Careers at Accenture
Founded in 1989, Accenture (formerly Andersen Consulting) is a business and technology consultancy offering services to companies across a wide range of industries.
The Fortune 500 company has headquarters in Dublin and regularly ranks as one of the best companies in the world to work for. Accenture has over 505,000 employees working across 52 countries — making it a truly multinational company with undeniable reach.
As you might expect, Accenture hires only the best talent and as a result, the job application process is multifaceted and competitive. Preparing yourself for what to expect is really important if you want to give yourself the best possible chance of getting a role at Accenture.
Accenture Application Process
The Accenture application process starts with an online application form. As well as uploading your CV, you'll be asked a few standard questions.
If a member of the recruitment team thinks you may be suitable for the role you've applied for, or a different role, they'll get in contact to set up the rest of the process.
If the role you're applying for requires assessment, you'll be given information as to which assessments you need to complete, and how.
Next, you'll be required to take part in a digital interview to give Accenture a better understanding of your experience, qualifications and why you want to work there.
The results of your interview and assessment will be assessed in line with the requirements of the role and whether Accenture believes you to be a good fit for the company.
The final stage of the process is an assessment center, which involves a series of online tests, a group work exercise, and an interview with a senior leader from the area of the business you've applied to. The final interview is a good time for you to ask questions and find out as much about the role and the company as you can.
Accenture will let you know as soon as possible whether you got the job, and if you didn't they'll provide you with constructive feedback to help you with your next application.
Accenture Online Application
All of the roles available at Accenture are posted and regularly updated, on the Accenture website. Accenture recommends you focus on the roles that match your skills, experience, and passions, rather than applying for as many roles as you can.
You'll need to submit your CV, and you'll also be required to answer a few standard competency questions that help the Accenture recruitment team get to know you better.
If you want to give yourself the best possible chance of success at this early stage, follow Accenture's four key rules:
- Make sure you tailor your CV so it's relevant to the role you're applying to.
- Highlight work experience as it's really valued at Accenture.
- Keep your CV simple. Avoid fussy logos and fonts.
- Proofread your CV to ensure it's mistake-free before you send it off.
Once you've kick-started the process by submitting your application, Accenture's recruitment team will see how well your skills and experience match the role you're applying for, as well as any of the other jobs currently on offer at the company.
Don't be disheartened if you don't hear back straight away. Often, it can be a case of timing, so it's worth regularly revisiting the website to see if any new roles have been listed that might better suit your experience.
Accenture Immersive Online Assessment
If your CV impresses, you'll be asked to progress to the next stage of the recruitment process, which could involve any of the following:
Accenture job simulation test
The job simulation consists of two different tests — a situational judgement test and a work personality questionnaire.
The situational judgement test is a category of psychometric test that presents you with common workplace challenges to get a better understanding of what type of personality you have, and how you're likely to work as part of the wider team you're being considered for.
You might be asked how you'd respond to a client complaint, how you'd prioritise a series of tasks, or how you'd communicate something important to your colleagues.
The test is multiple-choice, and there are no 'right or wrong' answers, but there are answers that fit better with what the company is looking for. It's important to be truthful, but it doesn't hurt to research into the kind of applicant Accenture is looking for.
This will be followed by the work personality questionnaire, which seeks to better understand your preferences in the workplace. Again, there are no 'right or wrong' answers, but it's important to bear in mind Accenture's six core values in your answer: Stewardship, Client Value Creation, One Global Network, Best People, Respect for the Individual and Integrity.
Accenture numerical reasoning test
The numerical reasoning test sits at around GCSE level maths, and requires you to showcase your ability to work with general mathematical principles such as fractions and ratios, as well as graph and data interpretation.
What makes this test challenging is the time limit. You'll have less than a minute to answer each question. This is your chance to showcase your numerical ability skills, so brushing up on your mathematical skills beforehand is really important.
Accenture logical reasoning test
Logical reasoning tests are designed to assess your problem-solving skills.
You'll be asked to look at a series of different diagrams and images and work out how they differ in terms of the movement, rotation, colour or size of the shapes, or which item is likely to come next in a logical sequence.
Again, the time limit on the test is what really makes this hard, so it's important to practice logical reasoning tests so you're prepared.
Accenture communication assessment test
A communication assessment test evaluates a candidate's ability to communicate. This test is split into six different sections, each one designed to measure your overall communication skills.
- 1. Reading — you'll need to read out the sentences in front of you.
- 2. Listening — repeating phrases that are read out to you.
- 3. Q&A — replying to simple questions with one or two-word answers.
- 4. Jumbled sentences — correcting sentences that are jumbled up.
- 5. Retelling a story — listening and then retelling a story to show you can remember key information.
- 6. Speaking — speaking on topics for a minute or two (no prior knowledge of the topic will be needed).
The test will be delivered to you by a pre-recorded speaker. Try and remain calm and listen really carefully to any instructions you're given before answering.
You can sharpen your communication skills, and familiarize yourself with these types of exercises, by practicing communication asssessment tests.
Accenture Digital Interview
If you successfully complete the aptitude tests, you'll be invited to a digital interview, conducted on a platform called HireVue.
After each question asked in the interview, you'll be given time to record your answer.
As well as the answers themselves, HireVue takes into account your tone of voice and body language, so it's really important to practice good interview techniques such as a confident posture and relaxed, natural facial expressions. Trying this out in front of a mirror is a good start.
The actual questions themselves are competency-based, which means it's important that you can demonstrate real examples of when you showed a particular skill or demonstrated the core values that underpin Accenture's work.
You're often asked to start by telling the interviewer about yourself (which means yourself in terms of your professional life). Other common questions range from 'what are your reasons for wanting to join Accenture?' to 'Tell me about a situation when you had to show integrity.'
It's important to prepare for the interview as best you can by reviewing your CV, practising answers to possible interview questions, and listing key examples of where you showed certain qualities, and revisiting Accenture's core values and key competencies.
Accenture Assessment Centre
The final stage of the process is the Accenture assessment centre, which takes place at an Accenture office (this has been moved online due to the pandemic, but you should be prepared for either scenario). You'll be invited alongside other candidates who are being considered for a role at Accenture.
The first part of the day is the Accenture group exercise. Here, you'll be required to work together to try and solve a problem in just 30 minutes.
Analysing the information you're presented with in order to form a series of recommendations is crucial to the task. As you can probably guess, not only are you being assessed on your group's response, you're also being assessed on how you perform as an individual.
It's a fine balance, but you want to show the assessors that you have leadership qualities, without shouting over the top of anyone or at the expense of others getting a chance to speak. Asking thought-provoking or critical questions is valued, but dismissing other people's ideas is not.
After this, you'll be required to take part in the virtual reality assessment. It's split into the following three sections:
- 1. The Egyptian crypt — you'll need to move a set of hieroglyphics into the correct format in as few moves as possible.
- 2. Ten podiums — each podium contains a different challenge or problem that you'll need to work through against the clock. The podiums could test you on anything from general knowledge to arranging things in size order. As well as your ability to keep calm under pressure, your prioritisation skills are under scrutiny.
- 3. Office simulation — you'll be given the details of a project you need to analyse and evaluate, before recording a summary of your findings.
The very last stage of the assessment centre is a final interview with a senior leader or manager from the area of the business you're applying to.
It's your final chance to impress, so it's important to share your relevant skills and knowledge, show why you're so passionate about Accenture, and brush up on your knowledge of the company and the role you're applying for.
It's always sensible to come up with questions. It makes you look engaged and interested, and gives you a chance to ensure Accenture is right for you.
