EARLY CAREER FAQS

Our trainee roles are suitable for individuals who have finished or will be due to finish their studies by the time the role commences. The start date of the role can be found in the job description, these are typically at the end of  August, January and April.

Our placement year roles are suitable for those currently studying an undergraduate degree who need to complete a year in industry during their 3^rd year. These roles typically begin between July and August.

Our roles will be launched at the beginning of September to join the following August. There will be two smaller intakes in January and April and will be advertised in early August but do check back regularly as we sometimes have roles added throughout the year.

We hire over 170 trainees each year, with the highest intake being across our Audit teams. London is always an extremely popular location, so we recommend applying early if this is your first choice. Accountancy tends to have the highest number of applicants per spaces, so we’d also say to get these applications in September.

Our roles launch between September and December to start the following year, the earlier you apply, the better your chance!

We receive over 12,000 applications annually, so make sure your CV is proofread, you fill in the application form carefully and give it your all at each assessment stage.

Each job description will list the entry requirements however for most of our roles, we look for a BBC at A-levels with one topic in Business or Numerical.

Yes absolutely! We appreciate you may not get final grades until the summer so predicted grades are fine.

If you don’t achieve your predicted grades, let us know as soon as possible. We will look at each case individually and allow you to provide us with any context if you feel there was a reason why you didn’t meet your predicted grades. We will discuss this with the business and let you know as soon as possible our decision on your offer.

If you believe your A-levels were impacted by extenuating circumstances, you can tell us about this on your application form. We will make a decision based on the information you share with us, and your grades from both GCSEs and degree if relevant.

Examples of extenuating circumstances can include undiagnosed physical and/or mental health conditions, domestic challenges, loss of a loved one and many other situations.

No, as long as you meet the entry requirements, we don’t mind what you’ve studied! At CP we celebrate everyone’s differences, and this can often be enhanced by hiring people from a range of backgrounds and educational experiences.

Yes absolutely! You could have finished studying 1 year ago or 30 years ago, and it won’t matter to us. As long as you are committed to this career path and the related qualification, we welcome career changers to apply!

For the majority of our roles, the same application process is followed.

You begin with an application form and your CV, where we will check you meet the entry criteria and right to work criteria. We will also look to see if you have already completed any exams as this may impact your suitability for the role.

The next stage is to complete a video interview of 3 questions, focusing on who you are, your knowledge of the role and motivation to join CP.

This will be reviewed by the team (not AI) and we will assess your suitability for the role.

After the video interview, you will be asked to complete Thomas International, which is an aptitude and behavioural assessment. This assessment looks at a combination of speed and accuracy, so we recommend you give yourself a quiet space with no distractions and plenty of time to complete this to the best of your ability.

The final stage is an assessment centre or interview.

The assessment centre involves group activities with up to 7 other applicants, a 1:1 interview, a tour of the office, a talk from our current trainees and our professional qualifications team along with an introduction to the business area you’ve applied to.

Interviews are typically a 2 stage process, that will involve a 2:1 interview with some practical tasks such as presentations, analysis exercises or prioritisation tasks.

If you require reasonable adjustments to be made, please email earlycareersrecruitment@cooperparry.com and we will discuss your circumstances and let you know what adjustments may be available to you for all stages of the assessment process.

Due to the volume of applications we receive, we can only provide feedback at assessment centre or interview stage. We would love to provide individual feedback at each stage, but we just don’t have enough hours in the day!

If you attend an interview or assessment centre, one of the Early Careers team will ring you to provide the outcome of your assessment and let you know any constructive feedback.

You can apply to one role each campus year (1^st September to 31^st August)

Cooper Parry do not currently offer sponsorship following the expire of the PSWV so we are unable to progress applications from students with this type of visa.

Our salaries vary by location and level (school leaver versus graduate), but these range from £22,500 up to £32,000. If you’re applying for a role in which you’ll study for a professional qualification, you’ll see a significant pay increase once you are fully qualified.