Accenture jobs: 2019/2020 Definitive Guide to passing Accenture’s assessment tests for professional jobs and graduate schemes

Once you have decided on the position you want to apply for, you will need to fill in the online application form; providing details of your education history and academic results, relevant work experience and possibly answer some short competency questions.

Tip: Always aim to portray yourself as a candidate that can fit into the corporate culture at Accenture. Identify your personal experiences that correspond to the 6 core values that Accenture look for in all candidates:

• Stewardship – you should be taking responsibility, wishing to improve, and making efforts to improve communities and the global environment.
• Best People – The company develops and challenges its employees, and it expects them to demonstrate a “can-do” attitude.
• Client Value Creation – you should be attentive to the needs of its clients and be ready to offer the highest standard of service.
• One Global Network – you need to look at problems from a global perspective in order to build and sustain relationships, and incite collaboration across the globe.
• Respect for the Individual – you need to reflect Accenture’s approach to diversity and inclusion.
• Integrity – you need to demonstrate high ethical standards, be honest, and take account for their actions in order to gain trust. Once you have decided on the position you want to apply for, you will need to fill in the online application form; providing details of your education history and academic results, relevant work experience and possibly answer some short competency questions.

Tip: Always aim to portray yourself as a candidate that can fit into the corporate culture at Accenture. Identify your personal experiences that correspond to the 6 core values that Accenture look for in all candidates:

Tip: Always aim to apply as early as possible – often candidates will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and so applying early could significantly increase your chances. Remember to double-check the application form for any mistakes.

The application form will provide a basis for any future references, so be ready to spend some extra time to make sure that the information you provide reflects not only you as a person, but also as a candidate that Accenture are looking for.  Make written notes/copies of what you have put in the application. You may be asked for details during the interview.

After the successful completion of online aptitude tests, you will be invited to a first-round interview. This used to take the form of a telephone interview, but now most candidates are interviewed over the internet using a platform called HireVue. You will be asked a series of questions and have a limited time to record your answers, which will be later reviewed and assessed.

Tip: HireVue uses complex self-learning algorithms that match your body language to competencies sought by Accenture. Since the interview is video-based, your body language and tone will be exposed. Therefore, you need to make sure you seem comfortable and confident, as this will set a good impression and make it easier for the interviewer to follow what you are saying. You can also practice your answers in front of the mirror and analyse what your posture, gestures and facial expressions might say about you. Try out different approaches and see what makes you come across as confident and persuasive. You can also record your answers on your phone and then watch them later; or send it to your friends who can give you a second opinion. Ask them to evaluate what they would think about you and what you say based on this short video. Remember – recruiters will only have a few minutes to form their opinion of you.

Your interview will be competency based (CBI). Be prepared to talk about specific times when you proved to possess certain skills such as: determination, teamwork, leadership skills, etc. Think about your previous projects and experiences – from your professional, academic or private life.

Examples of questions that have been asked during Accenture interviews:

• Could you tell us more about yourself?
• What are your reasons for wanting to join Accenture?
• What do you find interesting in the particular area that you applied to?
• What does Accenture do as a company?
• How does Accenture use technology to help its clients?
• Tell us of a time when you had to work with a difficult team member, and how you solved this problem.
• Tell us about a time when you had to step up and show your leadership skills.
• Tell us about a time when you were faced with an unconventional problem and had to use your creativity to solve it.
• Tell us about the most difficult project you worked on, and what you learned from it.

Tip: Each of your answers should follow a STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) model, in which you need to refer to each of the four points mentioned above; explain what the particular situation was, what task you were faced with, what action you took and what the result was. Before your interview, think of a few situations from your personal, professional or student life that can be presented using a full STAR model.

Do you want more Accenture-style interview questions and answers? Prepare some ideas for your answers before your interview, by analysing the most common types of interview questions.

Want to know what questions could come up in your interview? Graduates First can help with our proprietary Question Identifier Tool (QIT).

The assessment centre at Accenture is most likely to be divided into two parts: group case study exercise and final interview.

Accenture Group Exercise

You will be given details of a business decision being currently considered. Usually, you will only have around 30 minutes to fully comprehend the specific business situation that the company is facing, analyse relevant information and prepare recommendations in the form of a written document or presentation.

• Accenture group exercise tip: Remember to stay calm and focused; the HR assessors will observe your behaviour throughout the assessment centre. If you look nervous and uncomfortable you will seem like the type of person who cannot handle team discussions.

Tips:

• Take leadership and speak up only when it feels natural.
• Never shout over anyone and do not argue with other team members.
• Show appreciation for the ideas of other team members; you can either ask critical and thought-provoking questions, or build up on good suggestions that others have given.

It is all about interacting with others and trying to reach a mutual decision.

Tip: you need to work through the examples quickly and be confident about your decisions. You will have no time to go back and start from scratch, so just stick with what you are doing and try to be very precise when forming your arguments.

You can make sure that you stand out from the competition by following some of the tips that our Chartered Organisational Psychologists prepared to help you with your Accenture assessment centre (https://www.graduatesfirst.com/prepare-for-your-assessment-centre)

Accenture Final Interview

This interview will be conducted by a senior manager or director from the business area that you applied to. This will be your last chance to stand out from the competition and prove that you are an ideal candidate.

Other than talking about how this position suits your interests and skills, you also need to know why this particular company is of your interest. Check recent awards Accenture won or projects they supported and try to link these to your experiences and interests.

This will also be a chance for you to ask questions and experience what working at Accenture might be like. Therefore, come equipped with some interesting and thought-provoking questions, which you are likely to be able to ask at the end of your interview. You should always use this opportunity to engage in a conversation with a senior member of the team, to demonstrate that you are motivated and enthusiastic about the prospect of working at Accenture. Do not be afraid to ask your interviewer about their personal experiences with the company, and their career path.

Tip: Do a lot of research about Accenture, including: their recent developments and planned structural changes, as well as changes in the industry and potential future opportunities that are relevant to Accenture. These can form the basis of interesting conversations with senior members of the business, and thus demonstrate that you are an eloquent, motivated and bright individual.