Transaction Services Training

The training

View full programme

Resources

Techstronix — Embedded ElectronicsFreeAtlas Components — AutomotiveFreeFAQTS GlossaryBlog

Pricing

€119.99 — Lifetime access
Contact
Get hired
Back to all posts
eytransaction-servicesinterviewbig-4

EY Transaction Services Interview: Technical Questions

Prepare for the EY Transaction Advisory Services interview with this guide to technical questions, deal mechanics and what EY interviewers look for.

Published April 17, 2026· 3 min read

EY's Transaction Advisory Services (TAS) practice is one of the largest in the world. Landing a role there — whether as an analyst, senior associate or manager — requires strong technical foundations, commercial awareness, and the ability to think like a deal professional from day one.

EY TAS: The Structure

EY TAS is typically organised into several sub-service lines:

  • Transaction Support (Financial Due Diligence)
  • Valuations
  • Strategy and Transactions (SaT)
  • Restructuring

For most candidates from audit or business school, the target is Transaction Support — the FDD practice. This guide focuses on that stream.

What the EY Interview Process Looks Like

The standard EY TS interview process includes:

  1. HR screen — motivation, CV review, brief introduction
  2. First technical round — typically with a manager, focused on accounting and deal concepts
  3. Case study round — a written or verbal analysis of an FDD scenario or P&L
  4. Partner interview — commercial awareness, motivation, deal experience discussion

Core Technical Questions at EY

Quality of Earnings

  • "Walk me through how you would perform a QoE analysis on a target business."
  • "What is the difference between reported and adjusted EBITDA?"
  • "Give me three examples of non-recurring items."

Net Debt and Equity Bridge

  • "How do you calculate net debt in a transaction?"
  • "What is the difference between debt and debt-like items?"
  • "What is a completion accounts mechanism?"

Working Capital

  • "What is the purpose of a working capital target in an SPA?"
  • "How does seasonality affect the NWC target?"
  • "What does a deterioration in DSO tell you?"

What EY Interviewers Specifically Look For

Based on feedback from EY TAS candidates, the key differentiators are:

  • Structured answers: EY interviewers value the STAR or "situation-complication-resolution" format for both technical and behavioural questions.
  • Deal awareness: Referencing real deals or the deal process signals you are genuinely interested in M&A, not just changing jobs.
  • Intellectual curiosity: EY TAS is a learning environment. Showing genuine curiosity about business models, sectors and deal structures matters.

Preparation Tips

  • Read the EY TAS thought leadership (available on their website) to understand their service offering
  • Prepare 2-3 deals you have followed or studied and be ready to discuss them
  • Know your P&L, balance sheet and cash flow cold — EY asks accounting questions that go deeper than headline ratios
  • Practise building an EBITDA bridge from a sample P&L in under 10 minutes

Conclusion

The EY TAS interview is rigorous but structured. Candidates who prepare thoroughly on the technical fundamentals and demonstrate genuine deal interest consistently outperform those who rely on CV points alone.

The Transaction Services Interview Programme (€119.99, one-time) includes EY-specific preparation, 8+ case studies, and 150+ EBITDA adjustments to get you interview-ready. Enrol now.