Landing your dream job at PwC
Application tips and tricks
Securing your first job at the firm of your dreams can be daunting, which is why we’ve developed a list of tips to help you secure and ace an interview at one of Africa’s largest professional services firms.
Securing the interview
A well-written CV is usually the first step to securing an interview at PwC. Your CV or online profile is the first interaction that our recruiters have with you, so make sure that the CV you publish is one you’re proud of.
We’ve compiled a few tips to help you craft the perfect CV:
Be clear and structured. Your online profile or CV should include all your critical information, like your qualifications, work history, experience and contact details. Remember to do a spell check!
Make sure that you have the necessary information only. Less is more, so aim to keep your CV to under two pages, with factual information only. Don’t include your ID number; your birth date will suffice.
Emphasise your experience. Ensure that the experience related to the vacancy is presented in the Experience section of your CV.
Always include references: References should be from previous employers (in particular people you have reported to) who can vouch for your skills and expertise.
Keep it fresh, keep it personal. Remember that you’ll need to tailor your CV per job application, so update your profile with the latest projects you’ve worked on. This helps us see that you’re constantly working at improving your skills.
Acing the interview
Research the firm as well as the people on the panel of the interview.
Be familiar with the job spec; re-read it before the interview
Use the STAR method when answering questions:
Situation: Describe the context of the example related to the question.
Task: Advise what you were responsible for.
Action: Demonstrate how you carried out the tasks or took charge of the situation.
Result: Provide feedback on the impact that you had and any lessons that you may have learnt.
Remember, answering questions by providing examples builds an interviewer’s confidence in your ability to do the job.
Always respond truthfully, even when you think it isn’t what the panel may want to hear.
Keep your answers concise and make sure that you’re actually answering the questions asked.
Prepare a few questions of your own for the end of the interview.
Make sure that you know what you hope to get out of the position should you get the job. You’ll be asked about your salary expectation; go in knowing what your desired expectation is - and your minimum requirement.