The Recruitment Process

What a hectic time of year it is attending information sessions, filling out application forms, meeting new people, and going through the interview process. This can be a very stressful time for a lot of people but I want to give you some tips on making this process a fun and enjoyable experience!

For me, the recruiting process was definitely very overwhelming and nerve-racking. I think in 1 week I attended about 10 different information sessions, the following week filled out about 7 different applications, and then the next week went straight into interviewing and meet and greets. Along with this, I had to try to still make it to all my classes AND complete all my assignments and readings. It seems like a lot of things to have to try to get through, but with the help and support of my friends, family, and professors, I was able to complete it all and luckily land a job at PwC.

I was very nervous that not having done a co-op position was going to set me back and put me behind a number of other applicants that already had a number of months experience with an accounting firm. But rest assured for all of you folks who are in the same boat as I was, PwC definitely makes a point of looking at each and every applicant on an equal basis and not basing decisions just on whether you have previous accounting experience in an accounting firm.

So, with that little introduction of my experience, I will give you some of the tips which I found helped me the most throughout this process:

Be Yourself: I think this is the point which I would emphasize the most. While this may seem like the easiest thing to do, when you are faced with these nerve-racking experiences, being yourself can sometimes be a very difficult task, but I can’t stress enough how important it is to show us who YOU are. It is really important for PwC and you to make sure that the firm you pick is going to be the right fit for you and the only real way of knowing this is by letting your true character shine through to us. I think being myself was the biggest thing which got me through the recruitment process and actually still have a smile on my face at the end. Achieving this will be the first step in success throughout this process.

Make Connections: Throughout this process you will be meeting so many people every day. These people could end up being co-workers or even just friends in the future. I know for myself, during the recruiting process, I made very strong friendships with my co-workers but I also made some lasting connections with other people going through the recruitment process as well as people in other firms who I am still in contact with on a regular basis. Making these connections is a great way to build a strong support group and to broaden your range of networking opportunities which can really help the future growth of your career.

Have Fun: This is an experience that will only come once in a lifetime for many of you. I think for me, going through this process really taught me a lot about myself and helped me grow and develop into the person I am today. It helped me gain confidence about who I was and what I have accomplished in my life. It also helped me develop a lot of organization, writing, and administrative skills which I still use to this date. So, my word of advice is to just approach this process to the best of your ability and give it your all. Don’t underestimate the learning and growth which you will develop throughout the next month. And make sure that you have fun along the way!

I wish you all the best in this process! Good luck and have fun!