KPMG Business Analyst interviews typically span 3-5 rounds over 4-8 weeks, with a process that is heavily focused on communication, motivation, and fit. Depending on the track, candidates may also face an assessment or presentation-style step, plus technical and senior-level conversations.
$84K
Avg. Base Comp
$145K
Avg. Total Comp
3-5
Typical Rounds
4-8 weeks
Process Length
Across the 18 experiences we've collected for this role, one pattern is impossible to ignore: KPMG cares far more about how you communicate than what you technically know. Candidates who received offers consistently described the process as conversational and fit-driven, while those who didn't often underestimated how much the firm was evaluating clarity of thought and genuine motivation. The "why KPMG" question came up in nearly every single account — not as a throwaway opener, but as a real filter. Vague or generic answers seem to end candidacies early here.
The technical bar varies significantly by track. Some candidates faced nothing harder than basic Excel (SUMIF, VLOOKUP territory) and accounting fundamentals like depreciation and the golden rules. Others — particularly those interviewing for advisory or consulting-adjacent BA roles — were asked about DCF, valuation multiples, financial statement analysis, and even SQL and reporting tools. Multiple candidates reported being surprised by how technical things got, especially in later rounds. The Power BI and DAX questions one candidate described suggest that for data-heavy BA roles, hands-on tool proficiency is tested directly, not just mentioned on a resume.
What makes or breaks the KPMG process, in our experience, is the ability to defend your reasoning — not just deliver an answer. The take-home assignment and presentation round one candidate described, where interviewers pushed on why specific choices were made, is a good example of this. The partner-level conversations aren't there to trip you up on technical details; they're checking whether you can hold a structured, mature conversation about your own work. Candidates who prepared crisp project walkthroughs and concrete behavioral examples consistently advanced further than those who relied on general talking points.
Synthetized from 18 candidates reports by our editorial team.
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Real interview reports from people who went through the Kpmg process.
The process moved pretty quickly for me and only had two rounds. The first was with a manager, and it was mostly an introduction-style conversation. I was asked why I wanted to work there and specifically why KPMG, so it felt pretty straightforward and conversational. The second round was with a lead, and it covered a lot of the same ground, but the interviewer pushed a bit more on how I think and how I communicate. That was the part that mattered most, since it wasn’t really about tricky technical knowledge so much as how clearly I could explain myself and my approach.
I also had a simple timed Excel task, which was probably the most concrete part of the interview. It wasn’t difficult, but they did expect me to know basic spreadsheet functions and work quickly. In my case, I had to use SUMIF, so I’d definitely recommend being comfortable with common Excel formulas before going in. Outside of that, they asked the usual questions about myself, my strengths and weaknesses, my academics, and what value I could bring to the team. Overall it felt like a fairly standard business analyst interview: light on technical depth, more focused on fit, communication, and practical Excel skills. I ended up getting the offer, and the whole thing was a smooth experience.
Prep tip from this candidate
Be ready to explain clearly why you want KPMG and what value you bring, since both rounds leaned heavily on that. Also practice basic timed Excel formulas like SUMIF so you can move quickly during the task.
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Sourced from candidate reports and verified by our team.
Topics based on recent interview experiences.
Featured question at Kpmg
Select the 2nd highest salary in the engineering department
| Question | |
|---|---|
| Rolling Bank Transactions | |
| Longest Streak Users | |
| P-value to a Layman | |
| Fair Coin | |
| Hurdles In Data Projects | |
| Testing Price Increase | |
| Assumptions of Linear Regression | |
| Late Deliveries | |
| Multicollinearity in Regression | |
| Testing Constraints | |
| Scalable Data Pipelines | |
| Client Solution Pushback | |
| Why Do You Want to Work With Us | |
| Increase Search Ads | |
| Your Strengths and Weaknesses | |
| Branch Sales Pivot | |
| Late Orders | |
| Statistically Significant Test | |
| Google Docs Drop | |
| Delivery Online | |
| Experiment Validity | |
| Bagging vs Boosting | |
| Cyclic Detection | |
| Sort Strings | |
| Precision and Recall | |
| Classification and Regression | |
| Revenue Retention | |
| Forecasting New Year Revenue | |
| Duplicate Rows |
Synthesized from candidate reports. Individual experiences may vary.
An initial conversation with HR or a recruiter to verify your background, review your CV, and gauge your interest in KPMG and the Business Analyst role. Expect discussion of your experience, salary expectations, and a clear answer to why you want to join the firm.
Depending on the role track, candidates may complete an Excel or finance test, an English assessment, a timed skills exercise, or a recorded/written response. These steps check basic tool fluency and communication quality before moving into live interviews.
A structured interview covering the fundamentals most relevant to the team, such as accounting principles, financial statements, IFRS, audit concepts, SQL, Excel, Power BI, DAX, or valuation topics. Some candidates also face a mini case or market-sizing style prompt.
Candidates may meet a manager or senior manager for a combined behavioral and technical discussion, or join a group exercise with other applicants. This phase evaluates collaboration, clarity of thought, project walkthroughs, and the ability to defend decisions under follow-up questions.
A senior-level conversation focused on culture fit, long-term motivation, and how you think through your work. The discussion is usually conversational but probing, with emphasis on your reasons for choosing KPMG, your values, and how you explain past decisions.