KPMG Launch Pad Preparation Pack Launch Pad days can be challenging, but this pack is designed to supplement your own preparation and focus your research. During the day you will be assessed at all times and the activities are designed to push you out of your comfort zone, as a way to really test your resilience and ability to cope with challenging situations. Although this pack has plenty of information, you will need to go above and beyond what is written here to do your best on the day. There are nine behavioural capabilities which you need to be aware of both on the day and whilst you prepare, and you can find more information about these on the KPMG website: https://www.kpmgcareers.co.uk/graduates/how-to-apply/behavioural-capabilities 1) 2) 3) 4) 5)
Career Motivation Delivering Quality Driving Collaboration and Inclusion Striving for Continual Improvement Exercising Professional Judgement
6) 7) 8) 9)
Making an Impact Seizing Business Opportunities Demonstrating Innovation and Curiosity Resilience
Activities on the day will be focused on a fictional organisation based on KPMG, to give you a feel for what day-to-day life at the company is like. The exercises will be a mixture of individual and group-based exercises, and you day will look roughly like this: 1)
Registration and a presentation on KPMG This is your first opportunity to shine! Make sure you’re smartly dressed and engaged right from the start of the day.
2)
First Group Exercise This is the first task of the day, and will start with a presentation about a company, market of product. It’s really important that you take lots of notes throughout this, as everything you hear now will be important for the group task. You will then be split into groups of 5, and have two hours to do a range of activities, including presenting a pitch and group discussions. This exercise will be looking at how well you demonstrate the behavioural capabilities, and a chance for you to learn something new. Make sure that you speak up, contribute and bring other quiet members into conversation. You may want to be the group leader, but also consider other leadership roles such as the person who keeps notes or is timekeeper. You will be assessed by a number of different assessors.
3)
Lunch Although lunch is a chance for you to relax and meet other candidates and current KPMG graduates, make sure you remain professional and polite – remember, you’re always being assessed. Ask lots of questions and make sure your interest comes across.
4)
The Analysis Exercise The analysis exercise is also laptop based and involves reading and reporting on financial/business related information regarding a client or case study. It is designed to test your analytical skills and your ability to compile, evaluate and summarise complex information into a well-written report. This report should not only be a summary of the information, but also a critical analysis with clear recommendations. Remember to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the client. You will have one hour to complete this task. ● It is unlikely you will have enough time to read all of the information. This is deliberate. ● Structure your time before starting and stick to the time allocations you’ve decided on. ● Seek out and underline the relevant information to make your key themes obvious. ● Don’t get bogged down in unnecessary detail. ● Focus on your intro/conclusion, main topic sentences and finding the primary arguments. Be thorough, but concise. ● You do not have time to turn this into a university essay. Your ability to read and write effectively, quickly and under considerable time pressure will help you succeed on this task. ● Tailor your report for the intended audience (managers or partners) and don’t sit on the fence.