When going on a consulting interview, it is important to know exactly what the interviewer will be looking for. Most likely you will be presented with a business related question or situation in which you will have to find a constructive and reasonable solution. Here are some helpful tips that will help you get that dream consulting job!
Since you don’t know what case situation you will be presented with, it would be beneficial to run different scenarios with yourself or with a friend to practice your skills. Whatever the situation, the interviewer will want to assess how you approach a problem. Whether you think logically, whether you’re organized and detail oriented, and whether you’re comfortable with numbers and data. They will want to see how you engage and communicate with people, the confidence you present in your work, and your enthusiasm for problem solving. They will also judge your knowledge of fundamental business concepts and frameworks.
Keeping all this mind, below is a small checklist you can go through in your mind during the interview. Just remember, RASCALS!
Repeat: Be sure to listen to the question and rephrase it, making sure you and the interviewer are both on the same page.
Ask: Ask as many clarifying questions as possible. Be interested and enthusiastic about what they’re asking you. Show you’re interested through your questions.
Stop: If you need to, ask your interviewer for 30 seconds to step back and collect your thoughts. Be silent and think. It may feel a bit awkward, but your interviewer will see it as a sign of maturity that you’re fully analyzing what they asked you to come up with a proper answer.
Construct: Structure your response in a way that will be helpful to you and clear for the interviewer. Draw pictures, create charts, and speak about each topic point, giving an overview of all of them.
Answer: Use headlines to describe what you are saying just like you would topic sentences in an essay. Present your answer in a conversation with your interviewer as if you were making a recommendation to a client.
Loosen Up: Make sure to show your confidence by smiling and relaxing, and being enthusiastic about the topic. Don’t be afraid to ask for feedback on your approach from your interviewer.
Summarize: Summarize your answer in a conclusion, reiterating your main points and highlighting the most important parts of the conversation.
As you practice, run through these points in your mind, and map out a process to have a great consulting interview that’ll be sure to earn you that dream consulting job!