Big-4 Recruitment Program

About the Program

A. Rationale

The aim of the training program is the systematic development of skills in students who plan to apply for a Big-4 position. Since the program was launched in Summer 2011, a large number of students have taken part, and some of them have successfully passed several rounds of the tough selection process to obtain a position in this prestigious profession.

The program is highly skill-based and training-oriented by design. It is divided into six phases, represented by the letters A to F. Students are expected to complete all six phases, i.e., Phases A to F, of this comprehensive training program if they decide to participate.

Most students have high expectations concerning their career development, but few have a clear roadmap. Therefore, gaining employment in a Big-4 firm can seem like a mysterious process. To brief students on the basics of the application procedure, Phases A and B of the training program constitute consecutive introductory seminars on Big-4 recruitment.

The first seminar provides attendees with an overview of the overall Big-4 recruitment process, whereas the second offers them tips on tailoring their CV and application forms to the Big-4’s requirements. General interview skills, the format of a typical job interview and the major application steps are also covered in the second introductory seminar.

As the leading companies in the accounting profession are looking for team players with good communication skills and a high emotional quotient score, aptitude tests are regularly used to screen candidates. To familiarize students with the real test setting and process, they sit for a mock aptitude test in Phase C of the program. This written test is timed to give them a sense of the seriousness of the exercise. Phase D then comprises a resume/CV critique and individual consultations. It is common for current staff members to provide tailor-made editing services for students and to answer any enquiries they may have.

Learning from one’s mistakes is key to a successful job hunt, particularly once the basics have been learnt. In Phase E, students attend a mock group interview and discuss real-life cases in workshops. Students engage in small group interactions, and the workshops are deliberately interactive and formative in nature. Students together create a supportive, relaxed atmosphere while learning tips and secrets from experienced coaches.

The ultimate test to which students are put through is a mock one-on-one interview in Phase F. The interviewers include current teaching faculty, alumni and industry practitioners. The detailed feedback that students receive on their interview performance constitutes their most useful reference for further improvement.

The target students for each training phase may differ to ensure the proper direction of skill-building and to maximize effectiveness. Only graduating accounting students are eligible to join Phases A and B. Those who qualify for Phases C and D must also complete both A and B, whereas E and F are also open to non-graduating accounting students.

B. Feedback

Most students find the training program very useful, and participate actively. It is common practice for trainers to collect student feedback through questionnaires and e-mails. This feedback then provides a pool of data that serves as a reference on the quality of training and to ensure alignment with student expectations. The person in charge of the program can regularly consult these data for ongoing content evaluation and to develop new means of delivering learning materials.


Over the years, students have also suggested many ways of improving the quality of the program, ranging from changes to training activities to the number of participants admitted to each training session. The teaching faculty endeavors to respond to student suggestions in timely fashion to further enhance the program.

Program trainers, particularly those from outside the Department, also benefit from sharing their knowledge and experience with students. They gain access to the next generation of accounting professionals and have an opportunity to observe their behavior first-hand. Moreover, they are able to further hone their training skills, as the program involves a variety of formats, ranging from group sharing sessions to large-scale workshops.

C. Resources/Staffing

The Coordinator is aware of the current resource/staffing situation, and regularly invites alumni and frontline professionals to supplement the existing training team. For instance, one alumnus has worked as a training manager in a reputable firm for many years, and she has generously offered to conduct skill-training workshops in her spare time.

Our teaching faculty constitutes a specialized team that plans and executes skill-training sessions for students. In addition, teaching staff sometimes provide personalized consultations and feedback to students such as critiquing their resumes and helping them to choose from among multiple job offers. These staff services are highly valued by students, who want to take their first career steps with extreme care. Faculty members are enthusiastic and passionate about helping students to join an international company.