Rhea Singhal

As part of the Graduate Coffee Chats series in collaboration with Foresight Business Group, TBR Correspondent and Foresight Chief Strategic and Financial Officer Rhea Singhal sat down with Laura Lynagh, a Strategy & Transactions Analyst at EY-Parthenon and former TBR Freshers Convenor, to get insight into life as a graduate at EY-Parthenon.

What Does a Strategy & Transactions Analyst Actually Do?

EY-Parthenon, the global strategy consulting arm of Ernst & Young (EY), has over 9,000 professionals worldwide. EY Parthenon is split into three key teams: Transaction Strategy & Execution, Strategy and Turnaround & Restructuring. Laura’s role focuses on post-merger integration and separation. “After a transaction, my job is to figure out how to integrate two companies in terms of operations, finance, legal, and HR.” She also takes part in due diligence, including HR and operational due diligence, and works with distressed mergers and acquisitions. She describes her role as “very broad, dynamic, and interesting,” emphasizing that no two days are ever the same.

“I find the area of M&A really interesting—it’s so dynamic, it moves so quickly, and it’s quite broad. You’re not pigeonholed into one thing. And you get to do your accounting exams in the graduate programme, so it felt like a natural fit.”

The EY-Parthenon Graduate Programme 

EY’s graduate programme is designed to be social and supportive. “You start with lots of people your own age, so it’s really sociable,” Laura shares. She also praises EY’s learning and development team: “They really support you. For example, if you’re doing exams, they put on revision lectures.”

The Strategy & Transactions (SAT) team is also a great place for graduates because roles aren’t set in stone. “If you want to take on work, they’ll let you. They really let you grow and contribute to the team.” The firm is also flexible about team changes, though, she says, “You often end up in a team that suits you since they try to match you well after interviews.”

The Interview Process

Laura had a positive interview experience at EY-Parthenon. “I applied to the EY Strategy & Transactions graduate programme general application and then selected EY Parthenon.” On the day, current graduates were there to greet her, making for a friendly and welcoming environment.

She interviewed with a Director and a Manager. “It was very conversational. I really liked that they made an effort to read my application, CV, and all my answers beforehand.” Because of this, she emphasizes the importance of knowing your application inside and out: “They’ll ask you to expand on things you wrote. So, don’t just write things down—make sure you can talk about them.”

Laura shared some key interview tips:

1. Do some research!: When you are going through the interview process, research the company, the department and the role itself. If your role involves taking the accountancy exams, research them, explain why you have the “right skill set” for the exams.
2. Be comfortable talking about yourself: As said by Laura, “They don’t expect you to have five years of work experience.” Be ready to talk about any college societies or clubs you have been involved in and any experience you may have gained while in college. 
3. Practice: Laura emphasised practising interview questions and developing the “skill of thinking on your feet”. Additionally, Laura said the interview questions are not very technical and are more competency based such as ‘‘Tell me about a moment when…?’”

Advice for Students

Should you start broad or specialise early?

“It depends. It’s a combination of your interest area and the company. Even if it’s a narrow interest area, joining a large company should give you insight into a wider range of projects. You should conduct an in-depth assessment of yourself.”

How do you figure out what works best for you?

“First, research the company. Talk to people. Reach out to people. Open days can really help as well.” She also suggests looking beyond job descriptions: “Find out what they actually do day to day. For example, Audit can be really cyclical—maybe you’re the type of person who really likes a routine.”

Something Laura Wishes She Knew When She Was In College:

“I was a little bit concerned with how it was all going to work out—was I going to like the day-to-day? Would I like my colleagues? I wish I knew how supportive and understanding everyone is. I didn’t need to worry so much!”

She also realized that college exams aren’t the end goal. “The accounting exams are a whole different ball game, and it’s really important to research what works for you.”Laura’s biggest takeaway? “Be prepared, be yourself, and don’t be afraid to reach out to people for insights!”