KPMG Corporate Finance (Analyst) Phone Interview coming up

I have a first round KPMG corporate finance Analyst phone interview with someone from HR. Since its a person from HR, I am assuming no technicals will be asked, but wanted to know if anyone is aware of what behavioural questions they may ask me based on your past experience. Thanks for your help guys.

18 Comments
 

First round there is usually just fit questions and a brainteaser. Most technical question was to explain what their different departments actually do lol. Be prepared for everything though!

Behaviorals are typically the "walk me through your resume" & very team-based focussed questions. Nothing too complicated (although I personally hate those groupwork/team questions).

 

My first round with HR was on location instead of a phone interview, because I happened to live really close by. There were no true technical questions, conversation was really laid back/open. Prepare to walk to your resume/tell your story, prepare the questions about self reflection - when did you work in a team and it did not went well - What are your weak and strong points etc. Pretty standard and very doable when you go over the BIWS guides for instance.

 

I'm working at State Street as corporate action analyst right now, I would say this is more like a back-office job than a front-office one. And it's basically procedural work other than creative ones. So you don't really have to worry about some hard technical questions. Btw, the work is mostly deadline-drifted so I would still say that it can be intense sometimes.

 

You're definitely mixing up this role with something else.

KPMG's corporate finance practice is actually part of their part of their deal advisory arm which specifically focuses on M&A, capital raising, special situations, fairness opinions, etc. Its a front-office role.

That being said, if anyone has any experience with the phone interview, I d really appreciate it.

 

Well it's probably different parts of the whole process though. I'm doing the executing part which is more likely listed under Operation Department. Also State Street Bank does not exactly count as "investment bank". This role in KPMG is probably more like the deal sourcing or advising part of the process. Good luck with the interview then.

 
Best Response

If you don't have any idea, which is clear from your post, why are you commenting as if you do?

KPMG CF is similar to a MM IB that happens to be housed within an accounting firm. Rather than being more sell-side oriented (HL, LMM, Blair, Baird, Lincoln), it does some buy side work and capital raising. It still functions as an investment bank and is providing M&A and financial advisory. It runs deal processes from pitch to close.

Most of its deal flow happens to be more lower MM (sub-$10mm EBITDA).

 

This is interesting. A recruiter told me they don't recruit directly into corporate finance at KPMG. Her exact email is below.

"So corporate finance it is a sub-group as a part of the larger Deal Practice – but it does not hire directly off-campus. We only hire off-campus into Financial Due Diligence, Integration and Separation (MBA Only) and Accounting Advisory Services within Deal. Deal Associates do rotate for 2 years after they start within the different subgroups.

So you could possibly do a 6 month rotation into corporate finance in your first 2 years as an associate – but you wouldn’t be able to fully move into that group until the 2 year rotation is over."

Considering you are doing a first round phone screening, do you believe the above is untrue?

Thanks

 

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