" This would only happen if you are asking them questions and not treating this as a conversation. I feel the best interview is when you can turn that interview into a conversation (as long as the interviewer knows that you have skills to fill the role).

This is not a technical interview where they will ask you about IFRS, GAAP and some other accounting crap. They want to see if you are interesting. They picture you as an Audit Senior who basically does most of the audit planning and who also leads summer interns and other junior staff on the audit. So he could be leading a group of 4 to 5 people. They want to see if you could handle them because you will be an audit senior while you are still getting your CA/CPA (So this role is mandatory no matter what).

Make sure you smile, acknowledge other people, do not brag, be polite and always provide (not out of the blue) people with information and ask them for recommendation on things.

REMEMBER: IF THE SAME PERSON IS INTERVIEWING THE NEXT DAY THEN THIS IS BASICALLY YOUR INTERVIEW because audit is learnt on the job. So they can basically hire someone else that they like and the kid will learn on the job.

Don't put too much thought into it. Most people there are just trying to get something on there internal resume or wanting free food or to get away from the office for a few hours. Nobody will want to talk about IFRS/GAAP conversion or anything like that - sports are fine, just be careful not to make the girls feel out of place. Just be normal.

If it makes you feel better, I was deathly ill the night of the pre-interview dinner for the firm I got a job with right out of college. I did my best, but wasn't exactly a ball of sunshine. It didn't matter - I was one of the few to get a job offer. Don't do something stupid at the dinner, and don't try to stand out or tout your accomplishments - that's what the interview is for. It'll just make you look like a try hard. Be friendly and have fun. Good luck.

I agree with some of 808's points such as not touting your accomplishments not but you also want to stand out in someway that shows you are genuine and humble and outgoing.

Also, this dinner might not be the "official" interview but trust me it could most likely be the deciding factor of you being hired or not because there are no technical interviews in accounting. They want to know if you can communicate effectively with clients by balancing between being a professional and you know.

So like 808 said don't make girls feel out of space and don't do something stupid. Read up on some gossip. So some awards that happened recently would be an excellent topic for a 15 minute conversation.