PwC Interview Guide: Increase Your Chances of Getting Hired

Landing a role at PwC could be your ticket to a successful consulting career. But getting hired in one of the world’s top consulting firms requires you to go through a demanding interview process. You can also expect competition from top talent seeking a PwC brand on their resumes. So, you must prepare thoroughly to shine.

PwC's multi-stage interview process is designed to assess your consulting abilities, understand your career motivations, and evaluate your alignment with their values and culture. This means you can increase your chances of success by preparing well.

And that's what this PwC interview guide is all about. We'll provide valuable insights into the firm's recruitment process, timeline, interview expectations, and expert preparation tips to help you nail it.

Overview of PwC

PwC, or PricewaterhouseCoopers, is one of the "Big Four" professional services firms, alongside Deloitte, EY, and KPMG. It's a multinational network of firms, operating in 150+ countries and employing over 364,000 people.

The firm was formed in 1998 through the merger of two accounting giants: Price Waterhouse and Coopers & Lybrand. Both of these firms had histories dating back to the 19th century, and their union created a powerhouse in the professional services industry.

Today, PwC provides various professional services, with a focus on audit, tax, and advisory. Their client base is diverse, from small businesses to large multinational corporations, as well as governments and non-profit organizations.

What Is the Recruiting Process at PwC Like?

The PwC recruiting process is thorough and multi-stage. But the end-goal is to assess your skills, experience, and fit with the company. The specifics may vary by office location, but here’s a general overview of what you can expect for consulting roles.

Application Submission & Screening

The first step in the firm's recruitment process is applying for a position on the PwC careers website. Explore the available opportunities and submit your application for the role you're interested in. Choose the role, location, and service area carefully. Transitioning between service areas is often challenging and, in many cases, impossible once hired.

When you apply for a job on the PwC careers site, you'll be asked to create an account on their system. This will allow you to check the progress of your application during the recruitment process.

If you're a student or a new graduate, you might be recruited through campus events and university partnerships with PwC. So, ask your department as well.

Online Assessments

If you pass the screening stage, you'll be invited to complete online assessments. They test your cognitive skills, managerial skills, personality traits, and behavioral preferences. These may include verbal, numerical, and inductive reasoning tests as well as game-based assessments.

Essentially, these tests give the recruitment team a sense of your problem-solving abilities and how you think on your feet. So, the assessments might be challenging but doable.

Besides the tests, you may also be asked to participate in a digital interview. This is a pre-recorded interview where you will record yourself while answering the questions put in front of you. To do well at this, you must practice answering questions that come up in accountancy and consultancy interviews. Take it as an opportunity for you to showcase your communication skills, and to demonstrate your passion for the role and the company.

If you're successful here, you'll move on to a series of interviews.

Virtual HR Interview

The first online interview is often a behavioral or fit assessment with a member of the HR team. Think of it as a conversation that will focus on your CV, background, and university experience.

Be prepared to talk about your academic achievements, any relevant work experience or internships you've had, and extracurricular activities you're involved in. The interviewer will also want to know more about your motivations for applying to the role, and what you hope to achieve in your career.

To make the most of this conversation, review your CV and talk confidently about your experiences and achievements. Think about what you can bring to the department, and what you're looking for in a career with PwC. Be prepared to ask questions too.

Business Interview or Case Interview

The business interview gives you a chance to showcase your technical skills and functional understanding of PwC's business. It's conducted by an experienced professional from the business area you're applying to, and will cover competency-based and technical questions.

Be prepared to answer scenario-based questions that will test your problem-solving skills, and your knowledge of the industry and the role. PwC basically wants to see how you can perform as a consultant. So, this stage will assess your ability to:

• Identify business problems
• Synthesize data or information
• Solve math and analytical problems
• Make practical and useful recommendations to client’s issues

To prepare for this interview, practice answering scenario-based questions over and over.

Partner/Director Interview

The Partner or Director interview is often the final stage of the PwC consulting role application process. It is an interview with a senior member of the team from the line of service you have applied for.

Be prepared to discuss your career goals, motivation for joining PwC, and how you can contribute to the team's success.

You can also expect to be asked more in-depth questions about your background, skills, and experience, as well as your understanding of the company's services and values. The Partner or Director will also want to assess your fit with the consulting team and the company culture.

Job Offer

After the final round of interviews, you'll be informed of the decision as soon as possible. The onboarding team will contact you regarding the offer if they decide to hire you.

What Is the Timeline of the Recruiting Process at PWC?

The average time from application to receiving an offer at PwC varies. Typically, it ranges from 2 to 4 weeks. This timeline includes the initial application review, assessments, interviews, and final deliberations by the hiring team. However, some candidates have reported longer waiting periods, particularly if there are many applicants or if additional rounds of interviews are needed.

Post-Interview Follow-Up

During your last interview, ask the interviewer when you can expect feedback. If you don't hear back within the timeline provided, it's appropriate to send a polite follow-up email after a week. The follow-up is another opportunity to make a positive impression and demonstrate your communication skills and enthusiasm for the role.

What Can You Expect in the Interviews?

Now let's go a little deeper into what you can expect in PwC interviews, especially case interviews.

Behavioral Questions

Expect questions about past challenges and teamwork experiences. Such questions help the interviewer test your interpersonal skills and fit within PwC's culture.

We're talking about questions like "Tell me about a time when...".

They're fishing for your leadership, teamwork, and problem-solving skills. Don't just tell them what you did. Explain how you did it and what you learned. You can check what competencies and values PwC looks for in candidates and align your answers.

👉 If you want to practice handling tricky behavioral questions, check out our Stress Question Tool on PrepLounge!

Case Interviews

You'll get a business problem and have to solve it on the spot. The PwC case interview is candidate-led, like with most consulting firms. The interviewer will present the issue, and you'll be expected to lead and control every stage to solve the case, including:

• Structuring the problem
• Developing frameworks
• Requesting data
• Synthesizing results
• Providing solutions

PwC case interviews typically include three types:

• Individual case interviews: You receive a case from the interviewer and must define the issue and provide solutions.
• Group case interviews: These involve a group of 3-6 candidates working together to solve a case over a 20-30 minute discussion.
• Written case interviews: Require you to prepare a PowerPoint presentation with analysis and recommendations based on a case provided 48 hours in advance.

The group and written cases aren't always involved. But it's great to prepare for everything just in case. In a group setting, PwC will evaluate your teamwork skills and ability to create rapport quickly.

Remember that the focus of case interviews is on your thought process and ability to lead, rather than finding the single "correct" answer. It's also crucial to demonstrate strong communication skills, executive presence, and strong quantitative abilities.

How Can You Prepare for the Interviews?

Now you understand the PwC recruitment process and what to expect in the interviews. But how do you prepare to impress? Here are our top PwC interview tips.

Know Your Stuff

Research PwC, the consulting industry, and current business trends. Be ready to drop some knowledge bombs in your interviews. We cannot emphasize enough the need to fully understand PwC’s business. Understand it on the global scale and your location as well.

Perfect Your Pitch

Craft a compelling story about why you're interested in consulting and why PwC is your dream firm. Make it so good they'll want to hire you on the spot! It will be more convincing if you research what PwC looks for in candidates and demonstrate those qualities throughout.

👉If you're preparing for MBB-level interviews, be sure to check out the Integrated FIT Guide for MBB by Coach Clara for helpful tips!

Practice Case Interviews with Peers

Form a case interview study group with friends, classmates, or others pursuing similar roles. Then practice cases together regularly. This allows you to get feedback on your problem-solving approach, communication style, and areas for improvement. The more you practice, the more confident you'll be on the big day.

Take turns being the interviewer and the interviewee to get experience on both sides of the case interview. Provide constructive feedback to each other after each practice session to help identify strengths and weaknesses.

👉 Need practice partners? Check out our Meeting Board to connect with others looking to practice case interviews.

Work with an Experienced Case Interview Coach

This might be the biggest and most impactful PwC interview preparation step you can take. While practicing with peers is helpful, you'll get more value from working with an expert who guides different candidates and might have insider tips.

A coach will provide personalized feedback, guidance on case interview frameworks and techniques, and mock interview practice sessions to help you refine your skills.

👉Want to boost your interview skills? Explore our Coaching Overview on PrepLounge, where you can find a range of experienced coaches ready to help you ace your case interviews!

Key Takeaways

• PwC is one of the "Big Four" professional services firms, operating globally.
• PwC consulting interviews typically involve multiple stages, including online application, online assessments, video interview, behavioral interviews, and case interviews.
• The PwC recruitment timeline from application to offer usually ranges from 2 to 4 weeks, but can be longer.
• PwC interviews essentially assess candidates' skills, experience, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit.
• PwC case interviews are candidate-led and may include individual, group, or written formats.
• When applying to PwC, you need to select the right service area and role from the start as transitioning later might be challenging.
• To prepare for PwC consulting interviews, research the firm and industry, perfect your pitch, do mock interviews with peers, and hire an experienced case interview coach.
• Working with an experienced case interview coach might increase your chances of performing well in PwC interviews as they provide valuable and personalized feedback.