After mastering both fit and case interviews, the remaining parts of your consulting interview are the Intro and Q&A. They are not as critical as the fit or case interview parts, but still can make a big difference regarding leaving a good impression on the interviewers or even giving you the little push you need if you are teetering on the edge of progressing to the next round.
1. Introduction
The Introduction really starts from when you arrive at the consulting firm’s office. And it is all about making a great impression. So, candidates generally need to achieve two goals during the Introduction:
- Generate buy-in from the interviewers; and
- Do the right things to positively influence results.
To generate buy-in, you have to make the interviewers feels that you are naturally one of the consultants in the firm. Candidates should:
- Remain calm and confident so that all their actions, comments, and mannerisms look sincere and genuine,
- Understand the firm’s culture and way of doing things, and
- Make good first impressions and build rapport with as many people as possible including the receptionist, the HR person who guides you to the interview rooms, the interviewers, and those who you meet while you are waiting.
To influence the results positively, you need to behave as though you are already a trustworthy consultant. This is important because real world consulting engagements are often won and lost based on the clients’ feelings and emotions which are influenced by the soft skills and body language of consultants. Candidates should:
- Introduce themselves with a warm smile and firm handshake,
- Dress professionally but not over the top (no shining objects which could distract the interviewer),
- Show open body language and a relaxed attitude, and
- Show excitement about the opportunity to meet the interviewers.
In addition to the above suggestions for making a good first impression, below I list a table of Do’s and Don’ts for your reference. This list is of course not exhaustive but includes the most valuable points.
2. Q&A
Q&A comes at the end of the interview, and is really your final chance to leave a positive impression with the interviewers. To jump this last hurdle, you have to ask the right questions. I would recommend candidates mainly focus on the following three aspects:
- Connecting with your interviewer on a deeper level,
- Demonstrating your commitment to and interest in the firm, and
- Generating critical insights about the firm’s culture.
To connect with the interviewers on a deeper level, it would be good if you can research a little bit about their background before the interview. Although, this will only be possible if you are told their names before the interview. If not, ask some probing questions to try and understand his/her interests, hobbies, professional background, etc. Based on what you find out, formulate some questions. For example, “David, I know that you have been a professional basketball player for years and even now. I wonder how you find the time to play regularly? And who motivates you to do that?”
To demonstrate your commitment to the firm, you need to be well-informed about the job role and the firm’s business. This is the most credible way to persuade the interviewers that you are fully committed to the firm and genuinely interested in the job. For example, a candidate might ask “Tom, I heard from David that he took 2 months to become an insurance expert on a project last year, and from that project he discovered a brand-new way of learning knowledge quickly. I wonder whether you have had a similar experience as your department builds capabilities in the new field of blockchain technology?”
To generate insights about the firm’s culture, candidates need to ask questions about what really interests the interviewer the most about the firm. There are many types of questions you can choose from. The reason that these types of questions add value is that they demonstrate your passion to be the one who gets selected.
In order to make a good impression during the Q&A, I suggest candidates do 4 things beforehand:
- Create open-ended questions. Questions that involve a story or provoke discussion are much more powerful than those that simply have a “yes” or “no” answer,
- Focus on topics that both you and the interviewer are interested in. Asking questions that you are not passionate about will make you appear disingenuous. And asking questions that the interviewers are not interested in may not leave a good impression,
- Answer basic questions by searching online rather than asking the interviewers, and
- Prepare your questions before the interview!
Once your questions have been answered and the interview draws to a close, you should not let down your guard. Remember, the interview is over only when you walk out of the building or, to be on the safe side, when you are 100 meters away from it. Candidates should keep in mind the do’s and don’ts listed above when walking with interviewer out of the room or building. Be confident, and appreciate their time with you at the entrance of the elevator or building. Shake hands firmly again! And walk away with your head held high as though you have already secured an offer!
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Mike Ni believes that technology is the engine of the future, while business capability is the wheel!
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