Landing an auditor role at a prestigious firm like EY is no easy feat. The interview process is notoriously rigorous, with EY’s reputation for excellence meaning they only hire the very best.
As an EY auditor, you’ll be expected to demonstrate uncompromising integrity, razor-sharp analytical skills, and in-depth knowledge of auditing methodologies. Preparing for your EY auditor interview means understanding the types of questions you’re likely to face, and practicing responses that highlight your capabilities.
To help you put your best foot forward we’ve compiled this list of the top 25 EY auditor interview questions. Master these and you’ll walk into that interview room ready to wow the hiring managers.
1. Why do you want to work as an auditor at EY?
This common opening question gauges your motivations. EY wants auditors who align with their values of integrity, professionalism and passion for their work. Emphasize your commitment to accuracy transparency, and serving the public good through auditing.
2. How does your past auditing experience prepare you for this role?
This behavioral question allows you to demonstrate your directly relevant skills. Discuss experiences that prepared you for EY’s fast-paced environment and showcase your technical abilities. Quantify achievements where possible.
3. What auditing standards and best practices are you familiar with?
Auditors must intimately understand regulations and standards like GAAP, GAAS IFRS and ISAs. This question verifies your knowledge. Discuss standards you’ve applied in practice and your commitment to remaining updated on the latest protocols.
4. How would you evaluate the internal controls of an organization?
Walk through your systematic approach for evaluating internal control frameworks to identify risks, gaps, and areas for improvement. Emphasize compliance, efficiency, and safeguarding assets.
5. You discover your audit team made a significant error. How would you address this?
This ethics question examines your integrity and accountability. Discuss reviewing processes to understand the error, notifying your supervisor promptly, determining impacts, and implementing improved training to prevent recurrences. Show you stand behind your work.
6. You disagree with a client’s accounting treatment for a material transaction. What next steps would you take?
Another ethics scenario. Demonstrate your maturity in maintaining positive client relations while insisting on fairness and transparency in financial reporting, escalating appropriately when needed.
7. How would you use data analytics in the audit process?
EY prides itself on leveraging cutting-edge technology. Discuss using analytics for risk assessment, detecting anomalies, identifying trends, and continuously improving efficiency and precision. Show you’re data-driven.
8. Describe a time you had to analyze a complex audit issue. How did you approach this?
Prove you can methodically break down intricate problems. Outline your analytical thinking and problem-solving processes, whether researching regulations, consulting experts, brainstorming solutions, or using audit software to uncover insights.
9. Tell me about a time you successfully influenced a client or coworker.
Persuasion and communication are critical in auditing. Provide an example where your listening, understanding of the perspectives involved, and clear explanations convinced others to adopt your recommended course of action.
10. What challenges did you face when conducting an audit? How did you address them?
Challenges are inevitable in auditing complex organizations. Convey mature thinking by outlining challenges frankly while emphasizing the solutions and outcomes achieved through your perseverance and problem-solving.
11. How would you stay updated on the latest auditing regulations and industry trends?
Lifelong learning is key in auditing. Discuss your personal development initiatives like training courses, professional organizations, publications, and certifications that ensure your practices align with the latest protocols and industry shifts.
12. Tell me about a time you failed. What did you learn?
Everyone makes mistakes, especially early in their careers. Diffuse this potentially negative topic by openly discussing a failure, demonstrating self-awareness, ownership of the situation, and insights gained that improved your auditing skills.
13. Why should we hire you over other candidates?
Summarize your standout qualities aligned with EY’s needs, like your integrity, determination, communication abilities, and auditing expertise. Back this with specific examples and metrics that reinforce your capabilities.
14. Where do you see your auditing career in five years?
EY wants motivated professionals who will stick around. Convey your passion for auditing and interest in taking on more responsibility over time. However, focus your response on the near term to avoid sounding unfocused.
15. How would you balance audit tasks with strict deadlines?
Juggling multiple engagements is par for the course. Outline productivity strategies like prioritizing based on deadlines, efficient time management, open communication with clients and team members, and seeking help when needed.
16. How would you assess the risk factors of an organization?
Methodically describe reviewing financial statements, operations, compliance reports, industry trends, and other sources to identify risks relevant to the entity based on likelihood and potential impact. Show your knack for risk analysis.
17. If the scope of an audit needed to be modified, how would you handle this?
Change is inevitable, especially when auditing complex engagements. Discuss steps like promptly consulting the engagement leader on the rationale for change, formally amending the scope in writing, planning the modified procedures, and transparently communicating the changes to clients.
18. Tell me about a time you had to be flexible regarding an audit strategy. What was the result?
Share an example that demonstrates your adaptability. Perhaps technology issues forced you to perform procedures manually or new information required a different sampling approach. Emphasize how your modified strategy still delivered high quality results.
19. How would you maximize efficiency when conducting repetitive audit tasks?
While auditing requires meticulousness, too much repetition risks complacency. Discuss strategies like leveraging audit software, using analytical tools, implementing standardized checklists, training junior staff, and rotating repetitive tasks across team members to maintain rigor.
20. Sell me this pen.
This classic curveball tests your communication skills and thinking on your feet. Treat it as an opportunity to demonstrate your personability. Ask clarifying questions about my needs, highlight useful pen features in a clear and friendly manner, and close persuasively.
21. Why is independence such an important principle in auditing?
Independence underpins audit integrity. Discuss remaining objective, avoiding conflicts of interest, rotating staff assignments, and not providing prohibited services to clients. Convey your deep commitment to independence.
22. How would you determine which areas of a client’s operations to prioritize in an audit?
Walk through risk-based audit planning, including understanding the business, identifying high vs low risk areas, focusing on complex transactions and risk points, and using analytical tools and sampling techniques to determine focus areas, rather than taking a blanket approach.
23. Tell me about a time you had to explain a difficult issue or finding to a client. How did you handle this sensitively?
Auditors must master tactful yet candid communication. Provide an example showing how you built rapport with the client, explained the issue objectively, helped them understand your perspective, and partnered on solutions for improvement.
24. Why is EY a great place for auditors to build their careers?
Conclude strongly by conveying your enthusiasm for EY’s values, resources, training programs, advancement opportunities, and reputation as an auditing leader. Share why this specific role excites you as the next step in your career growth.
25. Do you have any questions for me?
Prepare at least 2-3 intelligent questions that demonstrate your understanding of the role, EY’s service offerings and culture, career development possibilities, and your strong interest in the position. This leaves a final positive impression.
Preparing quality responses to questions like these takes practice. Master these keys areas and you’ll demonstrate the technical abilities, ethics, communication skills and professionalism needed to impress your EY interviewers. Do this and you’ll be well on your way to kick-starting your auditing career with one of the world’s most prestigious professional services firms.
What if my application leads to an interview?
If you were asked to come in for an interview, you’ve already done a great job. Now we need to get to know each other better to see if we’re a good fit. At EY, your interview process may include a mix of in-person, video, and phone interviews so that we have plenty of chances to get to know you.
We want the best people to join EY, so our interviews are tough, but we also want them to be fun and relevant so that you have a great time and get to know us too.
We hire for our future success – and for yours.
Learn more about careers with tips and other tools from EY recruiters that may help you with your job search.
It’s not always easy, but try to relax and be natural. We want to learn more about you during the interview, so be ready to talk about yourself and your skills and experience that are relevant to the job. We want to know about your personality and way of thinking as well as your skills, so be honest when you answer questions.
Be confident, but not arrogant. Be enthusiastic and positive, but focused – tell your stories succinctly, don’t ramble.
Put yourselves in our shoes – what do you think we’re looking for in a candidate?
Listening is just as important as the answers you give
Remember to pay close attention to the question and give a full answer without getting off track. You’ll want to talk about projects and experiences from the past that show off your knowledge, skills, and drive, but it’s important to pick ones that are relevant to what the interviewer wants to hear. This is your chance to think about the question and then help come up with a unique answer.
If we hire you, what will you bring to the EY team that will make it better? Tell us what makes you unique and why we should be excited to have you on board.
Talk about what you’re good at, what you’ve done, and what those things tell us about your skills and strengths. When something went well, explain why and what you did to make it happen. When something went badly, explain how you dealt with it and what happened. Give strong, specific examples with numbers to back them up. It all helps us to really understand what you’re capable of.
EY (Ernst & Young) Interview Questions And Answers! How To PASS your EY Interview!
FAQ
How to prepare for an EY audit interview?
Is an EY interview tough?
What does EY ask in an interview?
How many interview questions does EY Audit Associate have?
Glassdoor has millions of jobs plus salary information, company reviews, and interview questions from people on the inside making it easy to find a job that’s right for you. 527 EY Audit Associate interview questions and 484 interview reviews. Free interview details posted anonymously by EY interview candidates.
What do hiring managers look for in an EY audit?
When asking this question, hiring managers are looking to gauge your commitment to these principles. They want to know if you’re equipped to uphold EY’s reputation for ethical practices, and if you have a clear plan to ensure your audit work is conducted with utmost honesty and clarity.
What is the interview process like at EY?
If you’ve been invited to an interview, you’ve already impressed us and the next step is to get to know each other better to see if we’ll make a good match. Your interview experience at EY may be a mix of in-person, video and phone interviews, so that we have ample opportunity to engage.
How do you prepare for an EY interview?
In a diverse marketplace, the EY organization values diverse perspectives — all the things that make you, you. Share experiences you are most proud of, relating them to the job, and practice some “go-to” stories out loud. For example, you should prepare 10 to 15 examples you can adjust on the fly to suit a question.
