What formats does EY use for interviews?

EY says the interview process consists of one or more phone, video and in-person conversations, and that video interviews may be prerecorded, with candidates recording responses to questions sent in advance, or live.

Is there a written assessment?

EY says it may also ask candidates to complete a written assessment, either online or at a testing center. It does not publish what it covers.

Will a recruiter contact me?

EY says applications are reviewed by the recruiting team and that a recruiter contacts candidates whose qualifications and experience match the requirements.

How is the offer made?

EY says candidates who successfully complete the interview process receive a formal offer in writing.

How EY interviews Accountants

By Aaron Cao · Updated 2026-09-06

EY reviews applications, confirms receipt by email and has a recruiter contact candidates whose qualifications match; the interview process is one or more phone, video and in-person conversations that vary by role, level and service line, sometimes with a written assessment. Successful candidates receive a formal written offer. This guide covers what that means for an Accountant.

What are the stages of EY's accountant interview process?

EY publishes its hiring process for all roles and says the interview process varies by role, experience level and service line, so the stages below are the published frame rather than an accounting script. Screen, case, behavioral and onsite are preparation categories on this page, not EY's names for its steps.

Application review. Applications are reviewed by the recruiting team; EY confirms receipt by email and a recruiter contacts candidates whose qualifications and experience match the requirements.
The conversations. The interview process consists of one or more phone, video and in-person conversations.
Video formats. Video interviews may be prerecorded, with candidates recording responses to questions sent in advance, or live conversations with a member of the EY team.
Written assessment, possibly. EY may also ask candidates to complete a written assessment, either online or at a testing center.
Offer. Candidates who successfully complete the interview process receive a formal offer in writing.

EY does not publish the number of interviews for accounting roles or what the written assessment covers.

What does each interview test?

EY publishes formats rather than a rubric, and one format matters more than the others for preparation: a prerecorded video interview, in which you record answers to questions sent in advance with nobody to prompt you. That rewards prepared, well-structured examples delivered cleanly to a camera. A live conversation, by phone, video or in person, then tests the same material with follow-up questions.

Accountant interviews in general assess:

Accounting principles and reporting. Statement linkages, accruals, revenue recognition and materiality.
Reconciliation and controls. A difference you found and explained, and the control that should have caught it.
Attention to detail. The error you caught, the tie-out you insisted on.
Deadline management. A close, filing or exam period where timelines collided.

If a written assessment is requested, treat it as the place where technical accounting knowledge is checked directly; EY does not say what it contains.

How do accountant interviews differ from other service lines at EY?

EY says its process varies by role, experience level and service line without publishing the variations, so the differences below are general practice rather than EY policy.

Compared with consulting interviews, an accounting candidate should expect fewer case-style questions and more evidence of accuracy, ethics and technical fundamentals inside behavioral answers.
Compared with analyst roles, expect questions about deadlines and controls rather than stakeholder management or data tooling.
Compared with other firms, the published details to plan around are the mixed formats, the possibility of a prerecorded video interview, and a possible written assessment online or at a testing center.

How long does it take and how hard is it?

EY does not publish a timeline. The published stages are review and recruiter contact, one or more conversations in mixed formats, a possible written assessment, and a formal written offer.

The difficulty is adapting the same evidence to different formats: a prerecorded answer that has to carry its own structure, a live conversation that will push on details, and possibly a written assessment. Candidates with specific examples from coursework, internships or previous roles, prepared tightly enough to record and deeply enough to be questioned, are ready for all three.

How should you prepare for an EY accountant interview?

Prepare for the formats EY names.

Camera-ready answers. Record yourself answering behavioral questions in a fixed time, since a prerecorded video interview is a published possibility.
A story bank. Accuracy, teamwork, ethics, deadlines and learning from mistakes, each with a real situation, your action and the result.
Technical fundamentals. Statement linkages, accruals, reconciliations and basic controls, in case of a written assessment.
Watch for the recruiter. EY confirms receipt by email and a recruiter contacts matching candidates; not every applicant is contacted.
Rehearse aloud. A mock interview with SubcueAI lets you practice complete, uninterrupted answers and then the follow-up questions a live conversation brings.

How EY hires

Applications are reviewed by the recruiting team; EY confirms receipt by email and a recruiter contacts candidates whose qualifications and experience match the requirements. [Source]
The interview process consists of one or more phone, video and in-person conversations, and varies by role, experience level and service line. [Source]
Video interviews may be prerecorded, with candidates recording responses to questions sent in advance, or live conversations with a member of the EY team. [Source]
EY may also ask candidates to complete a written assessment, either online or at a testing center. [Source]
Candidates who successfully complete the interview process receive a formal offer in writing. [Source]

Facts verified 2026-09-06

Sample questions

Give an example of a time you found an error in financial information. What did you do?
Describe a situation when several deadlines collided and how you managed them.
Tell me about a time you had to explain an accounting concept to someone outside accounting.
Give an example of a time you were asked to do something you thought was not right.
Describe a reconciliation or project that did not go to plan and what you learned.
Tell me about a time you had to adapt quickly to a change in a team or a plan.

FAQ

What formats does EY use for interviews?: EY says the interview process consists of one or more phone, video and in-person conversations, and that video interviews may be prerecorded, with candidates recording responses to questions sent in advance, or live.
Is there a written assessment?: EY says it may also ask candidates to complete a written assessment, either online or at a testing center. It does not publish what it covers.
Will a recruiter contact me?: EY says applications are reviewed by the recruiting team and that a recruiter contacts candidates whose qualifications and experience match the requirements.
How is the offer made?: EY says candidates who successfully complete the interview process receive a formal offer in writing.