Cadetships 2013 thread (1 Viewer)

seremify007 · Jan 6, 2013

Jinks · Jan 6, 2013

Chances are if you have a question someone else is thinking the same thing, so post everything here!

Examine · Jan 6, 2013

What do accounting firms look for in applicants during the interview process in terms of personality, and if it is appropriate to ask this, what questions do they tend to ask?

Jinks · Jan 7, 2013

Examine said:
What do accounting firms look for in applicants during the interview process in terms of personality, and if it is appropriate to ask this, what questions do they tend to ask?

Well firstly if you've made it to the interview stage it's important to remember that you obviously stand out to the firm as they would have most likely picked you out of many applicants. With this in mind in terms of personality it's key to be sociable and confident. This is the case as a large portion if your interaction with the firm is going to be on an informal basis, whether it's casual conversation with partners or current cadets and it is key to remember that this is all being observed. In terms of personal traits obviously some form of leadership would also help.

Hope this helps!

EDIT: don't forget to smile!

btx3 · Jan 7, 2013

If I have sporting commitments around 3-4 days a week would I be able to do this?

Jinks · Jan 7, 2013

btx3 said:
If I have sporting commitments around 3-4 days a week would I be able to do this?

It obviously depends on your individual schedule and the time you are playing sport, but I remember at one of my meet and greets with partners/managers/cadets one of the manager stressed the flexibility of the cadetship program (he used to be a cadet) as he still trained for football and played whilst working, even mentioning how on occasion he could leave early as long as he made up the hours somewhere else for important training sessions.

However it's going to come down to each individual firm and their needs. This question should probably be asked directly to the HR representatives of each firm, expressing your willingness to work and your commitment to other activities also.

crazy_paki123 · Jan 7, 2013

how do you apply?

Pfortune35 · Jan 7, 2013

Will the award of a cadetship come with the condition to study at a particular uni?

seremify007 · Jan 7, 2013

btx3 said:
If I have sporting commitments around 3-4 days a week would I be able to do this?

I'd say it depends on the firm and how much commitment you're talking about. Whilst official work hours should be 8:45-5:15 (or thereabouts), the reality is you may need to work back. On top of this you'll have university commitments both to attend classes as well as to study.

The biggest challenge in any cadetship is how you balance all these competing priorities. The suggestion I give most people is to keep your non-work commitments to a minimum at the start and slowly build it up again. I've had some very successful cadets work with me before who balanced competitive basketball including training because they were able to balance their commitments and meet deadlines whilst keeping everyone informed. It's also important to prioritise and give yourself some buffer for unexpected things such as last minute work or a surprise exam/assignment.

seremify007 · Jan 7, 2013

Pfortune35 said:
Will the award of a cadetship come with the condition to study at a particular uni?

Typically no but most firms will recommend certain universities based on proximity. The only real requirement is that you're studying a degree which offers fleixble study arrangements so you can work/study simultaneously, and that it's an eligible/recognised course for the CA diploma once you finish.

Jinks · Jan 7, 2013

seremify007 said:
Typically no but most firms will recommend certain universities based on proximity. The only real requirement is that you're studying a degree which offers fleixble study arrangements so you can work/study simultaneously, and that it's an eligible/recognised course for the CA diploma once you finish.

In addition you may find some universities are "pre-approved" on the basis of the availability of part time study options. If you wished to attend a university not pre-approved it would be wise to let the firm know so they can assess the suitability. Assuming of course that this course is CA certified which is a must.

Jinks · Jan 7, 2013

crazy_paki123 said:
how do you apply?

At this stage it is still too early but these positions open in May-June (someone correct me if I'm wrong) and you go about applying for them through the individual websites of the firms you wish to work at. All application processes are fairly similar generally consisting of...

-Online application with behavioural based questions + attached resumè
-Online testing consisting if verbal and mathematical reasoning
-Telephone Interview (not always)
-Information session for so far successful applicants in preparation for the assessment centre day
-Full day assessment centre consisting of a group task, verbal and mathematical reasoning (to ensure it is you that say the tests), partner/manager interview, written task.

If successful you will generally be contacted within 7 days.

seremify007 · Jan 7, 2013

Paynee said:
At this stage it is still too early but these positions open in May-June (someone correct me if I'm wrong) and you go about applying for them through the individual websites of the firms you wish to work at. All application processes are fairly similar generally consisting of...

-Online application with behavioural based questions + attached resumè
-Online testing consisting if verbal and mathematical reasoning
-Telephone Interview (not always)
-Information session for so far successful applicants in preparation for the assessment centre day
-Full day assessment centre consisting of a group task, verbal and mathematical reasoning (to ensure it is you that say the tests), partner/manager interview, written task.

If successful you will generally be contacted within 24 hours, one of my offers came within the hour of the assessment centre, and the other midday the following day.

To anyone interested, make sure
i) you check the ICAA website regularly for the cadetship info session where all the major firms have representatives
ii) follow firms of particular interest on Twitter/FB if they have social media accounts. e.g. PwC has a Student Careers FB page which has details when things open
iii) let your careers advisor at school know so they can also keep you updated if something comes up

Devozzzz · Jan 11, 2013

I want to do economics in university, is there any cadetship in particular that you would recommend?

Jinks · Jan 12, 2013

Devozzzz said:
I want to do economics in university, is there any cadetship in particular that you would recommend?

The only cadetship I know of where you can do economics alone is the UBS business cadetship. You could always do a commerce degree majoring in economics and accounting and pick up an accounting cadetship, it's not like the experience could hurt your future career.

seremify007 · Jan 12, 2013

That being said if your heart is in economics, an accounting cadetship probably isn't the right option.

Chronost · Jan 15, 2013

I was wondering to ask how hard the mathematical testing and the written task is.

seremify007 · Jan 15, 2013

deltaphi said:
What are the chances of getting a cadetship if you have never been a school captain/prefect/src/peer support leader/leader of any school group before? Would any random experience that show some form of leadership in a certain situation count, even though it's not an ongoing thing with an official title?

thanks!

Don't think I could answer "what are the chances" but all forms of experience whether officially titled or not would be helpful and beneficial. The key question is what have you learnt from experiences and how are they relevant/applicable.

Chronost said:
I was wondering to ask how hard the mathematical testing and the written task is.

Mathematical is more of a general reasoning test usually to make sure you are comfortable working with data and numbers with a tight time frame. They're more akin to general ability tests rather than mathematical- e.g. two pie charts, what conclusions can you form from reading this? I've done the test for fun (it wasn't required in my days) and I finished everything and got 100% within the time but I was definitely rushed answering the last question with no time to check my answers.

Written test will vary but it's typically just to assess how well you could adapt to working in a corporate environment in terms of your communication style (is it formal/appropriate). Some places might combine this with other testing though to see if you have commercial acumen, ability to come up with new ideas, initiative,e tc...

umad · Jan 16, 2013

hi, what do firms look for, especially in cases where people apply in their first year of their degree?
and do they look down on uws?

Drifting95 · Jan 16, 2013

Is it normal to already start getting a bit anxious over getting a cadetship, mainly Big 4 as i'm sure a mid tier firm would be easier to get into to?

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