KPMG Hiring Process (2026): Interview Stages and Questions to Practice

KPMG's hiring process, as candidates describe it, moves through four main stages: an online application, an online assessment, one or two interviews with managers on your skills and experience, and a final conversation with a director or partner before the offer. Steps vary by role, location, country and team. Experienced hires usually skip the test, and some campus drives add a group discussion.

KPMG is one of the Big 4 networks and hires into audit, tax and advisory. Below are the stages, what each one checks, sample answers and a practice week. Our Big 4 and IT services interview guide covers the wider industry.

KPMG interview process: the usual sequence

1. Application on the KPMG careers site or through your campus.
2. Online assessment covering reasoning, numbers and workplace situations.
3. Group discussion at some campus drives.
4. Technical interview with a manager on your field: audit, tax, risk, deals or technology.
5. Final interview with a director or partner on motivation and judgment.
6. Offer and background verification.

Some candidates have the technical and final interviews back to back on one day.

Audit, tax and advisory roles at KPMG

Audit associates test the numbers and controls behind a client's financial statements. Tax associates handle returns, compliance and research. Advisory spans risk consulting, deal work and technology projects, and often attracts engineering and MBA graduates as well as commerce graduates.

Know which one you applied to and why. For Filipino applicants, KPMG's member firm in the Philippines is R.G. Manabat & Co.

What the assessor wants to know at each stage

KPMG interview questions to practice

Commonly reported questions include "Why KPMG?", "What do you know about our service lines?", "Tell me about a mistake you made", "What is the difference between internal and statutory audit?" and "What would you do if a client would not share documents?"

"Tell me about a mistake you made." "During articleship I sent a client a document request list that still had last year's dates on it. The client pointed it out politely. I apologized, sent a corrected list within the hour, and started using a short checklist before sending anything external. Since then I check dates, names and amounts twice, because small errors cost trust quickly."

"Internal or statutory audit: what is the difference?" "A statutory audit is required by law and done by an independent external auditor, who gives an opinion on whether the financial statements are fairly presented. Internal audit works for management, inside the company or outsourced, and reviews processes, risks and controls. Statutory auditors report to shareholders; internal auditors report to management or the audit committee."

"A client will not share documents. What do you do?" "First I find out why. Often the person is busy or unsure what we need, so I explain the purpose of each item and agree a date. If it still does not arrive, I tell my senior early, with a clear list of what is outstanding. I would not argue with the client or quietly skip the test."

Your KPMG practice week

• Research day: Read your role on the KPMG careers site and write why this service line fits you.
• Test day: Two timed reasoning sets; note which question types slow you down.
• Basics day: Revise financial statements, journal entries, audit stages and materiality with our accountant interview questions, or the basics of your advisory area.
• Story day: Prepare a mistake, a conflict, a deadline and an ethics story.
• Mock day: A full mock interview out loud, then repeat the weakest answer.
• Logistics day: Documents, notice period, camera and internet check.
• Rest day: Light review only, and sleep well.

Where CoPilot Interview fits

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Live help is for interviews where it is allowed; follow your employer's rules, and use the tool to prepare for tests, group discussions and in-person rounds rather than during them. Disclosure: CoPilot Interview is our product, so weigh what we say about it accordingly.

Frequently asked questions

How many rounds are in the KPMG interview process?

Candidates commonly describe an online assessment followed by two interviews: a technical interview with a manager and a final interview with a director or partner. Some campus drives add a group discussion, and experienced hires may skip the assessment. The exact rounds depend on role and country.

Is the KPMG partner interview technical?

Usually it focuses more on motivation, judgment and communication than technical detail, though some partners ask a technical question to test your basics. Expect follow-up questions on your examples, and have two questions ready about the team's work.

What should I study for a KPMG audit interview?

Revise the three financial statements, common journal entries, the stages of an audit, materiality, internal controls and the difference between internal and statutory audit. Be able to explain each in two or three plain sentences, with an example from your studies or articleship.

What if I failed a CA exam attempt?

Say it briefly and honestly, then focus on what changed. Explain how you adjusted your study plan and what you passed afterward. Interviewers mostly want to see that you take responsibility and keep going, not a perfect record.