Though the case interview is the most important aspect of management consulting recruiting, don’t overlook the consulting fit interview. This is how consulting firms assess how you’ll interact with a Fortune 500 CEO client. After all, firms do not hire the best case interview performers; they hire those who also hit a certain case interview benchmark. So make sure and familiarize yourself with these consultant fit interview questions.
Fit questions are asked at the interviewer’s discretion, and there is a lot of variance within question types. However, there are some notable overlaps as well. See below for the 4 types of consultant fit interview questions.
4 Types Of Consultant Fit Interview Questions
Background and Resume
The first type of questions consulting interviews start with are ones about your background and resume. It makes sense – your interviewer will not have read your resume, no matter how much they try and pretend. Before you step into an interview, be sure that you can walk through your resume in chronological order, in less than 2 minutes, and can share your experiences in a clear, concise, and compelling way.
Example Interview Questions
- Tell me about yourself
- Can you walk me through your resume?
- Why did you choose [major] as your major?
- You studied [non-business major] – why do you want to go into consulting?
- Why did you choose [school]?
- What was your favorite class in college and why?
- Can you tell me about what you did during your time at [company]?
- What’s something that’s not on your resume that I should know?
- Why do want to make the switch from [non-consulting industry] to consulting?
- Did you receive an offer from your previous summer internship?
- What is your favorite book or film?
- What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
Consulting and Firm Specific
In most instances, the consultant fit interview questions will next shift towards questions about your interest in consulting and in the firm. Think deeply about your interest in the field and craft a story that highlights your interest. Can the “I have 3 reasons why” responses – they sound contrived and boring. The best way to tell a compelling story? Speak with 2-3 current consultants at the firm prior to the interview to ask them specific questions about firm and office nuances. Use their answers in your stories, as they will provide insight that you can’t find online.
Example Interview Questions
- Why consulting?
- Why [firm name]?
- Why [firm name] instead of [other top consulting firms]?
- What do you think a consultant does?
- What skills do you think are important for a consultant?
- Do you see yourself being a consultant for the long run?
- What types of projects would you like to work on?
- What other firms are you interviewing with?
Personality
Consulting firms then like to dive into your personality – both the good and the bad. No one is perfect and consultants don’t expect you to be. Instead, they want to know that you are self-aware enough to recognize weaknesses, humble enough to accept feedback, and motivated enough to act on it. Pro tip: It is never okay to compare yourself to others in your answers.
Example Interview Questions
- What is your greatest strength?
- What is your greatest weakness?
- How would your friends describe you in 3 words?
- What is your greatest accomplishment?
- What is your greatest failure?
- Can you provide some examples that show that you work well under pressure?
- How do you manage your time?
- How would you describe your brand?
- What’s something you believe in strongly that no one else believes?
Situation
The last type of consultant fit interview questions ask about challenging situations you have experienced and the roles you played in them. Your answers should include interesting stories that showcase your strengths and ability to perform under pressure.
Example Interview Questions
- Tell me about a time when you led a team – how did you display leadership ability?
- Tell me about a time you were dealing with a complex problem you had to solve with a team
- Tell me about a project you worked on that didn’t go well. What you would have done differently?
- Tell me about a time when you had to sacrifice for a teammate.
- Tell me about a time you were given an ambiguous assignment to work on. How did you handle the ambiguity?
- Tell me about a time when you worked on something beyond your responsibility.
- What would you do if you had an issue with one of your managers on your team?
- Can you provide an example of a time you decided to do something even when you didn’t want to do it?
- Tell me about an ethical dilemma you faced and what you did in response.
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Conclusion
Consultant fit interview questions don’t have to be daunting. With intentional preparation focused on the 4 types of consultant fit interview questions, you can ace the consulting fit interview. Put in the required time to really think through you answers for each type of question, get expert feedback on those answers, start preparing early, and you’ll do great!