I had a 3.64 GPA and a 3.9 GPA in major. I easily got interviews with all the companies while using the on-campus recruiting at my school.

I got 2 second interviews with the big 4, and not one offer.

It seems for an unexperienced hire out of college, GPA is key to get the interview. However, you still have to impress them on the interview. They interview many people and probably only select a few of those, even for the 2nd interview at their main office is pretty selective.

One thing I noticed is that if a company wants to hire you they will let you know that day! if a few days go by and you hear nothing expect that rejection letter in the mail. I found this out by talking to people in my classes who got hired at the big 4, they said they either called them that day or let them know at the end of the second interview.

I'm going to try another round of interviewing again with the big 4. This time with CPA test passed. I know it's going to come down to how they like me. I'm going to prepare on my interviewing skills and confidence, and also have pre-planned questions to ask. I will also buy various interview books, especially the ones that work on the psychology. I took all this for granted the first round and didn't prepare. Its not like i'm an unlikable person, so I'm not really sure why I didn't get any offers.

I know where it went bad on a couple of interviews, one partner of the a big4 firm who was interviewing me said "your the 3rd guy I interviewed today, where are the girls?", so I kinda lost my composure for that particular interview and it didn't go well, it really threw me off and gave me a bad feeling.

Another big4 firm, the partner who was interviewing me didn't like that I was out of school for many years, I could tell when he said something like "you did have decent grades in your undergrad, but its been a few years, we will see how you will do in the graduate program". The problem was that I wouldn't get my grades back until after the selection for the interview was over. He was basically telling me, you have not done much for all these years and your a risky hire.

Another point I noticed while interviewing was that if you have been already pre-selected for an interview, you should avoid those pre-interview dinners they have. If your not the most out-going person, I think they could only hurt you. They say they are optional, and since you are trying to compete with so many people you may do something that could turn them off. Its better just to go to the regular interview without them knowing anything already about you. This way you start from a clean slate from the interview.

I say this because for one particular big4 firm, someone introduced me to the person who was going to hire me. I didn't hit it off very well with this girl as she was very very boring. I'm a pretty socialble person, but because of the pressure and all to talk in a bar-restaurant type environment my mind just went blank. Think about meeting someone in a bar where you just don't hit it off well with conversation it can get awkward. Now if I didn't go to that stupid pre-dinner interview, when I interviewed with her it  in a professional enviroment where small-talk was not important, she may not have already disqualified me. You see my point? It may only hurt you, rather then benefit you.  

I disagree about not going to those pre-interview dinners. I worked at a Big 4 firm for 2 years (experienced hire 2nd year and senior 1 year), and at those dinners, the Big4 professionals have already seen your resume, and usually hiring deciscions are subconsciously made at these dinners. Once the interviewers like you, the actual interview is a formality (remember you already look good on paper because you got the opportunity to interview). In general, I belive personality is a huge factor in the public accounting (audit world specifically) world because many times you are sent to clients in teams of 3+ people, not including managers and partners. You have to be able to get a long with your team when you're putting in those long hours. The hours go by a lot quicker when you're with people you can get along with.

wannabeCPA, yes I agree that maybe a pre-interview dinner can help you, it can also hurt you just as easily.

That is why if you don't think you can compete effectively with the other people at the dinner your better off taking your chances at the interview.

However, most of my pre-interview dinners I have not really met any of the people I interviewed with. The people I met, who were in charge of my group, specifically said that they were not here to judge you in any way, and you can ask whatever questions you want. I'm not really sure how much weight those big dinners have anyway. Usually there are just so many people you will not even meet the person who will interview you.

However, for one big4 interview as I said above I met a girl who I would later interview with and with the pressure and not really wanting to even talk with her, I kinda got brought over to her, I went blank as I felt it was more like meeting a girl in a bar. I just simply wasn't prepared for this and found it odd.

In another situation, this was for a particular mid-size company, they held a information session in a lecture center at the university. I didn't go because I had a test. During the interview the partner interviewing was really mad at the school because she said only 2 people showed. This would of actually hurt your chances by not going.

trtq001

Do you have an email address you feel comfortable with to send my resume; if this is still an option =)

Thank you,