Consulting-Specific and Firm-Specific Questions

These questions are important to get right, as there is often doubt as to how much
the candidate understands the position and what is expected, and whether he/she
will be sufficiently prepared. They also help determine whether he or she is
applying to other unrelated jobs and is possibly not really that interested in
Consulting or working for that particular firm.

You want to show how much you’ve spoken to Consultants and ex-Consultants,
read company websites and publications, etc. Do not be vague. Instead, offer
personal examples during these questions (for example, “spoke to a senior
manager at X firm working on a major renewable energy project” or “reviewed
the latest article on shareholder value from your firm’s research portal”). Be sure
that your answers align with your other answers, especially the career-related
questions. You also want to get across that you have the skills/characteristics
that are required to be a top Consultant, and that your answers can demonstrate
that you know what these characteristics are.

Some people have made consulting a career while others have used their
experience as a springboard to a variety of opportunities. Consultants have made
their mark in all areas of business, finance and politics. An interviewer would like
to confirm that you are ambitious, curious and have thought about your career.
Importantly, then, you do not have to have definitive plans, but it is important to
demonstrate the maturity to show that you have seriously considered your career.
 HOW DO YOU ENVISION YOUR CAREER IN 3 YEARS, 5 YEARS, 10
YEARS, OR EVEN 20 YEARS? (YES, WE HAVE HEARD THIS 20-
YEAR QUESTION BEING ASKED).

 The key here is not to say, “I’ll be senior partner at your firm,” which is a knee-
jerk response of many candidates. It comes across as arrogant and patronizing.
We suggest not even saying this jokingly. Instead, show that you’ve thought about
your career, and importantly, how working in Management Consulting will help
you in that career.
 As for the 3-year version of this question, we would always recommend that you
say that you will be learning and contributing at a top tier consulting firm, as
firms do not expect candidates to be thinking about leaving so soon. They want
candidates who are willing and eager to stay for at least 3 years if they are invited
to do so. In that respect, saying “I’d like to be a 3rd year Consultant at your firm” is
an excellent response.
 Beyond that, showing a longer-term interest in other areas, such as being in the
corporate world, politics, Private Equity or another area is perfectly fine—just be
sure to demonstrate how your future plans connect to Consulting and how
Consulting will help you achieve such plans.
 If talking about graduate school, we suggest saying you are seriously considering
an MBA, because bringing up other graduate and doctoral programs, at this point,
can put off some interviewers (this really does vary by firm—some Consulting
firms, for example, love Ph.D. programs and may have numerous doctoral
graduates working in the firm).

WHAT IS YOUR IDEAL JOB?

 This is similar to the previous question. The key is not your answer but rather to
show that it will be an environment where you feel challenged, where you will
learn , and where you will make a contribution. If possible, talk about one or two
specifics of Management Consulting and how this field appeals to you in this
way—particularly within the context of achieving your long-term goals.
 Remember that Consulting is a springboard to many careers in addition to being
an appealing long-term career in and of itself.

WHAT TYPE OF PROJECTS WOULD YOU LIKE TO WORK ON AT

(CONSULTING FIRM X)?

 This is similar to asking what areas/capabilities interest you. It also is a way of

testing whether you have done your homework, in terms of learning the type of

work a Consultant does and what the firm you’re interviewing with does.

 This can lead to an industry discussion, so if that happens, know basic

information on the industry, like market size, growth rate, competitors, revenue
and expense drivers, barriers to entry, core products, customers/clients, industry
trends, regulatory issues, etc.

 Use common sense. For example, if you say in the interview that you want to
focus on the Media industry, but you are applying for a job at the Chicago office
of Firm X, know that there will likely be far fewer media opportunities in the
Chicago office than there would be if you had applied to the NYC office. In short,
do your homework!
 It is usually fine to say you want to be exposed to many industries and find that a
few industries appeal to you more than others. However, showing detailed
knowledge of any of these industries—even if it’s only one that you’ve been
exposed to—does give you a leg up on most other candidates.
 That said, be careful not to indicate that you are not very open to a wide range of
opportunities. This could be a death sentence for your candidacy at a firm that is
looking to hire generalists.
 Note: if you are applying to a niche firm or particular group within a larger firm,
obviously it is expected that you clearly articulate why you would like to specialize
in that industry/niche.

IF YOU DO NOT GET A CONSULTING POSITION, WHAT JOB WILL

YOU SEEK?

 You want to be confident that you will get a position, so this can be a tricky
question. That said, a good answer would be a field that shares a lot of
commonality with Management Consulting (for example, working in the
Corporate Strategy department in a company, or as an analyst or junior executive
at a start-up company).
 Do not say investment banking or law school. These fields are much
different from Management Consulting, and they strongly suggest a lack of
passion for Management Consulting. If you happen to be interviewing for both
banking and Consulting positions, you are usually better off not mentioning that
at all. (We would also suggest you try to make this decision before your
interviewing process begins!)

WHY DO YOU WANT TO BE A MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT?

 Use a personal example about how you came across Management Consulting and
why it specifically appeals to you and your strengths. Be specific and include
examples from your experiences. (For example, something like “I like work that
involves problem solving in a team setting, as evidenced by…”).
 Focus much more on getting across that you have the skills and a deep interest in
business rather than discussing the career opportunities that accompany
Consulting.
 Avoid discussion of travel and any other benefits of the job and also do not bring
up the specific firm for this question. The question is about Management
Consulting as a general field, not about this specific firm.

HOW DID YOU LEARN ABOUT WHAT A MANAGEMENT

CONSULTANT DOES? HOW HAVE YOU PREPARED FOR THE
INTERVIEWS?

 For this question you want to show that you took a structured approach to

understand what a Management Consultant does and how you prepared for the

interviews. Ideally, you will want to come across as someone who is seasoned

enough at this that they could coach other candidates on how to do it!
 Provide specific examples about how you learned about Consulting and your own
preparation experiences (for example, “spoke to X number of current or former
Consultants; read the following online publications or books, joined the
management consulting club at school”).

WHY FIRM X? WHY FIRM X VERSUS FIRM Y? WHAT OTHER

FIRMS DID YOU APPLY TO?

 It is important to say that you also applied to the other firms (if indeed that is the
case) but even more important to emphasize that Firm X (the firm you are
interviewing with) is your preferred firm for a number of reasons (be sure to
articulate them).
 Note that this is a silly question for them to ask, since you will need to change
your answer to this question for every firm you interview with, but it is part of the
game, and if you want to succeed, you will have to play along convincingly.
 Do not hold back mentioning other equivalent or more highly regarded firms that
you are interviewing at, as this does make you more appealing to the interviewer.
However, be prepared to go into detail about advantages that the firm you’re
currently interviewing with has relative to the other firms.
 The most important thing here is to highlight a few things that you’ve learned
about the firm you’re interviewing with. This can be things you’ve learned from
the firm’s published materials, but it can also from the people you have interacted
with in the interviewing process.

WHAT SKILLS DO YOU BELIEVE ARE CRUCIAL TO SUCCESS IN

MANAGEMENT CONSULTING?

 You could mention many skills, but it is important to mention at least some of the

following (these are the kinds of people they are looking for):

o Strong work ethic

o Attention to detail
o Ability to grasp complex concepts quickly (the steep learning curve in the
Consulting industry is as appealing as it is daunting!)
o Intellectually curious and rigorous
o Strong analytical and quantitative skills

ARE YOU ALSO APPLYING TO INVESTMENT BANKS?

 We do not recommend you lie, but telling an interviewer that you also applied to
investment banks does sometimes lead to immediate rejection. This is true even
 though many candidates at top schools apply for both. Perhaps the best response,
if you are indeed looking at both, is to suggest that you are interviewing with
some investment banks, but that you will take any Consulting offer you may get,
even over the most prestigious investment banking firm.
 If you have a diplomatic way of avoiding this question without lying and without
coming across as disingenuous or evasive, then more power to you! But
importantly, we feel you should not be dishonest. If nothing else, it sets a very
bad precedent for your behavior in a business context.
 Note: Consulting and investment banking jobs are extremely difficult to get—we
at Street of Walls strongly suggest you decide upon which field you are more
interested in early, so that you focus on either Management Consulting or
investment banking only, to maximize your chance of securing a position. (If you
do this, you’ll also be able to answer this question truthfully as well!)

IF YOU WERE PRESENTED WITH THE CHANCE TO JOIN A

PRIVATE EQUITY FIRM OR STRATEGY DIVISION AT AN
ATTRACTIVE CORPORATION EARLY IN YOUR TENURE, WOULD
YOU TAKE THE POSITION?

 This is a somewhat silly question, as in reality you would at least consider the

opportunity. But we highly recommend that you say that if you wanted to do

Private Equity or corporate strategy, you would have searched directly for such a
position.

 Good things to add to this response are things like “I’ve spent a lot of time talking
to Consultants and am certain that I want to at least spend a few years working as
a Management Consultant,” or “once I’ve made a commitment to anything, I feel
as strong personal obligation to meet that commitment—irrespective of other,
hypothetical opportunities that may come along.”