Top 30 PwC Interview Questions and Answers (2024)

Introduction

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) is a leading global professional services firm headquartered in London, United Kingdom. As a major player in the professional services sector, PwC operates alongside Deloitte, EY (Ernst & Young), and KPMG as one of the Big Four accounting firms. These firms are renowned for their extensive audit, tax, and consulting services, and PwC stands as the second-largest in this prestigious group.

So, if you're seeking a reference guide before your PwC interview, you've found it.

PwC Recruitment Process

PwC Interview Process and Interview Rounds

The recruitment process for software roles at PwC is comprehensive and designed to identify candidates who excel both technically and culturally. Here’s a detailed look at each stage:

Application Submission

Begin by submitting your application through PwC's career portal. Ensure your resume is tailored to highlight your technical skills, relevant projects, and accomplishments. Include a cover letter if required, demonstrating your interest in PwC and the specific role.
Customize your resume and cover letter to align with the job description and required qualifications.

Initial Screening

A recruiter will review your application and, if shortlisted, contact you for an initial phone or video screening. This call typically covers your background, education, work experience, and reasons for applying to PwC. The recruiter will also explain the next steps in the process.
Prepare to discuss your resume in detail and articulate why you’re interested in PwC and the software role.

Online Assessment

You will receive an invitation to complete an online assessment, which may include coding exercises, technical questions, and logical reasoning tests. This stage is designed to evaluate your problem-solving abilities and programming skills in a timed environment.
Practice coding problems and review fundamental concepts in algorithms and data structures to prepare for this assessment.

Technical Interview

If you pass the online assessment, you’ll be scheduled for a technical interview, often conducted by a senior developer or technical lead. This interview focuses on your technical knowledge and problem-solving skills. You may be asked to solve coding problems on a whiteboard or during a live coding session. Expect questions on algorithms, data structures, system design, and possibly domain-specific topics relevant to the role.
Brush up on coding practices, prepare for system design questions, and practice explaining your solutions clearly.

Behavioral Interview

This interview assesses your soft skills and cultural fit. You’ll be asked questions about your previous experiences, how you handle challenges, work with teams, and resolve conflicts. This is also where you demonstrate your communication skills and how well you align with PwC’s values and work environment.
Use the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) method to structure your answers and provide concrete examples of your past experiences.

Final Interview

The final interview typically involves discussions with senior management or team leaders. This round may combine both technical and behavioral questions, providing a comprehensive evaluation of your suitability for the role and your fit within the team. It’s also an opportunity for you to ask questions about the role, team dynamics, and company culture.
Tip: Prepare insightful questions about the team and the role to show your interest and engagement. Be ready to discuss your career aspirations and how they align with PwC’s goals.

Offer and Onboarding

If you successfully navigate all previous rounds, PwC will extend a formal job offer. This offer will include details about salary, benefits, and other employment terms. Once accepted, you’ll go through the onboarding process, which includes orientation, training, and integration into your new team.
Review the offer carefully and clarify any questions before acceptance. Prepare for onboarding by familiarizing yourself with PwC’s policies and resources.

By understanding and preparing for each stage of the recruitment process, you can position yourself effectively and increase your chances of securing a software role at PwC.

The blog consists of over 30 PwC Interview Questions.

PwC Technical Interview Questions for Freshers

1. What is the meaning of merge sort? How does the merge sort stack up in terms of time and space complexity?

Ans: For sorting a set of data, Merge Sort is a Divide and Conquer algorithm (can be an array or linked list). It required dividing the input into two halves at each stage until only one element remained, then merging the sorted halves to generate a sorted input.
There isn't a built-in algorithm for merge sorting (which means you need to use extra space for sorting the input).

Merge sort is a stable method, meaning that even if the input contains two identical elements, the sorted output will retain its relative order.
Auxiliary Space: O(N)
Time Complexity: O (N log N)

2. In C++, what are the advantages of a vector above an array?

Ans: This is one of the frequently asked questions in PwC Interview Questions. Let's see the answer to this question.

Arrays are fixed, whereas Vectors are resizable. When the array reaches its limit, it does not automatically expand, but the vector does so implicitly by reallocating the components and allocating new space.
When an array is dynamically allocated, it must be explicitly deallocated, whereas vectors are automatically deallocated when they reach the end of their scope.
The size of the dynamically allocated array must be explicitly tracked, but the length of the vector does not need to be watched. This also means that if we need to execute some operations in a function, we must explicitly supply the size of the dynamically created array and the array. Still, we do not need to pass the vector size to the function.
The array cannot be copied or assigned to another array. However, the vector can be easily copied or assigned to another vector.

3. In C++, what is the size of an empty class?

Ans:

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
class NewClass
{
};


int main() {
   cout<<sizeof(NewClass)<<"\n";  
}


// Output:
// 1

In C++, an empty class is 1 byte in size. This is done to ensure that two separate objects have two different addresses. There is no way to tell whether two items are the same or different if they have the same addresses. It all comes down to the object's identification.

4. What are your thoughts on DDBMS transparency?

Ans: In a DDBMS, transparency refers to the system's transparent information delivery to the user. It aids in the concealment of information that the user must implement.

In a traditional database management system, data independence is a type of transparency that aids in disguising changes in the data's definition and organization from the user. However, they all have the same overall goal in mind. That is, the distributed database is used similarly to a centralized database.

Read more about Html interview questions here.

5. There are nine coins in total and a weighing scale. Eight coins are the same weight, yet one is heavier. How many iterations do you need to find the heaviest coin in the worst-case scenario?

Ans: The majority of people attempt to divide the coins into two categories. However, the trick is to separate them into three categories. This is because we can only trash one group of coins if we divide them into two groups and weigh them.

However, if we divide them into three groups and weigh two of them, they will either be equal or not. If both are equal, the coin with the heavier weight will be in the left-out group; if they are not identical, the coin with the larger weight will be in the heavier weight group.

In this scenario, we can eliminate two of the three groupings. As a result, we divide nine coins into three equal groups.

Using the above principle, we can eliminate two groups in the first iteration.
We'll be down to three coins now.
Now we split them into three equal groups, each with one coin.
We can remove two groups again in the second iteration, allowing us to locate the heavier coin.

As a result, just two iterations are required.

6. What exactly is Bootstrap? What are the benefits of using Bootstrap instead of CSS?

Ans: This is one of the frequently asked questions in PwC Interview Questions. Let's see the answer to this question.

Bootstrap is a Twitter-developed Open Source Front-End framework for making web development easier and faster. This is nothing more than reusable code that we can download and use for our web development without having to rewrite the same code (i.e., not reinventing the wheel). It works with practically all browsers because it supports almost all of them.

Bootstrap further makes the site adaptable, meaning it adapts to the screen size regardless of the device used to see it.
Bootstrap has the following advantages over CSS:

Time-Saving: It speeds up development because we can get the same functionality by including bootstrap into our code rather than building it from the start.
Cross-Browser Compatibility: Because bootstrap supports all major modern web browsers, we don't have to worry about whether or not a feature will work in all of them.
Responsiveness: Because bootstrap utilizes a fluid grid layout, it adapts to the device's screen resolution, so we won't receive a startling website view when viewing the same website on multiple devices of various sizes, such as a laptop desktop, mobile, or tablet, etc.
Ease of Use: We can get started using bootstrap with a basic understanding of HTML and CSS.
Open Source: Because Bootstrap is open source, we don't have to pay for this capability.

Must Read Web Developer Interview Questions

7. What's the difference between C and C++?

Ans: The following are some similarities between C and C++:

The syntax of both languages is comparable.
Both languages have the same code structure.
Both languages have a comparable compilation.
They have a similar basic syntax. C++ has nearly all of C's operators and keywords, and they all do the same thing.
C++ has a little more complex language than C, but the fundamentals are the same.
Both models' basic memory models are fairly close to the hardware.
Both languages have the same concepts of stack, heap, file-scope, and static variables.

8. What's the difference between a linear data structure and a nonlinear data structure?

Ans: Data elements are sequentially connected in a linear data structure, and each element can be traversed in a single run. Data elements are hierarchically related and present in a non-linear data structure at multiple levels. All data items are present at a single level in a linear data structure.

Array, queue, stack, linked list, and other linear data structures are examples. Non-linear data structures, on the other hand, include trees and graphs.

9. In C, what is volatile?

Ans: In C, a volatile keyword is a qualifier that a programmer uses when declaring a variable in source code. It's used to tell the compiler that the variable value can be modified anytime without the source code having to do anything. When we declare a variable, we usually use the word volatile.

10. What is the meaning of a dangling pointer?

Ans: When an object is removed or de-allocated from memory without changing the pointer's value, it becomes a dangling pointer. The pointer in this scenario is pointing to a de-allocated memory. The dangling pointer can point to a memory location containing either application or operating system code. If we provide this pointer a value, it overwrites the value of the program code or operating system instructions.

As a result, the program will produce an unpleasant outcome or even crash. If the memory is re-allocated to another process, segmentation faults will occur if we dereference the dangling pointer.

11. What is the difference between a shared lock and an exclusive lock?

Ans: A shared lock can be applied to objects that do not already have an exclusive lock. Only exclusive locks can be used on things that don't have any other locks.

12. What exactly is cloud computing and how can it be used?

Ans: The distribution of various services over the Internet, such as data storage, servers, databases, networking, and software, is known as cloud computing. Saving files to a distant database and retrieving them on demand is possible with cloud-based storage.

13. Suggestions for connecting two tables of SQL.

Ans: SQL JOIN: A JOIN clause joins rows from two or more tables together based on a common column. It's worth noting that the "Orders" table's "CustomerID" column corresponds to the "Customers" table's "CustomerID." The "CustomerID" column establishes a link between the two tables above.

14. What is an object-oriented data model, and what does it entail?

Ans: Data and relationships are contained in a single structure in an Object-Oriented Data Model, which is referred to as an object. Real-world issues are represented as objects with various attributes in this system. There are numerous connections between all objects.

15. In a database, what are the DDL and DML commands?

Ans: The Data Definition Language (DDL) is used to define the database structure or schema, while the Data manipulation language (DML command) is used to manage the data stored in the database. DDL creates the database schema, whereas DML populates and manipulates the database.

PwC Technical Interview Questions

16. In a database, how are indexes created?

Ans: Indexes can be built using one or more columns from a database table, allowing for quick random lookups as well as efficient access to ordered records. An index is a copy of a table's selected columns of data that is designed to allow for fast searching.

17. What is RDBMS, and how does it work?

Ans: A relational database management system is the software that stores, manages, queries, and retrieves data from a relational database (RDBMS). The RDBMS acts as a bridge between users and applications and the database, as well as providing administrative functions for data storage, access, and performance management.

18. In a database, define the terms intension and extension.

Ans: In a database, the following is the primary distinction between intention and extension:

Intension: Intension, also known as database schema, is used to define the database's description. It is specified during the database's design and largely stays the same.

Extension: Extension, on the other hand, is a metric for counting the number of tuples in a database at any given time. The value of a database's extension, also known as the snapshot, changes as tuples are created, updated, or destroyed in the database.

19. Why is BCNF superior to 3NF?

Ans: Because BCNF eliminates the second condition of 3NF, which allowed the right side of the FD to be a prime attribute, it is a more powerful form of normalization than 3NF. As a result, every FD's left side must be a superkey in a table.

Must Read topic: Azure Data Engineer Interview Questions

20. What does the term "big data" mean to you?

Ans: Big data is defined as more diverse data, that arrives in greater volumes, and moves faster. The three Vs is another name for it. Simply put, big data refers to data sets that are larger and more complex, especially when they come from new sources.

21. What does it mean to conduct a cross-functional audit?

Ans: When other professional groups within an organization participate in internal auditing for the advancement of that organization, it is referred to as cross-functional auditing.

22. What does it mean to get a tax refund?

Ans: A tax refund is a payment made to taxpayers who have overpaid their taxes, usually due to employers withholding too much from their wages. According to the US Treasury, nearly three-quarters of taxpayers are over-withheld, resulting in tax refunds.

23. What do "assessment year" and "previous year" mean?

Ans: The previous year is defined by the Income Tax Act as the year in which income was earned. The income earned this year is taxable the following year, which is referred to as the Assessment Year. The current Financial Year is the Previous Year in layman's terms.

24. What is vouching, and what are the different sorts of vouching?

Ans: Routine checking, a mechanical check, is included in vouching, which is based on documentary evidence. A voucher can be anything from a sales bill to a purchase bill to a payment receipt to a pay-in-slip. Coupons refer to all of these sorts of documentary proof.

25. What is the AMT (alternative minimum tax)?

Ans: The Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) is a different tax system that compels some taxpayers to compute their tax burden twice, once under standard income tax laws and then again under the AMT regulations, and pay the highest amount. The AMT differs from the regular system because it has fewer preferences and various exemptions and rates.

26. What is the definition of capital gain? What is the difference between long-term capital gains and short-term capital gains?

Ans: There are two types of capital gains: Short-term capital gains are those earned on assets sold after one year or less of ownership. Long-term capital gains are achieved when you sell an asset after owning it for more than a year.

27. What exactly do you mean when you say "amortization" and "impairment"?

Ans: The term "amortization" refers to calculating the value of an intangible asset over time. It is said to be impaired when an intangible asset is regarded as less valuable than what is reported on the balance sheet after amortization.

28. What is a proprietorship, and what are its benefits and drawbacks?

Ans: A sole proprietorship is a business owned, controlled, and managed solely by one person. While running a business, a Sole Proprietor reaps the financial benefits and is responsible for all risks and liabilities. It's ideal for self-managed businesses like salons and small retail stores.

29. What exactly is the Caro Report 2003, and what are its highlights?

Ans: CARO = If, at any time during the financial year covered by the audit report, a private limited company: Paid-up capital and reserves exceed the rupees fifty lakh limit; loan outstanding exceeds rupees twenty-five lakh, and turnover exceeds rupees five crores.

30. What does it mean to make a profit? What is the difference between long and short-term capital gains, and how do they differ?

Ans: The profit made on selling an asset, such as stocks, bonds, or real estate, is referred to as capital gain. When an asset's selling price exceeds its purchase price, it results in a capital gain. It is the difference between the asset's selling and cost prices.

There are two types of capital gains:

Short-term capital gains are the gain on assets sold after a year or less.
Long-term capital gains are earned on assets sold after a year of ownership.

PwC Interview Preparation

Preparing for a PwC interview involves several strategic steps to ensure you're well-equipped to handle both technical and behavioral questions. Start by understanding the company’s core values and the specifics of the role you're applying for. Familiarize yourself with PwC’s work culture, recent projects, and industry trends to demonstrate your genuine interest and fit for the position.

Research and Understand the Role: Gain a thorough understanding of the responsibilities and expectations for the role. Review the job description carefully to align your skills and experiences with the role’s requirements.
Review PwC’s Values and Culture: PwC places high importance on its values, such as integrity, excellence, and teamwork. Reflect on how your personal values align with PwC’s and be prepared to discuss examples that demonstrate your fit within their corporate culture.
Prepare for Behavioral Questions: PwC interviews often include behavioral questions to assess how you handle various work situations. Prepare to discuss your past experiences using the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) method to showcase your problem-solving and interpersonal skills.
Technical Knowledge and Skills: For technical roles, review key technical concepts and relevant technologies. Be ready to demonstrate your technical expertise through problem-solving exercises and technical discussions.
Ask Insightful Questions: Prepare thoughtful questions about the role, team, and company. This not only shows your interest but also helps you gather important information about the role and PwC’s expectations.

By thoroughly preparing in these areas, you can present yourself as a strong candidate who is well-prepared for the challenges and opportunities at PwC.

Tips

Solving Data Structure and Algorithm challenges regularly should become a habit.

Take a chance on mock interviews. This will give you a sense of what to expect during the interview. This also aids in the development of your communication abilities.

Examine every element in the résumé and learn everything you can about the projects and technology mentioned. Include no projects or technologies that you are unfamiliar with.

Make sure you have a clear picture of the Technical Structure and architecture in your head before jumping into the PwC technical interview.

When a recruiter asks a question, your answer isn't the only thing recorded. They attempt to determine how you approach the situation and analyze the problem.

In short, brushing up on your technical and conceptual skills while remembering these frequently asked PwC interview questions will significantly improve your tech interview preparation.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I prepare for a PwC interview?

To prepare for a PwC interview, research the company’s values and the role, practice common interview questions, review your resume and relevant technical skills, and engage in mock interviews to refine your responses and presentation.

Is a PwC interview hard?

PwC interviews can be challenging as they assess both technical skills and cultural fit. The difficulty often depends on your preparation, knowledge of the role, and ability to demonstrate problem-solving and communication skills effectively.

What questions do PwC ask?

PwC asks a mix of technical, behavioral, and situational questions. Expect queries about your experience, problem-solving abilities, understanding of the role, and how you align with PwC’s values and work culture.

How many rounds are in a PwC interview?

A PwC interview typically consists of several rounds, including an initial screening, technical and behavioral interviews, and sometimes a final interview with senior management. The exact number of rounds can vary depending on the role and location.

Conclusion

Half the battle is won if you have the correct information and preparation for the PwC Interview Questions for your interviews. And, with the appropriate confidence, you'll be unstoppable on your journey to a successful career with PwC.
We hope that this blog has helped you enhance your preparation for PwC Technical Interview and if you want to learn more, check out our articles in the code studio library.

The knowledge never stops; look at more related articles: Angular 8 Interview Questions, Embedded C Interview Questions, SDLC Interview Questions, Azure Data Factory Interview Questions, Terraform Interview Questions, HR Interview Questions and Answers, and many more.

You can also check this out: Manual testing interview questions

Refer to our Guided Path on Code360 to upskill yourself in Data Structures and Algorithms, Competitive Programming, JavaScript, System Design, and many more! If you want to test your competency in coding, you may check out the mock test series and participate in the contests hosted on Coding Ninjas Studio.

But suppose you have just started your learning process and are looking for questions asked by tech giants like Amazon, Microsoft, Uber, etc. In that case, you must look at the problems, interview experiences, and interview bundle for placement preparations. Please look at this YouTube tutorial if you want to explore the preparation strategy for SDE placements.

Do upvote our blog to help other ninjas grow.

Happy Learning!