This article is a part of a series of articles on Interview Experiences. Check out our blog for more such pieces.
Industry: Accounting
Company: Big 4 Consulting firm
Position: HR Business Partner
Result: Selected
Setting: Off-campus recruitment
The HR business partner is a Human Resource professional who incorporates business strategies and people management processes to ensure that the human resource policy and procedure throughout the organization fits the needs and goals of the organization.
Big four is the epithet that is used to refer to the four largest accounting firms in the world i.e. PwC, KPMG, Deloitte, and EY.
This article is about the interview experience of Suruchi Pandey, a Christ University alumna, who has been working as an HR Business Partner in one of the big four firms. Reflecting on her experience so far, she says that it has been excellent. It is a fast-paced organization with high expectations in terms of multiple work deliverables, high accountability, and good quality of work being delivered. Furthermore, the benchmark set for performance encourages employees to constantly strive to do better, they get to work and learn from the best people in the industry thereby improving their learning curve.
The article covers various topics related to the recruitment process adopted by the organization, details of the interview, tips on how to prepare for the interview, insights from the candidate's journey while switching jobs, and finding the right domain for herself.
All information and insights have been shared by the above-mentioned candidate.
Recruitment process
The recruitment process began with CV submission which was followed by personal interviews.
Interviews
There were four rounds of interviews all of which were eliminative and had one-panel member each.
Round I
The focus was mostly on assessing if she was a right fit to be considered for the role and if so, it'll progress to the next round.
This round lasted for about 15 minutes
Round II
This round mostly consisted of technical questions.
Questions were directed towards evaluating her knowledge base on the subject she had studied.
The round lasted for about 30 to 45 minutes.
Round III
This was similar to the second round and included technical questions.
Here the interviewer was also focused on understanding if she could adapt to the culture of the organization and is capable enough to work with the employees there and match up with the benchmark they had set.
This round lasted for about 30 to 40 minutes.
Round IV
This was conducted by the HR head of the firm.
Included questions to assess if the candidate could tailor herself to the organization’s culture and the nature of work.
What are the recruiters looking for
Thorough knowledge of the subject that you had studied in college.
Potential to fulfill the delivery standards of the company.
Whether or not you are the right fit for the organization.
Preparation journey of the candidate
The candidate was someone who always made notes and kept the habit of actively reading and revising them thus ensuring that she was good with the concepts.
Studied in-depth about the firm and the industry.
Prepared answers in advance for certain questions that are for sure to be asked.
Tips to crack this interview
Be active on digital platforms like Linkedln. The bigger network you build there, the more your chances are of being aware of job openings in the industry you are interested in.
Having a strong network can also help you in case you want a reference.
If you apply through the company portal online, make sure to consistently follow up to see the position of your application.
Don't just be thorough with your subject but also go beyond what the subject teaches you. Hone the ability to critically analyze what you have studied.
Research about the organization that you are applying to.
Confidence holds supreme importance. Some firms tend to bombard you with questions just to see if you can handle pressure calmly and confidently.
Don't take situational-based questions lightly. They are very important and help the interviewer see whether you are apt. Thus, think wisely and critically before answering these questions.
There could be questions about salary negotiation. Stay practical and the figures you suggest should be in line with market standards.
Tips on shifting from one company to another
The candidate was previously working in Tata Elxsi and shifted to this firm as she wanted to relocate. She remarks that it is always wise to find another job before leaving your current job because that way when attending other interviews, you'll have a higher negotiation power as you have something to fall back on.
Why did the candidate choose HR?
The candidate comes from an Engineering background and was good at maths and science. However, she decided to do her MBA in HR management and go against the prevalent idea of "if you're good at it, you must do it". She was always interested in HR and realized that if you are not passionate about the field you work and study in, you may not be able to stick around there for long or do well even if you have the calibre to excel at it.
How to identify if HR is the right field for you
Study about and attend NHRD (National Human Resource Development) meets.
Connect with people in the industry and find out what their life/a day in the role looks like. This will help you know more about the tasks you'll have to execute, the skills you'll need, and what you should work on.
We thank the candidate for sharing these insights with us that have given us a detailed perspective on both the overall recruitment process and how to crack it.
Stay tuned for more such interview experiences.
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