EY Assessment & Interview Preparation
Strengths-Based Recruitment, Online Assessments & Experience Day
Guide country context: United Kingdom · Consulting / Professional Services
Hiring processes can vary by country, role, business unit, and year.
EY uses strengths-based recruitment that focuses on natural motivation and potential, not just rehearsed competency answers. Early careers may include online assessments (rank-order, written, video), numerical reasoning for some programmes, EY Experience Day, and strengths-focused final interviews.
Hiring Process
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1Application officialSearch and apply through EY careers→ Apply to one programme per six-month period (UK early careers)
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2Online Assessment officialQuestions about experiences plus skill-description choices; may include rank-order, written, and video answers→ Answer authentically — don't use GenAI tools
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3Numerical Reasoning role-dependentTime-recorded numerical test for some programmes→ Practice timed numerical questions with charts and tables
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4EY Experience Day officialIn-person or virtual event with group and individual activities→ Prepare for group exercises, case activities, and collaborative tasks
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5Final Interview officialStrengths and motivations interview with senior team member→ Reflect on genuine strengths and what naturally motivates you
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6Offer & Outcome officialDecision communicated after final stage→ Follow up within stated timeframe
Assessments
Two-component assessment: questions about experiences/preferences and choosing which of three skill descriptions is most like you. Designed to understand behaviors, preferences, and natural approaches.
Measures: Natural strengths, preferences, behaviors, approaches to work situations
- Answer authentically — there are no right answers
- Think about what genuinely energizes you
- Be consistent across related questions
- Don't try to game it — be yourself
Common mistakes
- Trying to guess what EY wants
- Overthinking choices instead of going with instinct
- Using GenAI to craft responses (explicitly prohibited)
Workplace scenarios where candidates rank actions from most to least effective. Assesses judgement and priorities in professional situations.
Measures: Decision-making, prioritization, stakeholder management, professional judgement
- Consider multiple stakeholders
- Think about long-term vs short-term impact
- Rank based on effectiveness, not ease
- Read all options before ranking
Common mistakes
- Choosing the easiest option over the most effective
- Not considering wider team impact
- Rushing without reading all options
Time-recorded numerical test involving charts, tables, and data interpretation. Not all programmes require this — check your invitation.
Measures: Data interpretation, calculation accuracy, speed under time pressure
- Practice reading data from charts and tables quickly
- Focus on percentages, ratios, and comparisons
- Manage time — don't get stuck on one question
- Use estimation to check calculations
Common mistakes
- Spending too long on difficult questions
- Misreading chart axes or scales
- Calculation errors under pressure
Interviews
Group and individual activities that assess how you work with others, solve problems, and demonstrate your strengths in a collaborative setting.
Format: Half-day or full-day event (in-person or virtual)
What interviewers look for
- Natural collaboration and contribution
- Problem-solving approach
- Communication clarity
- Curiosity and learning agility
- Authentic engagement (not dominating or withdrawing)
Focus areas to practise
- Group discussion
- Case activity
- Presentation
- Problem solving
- Teamwork
- Be yourself — assessors want to see your natural style
- Contribute meaningfully without dominating
- Listen actively and build on others' ideas
- Show curiosity and ask thoughtful questions
Focuses on natural strengths, what motivates you, and genuine fit with EY's purpose and service line. Less about rehearsed competency answers, more about authentic self-reflection.
Format: One-to-one interview with senior team member
What interviewers look for
- Self-awareness about genuine strengths
- Authentic motivation (not scripted)
- Energy and curiosity
- Resilience and adaptability
- Connection to EY's purpose and values
Focus areas to practise
- What motivates you?
- What are you naturally good at?
- How do you handle setbacks?
- What draws you to this service line?
- How do you learn new things?
- Reflect honestly on what energizes you at work or study
- Don't over-rehearse — natural answers are valued
- Show how your strengths connect to the role
- Demonstrate curiosity about EY's work and future
How this differs by role
The process is not the same for every role. Find the closest match to the job you applied for — the assessments and interviews below are the ones reported for that role family.
Early Careers / Student
Assessments
- Online assessment (experiences + skill choices)
- Rank-order scenarios
- Written/video responses
- Numerical reasoning (programme-dependent)
Interviews
- EY Experience Day
- Strengths & motivation final interview
Consulting / EY-Parthenon
Assessments
- Online assessment
- Case study
Interviews
- Case interview
- Behavioral/strengths interview
- Partner interview
Assurance / Tax
Assessments
- Online assessment
- Numerical reasoning
Interviews
- Technical interview
- Strengths interview
- Manager interview
Values & Framework
EY's recruitment emphasizes strengths — things you do regularly, do well, and that energize you. This is different from traditional competency-only approaches and values natural motivation alongside skill.
- Share what genuinely energizes you, not what you think they want to hear
- Give examples where your natural strengths led to impact
- Show how you bounce back from challenges
- Demonstrate curiosity about the world and EY's work
- Connect your motivation to 'building a better working world'
Recommended Practice Modules
Preparation Plans
- Reflect honestly on your top 3-5 natural strengths and what energizes you
- Prepare your 'Why EY?' answer with genuine reasons
- If numerical test: take one timed practice session
- Practice one video response about your strengths and motivation
- Read about EY's purpose and your chosen service line
- Complete SJT practice for rank-order scenarios
- Practice strengths-based interview questions: 'What energizes you?', 'What are you naturally good at?'
- If numerical test: daily 15-minute timed practice sessions
- Record and review 3-5 video responses
- Research EY's recent work and thought leadership
- Prepare stories that show curiosity, collaboration, and learning agility
- Full online assessment simulation practice
- Daily strengths reflection and interview practice
- For Experience Day: practice group discussion contribution
- Practice case activities and structured problem solving
- Research EY's service lines and current market focus
- Mock interview focusing on authentic strengths and motivation
- Build self-awareness through reflection exercises
- All 7-day plan items plus:
- Full Experience Day simulation with group and individual tasks
- Get peer feedback on collaboration style
- Practice handling 'What drains you?' and 'Tell me about a failure' questions
- Deep research into chosen service line and EY's strategy
- Practice presenting ideas clearly and concisely
- Build confidence in authentic self-presentation
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources & verification status
4 sources · 4 from the employer or another primary publisher
See each source and how far it goes
- Employer site EY US Application and Interview Tips Primary source, published by the employer
- Employer site EY US Early Careers Assessment FAQ Primary source, published by the employer
- Employer site EY UK How to Apply / 2026 Primary source, published by the employer
- Employer site EY US Interview Tips Primary source, published by the employer
Confidence is calculated from each source, not assigned to the page. A source that cannot be opened, or that does not describe what we cited it for, cannot support a claim here regardless of how it was previously labelled.
How this guide was put together
Published by Job Tests Portal. It is compiled from the public sources listed above and has not been independently reviewed by a recruitment or assessment specialist. We are not affiliated with EY and this guide is not endorsed by them.
We label where each statement comes from, and we would rather say “we could not verify this” than state something we cannot show you the source for. Hiring processes change often and vary by role, country and year, so treat everything here as a starting point and let your invitation be the final word.