[mystical guy]

I had given up on the Big 4 but my buddy told me to work at least 1 year and then quit. Anyhow, I have a job application with EY, in IT Risk Assurance, and after three weeks of having two phone interviews they asked me for a writing sample.

After talking to various people at EY, working the same job, same office, I found out that none of them were asked to provide the said writing sample online.

Anybody know anything about this?

CPA - Since 2015
CISA - Smashed 2012
CIA - Passed 2015

[impska]

Your friends who work in that same job in that same office probably all have horrific writing skills, so their bosses have decided to finally hire someone who can put a coherent sentence together that doesn't make their eyes bleed to look upon.

REG - 94
BEC - 92
FAR - 92
AUD - 99

[impska]

Your friends who work in that same job in that same office probably all have horrific writing skills, so their bosses have decided to finally hire someone who can put a coherent sentence together that doesn't make their eyes bleed to look upon.

REG - 94
BEC - 92
FAR - 92
AUD - 99

[mystical guy]

@impska Ok..lol. That might be the case. They seem to think that I'm a victim of discrimination but I don't really care about writing essays for a job so long as I get it.

CPA - Since 2015
CISA - Smashed 2012
CIA - Passed 2015

[mystical guy]

@impska Ok..lol. That might be the case. They seem to think that I'm a victim of discrimination but I don't really care about writing essays for a job so long as I get it.

CPA - Since 2015
CISA - Smashed 2012
CIA - Passed 2015

[mla1169]

Well wait. You've said before if I recall that you were told you didn't sound enthusiastic on your phone interview, so maybe they're checking to see if that was just a subjective evaluation of your communication and if you're stronger in writing. Yes discrimination is a possibility but it's also entirely possible you're just not a strong communicator which can be the case for anybody.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[mla1169]

Well wait. You've said before if I recall that you were told you didn't sound enthusiastic on your phone interview, so maybe they're checking to see if that was just a subjective evaluation of your communication and if you're stronger in writing. Yes discrimination is a possibility but it's also entirely possible you're just not a strong communicator which can be the case for anybody.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[Mayo]

Agree with mla1169

Mayo, BBA, Macc

[Mayo]

Agree with mla1169

Mayo, BBA, Macc

[mystical guy]

@mla1169 Yes, they said I didn't sound enthusiastic and after having a phone interview with the Senior Manager she even stopped to tell me how impressed she was by me. But EY has all my transcripts. They can see that I had As in all my business and non-business writing classes, and I think you have to be at least a fairly decent writer to pass BEC or get through a MAcc or have 1300 in SATs. But, beggars can't be choosers. I thought all this was standard procedure but it's not.

By the way, all the people I know, that I went to school with, who were at the office, either quit or transferred. One that was employed in ITRA had arguments with a Senior and quit. Should I be concerned about that?

CPA - Since 2015
CISA - Smashed 2012
CIA - Passed 2015

[mystical guy]

@mla1169 Yes, they said I didn't sound enthusiastic and after having a phone interview with the Senior Manager she even stopped to tell me how impressed she was by me. But EY has all my transcripts. They can see that I had As in all my business and non-business writing classes, and I think you have to be at least a fairly decent writer to pass BEC or get through a MAcc or have 1300 in SATs. But, beggars can't be choosers. I thought all this was standard procedure but it's not.

By the way, all the people I know, that I went to school with, who were at the office, either quit or transferred. One that was employed in ITRA had arguments with a Senior and quit. Should I be concerned about that?

CPA - Since 2015
CISA - Smashed 2012
CIA - Passed 2015

[Anonymous]

@Mystical –

Let me begin by getting this out there — you appear to write very well, so I don't think you have anything to be concerned about. However, is English your second language? If it is, then I can see why they may request a writing sample. It's not discrimination, they just want to make sure you're proficient enough in the language to communicate effectively. I actually don't see anything wrong with that. If I went to Italy or Germany, I would fully expect them to somehow test my proficiency in Italian/German, respectively. That being said, the writing skills of young Americans today is pathetic. I think they should ask all applicants for writing samples because even applicants who were born and raised in the US write like 6-year old children. Don't give it too much thought and don't let it bother you. They just want to make sure you can do the job (which I have no doubt that you can). Best of luck you, my man.

[Anonymous]

@Mystical –

Let me begin by getting this out there — you appear to write very well, so I don't think you have anything to be concerned about. However, is English your second language? If it is, then I can see why they may request a writing sample. It's not discrimination, they just want to make sure you're proficient enough in the language to communicate effectively. I actually don't see anything wrong with that. If I went to Italy or Germany, I would fully expect them to somehow test my proficiency in Italian/German, respectively. That being said, the writing skills of young Americans today is pathetic. I think they should ask all applicants for writing samples because even applicants who were born and raised in the US write like 6-year old children. Don't give it too much thought and don't let it bother you. They just want to make sure you can do the job (which I have no doubt that you can). Best of luck you, my man.

[mystical guy]

@BobRossFan71 Thanks for the feedback. The thing is, 4 of the 5 people who worked that same job were actually international students like I was. I don't mean to brag but they actually all told me that they had “Cs” in the MAcc Business Writing class that we all took (one had a D), and that's obviously in their transcripts. They all have accents, just as I do, though people have told me that my English is very clear and they have no trouble understanding me, some even say that I have a Southern Accent.

My point is, I believe that if there was something that they could objectively use to base the writing samples on, I would feel a bit better about it. I speak as good as the rest, or better, I have the higher grade.. what else could there be?

CPA - Since 2015
CISA - Smashed 2012
CIA - Passed 2015

[mystical guy]

@BobRossFan71 Thanks for the feedback. The thing is, 4 of the 5 people who worked that same job were actually international students like I was. I don't mean to brag but they actually all told me that they had “Cs” in the MAcc Business Writing class that we all took (one had a D), and that's obviously in their transcripts. They all have accents, just as I do, though people have told me that my English is very clear and they have no trouble understanding me, some even say that I have a Southern Accent.

My point is, I believe that if there was something that they could objectively use to base the writing samples on, I would feel a bit better about it. I speak as good as the rest, or better, I have the higher grade.. what else could there be?

CPA - Since 2015
CISA - Smashed 2012
CIA - Passed 2015

[Anonymous]

“My point is, I believe that if there was something that they could objectively use to base the writing samples on, I would feel a bit better about it”

I don't understand what you mean here. Can you elaborate? Yeah, I hear you, MysticalGuy. In that case, like someone else said, they've probably been burned by poor writing in the past so they have implemented measures to reduce that risk. Just my guess.

[Author]

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