EY Data Analyst Interview Guide Overview

Ernst & Young (EY) is a global leader in assurance, consulting, strategy and transactions, tax, and law services. With a workforce spanning over 150 countries, EY helps build trust and assurance in the capital markets, enabling client growth and transformation.

The Data Analyst position at EY involves tasks such as data cleaning, preprocessing, analytical project management, technical assessments, and communicating findings to non-technical stakeholders. Candidates are evaluated for their technical proficiency in tools like SQL, Python, and data visualization software, as well as their fit with EY’s values and culture.

If you're considering a role at EY, this guide on Interview Query will walk you through the interview process, typical questions, and preparation tips. Let's dive in!

Submitting Your Application

The first step is to submit a compelling application that reflects your technical skills and interest in joining EY as a data analyst. Whether you were contacted by an EY recruiter or have taken the initiative yourself, carefully review the job description and tailor your CV according to the prerequisites.

Tailoring your CV may include identifying specific keywords that the hiring manager might use to filter resumes and crafting a targeted cover letter. Furthermore, don’t forget to highlight relevant skills and mention your work experiences.

Recruiter/Hiring Manager Call Screening

If your CV happens to be among the shortlisted few, a recruiter from the EY Talent Acquisition Team will make contact and verify key details like your experiences and skill level. Behavioral questions may also be a part of the screening process.

In some cases, the EY hiring manager stays present during the screening round to answer your queries about the role and the company itself. They may also indulge in surface-level technical and behavioral discussions.

The whole recruiter call should take about 30 minutes.

Technical Virtual Interview

Successfully navigating the recruiter round will present you with an invitation for the technical screening round. Technical screening for the EY data analyst role usually is conducted through virtual means, including video conference and screen sharing. Questions in this 1-hour long interview stage may revolve around data systems, ETL pipelines, and SQL queries.

In the case of data analyst roles, take-home assignments regarding product metrics, analytics, and data visualization are incorporated. Apart from these, your proficiency against hypothesis testing, probability distributions, and machine learning fundamentals may also be assessed during the round.

Depending on the seniority of the position, case studies and similar real-scenario problems may also be assigned.

Onsite Interview Rounds

Followed by a second recruiter call outlining the next stage, you’ll be invited to attend the onsite interview loop. Multiple interview rounds, varying with the role, will be conducted during your day at the EY office. Your technical prowess, including programming and ML modeling capabilities, will be evaluated against the finalized candidates throughout these interviews.

If you were assigned take-home exercises, a presentation round may also await you during the onsite interview for the data analyst role at EY.

Quick Tips For EY Data Analyst Interviews

You should plan to brush up on any technical skills and try as many practice interview questions and mock interviews as possible. A few tips for acing your EY interview include:

• Understand EY's Core Values: EY values high ethical standards and integrity. Be sure to convey through your responses how you align with these core values.
• Be Data Driven: EY interviews focus heavily on how well you can provide business-driving insights with data. Brush up on your knowledge of statistics, probability, and SQL.
• Articulate Your Problem-Solving Approach: Showcase your ability to approach and solve problems systematically. Practice explaining your thought process clearly and logically.

Typically, interviews at EY vary by role and team, but commonly Data Analyst interviews follow a fairly standardized process across these question topics.

• What kind of analysis would you conduct to recommend changes to the UI? You have access to tables summarizing user event data for a community forum app. Conduct a user journey analysis using this data to recommend changes to the user interface.

• How would you assess the validity of the result in an AB test with a .04 p-value? Your company is running a standard control and variant AB test on a feature to increase conversion rates on the landing page. The PM finds a .04 p-value. Assess the validity of this result.

• How would you debug and improve the efficiency of a slow SQL query? You are running a SQL query that is taking a long time. Determine how to know if it's taking too long and how to debug the issue to improve efficiency.

• How would you determine how much Spotify should pay for an ad in a third-party app? As a data scientist on the marketing team for Spotify, determine how much Spotify should pay for an ad in a third-party app.

• Write a SQL query to select the 2nd highest salary in the engineering department.

Note: If more than one person shares the highest salary, the query should select the next highest salary.

Example:

Input:

employees table

|Column|Type| |---|---| | id | INTEGER | | first_name | VARCHAR | | last_name |VARCHAR| | salary | INTEGER | |department_id| INTEGER |

departments table

|Column|Type| |---|---| | id | INTEGER | | name | VARCHAR |

Output:

|Column|Type| |---|---| | salary | INTEGER |

• How can PG&E model the electricity supply needed for a town? PG&E needs to forecast the exact amount of electricity to supply a town each year. Supplying too little causes outages, while supplying too much wastes money. What is one way to model the required electricity supply?

• How can we model the electricity supply for a town to avoid outages and waste? PG&E needs to forecast the exact amount of electricity to supply a town each year. The goal is to avoid outages from under-supply and waste from over-supply. What is one way to model this?

• How do sentiment analysis models convert raw text data into numerical vectors and get trained? To perform sentiment analysis on an Amazon customer feedback dataset, you need to convert raw text into numerical vectors. Explain how these models work and how they are trained.

• How would you assess the effectiveness of a clustering model for grouping basketball players without pre-labeled data? You are hired by the LA Lakers to scout potential players and group them based on their strengths and weaknesses. After training a clustering model, how would you evaluate if it successfully grouped similar players without having pre-labeled data?

What is the average salary for a Data Analyst at Ey?

Q: What is the interview process like for a Data Analyst position at EY?

The interview process typically starts with a resume screening, followed by multiple rounds of interviews, which may include a mix of technical assessments, behavioral interviews, and case studies. You may also encounter informal discussions with team members and a final interview with senior management.

Q: What kind of technical skills are essential for a Data Analyst role at EY?

To excel in this role, you should be proficient in SQL, Python, and data visualization tools like Power BI or Tableau. Experience with data governance frameworks and familiarity with platforms like AWS or Azure can also be beneficial.

Q: How should I prepare for the interviews?

To prepare for the interviews, you should review your technical skills in SQL, Python, and data visualization tools. It's also helpful to practice common data analysis problems on Interview Query. Be ready to discuss your past projects, particularly those that demonstrate your data manipulation and analytical abilities.

Q: What does EY look for in its candidates?

EY values candidates who demonstrate high ethical standards, integrity, and a strong commitment to the company's values. Additionally, they look for individuals with excellent technical skills, strong problem-solving abilities, and the ability to work effectively in diverse and collaborative environments.

Q: What makes working at EY unique?

EY offers a unique combination of global scale, supportive and inclusive culture, and cutting-edge technology. The company encourages continuous learning and provides opportunities for personal and professional growth. At EY, you'll have the chance to build a meaningful career while contributing to a better working world.

If you're aiming for a Data Analyst position at EY, you'll encounter a multi-faceted interview process that includes technical assessments and behavioral interviews, all tailored to assess your analytical prowess, IT skills, and alignment with EY's cultural values. From initial resume screenings to in-depth dialogue-oriented interviews, candidates are evaluated based on their technical skills and their ability to handle challenging scenarios. Alongside discussions on your academic background and prior experiences, you can also expect questions aimed at assessing your problem-solving skills and interpersonal capacities.

For a more comprehensive understanding of the interview process, check out our main EY Interview Guide, where we cover various questions that you may encounter. We've also crafted detailed guides for different roles such as software engineer and data analyst, providing insights into EY’s specific requirements and expectations.

At Interview Query, we are dedicated to equipping you with the necessary tools, confidence, and strategic knowledge to master every aspect of the EY Data Analyst interview process. Explore our company interview guides for thorough preparation and feel free to reach out to us with any questions.

Good luck with your interview!