Expedition EY is a virtual, gamified experience that brings together a diverse group of students to learn more about EY and develop professional skills in technology and business.

 

If you’re thinking about participating in Expedition EY, then this article is for you. We’ll cover everything you need to know, including what is Expedition EY, what to expect, and recommended next steps after participating.

 

What is Expedition EY?

 

Expedition EY is an interactive, virtual experience for undergraduate freshmen and sophomores to learn more about EY and develop their professional and teamwork skills in a gamified way while potentially earning scholarship funds. It is an app-based program that runs from March to May.

 

There are two different tracks for Expedition EY, the Expedition EY Technology Track and the Expedition EY Business Track. The major difference between the two tracks is that the Technology Track includes more technical skills than the Business Track.

 

Expedition EY was started in 2021 and has been largely focused on providing underrepresented groups with exposure to professional services, such as accounting and consulting. These groups include: Black, Latinx, Native American, veterans, students with disabilities, LGBT, and women in tech.

 

Participants in Expedition EY can expect to:

 

• Learn more about a career in professional services at EY

 

• Complete on-demand learnings on topics such as virtual interviewing, improving presentation skills, and practicing mindfulness

 

• Accomplish skill-based tasks that use the latest technologies, including machine learning and predictive analytics

 

• Unlock additional experiences, including team-building exercises and live sessions with EY professionals

 

• Have the opportunity to win scholarship prizes

 

• Grow their professional skills

 

Participants will receive points for completing sessions on the app, which will accumulate over time with a chance of earning scholarships ranging from $5K to $25K.

 

All of the virtual events for Expedition EY are optional and have no impact on your candidacy for other EY programs or positions. Participants can join as many or as few events as they’d like depending on their schedules and availabilities.

 

We highly recommend anyone interested in EY or consulting participate since there is no cost or risk in participating. In fact, some participants may receive monetary scholarship awards by participating in the program.

 

For further questions on Expedition EY, you can email [email protected] or [email protected].

 

Why Participate in Expedition EY?

 

The major reasons for participating in Expedition EY are to learn more about EY, develop professional and teamwork skills, grow your network, and earn scholarship money.

 

Learn more about EY

 

Expedition EY provides in-depth insights into the professional services industry and EY's role within it. Participants will explore diverse career paths, understand the firm's culture, values, and day-to-day responsibilities, helping them make informed career decisions.

 

Develop professional and teamwork skills

 

Expedition EY helps participants develop professional skills through skill-building modules such as virtual interviewing, presentation skills, and mindfulness. It includes practical tasks using technologies like machine learning and predictive analytics, preparing students for real world work experiences.

 

Grow your network

 

Expedition EY offers participants opportunities to expand their professional network through team-building exercises and live sessions with EY professionals. These interactions can lead to valuable mentorship and lasting relationships, potentially opening doors to future career opportunities.

 

Earn scholarship money

 

Expedition EY also offers a financial incentive with scholarship awards ranging from $5K to $25K. As participants complete sessions and accumulate points, they become eligible for a chance of winning these scholarships, which would help pay for school.

 

Expedition EY Eligibility and Requirements

 

Expedition EY is open to students that are three or more years away from graduation that are pursuing a degree in or considering career opportunities in accounting, economics, finance, math, statistics, technology, computer science, or a related subject.

 

Students should also have a genuine interest in professional services.

 

Students that are veterans or who self-identify as Black, Latinx, Native American, LGBT+, persons with disabilities, women, and nonbinary are especially encouraged to join Expedition EY.

 

Expedition EY Deadline

 

The deadline to apply for Expedition EY is typically in December or January. You should check the Expedition EY website to find the official deadlines for the upcoming year.

 

Applicants accepted into Expedition EY will be notified via email.

 

Next Steps After Applying to Expedition EY

 

After applying to Expedition EY, we highly recommend that you start preparing for the upcoming EY recruiting cycle. As next steps, you should perfect your resume, prepare for behavioral interviews, prepare for case interviews, and network with EY recruiters and professionals.

 

Perfect your resume

 

Your resume is the single most important component that will determine if you receive internship and full-time job interviews for EY.

 

Therefore, you’ll want to dedicate at least a few days perfecting your resume while also getting feedback from peers, your school’s career center, or even EY professionals that you know.

 

Make sure to follow the tips below to perfect your consulting resume.

 

• Keep your resume to one page only. If it is longer, you’ll need to make your resume more concise and less wordy

 

• Every bullet on your resume should start with a verb in the past tense to show that you have completed or achieved something

 

• Every bullet should have some kind of number or metric in them so that you can quantify your accomplishments and make them sound more impressive

 

• Your resume’s bullets should show a mix of quantitative skill accomplishments (e.g., analyzing data) and qualitative skill accomplishments (e.g., managing or working with others)

 

• Avoid using technical jargon, unfamiliar abbreviations or acronyms, and buzzwords with unclear meanings

 

• Your resume should prioritize showcasing your work experiences, particularly if you have worked at a brand name company

 

• Include personal interests at the end of the resume to give resume reviewers something interesting to read about

 

If you need professional help crafting the perfect resume that will land you consulting interviews, check out our resume review and editing service.

 

Prepare for behavioral interviews

 

You are guaranteed to be asked at least a few behavioral questions during your EY interviews. You’ll need to nail these questions in order to land an EY offer.

 

Behavioral questions ask you to draw upon a time or experience in the past in which you demonstrated a particular quality or trait. For example, you may be asked common consulting behavioral interview questions such as:

 

• Tell me about a time when you led a team

 

• Give an example of a time when you went above and beyond

 

• Tell me about a time when you failed

 

• Describe a problem that you solved using data

 

• Tell me about a time when you resolved conflict while working on a team

 

To answer behavioral questions well, follow these guidelines:

 

• Prepare 6-8 different stories in advance that draw upon your professional and personal work experiences. This ensures that you have prepared answers and stories that you can draw upon no matter what behavioral question is asked

 

• Only select and share experiences that are the most impressive, impactful, or unique. You want to showcase the highlights of your experiences, not just any experience that is relevant

 

• Make sure that you the stories you prepare are collectively diverse. You’ll want to have at least one story that is relevant to leadership, teamwork, problem solving, resilience, integrity, decision making, communication, and interpersonal skills

 

• Structure your answer to help keep your answer clear and easy to follow. Most candidates use the STAR method, which stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result

 

• When giving your answer, cover the Situation and Task sections quickly and spend most of your time focusing on the Action and Result

 

If you want to learn how to answer 98% of behavioral and fit questions in just a few hours, check out our behavioral interview course.

 

Prepare for case interviews

 

For those interested in consulting at EY, you’ll need to nail every single one of your case interviews if you want to land a consulting offer.

 

A case interview is a 20 to 40-minute interview in which you are placed in a hypothetical business situation and asked to develop a recommendation to solve a business problem. Case interviews are a special type of interview that consulting firms use in their interview process.

 

Examples of common types of case interview questions you could get asked include:

 

• What is causing profitability to decline and what can we do about it?

 

• How can we increase revenues?

 

• Should we enter a new market?

 

• Should we launch this new product?

 

• Should we acquire this company?

 

• How should we respond to this competitor?

 

The business problem that you will be asked to solve can be from any industry or function. Expect to see case interviews in industries ranging from retail to pharmaceuticals to financial services. However, know that no prior knowledge or experience in the industry is required to successfully solve the case interview.

 

Case interviews are used because they closely simulate what the consulting job will be like. In a case interview, you’ll need to use problem solving, quantitative skills, business judgment, and communication to work through the business problem, uncover insights, and make a firm recommendation.

 

Network with EY recruiters and professionals

 

You should be networking with as many EY recruiters and professionals as you can. In addition to trying to attend every single EY event, you should also be leveraging your broader network to get connected to EY colleagues.

 

Building relationships with EY recruiters and professionals can significantly increase your chances of securing an interview. Recruiters and some professionals have a direct line to the hiring process, so they can push your resume forward to ensure that you get an interview.

 

In addition to potentially getting a referral into the firm, networking also lets you gain firsthand knowledge about EY’s work, culture, and people. You’ll gain a deeper understanding of the firm, which will help you answer questions such as “why do you want to work at EY?”

 

Lastly, forming meaningful connections with EY colleagues can potentially lead to valuable mentorship opportunities. These relationships can provide support, advice, and advocate for you during the recruiting process.

 

Recommended Resources to Break Into EY Consulting

 

To give yourself the best chance of breaking into the highly competitive field of consulting, we recommend looking into the resources listed below. Getting professional help from a former MBB Manager and interviewer can significantly increase your chances of landing a consulting offer.

For help landing consulting interviews

 

• Resume Review & Editing: Transform your resume into one that will get you multiple consulting interviews

 

For help passing case interviews

 

• Comprehensive Case Interview Course (our #1 recommendation): The only resource you need. Whether you have no business background, rusty math skills, or are short on time, this step-by-step course will transform you into a top 1% caser that lands multiple consulting offers.

 

• Case Interview Coaching: Personalized, one-on-one coaching with a former Bain interviewer.

 

• Hacking the Case Interview Book (available on Amazon): Perfect for beginners that are short on time. Transform yourself from a stressed-out case interview newbie to a confident intermediate in under a week. Some readers finish this book in a day and can already tackle tough cases.

 

• The Ultimate Case Interview Workbook (available on Amazon): Perfect for intermediates struggling with frameworks, case math, or generating business insights. No need to find a case partner – these drills, practice problems, and full-length cases can all be done by yourself.

 

For help passing consulting behavioral & fit interviews

 

• Behavioral & Fit Interview Course: Be prepared for 98% of behavioral and fit questions in just a few hours. We'll teach you exactly how to draft answers that will impress your interviewer.