KPMG · Consulting / advisory · Entry to experienced
Recruiter screen, motivation and background
Conversational screen weighted heavily toward why KPMG and why this programme
What they actually ask
The question shapes this round uses. Larpy does not read these out. It builds each one from your own resume, because the generic version is the one you have already rehearsed.
- “Why KPMG specifically, and what you did to find out what the job is actually like.”
- “Why this programme or service line rather than the one next to it.”
- “Walk me through your background and where the through-line is.”
- “A time you taught yourself something quickly and then had to use it in front of people.”
- “What you think the first year in this role actually looks like day to day.”
What this round is judged on
- Career motivation · passionate about KPMG specifically, with strengths mapped to the role
- Learning and curiosity · absorbs new information and masters new techniques easily
- Effective communication · comprehends spoken information and expresses ideas clearly
- Background fit · relevant experience for the role and the level
- Applying expertise and technology · proficiently applies relevant knowledge and skills
Where this round sits
KPMG’s published process. Lime marks the stage this round runs.
- 01Explore and apply
- 02Recruiter or hiring manager screen, experienced hires (spoken)this round
- 03Online assessments (not simulated here)
- 04Recorded video interview (not simulated here)
- 05Competency interview (spoken)
- 06Launch Pad assessment centre (immersive activities not simulated here)
- 07Launch Pad interview (spoken)
- 08Offer
What happens in each stage›
- Explore and apply
- A job-preview quiz built from workplace scenarios, then an application form on academic background and work experience. KPMG budgets about 45 minutes and applies contextual recruitment for socio-economic background and extenuating circumstances. Not simulated.
- Recruiter or hiring manager screen, experienced hires (spoken)
- Not part of KPMG's published four-stage early-careers process, which goes from application straight into online assessments. Experienced-hire routes instead run interviews where hiring managers assess against KPMG's values, competencies, and skills and experience. Simulated.
- Online assessments (not simulated here)
- Two assessments, about 60 minutes in total: an untimed skills assessment presenting scenarios and asking you to rank how you would think, feel or respond, and a 36-minute timed cognitive assessment covering numerical reasoning and logical problem solving. Neither is a spoken round.
- Recorded video interview (not simulated here)
- About 40 minutes across six questions, delivered by an AI-generated avatar. KPMG states that 'your recorded answers will be reviewed and scored by a member of our Student Recruitment team'. One-way, so out of scope.
- Competency interview (spoken)
- The structured interview against the published KPMG competencies, run either on its own for experienced hires or inside Launch Pad for early careers. Simulated.
- Launch Pad assessment centre (immersive activities not simulated here)
- KPMG calls it 'the assessment centre that we run at KPMG': a half-day in-person event that combines assessed and non-assessed activities with time meeting KPMG colleagues. The immersive and group activities are out of scope; the interview inside the day is the next stage.
- Launch Pad interview (spoken)
- The one-to-one interview inside the assessment day, or the equivalent final conversation for an experienced hire, weighted toward values, ethical judgement and durable motivation. Simulated.
- Offer
- KPMG says of Launch Pad: 'If successful you will have your job offer within 2 working days!' Not simulated.
Sources
Built from what KPMG publishes about its own process. No leaked question lists. The questions you get are generated against your own resume, so they are not from anyone else's interview.
The four published stages; the untimed skills assessment where 'You will be presented with various scenarios and asked to rank how you would think, feel or respond in each situation' and the 36-minute timed cognitive assessment; the six-question video interview delivered by an AI-generated avatar and scored by a person; Launch Pad as a half-day in-person event; 'If successful you will have your job offer within 2 working days!'
Per-stage timings (45 minutes to apply, 60 minutes of online assessments, a 40-minute video interview, a half-day Launch Pad); Launch Pad as 'the final stage of the recruitment process'; the twelve skills assessed across the process.
Definitions of the twelve early-careers skills, including career motivation, learning and curiosity, resilience, critical thinking, planning and organisation, results focused, initiative, inclusive collaboration and integrity.
The experienced-hire competencies grouped under three Leadership Principles (Deliver Impact, Seek Growth, Inspire Trust), including 'Make Sound Decisions' as exercising 'sound ethical and business judgement when making decisions' and 'Build Collaborative Relationships' as connecting with individuals, teams and organisations to build lasting relationships.
Hiring managers assess against 'KPMG Values', 'Competencies' and 'Skills and Experience'; 'This is a two-way process and we would expect you to also use the experience to assess whether the opportunity is right for you.'
The insight-programme variant: a 90-minute Transforming Small Businesses assessment built on three fictional small businesses, and a 60-minute Delivering Outcomes assessment with timed video and written responses.
KPMG's own description of the final stage: 'Launch Pad is the assessment centre that we run at KPMG.'
The US hiring tracks (executives, experienced professionals, students, contractors). KPMG publishes no US stage list, which is why the loop here follows the UK process.
Sources last checked . Hiring loops change, so this date is the honest limit on everything above.