[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

[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.

[Mayo]

“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?”

If this is true then I wouldn't fret about this. Like BobRossfan mentioned, they might have already been burrned a few times before. I wouldn't take it personally and just try your best to do a good job.

Mayo, BBA, Macc

[Mayo]

“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?”

If this is true then I wouldn't fret about this. Like BobRossfan mentioned, they might have already been burrned a few times before. I wouldn't take it personally and just try your best to do a good job.

Mayo, BBA, Macc

[mla1169]

Mystical here's the bottom line-if you want to work at EY, you will jump through whatever hoops they ask you to. You're wasting your time analyzing and comparing yourself to others. And business writing classes, SAT scores and passing BEC are not indicative of good business writing skills at all.

If you're concerned that you're being mistreated somehow, you're better off to move on to another opportunity. You've already had way too many concerns about this particular opportunity. But again you're spinning your wheels by comparing your grades, schooling, etc. to your peers.

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

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[mla1169]

Mystical here's the bottom line-if you want to work at EY, you will jump through whatever hoops they ask you to. You're wasting your time analyzing and comparing yourself to others. And business writing classes, SAT scores and passing BEC are not indicative of good business writing skills at all.

If you're concerned that you're being mistreated somehow, you're better off to move on to another opportunity. You've already had way too many concerns about this particular opportunity. But again you're spinning your wheels by comparing your grades, schooling, etc. to your peers.

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

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[mystical guy]

@BobRossFan71, I'm just saying that if they required international student graduates to provide writing samples as a standard, I would be foolish to even wonder why they asked for the sample.

So I'm gonna accept your conclusion that they were burned before so they're being cautious now. Actually, I assumed this was all standard procedure so I called my PWC buddy and asked him if PWC asks for essays like EY. He ended up calling all the other former EY employees and then told me that I'm being discriminated against because nobody wrote any essays, be they American-born or not. He was so upset that he told me he would forward my resume to his friend in banking and I should turn down any EY offer I get.

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

[mystical guy]

@BobRossFan71, I'm just saying that if they required international student graduates to provide writing samples as a standard, I would be foolish to even wonder why they asked for the sample.

So I'm gonna accept your conclusion that they were burned before so they're being cautious now. Actually, I assumed this was all standard procedure so I called my PWC buddy and asked him if PWC asks for essays like EY. He ended up calling all the other former EY employees and then told me that I'm being discriminated against because nobody wrote any essays, be they American-born or not. He was so upset that he told me he would forward my resume to his friend in banking and I should turn down any EY offer I get.

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

[mla1169]

Here's my other concern, mystical. You've mentioned a lot of peripheral information about being ESL, college grades, test scores, and discrimination.

Truthfully answer this question: are you the most qualified person for the position and a good fit for the department you'd be working in. If the answer is no, or you don't know, the rest of the discussion is moot. How many other opportunities are you currently working on?

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

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[mla1169]

Here's my other concern, mystical. You've mentioned a lot of peripheral information about being ESL, college grades, test scores, and discrimination.

Truthfully answer this question: are you the most qualified person for the position and a good fit for the department you'd be working in. If the answer is no, or you don't know, the rest of the discussion is moot. How many other opportunities are you currently working on?

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

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[mystical guy]

@mla1169

Speaking as a rational being, I'm overqualified for the position I applied to, otherwise they wouldn't even be talking to me. I have experience in Fortune 500 and I passed the CPA and CISA, both of which they don't even require for entry-level.

I applied to PWC and KPMG, various positions across the US, and I'm now looking at other jobs like bookkeeping, financial analysis, data analysis..etc. I'm even considering Accountemps since they emailed me with some potential jobs.

By the way, I'm unemployed because I really need to work under a CPA's supervision, and the jackpot would be a position where I can also get my CISA experience, but that's secondary. Finding a job is not that hard, but finding a job with a CPA supervisor is my issue.

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

[mystical guy]

@mla1169

Speaking as a rational being, I'm overqualified for the position I applied to, otherwise they wouldn't even be talking to me. I have experience in Fortune 500 and I passed the CPA and CISA, both of which they don't even require for entry-level.

I applied to PWC and KPMG, various positions across the US, and I'm now looking at other jobs like bookkeeping, financial analysis, data analysis..etc. I'm even considering Accountemps since they emailed me with some potential jobs.

By the way, I'm unemployed because I really need to work under a CPA's supervision, and the jackpot would be a position where I can also get my CISA experience, but that's secondary. Finding a job is not that hard, but finding a job with a CPA supervisor is my issue.

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

[teeteenounouche]

I suggest you just do what they ask and ignore the discrimination issue at least until you get in…if you see that you were indeed right about the office, you will still gain something because your resume will look more attractive to other companies by having Big 4 on it …

Florida:
AUD: 73, 81! Thank you Lord!
BEC: 73, 77! Thank you Lord! and WTB
REG: 71, 82! Thank you Lord! and A71
FAR: 72, 78! Thank you God and my Mommy in Heaven!

CPA Excel, Ninja Notes & Audio, Wiley Test Bank, CPAreviewforfree

[teeteenounouche]

I suggest you just do what they ask and ignore the discrimination issue at least until you get in…if you see that you were indeed right about the office, you will still gain something because your resume will look more attractive to other companies by having Big 4 on it …

Florida:
AUD: 73, 81! Thank you Lord!
BEC: 73, 77! Thank you Lord! and WTB
REG: 71, 82! Thank you Lord! and A71
FAR: 72, 78! Thank you God and my Mommy in Heaven!

CPA Excel, Ninja Notes & Audio, Wiley Test Bank, CPAreviewforfree

[mystical guy]

@teeteenounouche Unless I magically get a better offer, that's what I'll do. Would you be concerned about the number of people that have quit from that department? Some of them I know, others I don't…Bottom line, all the people who quit from that department were minorities. God I hope I'm just being paranoid.

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

[mystical guy]

@teeteenounouche Unless I magically get a better offer, that's what I'll do. Would you be concerned about the number of people that have quit from that department? Some of them I know, others I don't…Bottom line, all the people who quit from that department were minorities. God I hope I'm just being paranoid.

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

[Author]

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