₦airaland Forum

Omidancrafts: Ac is in 3 stages if u cud go thru d thread u wud get more info. There would b a critical reasoning exercise errytn on it would be on shapes,if u post ur Email I cud send some practice questions to enable you have an idea. The one on one exercise is an interview,jst b confident, give a firm smile and make sure you give reasonable answers on questions asked. Why KPMG, tell us about urself and all. The next would be grp exercise, contribute meaningfully, be a good team player, don't be rude. Jst be urself all thru, u wud b fine. Wish I d best.

Nairalandaar: I'm guessing we met this morning.. Everything you wrote up there applies to me 100% except that I applied in October 2013 not November.. I rambled on and on this morning when Oga Tola said I should say something exceptional about myself.. I know I fumbled patapata, and I had already given up.. Called my Mum and friend to tell them I have messed up o.. Only for me to get a mail to go for medicals about 10 minutes ago.. Na GOD o.. Thumbs up to everybody on this thread, we shall all celebrate. Congrats to you too Minerva01

zippoorah: @noksy thank you so much tho mine is tomorrow @minerva01 congrats dear!! Wow I tap into these testimonies..please guys any heads up on what to expect from Mr tola

spawne: Every thread always has a catchy phrase. I guess ours is #EndedInPraise.
I like it. And congratulations Minerva01, Nairalandaar and Djaxz4sure.
See you guys in September.
And yes, all the very best tomorrow Zippoorah. Surely it will end in praise...

djaxz4sure: Thanks so much. Pls can u or anybody here help me with how i can get to Q-Life Family clinic, VI from KPMG towers. Will be goin there 2moro from ib. I will appreciate ur responses as I dont really knw places in Lagos. Thanks

spawne: It's actually a working distance from the Ajose Adeogun Roundabout(I'm guessing you know this; the eko hotel last bustop). However, since you do not know your way, you might have to take a keke from the roundabout(most likely a charter for #200). Not unless someone can acually give you exact left-right turns to the place(it's a walking distance like I said).

spawne: Every thread always has a catchy phrase. I guess ours is #EndedInPraise.
I like it. And congratulations Minerva01, Nairalandaar and Djaxz4sure.
See you guys in September.
And yes, all the very best tomorrow Zippoorah. Surely it will end in praise...

auntyliz: Hi all,
This is a very long post but it’s important!
I want to share some very critical & important inside information about getting into the KPMG graduate trainee programme. Inside because my boyfriend works there & he's close to someone in the HR dept that oversees the recruitment process there. Before you ask why I don't work there, I have a 2.2 so I couldn't get in. My younger sister however did- she got her offer letter on Friday for TRPS division & I will share with you all the information I gave her for every stage in the recruitment process. My boyfriend really really tried for her- bugging the HR advisors a lot for information. He also helped his school son get into audit & I hear the guy has gotten his offer letter. Glory be to God. I will give you all the same inside info for entry into 2015 as 2014 is pretty much late (except for audit where there is vacancy). So here goes:

1) KPMG received almost 5,000 online applications for their 2014 Graduate trainee programme. To increase your chances of being called for the aptitude test, make sure you take your time to fill the online application form. Don't rush & don't make mistakes. The form can be confusing! Where it says education details, fill in ONLY your university degree details & class of degree. KPMG does not really care for masters or other qualifications at this early point (unless it is ACCA/ICAN). If you have other qualifications, you can tell them at the next stage but for the purpose of online application, just fill in your university degree info. FIRST. If you don’t meet their requirements, don’t waste your time. They don’t bend their rules for anyone.
auntyliz thanks fr ds informative piece,can i contact you personally,this is my email:tsleek@live.com,thnks

2) The easiest part is passing the aptitude test. Once you get an email invitation for the test, follow all the instructions- bring all the documents required & if you're not sure, call & ask the HR people. Be ready for the test as you can be invited anytime & try your best to attend. Also, be on time! My sister told me there was someone that came late & missed some vital piece of information. No surprise when he failed. Once you fail the test, you can never get in. Also, their HR don't like people rescheduling tests. If you reschedule, it can happen that you won't be reinvited for a very long time (unless you know someone that can ask HR to put you on their next list). So try as much as you can to do the test. The sooner you do it & pass, the better for you.

3) Picking your division/unit- Very important! This can affect your chances of getting in big time. There was a Service Offerings guide that was sent to my sister along with a form via email. Read that guide very carefully. From what I understand, KPMG has 3 main divisions- Audit, Tax (TRPS) and Advisory. The biggest is audit which can employ up to 70 graduates a year. Next is tax which takes about 50 graduates, then Advisory is the smallest & they will take only around 20. Advisory is therefore the hardest to get into. Advisory has units like Management consulting, IARCS, T&R, FRM etc. Those units have specific criteria like you must have ICAN or have studied something like accounting or economics. I was told everyone likes to pick MC (Management consulting) as they are very popular & also they are not required to become chartered accountants while working there. Well MC sometimes does not require graduates so if you pick them, I’m afraid you will be waiting a long time for the next stage. Also, in the instance that they do need graduates, maybe they need only 5 for the year. So it is very competitive. When you go for their assessment center, it is very likely that they will drop you if you don't have all A’s at WAEC level, have awards in school or graduated with a first class with masters to boot. Meeting their minimum requirements doesn't cut it for them so if you're not some superstar graduate, don't bother with them. My sister almost picked them but when my bf got clarification about the unit, I quickly told her to pick tax. My sister also gave the same advice to her friend that got first class but the lady decided to be stubborn & chose MC- she was unsuccessful at the assessment center. She then told my sister that she asked around and only one person in their group was selected for the next stage. One person out of about 13 that attended. In the tax assessment center my sister attended, 4 out of 6 passed. Since everyone picks MC, they can do all that shakara & really pick the best people for that unit. My sister like a lot of people wanted to take the easy career path & pick MC where they don't have to take ICAN examinations. I really had to talk my sister into picking tax. I know ICAN is hard & scary but don't pick a unit based on that factor alone. Look at the entire picture. Also, before I forget, my sister picked TRPS. There is also tax payroll, C&B (compensation & benefits) and KBS (KPMG business support) all under TRPS. C&B and KBS also don't need ICAN but again, these units are very small & hard to get into. People that did the test with my sister and chose KBS have not even attended assessment center while my sister has gotten offer letter. One of them now called to say they want to change their unit to trps but was told that they are full & won't be recruiting till next year. I will say pick Audit or TRPS if you meet the minimum req. If you have all A's, masters & was the best graduating student in your school, you can take a chance with advisory.

4) Recruitment- After you submit your form, then comes the wait. It is likely you will be called anytime from March for start in September that same year. I will advise you therefore to do your test by February or at least before July to stand a chance of getting in in Sept. Once thing to take note of is that, once each division has employed enough graduates, they will stop & won't resume recruiting again until next year. So even if you have done partner interview, you can be placed on a waiting list until they need you. My advice is that once you are called for the next stage, do your best to be available and attend. You may be dropped if you miss the assessment center. You can also be placed on the waiting list for next year if you are called several times but aren’t available. The sooner you attend, the better. Also, if you are serving, it's likely you won't be called until you have completed your NYSC.
I know for a fact that right now, it is only audit that is still recruiting. If you do a test soon, pick audit for a chance to enter this September. If you are ending NYSC in October this year, pick audit still. They will still consider you. If you're serving until next year, pick any unit you want but take my advice above & be aware that it’s not until next year you will be called. But for now, Tax & advisory are full until 2015.

5) Assessment Center- There is always a waiting list for this. Everyone that passes the test must go through the assessment center. When you are called, please try to be available & make sure you attend. Don't say you will attend & now don't show up. HR doesn't look kindly on this as they go through a lot to prepare a space for you. If you miss an assessment center, it is likely that you won't be called again or they will close your recruitment process. My bf actually didn't know about this but someone for tax was dropped for this reason and told my sister. He said he has been calling to beg for another chance but was told the decision is final. Another applicant said that when she was called for assessment center, she said she was not available twice & she has not been called since then. She then called HR to ask & was told that she was never available & has been placed on a waiting list till next year. Ouch! Yes HR can be harsh like that since they always have more than enough people to call.
The assessment center is different for each unit but the general thing you should practice is public speaking & body language. Practice how to speak confidently without being arrogant. Be passionate and be able to talk about your course and how you want a career in accounting. Smile & be yourself. Don’t talk down on your team members & think before you answer. Also read as much as possible about KPMG and their core values.

6) Partner Interview- After the assessment center is the partner interview. This is the time to really up your game. Again, practice correct body language. Also practice good writing & speaking skills. Depending on the partner, you can be given a short test or you will just have a basic interview & conversation. Be passionate & be able to talk about your achievements well. They like it when you are able to show that you have been in a leadership position or have succeeded in a project. This can be at any point in your life & career. Also know what your strengths are & what sets you apart from the other candidates that they are interviewing.
One thing my bf broke down for me that I found very interesting about the partner interview is the importance of impressing the partner. Firstly, the partners are very very busy people. They are always on one client job or the other & they get paid like 200k per hour for doing client work- no joke. The people in HR actually have to go to partners to beg them to interview people and the partners will then sacrifice money to see candidates. So basically, each interview loses them money. If HR calls you for a partner interview, omo, better jump & attend oh because a situation may come up that partners are not available to see people. Or they may see a lot of people that impress them & won’t need to see anymore. First chance you get to see a partner, take it. My sister had a wedding engagement to attend the day of her partner’s interview & was asking if she can reschedule. When my bf told me that she messed up for not taking it seriously, I thought she had missed her chance. Don’t take it for granted that there will always be partner interview hours available. Like I said, partners are hard to pin down for an interview. Luckily, my bf was able to convince the HR lady to call my sis again once she got more partner hours. The HR lady even told my sis that the Partner is travelling soon so this is the last time he will be available to see anyone. Her interview was for 6:30pm and my sis didn’t like the time and was asking for an earlier time but the HR lady explained that that’s the only time the partner was available so she accepted it. Even if the interview is for 12 midnight, attend oh because they could be using the time for something else. I thank God my sister took that 6:30pm time because there hasn’t been anymore partner interviews for tax since then so I've been told.

After the partner interview, your application is benched-marked. The head of each division will review your entire application. If you were spectacular at your first interview, you may be one of the lucky few that will be given a medical letter straight away. But most people will be required to attend another partner interview no matter what. The second partner is always the head partner. If you manage to convince the second partner as well, you will be given a medical letter. My sister attended 2 partner interviews while her friend attended only one. If they call you for another partner interview, don’t be discouraged. Just go & impress. My sister told me she smiled a lot & asked many questions as she had read up on tax in kpmg. The next day she was sent a medical letter.
Some more tips- make sure your transcript is with KPMG. You can delay your recruitment if there’s no transcript. I am yet to hear of anyone that got an offer without them reviewing their transcript. Your transcript should be given by the assessment center stage to move things along. The people that are called first for partner interviews are the ones with all their documents & transcript complete. Bug your school & follow up with them for your transcript.
Be patient & take the entire process seriously. My sister took the test in Feb & wasn’t called for assessment center until June. When you are called for the next stage, it’s like the general expectation is that you are available. Unless it is absolutely necessary to reschedule, it is better to attend what you’re called for. KPMG keeps records of how many times they call you & invite you. If you’ve been invited but aren’t available or if you don’t show up, you’ve ruined your chance. Try to be available when called. They emphasise how there are many candidates on a waiting list and not enough space for all of them to go through the recruitment process. If you’re lucky to be called, don’t take that for granted.
Be humble. Don’t think that because you are a first class candidate & you won awards that KPMG will chase you or want you. Trust me when I say that more than enough people better than you apply. People with degrees from abroad apply all the time. Everyone is given a fair chance but some make the mistake of being arrogant and complain too much. Many people apply so there is nothing special about you, sorry. So be humble and don’t be so quick to complain that you’ve not been called. The HR people attend to so many people at different stages in the recruitment process so if you manage to call & speak to them, be nice & humble. If you’re worried about your application, you can follow up but be nice and always be specific about the unit you picked when you call.

Hope this helps. I’m happy to answer any questions on here about KPMG. I would have loved to work there like my bf. He gets to go on a lot of trainings & even went for one to South Africa paid by the company. He speaks better English & is so focused & hardworking. I think the stress of getting in is worth it. Happy for my sister & the others that got in. Good luck to everyone else that is trying to get in.

zippoorah: Thank you noksy thank you minerva01 thank you spawne..thank you NAIRALAND..well guess who has a testimony to share ..my interview was amazing got my mail for medicals about 15mins ago and all I can say is it has been good..wow it's well..and for those still believing God for theirs He said worry about nothing but through prayers and supplications make your request known to Him..I can assure you He never fails..your testimony is next..woop woop can't wait to meet my colleagues in September

zippoorah: Thank you noksy thank you minerva01 thank you spawne..thank you NAIRALAND..well guess who has a testimony to share ..my interview was amazing got my mail for medicals about 15mins ago and all I can say is it has been good..wow it's well..and for those still believing God for theirs He said worry about nothing but through prayers and supplications make your request known to Him..I can assure you He never fails..your testimony is next..woop woop can't wait to meet my colleagues in September

Minerva01: I am here to share my testimony.
Last year November, I applied for audit. By february, ...

zippoorah: @mclaniyi I wasn't called..I was only sent mails..the first for the medicals ..and the next for offer letter pick up