The Complete Guide to Consulting Interview Prep: Common Questions and Reverse Questions Explained in Detail

Many people who are considering a career or job change in the consulting industry may be struggling with interview preparation.

Interviews are unavoidable if you want to work in the consulting industry, and thorough preparation is the fastest route to passing the selection process. Moreover, by carefully preparing for interviews and getting ready to succeed, your anxiety about interviews will also be eased.

In this article, we will explain consulting industry interview strategies that will leave a positive impression on interviewers. If you are considering becoming a consultant, please use this as a reference.

Consulting Interview Process & Content

Here is an overview of consulting interviews, explained across the following four topics.

While this does not apply uniformly across the entire consulting industry, keep these points in mind as general examples. Also, there are many differences between new graduate hiring and mid-career hiring, so it is important to understand these distinctions in advance.

Interview Format

For new graduates, the interview format is similar to other general companies — it is common to gather applicants on weekends and have multiple interviewers conduct interviews simultaneously.

For mid-career hires, many people apply through recruitment agencies. For those currently employed, interviews may be scheduled on weekday evenings after business hours.

It is good to understand that the interview format is broadly the same across all industries, not just consulting.

Number of Interview Rounds

Consulting interviews are typically held 2 to 3 times, regardless of whether it is new graduate or mid-career hiring. At most consulting firms, the process follows the flow of document screening → written test → multiple interview rounds, meaning candidates need to pass a total of 4 to 5 selection stages.

However, the number of interviews varies depending on the type of consulting firm. For example, at strategy consulting firms, 4 to 6 interviews may be conducted. If you are curious, it is a good idea to research the number of interview rounds at the consulting firm you are interested in beforehand.

About the Interviewers

In consulting interviews, it is common for people working on the front lines — rather than HR staff — to serve as interviewers.

Consulting firms place importance on “whether the people who will actually work alongside the candidate want to hire them.” Typically, the first interview is conducted by a manager, with subsequent rounds moving up to director and then partner level.

However, regardless of the interviewer’s seniority, the first 1–2 rounds are primarily intended to narrow down candidates. Always remember that your qualities as a consultant are being assessed at every stage of the process.

Web (Online) Interviews

Consulting interviews are also actively conducted via online web conferencing tools such as Skype, Zoom, and Google Meet. An increasing number of companies are completing the entire process remotely from the first to the final interview, making it easier for candidates from outside the city to interview for firms in major urban areas without needing to travel.

However, unexpected issues such as poor internet connectivity or audio problems are more likely to occur than in face-to-face interviews. Therefore, if this is your first web interview, make sure to prepare thoroughly beforehand.

5 Key Points for Consulting Interviews

The following are the 5 key points to keep in mind during a consulting interview.

Let’s go through each of these in detail.

1. Speak with Confidence

Speaking without confidence in a consulting interview will leave a negative impression on the interviewer, so always make sure to speak with confidence.

Even if you have achieved great results, speaking hesitantly may prevent the interviewer from sensing the weight of those achievements. However, “speaking with confidence” does not mean pretending to be confident when you are not. The key is to prepare thoroughly so that you can genuinely speak with confidence and approach the interview with composure.

2. Speak Slowly

Speaking slowly during an interview is also important. When nervous, people often unconsciously start speaking faster due to the psychological desire to end the uncomfortable state quickly. Speaking fast can convey nervousness and restlessness, so make it a habit to deliberately speak slowly.

It is not an exaggeration to say that once you are perceived as having poor communication skills, getting hired becomes extremely difficult. Be conscious of speaking slowly and prepare thoroughly so you can respond calmly to any question.

3. Be Conscious of Leading with Your Conclusion

To demonstrate logical thinking, always lead with your conclusion when speaking in an interview. If you fail to state your conclusion first, repeat similar content, or speak in a way that seems to be going nowhere, you may be judged as not suited for consulting.

Consultants are required to think logically in all situations, so leading with your conclusion serves as a strong selling point.

Additionally, being conscious of leading with your conclusion means that even if your answers become concise and brief, there is no problem. Interviewers will ask follow-up questions about anything they find interesting, so as long as you can answer questions starting with your conclusion, you will be well-evaluated.

4. Don’t Give Vague Answers to Questions You Don’t Know

If a question comes up that you don’t know, avoid giving a vague answer. Answering as if you know something when you don’t, and ending up with a completely off-base response, can lead to a significant negative evaluation.

Even in actual consulting work, a common mistake among new consultants is giving a vague answer that leads to further probing, ultimately making it impossible to answer well. Honestly admitting when you don’t know something can actually lead to better outcomes, so make sure to communicate that clearly.

5. Prepare for Follow-Up Questions

In interviews, prepare with the assumption that follow-up questions will come.

The role of analyst — the position typically given first to new hires at consulting firms — mainly involves information gathering and analysis. When reporting collected information to consultants in response to requests, follow-up questions like “What about this?” or “How about in this case?” are common, so it is essential to prepare with that in mind.

In interviews too, anticipating what you might be asked next in response to your answers will lead to smooth, logical, and consistent dialogue.

Common Themes in Consulting Interviews

Consulting interviews are often broadly divided into the following two types.

In some cases, both the fit interview and case interview are conducted in a single session, while in other cases, only those who pass the fit interview proceed to a subsequent session for the case interview.

For new graduate hiring, both interviews are often conducted in a single session.

Please check the detailed explanations below.

Fit Interview

A fit interview is an interview designed to confirm the applicant’s motivation for applying and their personal qualities. It is a standard interview format conducted at most companies, and anyone who has been through an interview before has likely experienced a fit interview.

Common questions in fit interviews include the following.

Since the above questions come up frequently, make sure to prepare for them thoroughly enough to handle follow-up questions without any issues.

Case Interview

Case interviews are conducted at many consulting firms and are also known as case interviews. A case interview is a verbal test in which candidates form hypotheses and logically derive answers to complex questions that cannot be answered immediately.

Common themes that come up in case interviews include the following.

A key feature of case interviews is that a perfectly correct answer is not necessarily required. What matters is the thought process used to arrive at the conclusion, and this is sometimes weighted more heavily in the hiring decision than the fit interview. Since you will always be required to explain your reasoning, your ability to communicate logically is crucial.

Some people may have the impression that case interviews always involve Fermi estimation problems, but in reality they are not limited to that. For example, questions such as “What were the problems at your previous job, and what approach would be effective in solving them?” may also be asked.

[Must Check] 5 Points Evaluated in Consulting Interviews

The following are the 5 points most commonly evaluated in consulting interviews.

If you can demonstrate these abilities to the interviewer through the course of the interview, your chances of being hired will increase dramatically. Let’s go through each one.

1. “Analytical Thinking Ability” — Finding the Optimal Answer to a Problem

In consulting interviews, candidates are evaluated on whether they have the “analytical thinking ability” to find the optimal answer to a given problem.

Since the work of a consultant is to solve clients’ problems, “analytical thinking ability” is arguably the most important point. If you can answer each question in the interview properly, you will be well evaluated.

2. “Logical Thinking Ability” — Building a Clear Line of Reasoning

Logical thinking ability is also extremely important in consulting interviews.

Consulting work constantly demands logical answers, and if your logic breaks down, it can lead to serious problems. If you feel your logical thinking is not strong enough, try to develop the habit of thinking in a consistent and reasoned way in your daily life.

If you can engage in a conversation that leaves no room for counterarguments and compels the other party to agree, you can consider yourself to have solid logical ability.

3. “Originality and Creativity” — Drawing on Your Own Experiences

In interviews, original and creative answers that go beyond textbook responses often earn higher evaluations from interviewers. By incorporating your own personal experiences into your answers, you naturally bring originality and creativity to the conversation.

While past interview questions and case interviews are readily available online, building answers based solely on that information is likely to result in generic responses that are hard to evaluate highly. By weaving in your own personal stories, the interviewer will feel that your answer comes from a real human being.

4. “Communication Skills” — The Ability to Listen and Speak

While it goes without saying for any professional, communication skills — the ability to listen and to speak — are also crucial. Some roles may not require much communication, but the vast majority of jobs do, and consulting is no exception.

In consulting, high communication skills are required in all sorts of situations: conducting client interviews, understanding challenges, conveying information to the team, and reporting solutions back to clients. It is not just about conveying information, but also about gaining buy-in — which requires adapting your language to your audience, sometimes being precise and detailed, other times breaking things down into simple, easy-to-understand terms.

That said, communication skills are not just about listening and speaking — the ability to draw out the information you need and to persuade others are also key components.

5. “Potential” — High Latent Ability

High latent ability and potential are also evaluated in consulting interviews. Some consulting firms hire candidates with no prior consulting experience based purely on their potential, and there are also firms that actively recruit professionals from a wide range of fields.

The consulting industry once had a strong image of hiring only elite talent through a highly selective process, but in recent years the number of firms conducting potential-based hiring of new graduates and career changers has been increasing. Since being evaluated means helping the interviewer envision where you could thrive, make sure to highlight your potential to the fullest in your interview.

5 Common Consulting Interview Questions and How to Answer Them

Here is a summary of common consulting interview questions and key points for answering them.

Let’s go through each of the five topics above.

1. Self-Introduction

The first thing you will do in a consulting interview is introduce yourself. Especially for mid-career interviews, a self-introduction that takes your work history into account is expected. In addition to conveying who you are as a person, make sure to cover your previous roles and, if you have changed jobs before, touch on the reasons for those transitions as well.

However, since a self-introduction is ultimately just an introduction of yourself, it is important to keep it concise and avoid going on too long.

2. Self-PR

In your self-PR, highlight the skills and achievements you have built up throughout your life.

Consulting is a popular industry and attracts a lot of talented people, so you need to prepare a self-PR that stands out from other applicants. Communicating specific figures and metrics while showcasing something distinctive will help you catch the interviewer’s eye.

Interviewers want to hear about the results you have achieved and what you have learned from failures. However, be careful not to come across as self-centered when talking about past achievements. Since your results were almost certainly supported by the people around you in some way, it is a good idea to explain how you accomplished them through collaboration with others.

3. Motivation for Applying / Reason for Changing Jobs

Your motivation for applying and your reason for changing jobs are also among the most frequently asked questions, just like your self-introduction and self-PR. Since this is a topic that tends to be probed deeply, prepare a coherent narrative that covers “why you want to work in consulting,” “why you chose this firm,” and “what you want to become in the future.”

Note that if you are applying as a mid-career candidate, having dissatisfaction with your previous employer as your reason for changing jobs creates a negative impression. Additionally, vague motivations, an idealized image of the consulting industry, or a career plan that presupposes leaving the company will also leave a poor impression. Be sure to frame your motivation in a way that is respectful toward the company.

4. How You Can Contribute to the Company

You may also be asked about how you can contribute to the company, so answer with confidence in a way that makes the interviewer think “I want to hire this person.”

If you possess specialized knowledge or skills that only someone who has worked on the front lines would know, this can lead to a high evaluation. If you can explain the “how” concretely, drawing on your past experience, you may be hired even if some of your other evaluation criteria were not as strong — so make sure to prepare thoroughly in advance.

5. How You Want to Grow After Joining

Since you are also frequently asked how you want to grow after joining, make sure to establish your career goals ahead of time. Here too, if your vision of growth leads to thoughts of changing jobs or starting your own business, it creates a negative impression — so focus your answer on what you want to achieve within the company after joining.

It is also important to keep in mind that a consulting firm’s purpose is to solve clients’ problems, not to develop its employees — so factor that into your answer as well.

[5 Specific Examples] Important Reverse Questions in Consulting Interviews

At the end of most interviews, there is time set aside for reverse questions (questions from the candidate to the interviewer). Since reverse questions allow you to ask about a wide range of topics and offer a high degree of freedom, some people may find them more challenging than the standard interview format.

However, reverse questions are also an opportunity to demonstrate your enthusiasm to the interviewer, so it is recommended to prepare specific questions you genuinely want to ask.

Let’s dig into specific reverse question content across the five themes above.

Reverse Questions About [The Interviewer]

In consulting interviews, it is common for consultants or managers working on the front lines — rather than HR — to serve as interviewers. For this reason, asking reverse questions about what kind of person the interviewer is gives you a chance to learn about a potential future manager.

These kinds of questions are often perceived as forward-looking questions aimed at learning more about the company and its people.

Reverse Questions About [Projects]

Reverse questions about projects are recommended because they convey a strong awareness of and interest in the work you will be doing after joining. Try asking questions that only someone working on the front lines could answer, rather than things you could look up yourself.

If your reverse question is framed with the assumption that you will actually be working there, there is a high chance it will be evaluated positively.

Reverse Questions About [The Company’s Appeal and Areas for Improvement]

Since there are few opportunities to learn firsthand how employees feel about their own company, it can be worth asking through a reverse question.

The appeal a company presents online may differ from what employees on the ground actually feel, and asking this question also conveys that you have a deep interest in the company.

Reverse Questions About [Differences from Competitors]

Asking reverse questions about how the firm differs from competitors conveys how seriously you are approaching your job search or career change in the consulting industry. If the interviewer has a long history in consulting or has experience moving between firms, there is a good chance you will receive a highly informative answer.

However, when asking questions like these, be aware that you may be asked “What do you think?” in return, so make sure to have your own perspective ready to share.

Reverse Questions About [After Joining]

Reverse questions about what happens after joining the company convey your eagerness to actually join. Try to ask questions that clearly communicate your motivation to come on board.

Watch Out for [NG] Reverse Questions to Avoid

There are also some reverse questions you should avoid asking interviewers.

For example, questions like “What areas is your firm focusing on?” or “What competing firms are out there?” — anything that could be found by doing basic research — should be avoided as reverse questions.

Questions like these can make you appear to have low awareness of the consulting industry and the firm, or give the impression that you didn’t prepare any reverse questions, which may lead to the perception that you have a low level of interest in the role.

Additionally, content that could be interpreted as showing low motivation is also NG. For example, reverse questions about overtime hours, weekend work, paid leave, or employee benefits are likely to result in a negative evaluation.

3 Strategies for Preparing Reverse Questions in Consulting Interviews

In consulting interviews, reverse questions are seen as forward-looking questions aimed at learning more about the company and its employees, so it is important to prepare them carefully. Reverse questions that fail to convey your eagerness to join the firm are unlikely to earn positive evaluations — and may even result in a negative impression.

Poorly thought-out reverse questions are transparent to interviewers, so prepare questions that will genuinely impress them. Preparing reverse questions also deepens your understanding of the industry and the firm, which will always work in your favor during the interview.

Let’s explore each of the three strategies above in more depth.

1. Create a Question List

Before going into the interview, create a list of questions. By focusing on questions that help answer “how I can contribute” and “how I would make my decision if I received an offer,” you can compile a list of questions that are genuinely useful for yourself.

2. Research Possible Answers in Advance

Once you have compiled your questions, research each one. If the answer can be found through basic research, there is a risk the interviewer will evaluate you negatively, so check in advance whether the information is publicly available and eliminate those questions proactively. The questions that remain unanswered after your research are the ones truly worth asking as reverse questions.

The research process also contributes to building your knowledge of the consulting industry and the firm, which you can draw on during the interview itself.

3. Form Your Own Hypotheses

Since there is a chance you will be asked “What do you think?” in response to your reverse question, make sure to have your own hypotheses ready. Rather than simply waiting for an answer, think about what kind of response you might expect, and how you would see things from your own perspective.

In consulting work, hypothesis testing is a core part of the job, so developing the habit of forming hypotheses about all kinds of situations will serve you well.

Conclusion

Consulting interviews come down to your performance on the day, so no matter how much you prepare, there is no guarantee you will pass — but preparing correctly in advance will significantly improve your chances of success.

Consulting is a popular field that attracts many applicants, so thorough preparation is key to leaving a different impression than the competition. The interview preparation you put real time and thought into will come through to the interviewer, so make sure to follow the interview strategies introduced in this article.