Big 4 · Assessment Centre Guide

KPMG Assessment Centre Guide 2027

Full-day Assessment Centre at KPMG's offices with group exercise, case study, and manager/partner interview. 3 stages. Everything you need to know to prepare.

Prepare for KPMG

Free for 3 days · No card charged until trial ends · Cancel anytime

Format

What the KPMG assessment centre looks like

1

Arrival & Briefing

15-20 minutes

Graduate recruitment

Welcome at KPMG's offices. Overview of the day, networking with current graduates.

2

Group Exercise

30-45 minutes

2-3 assessors

Collaborative case study or business scenario. Work as a team to analyse information and present recommendations. KPMG explicitly tests for collaboration — don't dominate.

3

Case Study / Presentation

45-60 minutes

Assessed separately

Individual case study with presentation to assessors. Tests analytical thinking, communication clarity, and commercial awareness.

4

Manager/Partner Interview

30-45 minutes

1 Senior Manager or Partner

In-depth interview covering your CV, motivation, and values alignment with KPMG. Strengths-based and competency questions.

Prep plan

48-hour preparation plan

148 hours before

Research KPMG's recent work, publications, and strategy. Know their service lines and current priorities.

Learn KPMG's values — they explicitly assess against them. Be ready to weave them into your answers naturally.

Prepare 5 STAR-format examples covering collaboration, problem-solving, leadership, adaptability, and client focus.

Practise group exercise skills — build on others' ideas, propose frameworks, summarise clearly.

If applying to audit/tax: understand current regulatory or accounting changes. If consulting: know their digital transformation work.

224 hours before

Check the Financial Times for business news affecting KPMG's clients.

Prepare 3-4 questions for the partner/manager interview.

Review your anchor stories — time yourself to keep answers concise.

Plan your outfit and arrival. Business formal is standard for Big 4 assessment centres.

Get 8 hours of sleep — group exercises require high energy and clear thinking.

3Morning of

Review KPMG's values one final time.

Scan morning headlines for relevant business news.

Arrive 15 minutes early. Be friendly with other candidates — collaboration is explicitly tested.

Remember: the group exercise rewards collaboration, not competition. Build on others' ideas.

Questions

KPMG assessment centre questions by round

Different interviewers ask different types of questions. Know what to expect at each level.

  • 1Group exercise: collaborate on a business challenge.
  • 2Present on a given topic.
  • 3What challenges do KPMG's clients face?
  • 4How is technology changing auditing?

Technicals

KPMG technical questions

  • 1Group exercise: collaborate on a business challenge.
  • 2Present on a given topic.
  • 3What challenges do KPMG's clients face?
  • 4How is technology changing auditing?
  • 5What do you know about KPMG's current strategy and priorities?
  • 6How does KPMG's approach to deal advisory and restructuring differ from competitors?
  • 7What regulatory or accounting change is most affecting KPMG's clients right now?
  • 8Walk me through how you would approach an audit of a mid-sized UK retailer.
  • 9What role does technology play in the future of professional services?
  • 10Why KPMG over Deloitte?

Evaluation

What KPMG interviewers evaluate

Values alignment

KPMG's values are central. Know them: Courage, Integrity, Excellence, Together, For Better.

Community mindset

KPMG has the strongest community and social impact focus of the Big 4.

Strengths fit

Like EY and PwC, KPMG uses strengths-based assessment. Know what energises you.

Commercial awareness

Know current business issues — ESG, technology disruption, regulatory change.

Team orientation

KPMG culture is collaborative and supportive. Show you lift others up.

Integrity

Professional scepticism and ethical behaviour are core to audit and advisory work.

Avoid

Common mistakes at KPMG assessment centres

Trying to dominate the group exercise. KPMG explicitly rewards collaboration. Build on others' points and summarise for the group.

Not knowing KPMG's values. They assess against their values framework — know them and demonstrate them naturally.

Being too generic in the partner interview. Reference specific service lines, recent work, or firm initiatives.

Ignoring other candidates. The social elements (lunch, breaks) are part of the assessment. Be friendly and engaged throughout.

Under-preparing for the case study or written exercise. Practise structuring analysis under time pressure.

Not having questions prepared. "No questions" signals lack of genuine interest.

Practise KPMG assessment centre questions

Intervyo's assessment centre practice simulates real KPMG interviews. Record your answers on camera and get AI-scored feedback across behavioural, technical, and commercial awareness questions — the same types you'll face on the day.

Try assessment centre practice

Free for 3 days · No card charged until trial ends · Cancel anytime

FAQ

KPMG assessment centre FAQs

Be ready for every round

AI-scored practice with KPMG questions. Behavioural, technical, and commercial awareness — all scored with detailed feedback. Free for 3 days.

Prepare for KPMG

Free for 3 days · No card charged until trial ends · Cancel anytime