Management consultant interviews: 10 critical preparation steps
Here, I’ll focus on ten critical steps to prepare for management consulting interview rounds. As general advice, by far the best way to become a distinctive interviewer is to get live experience - thus the reason why you should spread a wide net in your search for different consulting firms.
Preparing for case studies
1. Browse Case In Point - a very high-quality, 100% case-focused preparation guide
2. Review Victor Cheng’s www.caseinterview.com - as an ex-McKinsey consultant, Victor has a strong grasp of successful case study strategies and tactics
3. Practice online case studies - most firm websites have plenty of cases (some like Bain even have video case studies). The key is to answer the question yourself before reading the suggested answer. There are good consulting websites with case study materials as well, including Rice’s Consulting Club
4. Practice case studies with friends - if no friends have relevant experience, search Craigslist, consulting forums, and the like for practice buddies
5. Practice guesstimation/sizing questions in spare waking moments (eg, if you see a Ford while driving, think about how many Ford cars are manufactured in Mexico). It seems silly, but this is exactly how to become an expert at case studies
The most critical thing: practicing cases with current consultants. Don’t underestimate their ability to help.
Experiential/behavioral interview prep
1. Create simulated interview questions and outline sample responses - avoid straight memorization, but outline your main points.
2. Practice answering in front of a mirror - this helps familiarize you with body language, hand gestures, tone, etc
3. Practice with friends and family - have them ask you questions where you don’t have prepared responses. Improvisational interview skills will serve you well for consulting interviews
General interview prep suggestions
1. Dress in something that looks sharp and makes you feel good - first appearances are powerful. Dress like a business consultant, and you’ll look like you deserve to be there.
2. Talk to as many consultants as you can - the better you understand the actual job, the more comfortable you are with consulting terms like “5,000 mile view” and “good client hands“, the better you’ll do. It’s also great for consulting job networking
That wraps up our how-to article on preparing for management consultant interviews. Good luck!