Reading Time: 39 minutes
Applying to BDO in 2023? Then this is the guide for you. Read on to accelerate your BDO online test practice.
The text below provides a full candidate recruitment, assessment and preparation guide and practise for those applying to jobs, internships, and graduate programs at BDO.
Our website provides scientifically validated practice assessments tests, interviews, and assessment centre exercises that can be used to practise and prepare for the recruitment and assessment process for global opportunities including the US and UK.
Check here for free and premium aptitude assessment tests and video interviews to practise and prepare for BDO recruitment.
If you are aiming to apply to BDO or have a BDO assessment test coming up, our text below is the best place to start.
Not sure if you should practise to prepare for the BDO assessment tests? According to research, 60-80% of candidates are rejected based on their aptitude tests results. It is proven that practice increases your chances of getting hired.
A recent study (Bradley et al, 2019) found that candidates who do not practise assessments, tend to fail at the first hurdle of psychometric assessments (54%-84%). This study looked at the top 100 global employers.
How to Prepare for the BDO Hiring Process and Get the Job?
BDO uses a variety of aptitude assessment tests. these may include:
You may get rejected already after your BDO aptitude tests. These tests sift out 50-80% candidates. The only proven way to get to the next round is practice.
You should practise answering questions that typically come up in interviews for consulting jobs. Your answers need to flow and be timely, without filler words. Your verbal communication should be convincing, with content that presents you in the best way for the job.
Prepare for an online video interview by running mock interviews answering typical consultancy interview questions. For your BDO interview practise, use:
Our video interview practice platform contains predefined competency and industry questions for consultancy and emulates experiences you will have in platforms used for employers’ interviews (HireVue, Pymetrics, Sonru).
Always record your answers and watch them to develop your interview technique, time keeping, and words used. Repeat recordings until you feel satisfied.
Use the STAR+R method for your answers and practise each answer several times.
BDO makes use of a variety of competitive exercises during the assessment centre to find the right candidates. Ensure that you practise a variety of exercises including:
Hone your written and spoken communication technique. Research online, prepare, and practice presentation of as many business case studies as possible. Be aware as not many get to this stage. The competition is very fierce.
Prepare for your one-on-one interview with a senior manager. Expect and practise for behavioural and competency-based questions. Aim to stand out. They have interviewed dozens or hundreds of candidates at this final stage.
Refine your technique for your final BDO interview to showcase your:
For your final interview, use the video interview platform and record yourself answering the consultancy questions.
Continue reading to get answers to these critical questions:
Looking into assessments with BDO? Click the links below to practice assessments relevant to your application process.
If you decide to apply for BDO, you can practise the above online aptitude tests with us to improve your results and get ahead in your application.
BDO, or Binder Dijker Otte, is an accountancy and business advisory firm, spread globally in 164 countries and territories. In all sectors across the economy, BDO specialises in tax, audit and assurance, and advisory and business outsourcing for a multitude of companies.
BDO offers many different positions, branching off from tax, audit, and advisory. These areas range from wealth advisors to public housing authority to state and local tax, and everywhere in between. There’s something for everyone at BDO.
What are BDO’s Core Values?
Throughout the BDO selection process, your assessors will be ensuring these qualities and values are met through various assessments and interviews. These are a direct reflection of what BDO expects of their employees, and so it is essential you are able to show you align with these values.
What Roles Can You Apply for Within BDO?
There’s many employment options for you at BDO, with branches into tax, audit, and advisory. Below are just a few listed career possibilities for BDO’s UK branches, however there’s over 100 possibilities to kickstart your BDO career.
What is the hiring process at BDO?
The BDO hiring process is made up of five different stages; each requiring you to do your best and outperform your competitors if you want to land your dream job.
The five stages that make up the BDO hiring process are:
How to Prepare for Your BDO Online Application
Before starting your BDO application process, you should verify your eligibility by checking for BDO’s pre employment requirements on their FAQ page. These checks may include a right to work or previous exam transcripts, if applying with previous employment experience.
Other eligibility questions pertain to visa sponsorship possibilities, skilled-work visa criteria, and international qualifications if you’ve completed your studies outside of the country you’re applying to.
Once you’ve confirmed eligibility, your BDO online job application should detail your:
BDO Online Application Tip: BDO seeks high potential in their employees. In your application, you must provide evidence you match their core values and have the skills they are looking for.
Below are some questions and required information you can expect to fill in on your BDO online application.
Ensure you ace your BDO application by following our tips below.
6 Top Tips to Ace your BDO Online Application
You will also have the opportunity to demonstrate what you’ll contribute to BDO in your CV, which you must upload in your application as shown here:
Demonstrate your personal and professional successes in your CV to impress your BDO recruiters. Wondering how? Be sure to check out our short video where we cover how to ace your past experiences for your BDO application:
Once you have submitted your application, BDO will email you to let you know it’s been received.
BDO Online Application Tip: You may log in at any time to track your application throughout the BDO hiring process.
The BDO interactive assessments are your next steps after your online application. Ready? Let’s head into the next section covering all things interactive assessment.
What test provider does BDO use?
The BDO interactive assessments are developed by Amberjack, which uses a mixture of assessments to better understand those applying. The assessment is known as HiPo-i, or High Potential Identifier. The BDO HiPo assessments are all taken online.
BDO Interactive Assessments Tip: BDO seeks high potential in their applicants. Get ahead in your BDO application by providing evidence that you match their 6 critical competencies, listed below. These qualities tie directly into BDO’s core values, such as personal responsibility, and should act as your guide through your BDO application process.
6 Key Competencies for BDO HiPo Assessment Applicants:
Learn more about the BDO culture beforehand, how they weigh risk vs reward
Develop your confidence asking for help when needed, and being willing to offer it when possible
Research BDO’s proven methods and practise resolving case studies using these methods.
Put effort in to better understand what’s needed from you at BDO. Understand the role you’d play, and fortify the key skills required.
Aim to work with others to achieve common goals. Communicate and work together in a productive way suitable for all. You can also learn a lot from your colleagues.
They want to see new processes and ways of doing things that improve efficiency, such as automated ways of doing regular tasks.
What do the BDO Amberjack Assessments Measure?
This BDO exam is a High Potential Identification (HiPo-i) assessment measuring the 4 most important qualities for BDO. BDO assesses these 6 key competencies in these 4 areas.
What is the BDO HiPo-i assessment?
BDO HiPo-i Assessment aims to measure these core competencies through a variety of assessment tests depending on the role, business area, and career level. These BDO Amberjack assessments may include:
To learn how to identify and eliminate wrong answers in your BDO assessment tests, check out this short video below.
We’ll now go through these assessments one by one together in more detail, starting with the BDO Numerical Intellect Test.
What is the BDO numerical reasoning test?
The BDO numerical test is a numerical reasoning test, therefore you can expect the questions in this assessment to be based around numerical aptitude and your ability to interpret, analyse, and understand numerical data. The questions in this BDO test are based around basic mathematics, so you’ll want to have a pen, paper, and calculator handy. You can expect to see ratios and percentages.
What will the BDO numerical intellect test involve?
During your BDO numerical reasoning test, it will be required to interpret the provided data using basic arithmetic and choose from 4 response options.
BDO Numerical Reasoning Test Tip: Although this assessment is not timed, you cannot revisit questions after they have been answered. Therefore, it is important to familiarise yourself with these assessments to know what to expect.
For even more insight into your BDO numerical intellect assessment, check out this short video below covering all you need to know about numerical reasoning tests.
To practise FREE QUESTIONS similar to BDO tests, sign-up with GF and take your free numerical reasoning test now, or practise this example BDO-style numerical reasoning test question below.
BDO-style numerical reasoning test example
Got the answer? Check the answer at the bottom of the page.
Looking for more practice BDO numerical tests? Check out our practice numerical reasoning tests with answers, worked-solutions, score reports, and tips based on your answers.
Once you’ve completed your BDO numerical reasoning test, you will have a verbal reasoning test. Continue reading as we look further into your BDO verbal reasoning test.
What is the BDO verbal intellect test?
The BDO verbal intellect or BDO verbal reasoning test is similar to BDO’s behavioural intellect assessment in that information is presented in previously unseen passages. You will then need to read the information carefully before selecting the best answer out of 3 options.
What will the BDO verbal reasoning test involve?
For your BDO verbal intellect test, you will be given a passage of text, such as an email or scenario. You will then be given around 3-5 responses or statements following the paragraph. You must then select the best response or statement for each passage.
BDO Verbal Test Tip: Only use the information provided when answering these questions. Some emails may come with attachments with extra information. Avoid making assumptions or using external information.
This test will examine your ability to accurately extract relevant information in a likely scenario at BDO. Although BDO’s verbal intellect test includes responses in a sentence format, the skills assessed are similar to commonly used verbal reasoning tests by many top employers.
Check out this short video below for more information on verbal reasoning assessments.
Are the BDO verbal reasoning tests timed?
The BDO HiPo tests are not timed, however you can expect the BDO test and video interview to last up to 45 minutes.
5 Tips to Ace Your BDO Verbal Intellect Assessment
Brush up on your verbal reasoning skills by practising similar verbal tests with GF and get ahead in your BDO application today.
Check out this BDO-style verbal reasoning test example below that we’ve developed to improve your ability to interpret written information and be assessed in the same way.
BDO-style verbal reasoning test example
Think you’ve got the answer? Head to the bottom of the page to see how you did.
Now, let’s move onto another key component of your BDO assessment tests: The BDO behavioural intellect assessment.
BDO’s behavioural intellect assessments determine how well you might fit into your prospective role, and how you might behave in the workplace environment by predicting your possible actions in various situations.
What is BDO’s behavioural intellect test?
BDO’s behavioural intellect test or the BDO situational judgement test analyses if you have the habits, attributes, and personality required for the role. In this BDO exam, you will be assessed on how well you align with BDO’s mission, values, and culture.
Similar to a situational judgement test, you’ll be given a likely scenario at BDO and a list of 4 possible answers. You’ll want to think about what the ONE most appropriate, professional response would be.
Familiarise yourself ahead of your BDO situational judgement test with our short video below:
Now we’ve covered more about SJTs and your BDO behavioural reasoning assessment, let’s look at some professional tips and tricks you can use for your BDO situational judgement test.
5 Top Tips to Ace your BDO Behavioural Intellect test:
Here’s an example of a situational judgement test we’ve made to give you a sneak peek to what your BDO behavioural assessment questions may look like.
BDO-style situational judgement test example
For further practise with your BDO behavioural intellect test, register with GF and practise situational judgement tests with us.
After your BDO Amberjack assessments, you’ll have your BDO video interview. Keep reading to learn more as we dive into all you need to know.
How many rounds are there in a BDO interview?
The BDO video interview is split into a few parts that can include:
BDO Video Interview Tip: Your BDO video interviews will usually be fully virtual. These will be based around possible real scenarios and will test your knowledge of BDO and service line. Your answers can be up to 2 minutes long and will be recorded. You will have a countdown timer to help guide how long to spend for each response.
Along with the basic checks before any video interview, such as a quiet space and working camera and audio equipment, there are other ways you can prepare for your video interviews.
Familiarise yourself with possible questions and relevant information to the role you’ve applied for at BDO. Gain extra insight into what to expect for your video interview with this quick video below:
Let’s dive into each type of interview, starting with the BDO competency or behavioural interview.
Your interview questions are likely to be slightly different based on what role you’ve applied for. You may also be asked some behavioural-based questions. Be aware, as you may also be asked questions around your Resume/CV at this stage. Ensure you revise the CV used in your application before the interview..
BDO Behavioural-based Questions
Behavioural questions seek to learn how you behave in a given situation. These questions are more abstract and often a bit difficult to answer. Your BDO recruiters are looking for honest answers with a vision for your future at the company.
BDO Behavioural Interview Tip: Keep your best self in mind. This is a good chance to impress your interviewer, but be careful not to come across as too arrogant. Aim to always demonstrate how you plan to develop your specialist skills and how you’d like to grow within BDO.
A common behavioural-based question you may be asked is “how would your peers describe you”. It’s a great opportunity to demonstrate your personality, and engage with your interviewer.
But how do we best answer this common BDO behavioural interview question? Our expert team has got you covered with this short video below where we uncover what your interviewer is looking for in your answer structure.
This structure can be similarly applied to even more behavioural-based interview questions. Practise similar questions like this using our Video Interview Practice Platform and gain professional tips and feedback on your performance.
BDO Competency-based Questions
In your BDO video interview, you may also be asked about your past experiences and the relevant skills for the job. Most of your BDO interview questions at this stage will be competency-based.
BDO Video Interview Tip: Be calm and confident in your answers, and ensure your body language matches. Be open and friendly. Always use the STAR+R method when answering competency-based questions.
What is STAR+R?
Watch the following short video to find out more about the STAR technique and how to use this method in your BDO video interview.
The +R is a recent addition to the method which covers how you reflect on the scenario to improve your performance in case the situation comes up once again.
Good to know: Prior to the interview, you’ll have a test question to answer, this helps you to prepare. Once you begin, there will be a timer in the corner for your convenience. There are subtitles for the interviews.
The STAR+R technique is best recommended by top employers including BDO to use with competency-based interview questions. But how do we put it into practice? We’ve got you covered there!
Keep reading to see two expanded and detailed examples of how to best answer previously asked BDO competency-based questions.
Tell us about a time you had to collaborate with a team.
Remember: BDO is looking for future leaders. Your example should detail how you effectively communicated with and motivated others to achieve a desired result. Showcase good time management in your example if possible.
Good Answer:
Tell us about a time you had to multitask.
Remember: Your interviewer is looking for an answer that demonstrates your time management ability and your prioritisation method. For this question, you want to reference recognised management methods.
BDO Video Interview Tip: It is crucial to present a number of different examples from your experiences. do not get hooked on only one situation – instead prove that you are a well-rounded individual who always tries to get involved and learn more about something new.
Get the Essential interview preparation and discover what potential BDO interview questions you may come across using our Question Identifier Tool, which generates likely example competency interview questions that you can practise for in your BDO interview.
Looking for more video interview tips and tricks? Check out our video below!
Alongside your behavioural or competency-based interview, you may have a technical interview based on the field you have applied to. Keep reading to find out more about these questions.
What is the BDO technical interview?
The BDO technical interview will gauge your ability to perform the technical aspects of the job. For this part, you’ll want to thoroughly research and understand the exact role you’ll be taking on, particularly what your responsibilities will be and information relevant to that position.
What questions are asked in a BDO technical interview?
Top 3 tips to prepare for the BDO technical interview:
Practice your interview technique using our Video Interview Practice Platform and practice consultancy, banking and finance interview questions commonly used in BDO interviews.
BDO Technical Interview Tip: Know about BDO and their clients. Research your role and the provided services of that role. Study for any technical elements of that positions, and be sure you thoroughly understand what’s expected of you.
Your interviewer is looking for accountability and initiative, and each role at BDO has its own challenges and focuses on different aspects. Understanding your role in this company will allow you to connect with your interviewer and show you have a sense of personal responsibility and the drive to succeed.
With your BDO video interviews behind you, the BDO assessment centre is the next step. Read on as we dive further into what you can expect on your assessment day.
What is the BDO assessment centre?
The next stage of the BDO recruitment process is an all day assessment centre lasting for approximately 5.5 hours long. During your BDO assessment day, you will be assessed by senior members of the relevant business areas across a variety of stages:
Good to know: Usually the BDO assessment centre is entirely virtual, but it may be in person, though the processes remain the same. It is broken down into multiple parts and tailored to the position you’ve applied for, therefore the specific exercises you perform will vary.
There’s many other reasons companies have chosen to move to virtual assessment centres. Check out some of the reasons why employers made the switch with this quick video below.
BDO Assessment Day Tip: If your BDO Assessment Centre is virtual, ensure you dress comfortably but also professionally. Ensure you have a stable internet connection with adequate space to focus for the day.
We’ll now begin looking deeper into the individual sections in your BDO assessment day. Without further ado, let’s jump right in. We’ll start with the BDO group exercise.
At this stage, you will be separated into 2 groups and take turns at completing the following 2 exercises:
BDO’s group exercise is an hour long assessment and is often a case study of a potential client situation. You will be provided the necessary information for this case study, but having a thorough understanding of BDO’s services may also help.
You’ll be given 10 minutes for every group member to process it individually. You’ll then regroup and spend the rest of the hour working on a solution to the situation.
What does the BDO group exercise measure?
For the BDO group exercise, your assessors will be looking for:
Good to know: Group exercises are common assessments used by most major employers in the US and UK. In your BDO group exercise, you’ll work together with other candidates and be watched by assessors. The assessors take notes and will score you based on your respective contributions to the exercise.
Prepare for your BDO Group Exercise with our practice group exercises. Practice developing the key skills and areas above using our expert practice assessments to impress your BDO assessors in your BDO presentation.
With your BDO group exercise covered, we will now look more in depth into the Fast-Track exercise.
The BDO Fast-Track exercise tests your problem-solving skills and judgement abilities.You’ll be provided with 5 sets of cards. Some will provide information, and others will have blank spaces. Use the cards with information to find the missing information and fill in the blanks. You’ll have 30 minutes to complete this task.
These exercises are similar to verbal reasoning tests in how you analyse existing, provided information to come to a conclusion. All answers can be found in the information presented to you.
A good way to prepare for your Fast-Track exercise by practising various verbal reasoning tests to hone your ability to extract and analyse information quickly and accurately. Ensure you read the provided information in detail and focus on critical reasoning, the written information, and its meaning.
BDO Fast-Track Exercise Tip: To further prepare for your BDO Fast-Track exercise, practice doing crosswords and reading scientific journals or business articles to enhance your analysis of written information. Aim to learn a new word every day.
For more tips on how to succeed in your BDO ‘Fast-Track’ exercise, check out this brief video below.
Throughout both of these exercises, your assessors will be looking for similar qualities. Below is a list of 9 tips for acing both of the group assessments.
For more information on how to succeed and pass the BDO group assessment, along with additional tips, watch this brief video below.
After your group exercises, you’ll have a written exercise. These are in the form of an E-Tray, or In-Tray if your assessment day is in person. We’ll now break down more information into these BDO exercises.
Depending on your BDO assessment centre, whether online or in person, you will have the E-Tray or the In-Tray. They are entirely the same, except the E-Tray is fully virtual, and the In-Tray is in person.
Good to know: For this section, we will refer to the E-Tray, but the tips and information provided cover both assessments the same.
BDO’s e-tray assessment is a business simulation which helps establish your suitability for the role. You’ll be given several pieces of information in different formats, like letters or memos, etc. From there, you have to understand and extract information from each piece and determine which tasks require immediate attention, and which are lower priority.
The E-Tray exercise focuses heavily on time management and task prioritisation. These assessments are an interview favourite for many employers, as they are hands-on and demonstrate how you process tasks.
What does the BDO E-Tray exercise measure?
You’ll act as a member of staff to manage and prioritise your workload. For this assessment, BDO is looking at your:
These assessments can be daunting, as there’s a lot to read with a time limit set in place. Below are 3 tips to manage your time and ace this BDO exercise.
3 Quick Tips to Succeed in your BDO E-Tray Exercise
BDO E-Tray Exercise Tip: These BDO exercises are often rigorous and real world practical. Keeping track of time is critical in this assessment. Do not spend all your time reading the content, as you may run out of time to complete the task.
Get ahead for your BDO E-tray or In-tray Exercise with our practice In-tray exercises designed in-house by our team to help you develop your confidence levels and discover how you can go further with full example assessor marking guides.
Following your two BDO assessment centre exercises, you’ll have a lunch break before continuing on. We’ll now break down some ways to get ahead in your BDO application.
Treat your lunch period as an extension of the assessment day itself. Your assessors are looking to hire applicants keen on success and eager to contribute their skills to the firm. Show them you’re the best for this position by standing out and showing aspects of yourself that you haven’t had a chance to previously.
Talk with the recruiters during your lunch period to build rapport and get information you wouldn’t otherwise. Be aware of how you communicate with your peers and assessors, be mindful to be friendly and courteous. Ask questions about the role and get insight into your recruiter’s experiences at BDO.
Good questions include:
Check out some additional questions you can ask in your BDO assessment centre with this short video below:
After lunch you’ll have the BDO individual presentation, let’s discuss this some more.
What is the BDO Individual Presentation?
Individual presentations are common in positions where you can expect to give presentations. These presentations allow your interviewer to assess how you communicate, solve problems, and organise information.
For this BDO exam you’ll be provided with a brief, usually prior to BDO’s assessment day. You’ll be given a flipchart and an hour to write your notes to prepare. Your presentation is expected to last around 20 minutes and will be delivered to a BDO manager.
Practice for your BDO Presentation Exercise with GF’s practice presentation exercises. Put the below tips to use in your practice with our expert practice assessments and impress in your BDO presentation.
Your assessor is looking at how you analyse information and present your findings in a group discussion format. Research and use the tips below to ace your BDO presentation.
How do I pass the BDO individual presentation?
Communication is essential, and your body language will be assessed just as much as your presentation. Having friendly, comfortable body language and a kind disposition is critical in this BDO assessment test.
After reviewing the video above, check out these additional tips for how to improve body language in your BDO presentation.
Develop your professional body language and presentation technique with our video interview practice tool and gain instant body language feedback ahead of your BDO presentation.
The last stage is your BDO final interview. Get your pad and paper ready as we jump in!
What is the BDO final interview?
The BDO final interview is similar to the first interview, but this one will be more formal at the end of the BDO assessment centre. You can expect around 8 questions in the 1-hour interview, which are usually competency-based.
These questions may be different from previous questions, or they may be similar. No matter the questions, these 4 tips below are sure to help you ace your BDO final interview.
Prepare for your final interview using these 4 Tips:
Now that you have the know-how, let’s dive into some common questions you may be asked in your BDO final interview, and how you should structure your answers.
Good Answer: I’m currently an accountant, where I have regular contact with an extensive client base. Before that, I worked at a firm where I had a broader managerial role. And while I really enjoyed the work that I did, I’d love the chance to explore my passion with advisory specifically, which is why I’m so excited about this opportunity at BDO.
Good Answer: My passion has always been in advisory, particularly as I am extroverted by nature. I enjoy the extensive coverage advisory careers have here at BDO. Organisation is a particular interest of mine, and I have always wanted to engage with and strengthen my advisory abilities to help clients on a personal level.
Good Answer: In my last job, I enjoyed helping my colleagues and clientele from a managerial perspective, as I could see things from a higher level. I could see the numbers and the positive relations form with our clients, which was incredibly rewarding. I did find that I also wanted more hands on experiences with our client base, I’ve always enjoyed working with people on an interpersonal level, and I found that my managerial work, while rewarding, wasn’t quite as specific to advisory as I’d hoped for.
Good Answer: In 5 years, I’d hope to be well on my way to being a senior advisor with BDO. I’d hope to build and maintain my own regular client base, as well as see my interpersonal relationships with clientele and colleagues alike grow. I’d like to plant my feet firmly in the ground and make BDO into a long term career.
After your interview questions, your BDO recruiter will ask if you have any questions. This is the perfect opportunity to show your interest in BDO and in the position you’ve applied for. Let your interviewer know the ways you hope to grow within BDO.
Have questions pre-prepared for your recruiter. To stand out and be best prepared, decide what career path you’d like to take, and research the training BDO offers to help you grow your specialist skills. Your insider knowledge into BDO and what they have to offer you will help guide your questions and prove your interest for a future with BDO.
Impress in your BDO final interview by asking your interviewer these 5 top professional interview questions below.
Once you know the questions you want to ask, try to apply these 5 top tips for your BDO interview.
BDO Final Interview Tip: Follow up with your interviewer after your interview. Send a thank you email mentioning them by name, and something that stuck out to you during your interview. Be memorable.
Your final interview will conclude the BDO hiring process. And with that, you’re well on your way to employment at a leading bank
But wait, before you go!
Looking for some exciting graduate roles at BDO? Keep reading to discover just some of the many opportunities available for graduates and students right now!
BDO offers 3 different programs to help you get started in your career. Each BDO program will branch off into their main areas of tax, audit, or advisory:
Each programme’s application process is the same. Structured like a normal application form, you will fill in your basic information, relevant experiences, then you’ll have 2 application questions, followed by the normal disclosures. Once your application is finished, it can be sent in for review.
The completion of each programme will lead you to a Level 7 Accountancy/ Taxation Professional Apprenticeship, which is equal to that of a master’s degree.
The Level 7 Accountancy/Taxation Professional Apprenticeship covers the following qualifications:
These programs typically begin in September for their UK locations.
The BDO Graduate Programme is a 3 year programme that combines a real job and paid study leave as you work towards recognised industry qualifications. During your time in this program, you’ll be coached, mentored, and supported during your exams. You’ll also have the opportunity to expand your skills, discover and explore your business interests, and develop your career.
Your studies will be a mixture of in-classroom studies and self teachings with plenty of study time.
For those that left school or college and don’t want to continue into university, this programme is a perfect start into your BDO career.
BDO’s School Leaver Apprenticeship Programme lasts for 4 years. This programme gives you a chance to work at a leading professional services firm. You’ll gain insight into BDO’s services and culture. You’ll work with other trainees and experienced professionals at the heart of BDO’s company and you’ll find many interesting projects awaiting you in the School Leaver’s Programme. You’ll gain relevant work experience, skills, and behaviours essential to being an excellent adviser.
You’ll find that while level 7 Accountancy/Taxation Professional Apprenticeship is still possible in this programme,
depending on your area of business and specialisation in the School Leavers Program, you may only complete to a Level 4 Accountancy/Taxation Technician Apprenticeship.
BDO’s pass results for this qualification are often 10% higher than average.
As the shortest BDO Program, Industrial Placement lasts only 1 year. This program offers early responsibility and gives you a headstart into your career as you work with a variety of companies and clients. You’ll be surrounded by individuals who will help you succeed every step of the way.
The completion of this program could lead you to an offer of a graduate role.
Requirements for this program include:
If you aren’t sure which sector best fits your interests, there is another Amberjack assessment that can help you decide. Similar to a personality test, you’ll be given a short series of questions and 3 answers to choose from. Once the assessment is complete, you’ll be given a result for tax, audit, or advisory and more information into that particular branch.
Good to know: The Industrial Placement Programme offers an additional area of expertise, the Shared Service Centre. BDO’s Shared Service Center (SSC) works across all of BDO to provide support and assist in large-scale operations, beyond the scope of their core specialist teams.
Keep reading as we look into a general breakdown into each branch, including the SSC.
1. Tax:
BDO’s tax sectors are often rewarding for diverse personalities. Extroverts, problem solvers, technologically motivated, and detail oriented people will find the most joy in BDO’s tax branch.
Tax services at BDO include providing advice on:
2. Audit:
Auditors at BDO explore whether a company’s financial statements for completeness, accuracy, and compliance with government and industry regulations.
For this sector, you’ll learn the business in its entirety. You’ll work as part of a team with individuals at all levels. It’s your job to understand fully the financial performance and business systems of your clients, along with the risks they take.
Audit has potential for international secondment.
In BDO’s audit branch, your teachings and responsibilities will include:
3. Advisory:
Advisory is a branch with varied responsibilities and you can expect each day to be unique. Your job can range from helping companies restructure in a financial hardship, to helping clients do their due diligence when looking to buy a new business.
Advisors at BDO will spend their days talking with clients about financial objectives and risk tolerances, then formulate an appropriate financial plan. In this branch, you’ll be working alongside clients, asking questions, and providing answers and information.
This branch is all about building and maintaining a client base, with regular reviews to financial plans and decisions.
4. Shared Service Centre:
The SSC provides support to tax and audit teams all across the firm. BDO’s SSC teams do it all, from assisting in large-scale operations to providing specific expertise in a streamlined manner. The SSC teams provide various business services, including compliance, finance, workflow and data management.
The SSC’s scope of services cover personal, corporate, and indirect taxation. Multiple service lines spread across these hubs, including, but not limited to:
This branch is full of projects, and you can expect your skills to develop nicely over time. The SSC is both a good starting point for beginners, as well as a great next step in your career path for experienced individuals.
BDO stands for Binder Dijker Otte, which is a tribute to the three founding European firms: Binder (UK), Dijker (Netherlands) and Otte (Germany). They adopted this name in 1973.
The typical global BDO recruitment process includes the following stages:
Prepare for your BDO application process with GF practice assessments to get ahead, first time.
BDO looks for honest employees that value mutual support and respect, empowerment and personal responsibility, and interpersonal relationships. They look for these qualities all throughout their application processes. At each stage of your BDO application, you have an opportunity to display these qualities.
In the US branches, BDO graduates with 0-1 years of experience can expect a pay range of $58,000 – $93,000, with an average of $73,000.
In the UK branches, with the same level of experience, graduates can expect a yearly salary in the range of £27,000 – £39,000, with an average salary of £32,000.
BDO’s hiring processes vary in their duration. From one firm to another, you can see hiring processes as short as 2 weeks, to over 2 months. There is no set quantitative estimation for how long you can expect this process to take.
Yes, BDO asks for references on your application. They check for references as well as other basic background information, including credit history, criminal history, and driving history.
Practice and Register with GF to get your job with BDO first time.
Want to ace your BDO tests first time? Sign up for tools offered by GF, the only aptitude practice test experts that provide tests to over 100 universities and their students, and also across Asia and continental Europe.
Go to GF now and select from the range of products we offer at no risk. We offer a comprehensive premium package with a full set of assessment tools for candidates (numerical, logical, verbal reasoning, situational judgement tests, assessment centre exercises and more). Buy with peace of mind, with our full 100% money back guarantee if you do not pass your assessment tests.
Correct answers to example questions:
Numerical Reasoning Test: C
Verbal Reasoning Test: B
VIEW OUR TEST OPTIONS
