How I Got a Deloitte Offer Without an Accounting Background

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When I walked into UC Davis MPAc's Meet the Firms event where more than 20 accounting recruiters gathered to meet our cohort, I had a carefully researched list of firms I wanted to target. Over the summer leading up to the program, I spent months digging into Bay Area accounting firms—researching their clients, locations, industry focus and scope. My list included agencies from Big 4 to boutique firms.

Deloitte was not on it.

In my head, the reasoning was simple. Deloitte is the largest professional services firm in the world, a company that employs hundreds of thousands of people globally. Why would they hire me? My background wasn't in accounting—it was in communications and tutoring. I had already written myself out before I even applied.

The Moment I Reconsidered Everything

A few hours into Meet the Firms event, I stepped out for a water break with classmates. When I mentioned I wasn't planning to approach the Deloitte table, they asked why. I explained my resume gap, my non-accounting background and the assumption that I simply wasn't the profile they sought.

Instead of agreeing with me, they pulled out their own resumes. I was surprised. Each of them had wildly different backgrounds. None of us had identical paths, and yet we were all talented in our own way. 

That moment reframed something for me: Different isn't the same as unqualified.

I turned around and walked back into the room.

What Happened at the Deloitte Booth

As I approached Deloitte’s table, I recognized a familiar face. It was Harena, a recruiter who hosted a virtual webinar for our cohort during the summer. She was energetic during that session, and she brought that same energy to our conversation at Meet the Firms.

As I walked her through my resume and my communications work, tutoring and experiences that had nothing to do with debits and credits, she didn't flinch. 

The Deloitte recruiter reviewed my resume and wasn't looking for what wasn't there. She was taking notes, asking questions and understanding what my experiences brought to the table.

We talked for more than half an hour. I walked away with a completely different view of the firm—and of myself.

"Congratulations: You've Been Selected for a First Round Interview"

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A few weeks after Meet the Firms, I had settled into the rhythm of full-time grad school, new professors, new lectures and making new friendships.

The Deloitte application had faded into the background.

Then one Thursday afternoon, scrolling through emails, a new one appeared with the subject line: "Congratulations! You've been selected for a first-round virtual interview at Deloitte."

I read it twice. Then I ran to my room, grabbed my suit, practiced some interview questions and recorded my one-way virtual interview that same day. I didn't want to wait. I wanted to be at my best, and I knew momentum mattered.

That strategy worked. I was invited to the final round.

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The final interview was in person with two senior managers. And while that might sound terrifying, I felt surprisingly calm. I had spent months convincing myself I wasn't qualified for this room. But somewhere between the Meet the Firms lobby and that Thursday email, I had shifted. I knew my experiences were genuinely unique. I made sure the interviewers knew that too.

My Advice to Prospective MPAc Students

I will begin my role as an audit associate at Deloitte in San Jose in fall 2026. Looking back, I still find it funny how I used to see Deloitte—and even funnier how I used to see myself.

Here's what I know now that I didn't know then; the UC Davis MPAc program attracts people with genuinely varied backgrounds.

The cohort model means you're working alongside people every day who think differently than you do, and firms like Deloitte have noticed. They're not just looking for accounting internships and CPA prep courses on a resume. They're looking for people who can communicate, who bring a different lens, who can do something no one else in the room can do.

If you're considering this program and you're worried your background doesn't fit the mold—that's exactly the kind of candidate who tends to do well here.

The MPAc curriculum will build your technical accounting foundation. What you bring in the door on day one? That's what makes you stand out in recruiting.

Who might struggle here: if you're looking for a passive, lecture-only experience, the pace and the cohort intensity will be an adjustment. The program moves fast. Group work, networking events and recruiting all overlap with coursework, especially in the fall quarter.

But if you're someone who's willing to walk back into the room and talk to the table you almost skipped—you'll be just fine.