Landing an Internship at Ernst & Young: A Comprehensive Guide

Ernst & Young (EY), a British multinational professional services firm headquartered in the UK, stands as one of the "Big Four" accounting firms alongside Deloitte, KPMG, and PwC. EY operates as a network of member firms structured as separate legal entities with a significant global presence. Securing an internship at EY is a highly sought-after chance for students and recent graduates aiming to gain significant experience in the professional services industry. EY focuses on offering clients IT, tax, and assurance services, including consulting services and managed services in fields like cyber security, cloud, digital transformation, and AI. EY offers a range of internships that expose students to real-world business difficulties. This article delves into the various aspects of EY internships, including eligibility, application process, and tips for success.

EY Internship Opportunities: Avenues for Aspiring Professionals

EY internships span across various domains, welcoming candidates from diverse fields of study. Positions are available in four primary areas:

Finance: Roles include Risk Advisor, Insurance, Tax, and Transaction Advisor.
Technical Engineering: Services in artificial intelligence, online safety, Internet of Things, Robotics, and Data Science.
Business and Law: Positions in market research, business development, and law.
Communication: Opportunities in proofreading, technical writing, and public relations, among others.

The company offers flexibility in terms of internship duration, catering to different academic schedules and preferences.

Eligibility Criteria: Who Can Apply?

A significant advantage of EY internships is their openness to candidates from any field of study. EY realizes that as a freshman or sophomore, you might have a lot of questions about career options and which career best suits you. This inclusive approach allows students from various academic backgrounds to explore career paths within the professional services industry.

The Application Process: A Step-by-Step Guide

Applying for an internship at EY involves a structured process:

Read also: Your Guide to EY Internships

Online Registration: Begin by registering online at the EY Careers website.
Application Submission: Complete the online application form, including uploading your resume and answering a questionnaire.
Direct Contact: Consider contacting the Human Resources representative of the EY office where you would like to work directly.

The application process may take up to two weeks, requiring patience and persistence from applicants.

The EY Summer Leadership Program

If you’ve got your eye on EY, the EY summer leadership program could be a great fit for you. EY refers to its internship program as a “career incubator.” Not only does the program allow you to get a feel for life at EY, it will also help determine whether or not you would be a good fit for the organization. EY offers summer and winter internship programs. The programs offer a hands-on approach to growing as a consultant. You will receive intense in-office training, followed by real-life experience. You can intern within the United States or abroad. EY also offers a program called Discover EY for Hispanics, Blacks, or Native Americans. Discover EY focuses on Freshmen and Sophomores who are pursuing degrees in Technology, Accounting or Math, Finance, Statistics, Economics or a related subject. Applications for the EY summer leadership program are completed in the spring of your Sophomore year.

Securing a Spot in the EY Summer Leadership Program

A big part of securing an internship at EY is getting noticed during the application process. These internships are very competitive, and a strong GPA is not all that is required. The EY Summer Leadership Program is intended to help you determine if a consulting career is something you want to pursue. More specifically, it is a chance for you to see if EY is a consulting firm you can see yourself joining after graduation. EY’s Summer Leadership Program is a fantastic opportunity to get your foot in the door of the consulting arena. You’ll get invaluable real-life experience working with real people. You’ll grow and be stretched in ways you didn’t expect.

Preparing for the Interview

EY does send staff to universities to interview students in person, so this might be an option for you. Otherwise, you will be interviewed virtually. If you need to be interviewed virtually, be prepared for the digital interview. You will want to check your microphone and internet connection.

You will need to be prepared to submit your resume and cover letter when you apply for the EY Summer Leadership Program. The interview questions will be both conversational in nature as well as behavioral based. Make sure to prepare for a myriad of questions. Include how you specifically have solved problems, managed yourself and contributed to a team and your specific accomplishments. EY is looking to see if you are someone that will resonate with their clients. Are you personable and able to carry on a conversation? Make sure you know your resume inside and out prior to your interview.

The EY Expedition Program

The EY Expedition program is an online, gamified program that aims to bring together a diverse group of peers to learn and explore various career opportunities in professional services. The EY Expedition program has two tracks - business and technology. The business track develops skills focused on building your business acumen and problem-solving. The EY Expedition program isn’t a typical internship or diversity program. It gives you a chance to develop relevant skills at your own pace to help you in your professional journey without restricting yourself to a specific timeline. The EY Expedition program is an opportunity for you to get a flavor of professional services and gain skills to help you with your career. If EY looks right for you, use the program to show your interest. Taking advantage of the program will be noticed when you apply for internships and full-time opportunities. Even if EY doesn’t look like a good match for your goals, the skills learned will be valued at other firms.

Networking Opportunities within the EY Expedition Program

Make contacts. Your peers in the Expedition program will be moving though the career search timeline with you. Take advantage of this to find people with similar interests. You might be able to practice consulting case and fit interviews with them. Network with EY professionals.

Tips for a Successful Application

Guidance from an Ernst & Young former intern -.

Tailor Your Application: Your work history or skill set should fit the position for which you are applying. This will make it clearer to recruiters why you would make a valuable intern.
Stay Informed: Keep abreast of developments and trends in the industry. This is going to be very useful for interviews.
Exercise Patience: Please exercise patience while submitting your application. This is due to the possibility that processing your application could take up to two weeks. After some time, you might become impatient.
Resume and Cover Letter: You will need to be prepared to submit your resume and cover letter when you apply for the EY Summer Leadership Program.
Interview Preparation: Make sure you know your resume inside and out prior to your interview.

EY Consulting Arms

EY is one of the Big 4 accounting firms. It has two consulting arms. EY-Parthenon, its strategy consulting arm, which does projects similar to McKinsey, Bain, and BCG, including strategy, marketing, organization, operations, transformations, and mergers & acquisitions. Its Advisory Services group also has a consulting arm which does projects more focused on implementation including performance optimization, technology implementation, financial services consulting, and risk transformation.

Read also: Internship Salaries at EY

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