AUB Consulting Club “Fit Part” Interview Handbook About the Interview: A typical management consulting interview, whether for an internship or full-time position, will consist of: 1. 2. 3. A “Fit Part” – Behavioral questions A “Case” A few minutes for the interviewee to ask his/her own questions About the Fit Part: This is when the interviewer gets to know the interviewee as a person and not just through the resume/cover letter. In this section of the interview, questions will revolve around your education, the reason behind applying to the firm, your professional experiences, among many other topics. The Fit Part will usually fill up around 10-15 minutes of a 45 minute interview and will take place at the beginning of the interview. In general, the Fit part will help the interviewer answer these two questions: 1. Are you someone they want to work with? 2. Are you someone they feel comfortable putting in front of a client? Sample Fit Part questions that were asked in interviews with top management consulting firms including BCG, Bain&Company, McKinsey, A.T.Kearney, Deloitte, Roland Berger, and many others: ● Tell me about yourself. ● Walk me through your CV. ● If I should remember you in one word, what would it be? ● Why are you applying to [Firm Name]? ● Why should we choose to give you an offer? ● Tell me about a group project that was very important to you and mention why. ● Tell me about a time you challenged yourself. ● Tell me about a time you led a group. ● What is the most interesting course you took at university and why? ● Why are you interested in pursuing a career in management consulting? ● What skills do you aim on improving? ● What do you consider your strengths? ● What do you consider your weaknesses? ● Why are you a good candidate for a career in consulting? ● Tell me about a leadership experience that tested your ability to work with and manage others. ● What is your biggest regret? ● Why are you not pursuing a career directly related to your major at university? ● Why did you choose to join this major? ● All the candidates here have interesting profiles, what sets you apart from the rest? ● What did you learn in your previous internship at [Firm Name]? ● Tell me about a time you had to learn about a topic and present your findings in a short time frame. ● What would happen to the world if you did not exist? ● Tell me about a time when you created a change and left a huge impact. ● Have you ever faced an issue with someone who is professionally of higher ranking than yourself? If yes, how did you solve the issue? ● Tell me something about you that isn't mentioned on your CV. ● What is your greatest achievement? ● Tell me about a time you failed at something. How would you handle the situation if faced with it again? ● Do you prefer working in teams or independently? ● How would you handle having multiple tasks that need to be completed? ● Tell me about a time you had to convince someone of something. ● What do you do in your free time? ● Tell me one thing you are excellent at, average at, and bad at doing. ● If you got rejected today, what would be the reason? ● What is your motivation? ● Why did you choose our firm over our competitors? ● Give me an example of when you influenced or persuaded a group. ● Tell me about a time you took the initiative to start something. ● If you do not get into consulting, what is your plan B? ● What are the skills that you could invest in our firm? A Few Hints: 1. This is your opportunity to show how you will fit into the firm’s culture and enjoy working there, so answer the questions truthfully while promoting what you consider your strengths. 2. Do not memorize answers written beforehand and say them word for word as the interviewer will probably sense this and can throw you off-guard by asking an unusual question. 3. Do not talk too much! Keep your answers concise. If you’re talking for over 1.5 – 2 minutes, the interviewer might lose interest in the message that you’re trying to send. 4. This is your first impression on the interviewer and is as important, if not more important, than the remainder of the interview. So, please prepare for the fit part as seriously as you would for the case! 5. Do mock Fit Interviews with your friends or colleagues. This will give you a good feel for whether your answers will sound good during your real interview. 6. Try to make it a dialogue and not a monologue. 7. Be confident and concise. Do not doubt your answers. 8. Adapt your answers to what you feel the interviewer will enjoy talking/hearing about by discussing interesting topics that could lead to a fruitful conversation. 9. Go through a process of introspection and prepare a few stories about yourself and aspects you could improve on. N.B. This is not an exhaustive handbook, but rather a short guide to help you pinpoint the areas you’d like to focus on during your interview preparation.
