Looking forward to landing an internship at a consulting firm in the coming summer? In today’s edition of #TipSeries, we bring to you some effective tips that will help you ace your internship interview.
Let us first read a bit about Consulting firms and Consultants.
What is a Consulting firm?
A Consulting firm is an independent organization that provides consultation services to assist various industries and companies in meeting their goals, mitigating challenges and solving problems.
What does a Consultant do?
Consultants at a firm generally have expertise in a specific field and are engaged accordingly. They are expected to offer guidance, make expert suggestions and excel at problem-solving.
VOILA! Now you have a fair understanding of the profession that you are choosing to build a career in.
LET’S GET DOWN TO BUSINESS!
The ultimate goals of any summer intern are: firstly, to acquire a full-time job offer, and secondly, to learn more about the profession, the industry and to hone their skills.
Being prepared for an interview is crucial for landing any job or internship. Anyone familiar with the interview process as a consultant would agree that it is quite challenging. Thus, we have compiled some tips for interviewees to ease out the process!
The interview will be split into two sections:
(A) Personal Interview: The interviewer will go over your application and ask some questions related to your application and resume.
(B) Case Interview: It involves finding a solution to a business problem that is presented to you by the interviewer.
Pre-interview tips:
TIP #1: Be thorough with the basics
“Why do you want to be a consultant?”, “Why do you think we should recruit you?” are the most common questions which are difficult to answer if one is not prepared beforehand.
When asked about why you want to be a consultant, focus on what you believe will make you a consultant and the edge you will bring to the table over others. This is your chance to highlight yourself!
To answer the second question, the real key is to find a unique quality of the firm and feature it in your explanation. You can reach out to the company’s website and read about their purpose and future goals. One can also connect with consultants from the same firm to get a deeper understanding.
TIP #2: Inculcate reading as a daily habit to expand your knowledge
- Magazines & Periodicals
Being consistent with some popular periodicals for consultants, you are likely to better understand business problems and solutions and be updated on current events. You can subscribe to them for free and stay updated!
Some global magazines and periodicals you can read:
The Economist | The Wall Street Journal | Consulting Mag | Harvard Business Review
- Blogs & Websites
One can also read and even start writing blogs to have thorough knowledge about the profession and add some brownie points to your resume!
A few popular blogs you can read:
Boston Consulting Group | Consultant’s Mind | Consulting Success
You can also connect with like-minded people and be a part of a community that will help you stay informed, consistent and motivated throughout!
Click here to explore more such blogs, magazines and websites!
TIP #3: Practice case studies relentlessly
A case interview is the most comprehensive and the hardest part of any consulting recruitment process. But thankfully, practice makes perfect! Thus, it is very important to practise well beforehand. The more you practice, the more variants of case studies you come across and the more comfortable in the actual interview.
Look at the websites of consulting companies for cases or find sample practice questions on online platforms. It is best to have a structured and methodical approach to qualify a case interview.
It is also advised to brush up your maths as most case interviews involve doing maths computations without a calculator.
You can also refer to popular books like:
- Case in Point – By Marc Casentino
- Case Interview Secrets – by Victor Cheng
You can also choose to enrol yourself in online courses for problem-solving and case studies.
To access a free Case Interview Guide, click here!
During the interview:
TIP #4: Be proactive
Listen carefully to what the interviewers ask and answer accordingly. Collect your thoughts and present your answers in a structured manner. It will make you look well composed and also have a positive impact on the interviewers.
TIP #5: Engage your Interviewer
A great way to build a rapport with your interviewer is to ask questions from the start. You can think of the case interview as a conversation that you require to solve a problem, rather than thinking of it as a test.
Ask your interviewer for any extra information that you need and explain your approach as you go. Engaging in a productive conversation with your interviewer will make them enjoy working through the case with you.
TIP #6: Be knowledgeable & confident
Consultants are well-rounded in all aspects as they are expected to have a holistic approach. Staying up to date on the consulting industry, business events and current affairs will make you look knowledgeable and confident.
Refer to TIP #2 for periodicals, blog and website references which can help you with the same.
TIP #7: Be mindful of your appearance
“You only have one chance to make a first impression”.
In an interview, you really don’t want to lose out on this chance. Very often, the first impression formed by the interviewer is a lasting one. So, you certainly want to make a good impression and look professional. Be sure to dress appropriately and look sharp.
Don’t forget your etiquettes! Avoid using filler words – “umm”, “like”. Keep good body language, sit up straight and use correct eye contact.
TIP #8: Promote yourself
While sitting for the interview, remember that you would not be the only applicant. The consulting industry is a difficult and competitive field, so you need to sell yourself well.
Have a practised speech ready to start the interview. Be clear and realistic about your strengths and make them shine.
TIP #9: Be prepared to ask smart questions at the end
At the end of the interview, the interviewer asks, “Do you have any questions you’d like to ask?” then be sure to prepare some smart questions beforehand. This highlights the personality traits that are expected by the interviewer. It is very impactful as it shows your interest in the job and keenness in knowing more about the company.
If you want to read about firsthand experiences of people who have qualified for consulting internships in prestigious companies and to get some tips from them, click on article-1 or article-2.
To know more about Consulting Internships, click here!
The whole process of preparing for internships and finally landing one can be a roller coaster ride for you. It is quite normal to have ups and downs. When you hit a rough spot, just step back for once, calm down and focus on accessing how you can improve. The good news is that consulting jobs are very versatile. Finance, Engineering, Healthcare, Human Resources and Politics are some area in which consultants can specialize.
So, keep trying and don’t give up!
Since most of the interviews during the pandemic are happening virtually, do you want to get some help on how to ace virtual internships? Don’t worry, Scholarship Track has it all covered for you, click here to help yourself with some awesome tips!
We hope that this article has been of help to you and we wish you all the best!
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