Consulting interview questions: case and fit interviews
Consulting interviews have two halves: the case interview, where you solve a business problem live, and the fit interview, where you prove you can lead, influence and work with clients. Most candidates over-prepare the first and under-prepare the second.
How consulting interviews work
After online tests or a screening call, most firms run two or three rounds. Each round usually combines a case of around 25 to 35 minutes with fit questions. Some firms run interviewer-led cases, where you're asked a series of questions, and others candidate-led cases, where you drive the structure yourself.
How to approach a case interview
- Clarify the question. Repeat it back, confirm the objective and ask about anything unclear.
- Structure the problem. Take a moment to lay out the main areas to investigate, tailored to this case, not a memorised framework.
- Analyse. Ask for data, do the maths out loud and say what each number means.
- Synthesise. Finish with a clear recommendation, the key reasons, the risks and next steps.
Talk through your thinking. The interviewer is assessing how you reason, not whether you reach a single right answer.
Common case types
- Profitability: "A coffee chain's profits have fallen. Why?"Split into revenue (price, volume) and costs (fixed, variable), find where the change is, then dig into why.
- Market sizing: "How many electric car chargers are there in the UK?"Pick a logical approach, state your assumptions, round numbers sensibly and sense-check the answer.
- Market entry: "Should a supermarket launch a meal-kit business?"Market attractiveness, competition, the client's capabilities, the economics and how they'd enter.
- Growth: "How can a gym chain double its revenue?"Existing customers, new customers, new products or services, new locations, and acquisitions.
- Operations: "Delivery times have doubled. What would you do?"Map the process, find the bottleneck and suggest fixes in order of impact.
Fit interview questions
- Why consulting?The variety of problems, learning fast, working with senior clients and seeing your work change decisions.
- Why our firm?Specific: the people you've met, the type of work, the culture and the training.
- Tell me about a time you led a team.Use STAR. Focus on how you set direction and handled a challenge.
- Describe a time you persuaded someone senior.Consultants influence clients without authority. Show evidence, preparation and listening.
- Tell me about a time you failed.A real failure, what you learned and how you've applied it since.
Frequently asked questions
What is a consulting case interview?
A case interview gives you a business problem, such as falling profits or whether to enter a market, and asks you to work through it live with the interviewer: clarify, structure, analyse and recommend.
How should I prepare for case interviews?
Practise lots of cases out loud with a partner, get comfortable with mental maths, read business news, and practise building a structure that fits each case rather than forcing a memorised framework.
How important is the fit interview?
Very. Firms want to know you can lead, influence clients and work in teams. Prepare four or five strong STAR stories, because a weak fit interview can outweigh a good case.