Let me guess. You’re prepping for your Big 4 interview, drowning in Google Docs, and wondering if anyone actually gets asked these “Tell me about a time” questions in real life.
Short answer: Yes. All the time.
Long answer: Here’s a list of 10 real questions I got from PwC and Deloitte — no fluff, no theory — just what was actually asked. Plus how I answered (and how I should have answered in hindsight).
1. “Walk me through your resume.”
This is the unofficial warm-up. But most people fumble it by listing everything chronologically like a robot.
What I said:
“I started at XYZ University majoring in accounting… then I interned at…”
What I should’ve said:
“I’ve always liked solving business problems. That’s what led me to accounting. At XYZ University, I doubled down with two internships — one in private equity, one in internal audit — both gave me the foundation for client service and working under pressure.”
➡️ Give them a story. Not a timeline.
2. “Tell me about a time you had to deal with a difficult teammate.”
Classic behavioral. Don’t blame the teammate too hard. Focus on how you handled it.
What I said:
“There was someone who didn’t pull their weight in a group project…”
What I should’ve said:
“In a group project, one team member ghosted halfway through. I reallocated the work across the rest of us, then emailed the professor outlining what we each contributed — including the missing person’s absence. It was uncomfortable, but necessary.”
➡️ They’re testing conflict navigation, not your ability to tattle.
3. “Why do you want to work at PwC (or Deloitte)?”
Don’t say, “I like working with people” or “I want to learn.” They hear that 400 times a week.
What I said:
“You have a strong reputation, and I’ve always admired your firm.”
What I should’ve said:
“I want to build a strong foundation in financial reporting and client service. PwC’s emphasis on tech-enabled audit and exposure to fintech clients fits perfectly with where I want to go long term.”
➡️ Be specific. Make them believe you did your homework.
4. “What’s one thing not on your resume that we should know?”
What I said:
“I’m really passionate about travel and culture.”
What I should’ve said:
“I started a Shopify store in college that helped me pay off my student loans. It taught me more about cash flow, inventory, and tax compliance than any textbook ever could.”
➡️ Use this to stand out. Everyone has a GPA. Not everyone builds something.
5. “Explain a complex concept to someone without a finance background.”
What I said:
“I’d use simple terms to explain things like depreciation…”
What I should’ve said:
“I’d break it down like this: ‘Imagine you buy a car for $20K. You’re not losing $20K today — you’re losing $4K a year over five years. That’s depreciation. It smooths out the cost over time.’”
➡️ They want to know if you’d be good in front of a client who doesn’t speak GAAP, as well as putting you on the spot with a technical question
6. “Tell me about a time you made a mistake.”
What I said:
“I once forgot to save a file and had to redo some work.”
What I should’ve said:
“In a finance internship, I misread a control walkthrough and documented something incorrectly. I caught it before it hit the client, flagged it to my manager, and we updated it together. It taught me not just attention to detail, but how to own my mistakes early.”
➡️ Own it. Fix it. Learn from it. That’s the triangle.
7. “What’s your biggest weakness?”
What I said:
“I’m a perfectionist.”
What I should’ve said:
“I used to get stuck tweaking things endlessly — especially decks and documentation. I’ve gotten better at defining what ‘done’ looks like up front and knowing when something is good enough to deliver.”
➡️ Choose a weakness you’ve actively worked on. Bonus points if it’s actually real.
8. “How do you prioritize when everything feels urgent?”
What I said:
“I use to-do lists.”
What I should’ve said:
“I ask three questions: 1) What’s the deadline? 2) What’s the impact if it’s late? 3) Who’s waiting on it? Then I stack rank. It’s triage, not a checklist.”
➡️ This one’s especially common for audit and consulting roles. Show you can think under pressure.
9. “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?”
What I said:
“I hope to be a senior associate or manager.”
What I should’ve said:
“I want to be seen as someone who delivers under pressure, owns relationships, and understands both the numbers and the story behind them. Whether that’s in public or private, I’m here to build a strong foundation now so I have options later.”
➡️ Don’t lock yourself into partner track if you’re not sure. Show ambition + self-awareness.
10. “Do you have any questions for us?”
What I said:
“What’s the culture like?”
What I should’ve said:
“How do high performers stand out here in year one?”
or
“What’s one thing new hires often underestimate about this job?”
➡️ This is a test. Good questions show you’re not just trying to get in — you’re trying to grow.
Final Thoughts
If you’re interviewing with Big 4, remember: the bar isn’t genius-level IQ — it’s composure, preparation, and realness.
Don’t script your answers to sound like a LinkedIn post. Think about what you’ve actually done, what you learned, and what kind of person they’d want to sit next to at 11:42 pm during busy season.
