Consulting Interview Preparation Guide
Review each of the following steps to successfully navigate the application process to leading firms such as McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Monitor, or Strategy&.
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Step 1 – Correctly apply to consulting firms
Before you even get to the interview stage, your application is the initial filter. In consulting, this means your CV, cover letter, and networking must be at the highest level.
Less than 10% of resumes pass the initial screening, so every detail matters.
Clear and impactful resume → one page, with quantifiable achievements and experiences aligned with consulting.
Personalized cover letter → tailored to each firm and role, concise, error-free, and with genuine motivation.
Strategic networking → it's not just about having contacts, but about building relationships that provide you with insider information and set you apart.
Consistency across the board → Your resume, cover letter, and networking should all tell the same story and reinforce your value proposition as a future consultant.
Mastering this step puts you among the select few candidates who advance to the interview stage.
Step 2 – Understand how the recruitment processes work
Before preparing cases or tests, it is essential to understand how the consulting application processes work. All firms, from McKinsey or Bain to Deloitte, Accenture, or Kearney, follow a similar structure.
Two key stages → first, the initial application (CV, cover letter, and, in many cases, reasoning tests); then the interviews.
Consulting interviews → typically combine Fit questions (compatibility and experience), an interview case, and a closing section for questions to the interviewer.
Get to know the firms → each consulting firm has distinct nuances in prestige, industries, work culture, and conditions.
Understand career paths → consulting offers rapid growth: from analyst to partner, each level demands accelerated learning and new responsibilities.
Design your preparation plan → the key is not to apply to just one firm, but to plan your preparation to maximize your options across multiple consulting firms.
Understanding the common logic of processes will allow you to prepare better, regardless of whether you are applying to MBB or another consulting firm.
Step 3 – Learn the basics
To excel in consulting interviews, it's not enough to just practice cases: you need a solid foundation of concepts. This step focuses on mastering the essentials before moving on to intensive practice.
Types of cases → from market sizing to strategy, pricing, or complete business cases. Identify each type and understand its specific characteristics.
Frameworks and issue trees → these are tools for structuring and simplifying complex problems. The best candidates don't memorize; instead, they adapt and create frameworks.
Industry knowledge → technology, consumer goods, healthcare, energy... each sector has different value drivers and cost structures. Understanding them gives you a significant advantage.
Business acumen → You should be familiar with key metrics and concepts such as profitability, IRR, or market share. You don't need to be an expert, but you should be aware of them.
Mastering the fundamentals allows you to enter the interview with confidence. Without this foundation, it will be very difficult to pass the rounds.
Step 4 – Prepare for the initial screening tests
Before the interview stage, many consulting firms use tests to reduce the number of candidates. These exams are challenging even for the most qualified candidates, and passing them is a prerequisite to advance in the selection process.
Understand the tests used by each firm → McKinsey, BCG, Bain, and others like Deloitte, KPMG, or EY have their own formats. It's helpful to understand what each one assesses, but don't get too caught up in the details.
Train the fundamentals → what truly makes a difference is strengthening your mathematical reasoning, speed with mental calculations, and reading graphs and tables under pressure.
Practice consistently → dedicate specific sessions to solving numerical and logical problems. Repetition builds agility and confidence.
Simulate real conditions → practice with time constraints and without assistance. This will help you get used to thinking quickly and staying calm during the tests.
The test is the filter that eliminates most candidates. With disciplined practice, you'll be in the group that advances to the interviews.
Step 5 – Practice case interviews
This is the key to preparation. To excel in interviews, intelligence alone is not enough: what sets successful candidates apart is their ability to solve business cases in a structured manner and communicate them clearly.
On your own → start by familiarizing yourself with different types of cases and working on framing with issue trees and frameworks. This individual practice will help you gain confidence.
With peers → practicing in pairs forces you to explain your reasoning aloud and to know how to react. It is the best way to train communication and mental agility.
With experts → Simulate real interviews with experienced consultants or interviewers. Direct feedback and replicating the actual pressure of interviews are key.
Continuous improvement → this is not about mechanically solving dozens of cases, but about learning from each attempt, identifying patterns, and progressing with each session.
Practicing cases is where you truly build confidence. The more you expose yourself to different formats and contexts, the better prepared you will be for the actual interview.
Step 6 – Master the Fit Interview
Interviews are not assessed solely by cases. The Fit section is equally decisive, as it evaluates whether your experience, personality, and values align with the firm's culture. Preparing for it thoroughly is what turns a good candidate into a safe bet.
Prepare for it with the same seriousness as the case itself → many candidates fail here because they underestimate this part. A very poor answer can eliminate you from the process.
Build your story portfolio → choose real experiences that demonstrate leadership, teamwork, resilience, or analytical skills. These stories will be the foundation of your answers.
Connect your stories with key attributes → ensure that each story reinforces the competencies that consulting firms value, and avoid being repetitive.
Practice communication → it's not enough to have good stories; you must tell them clearly, structurally, and memorably. Rehearse out loud but never from memory.
Final Q&A → The interview concludes with your questions. Use this opportunity to demonstrate genuine interest and leave a lasting positive impression.
The Fit section is where you demonstrate who you are and why you would be a good fit for the firm. If you manage to convey authenticity and clarity, you will be halfway there.
Step 7 – Improve your math and mental calculation skills
Mathematics is a muscle: if you don't exercise it, it weakens. In consulting interviews, you will encounter both quick calculations that require mental math and longer problems that you will have to solve on paper. Preparing for both is key.
Mental Calculation → Practice simple and intermediate operations without assistance: additions, subtractions, multiplications, divisions. Speed and accuracy are gained with daily practice.
Paper-based calculations → get used to solving equations, long divisions, or more complex formulas by writing down each step. This prevents errors and provides structure.
Make it a routine → dedicate between 20 and 40 minutes daily to practice. Consistency will allow you to improve significantly.
Build confidence → the more you practice, the more natural it will be to tackle any calculation during the interview. Remember that nervousness is what makes this part difficult.
Mastering both mental and written calculations not only improves your accuracy but also gives you the peace of mind knowing you are prepared to solve business cases.