James Hunter, a second year BA (Hons) Accountancy and Finance student, has achieved a much sought after placement year at PriceWaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC).
James applied in January 2021 and had to pass PwC’s gamified assessment, which incorporated psychometric tests, measures of numerical reasoning, abstract reasoning, and behavioural tendencies before progressing to a video interview and virtual assessment centre which consisted of a written report, live interview, and group work. He was later advised that out of those participating, he had achieved the highest score.
Once James completes his second year, he’ll move onto his placement based at PwC’s East Midlands office where he will contribute to providing market leading audit services to a huge range of multinational companies before returning to his studies for his third, and final, year.
James is very complimentary of the university Professional Practice module which provided him with key knowledge and resources with which to undertake placement searches and applications. He also credits his Accountancy and Finance programme for delivering relevant content that allowed him to answer industry specific interview questions during the PwC application process.
James comments: “Attending the University of Lincoln has been a wonderful opportunity that has significantly increased my confidence, friendship group, and knowledge base. These are skills which I believe assisted in my successful PwC application.
“For someone who has Asperger’s, and, at times anxiety and depression, I am proud that this hasn’t held me back and that I have striven to progress myself with positivity. Once in placement, I’m excited to be able to help a diverse range of clients achieve their business goals.
“The opportunity will markedly enhance my CV giving me real world experience in the world of audit, which is a role I’d like to pursue in the future. It will give me a head start on achieving my professional qualification and potentially secure a job post-graduation”.
Here are James’s top tips in applying for, and subsequently preparing for, a placement interview:
- Thoroughly prepare for each step of the application process. You can practise psychometric tests online and I believe the university can provide some access to practice tests.
- Interviews need to be prepared for. Personally, I like to keep a document with all my skills listed and my evidence for them, such as times where I demonstrated the skill in the workplace or at university. You can research which specific skills they may want you to have and focus on those. I also made a document specifically preparing for my interviews with PwC, researching questions they might ask and preparing my answers in advance so I wasn’t caught off-guard on the day.
- If you’re doing a virtual interview, make sure you have all the technology you need and that it’s working properly before the day.
- Research the company and the role. Get to know their values and identify where they meet your own. Understand what kind of tasks you may be expected to perform in the role.
Support at Lincoln:
Located in the Student Wellbeing Centre on the Brayford Pool Campus, the Student Wellbeing Team offer support and advice with any issues or challenges students may face during their studies. The Student Wellbeing Team consists of a team of professional staff including Student Wellbeing Advisors, Mental Health Advisors and Counsellors who can provide advice and guidance in relation to disability, medical conditions, learning differences and mental health. Our experienced advisers are able to provide guidance and support on how to make the most of our students time at university.
Watch: University of Lincoln Visiting Professor, Chris Packham, shares his experience and tips for university students with autism or Asperger’s.