How to Get a Job at Professional Services Firm EY

Whether you majored in accounting, computer science, math, or something completely different, professional services organization Ernst & Young LLP (EY) might have a job for you.

That’s because EY hires more recent college grads than most other companies in the US. So how do you get your foot in the door? And what’s it like once you get there? We asked Natasha Stough, Director of Campus Recruiting for EY Americas, for the details.

What does EY do?
We’re a very large professional services organization. Our core function is to provide seamless auditing and accounting, tax, transaction and consulting services to clients ranging from emerging growth companies to global powerhouses.

What do you do at EY?
I lead campus recruiting efforts for EY Americas. We hire thousands of college students every year for entry-level and internship positions—and my team and I get to give them that job offer. Being able to do that never gets old. A lot of people play it cool on the phone, but one time someone didn’t hang up fast enough and I heard them say “oh my gosh mom, I got the job!”

Why is EY a great place to start your career?
One of the reasons I’ve been here for so long is that the leaders are extremely forward-thinking and supportive. They’re thinking thoughtfully about how we can serve our clients now and prepare to serve them in the future.

We also listen to what our employees want and need. For example, because of employee feedback, we now offer a health and wellness benefit. You get to define what’s key to your well-being (like a gym membership, wellness-related courses, or buying a treadmill for your home) and we’ll reimburse you for a portion of that.

There are so many different entry-level jobs at EY. How does someone figure out the best fit for them
We’ll help you learn about the company and all the opportunities available for different majors and backgrounds. Then we start digging deeper to help you learn more about our business, how we serve our clients, and what that might mean for you in terms of a job here.  It’s important for applicants to consider what is important to them in their job search, and what type of role they are seeking.

What type of backgrounds are you looking to hire?
We hire a lot of students out of accounting and business programs, which is what most people think about when they hear “EY” or “professional services”. But we are expanding our recruitment—and not just for our consulting practice. We’re also hiring computer science, finance, engineering, and math majors, and some MBA and PhD students, too.

What’s the reason for hiring recent grads with more technical backgrounds?
More and more, we’re helping our clients solve technical challenges related to automation, robotics, and AI. We need to create a pipeline of students with a background in these technologies across all areas of our business.

How can a recent college grad stand out to EY’s recruiting team?
Be a knowledgeable candidate. These days, you have so much information at your fingertips. You don’t need to know everything about EY (or any company you’re applying to), but certainly do your homework.

For instance, if you’re getting ready to go to your school’s career fair, take a look at the companies attending and find the ones that have job postings you’re interested in. Make sure you can ask targeted questions when you get there. You could say to a recruiter: “I looked at your website and realized you have opportunities in consulting and transactions. I’m a finance major. Would you mind helping me understand what those would look like for me?”

Be an engaged candidate. Think through what is important to you in your job search, and prepare three key questions around those topics.  This helps you prepare for interactions with recruiters, professionals or partners, and targets your questions around what is critical to you.  While “tell me about what sets your firm apart” is a fine question, I recommend a more targeted approach.

Ready to see what opportunities EY has for you? Explore open positions on WayUp now!