How to Answer "Why Consulting?" in Interviews

I would recommend spending about 1 - 2 minutes on each question. You have a lot to get to in the interview. Less than a minute will make you seem rehearsed and shallow and more than 2 minutes for each will take up too much of the interview time.  

WHY CONSULTING?

For the “Why consulting” question, interviewers ask this question to make sure that you really want to be a consultant and all that comes with it. There are two types of firm recruiters - consultants and non-consultants. The recruiting consultant leaders are everyday partners that also have responsibility for overseeing different aspects of recruiting (e.g., Leader of Harvard Business School Recruiting, Leader of Paris Office Recruiting, Leader of Operations Practice Experienced Hire Recruiting). These leaders have 2 goals. 

1. Meet the needs of their constituents (i.e., the hiring demands of the office/practice)
2. Hire candidates that have the potential to become a Partner in the Firm

By asking “Why consulting”, the interviewer can get a sense of whether you are in consulting for the long haul or just to get a stamp on your resume and then parlay the name brand into another job after two years. There are many ways to answer this question depending on your particular situation but here are a few.

• I want to work in an environment where I receive a great deal of mentorship and feedback regularly
• I want to be exposed to work in several different industries and across many different functions
• From speaking to other current consultants, the mix of client interaction, team problem solving, partner mentoring, and analytics is something that excites me
• I’m looking to learn in an environment where my skills are developed more rapidly (in “dog years”) than in other environments
• I want to work in an environment where I am constantly challenged by new types of problems 
• I have spoken to other consulting partners and the type of day-to-day work they do (e.g., client work, consultant training, internal knowledge development, practice leadership, etc..) sounds very enticing

WHY MBB?

Recruiting leaders do a lot of post-recruiting analysis and the “accept rate”  gains a lot of attention. Therefore, the interviewers are keen on knowing why you want to join their specific firm. Have you done research? Have you talked to the recruiters? Have you attended events? Have you spoken to firm members? Do you have friends at the firm?

This is your chance to show off all of the hard work you have put into learning about the specific firm. Interviewers are a little smug at times and are SURE that their firm is the BEST and they like to hear it. They even like to hear their firm contrasted to others, but don’t overdo it. Here are a few examples.

• Unlike X, Y has 3x more global offices and I would like to consider moving internationally at some point later in my career
• I like the innovation focus of BCG, evidenced by your launch of BCG Digital Ventures
• From my conversations with current consultants and Bain, BCG, and McKinsey, consultants at X seem to enjoy their experience more and have much more diverse problems and clients, which is attractive to me
• While I don’t want to go into Private Equity, I am interested in X because of the significant amount of PE due diligence and 100-day plan work you do
• I really want to join X because of your emphasis on business research
• During my conversations about culture with current Bain, BCG, and McKinsey, consultants, I find that X consultants describe the culture at X to be closer to one that I am seeking than Y and Z

There are certain things that you should NOT say when answering “Why MBB?”, including:

• Your firm has a great brand name, which is attractive to me
  • Tells interviewer you are going to use the firms brand as a resume enhancer
• X is known for dealing with the C-Suite and in particular, CEOs, which is where I want to gain experience
  • That’s true and not true of all 3 MBB firms. And, very, very few Associates or Managers talk to CEOs or any CxOs. That’s a myth. This tells the interviewer you are going to be high maintenance and is an almost immediate ding
• I really like the young, laid back culture of firm Y
  • Tells the interviewer you are less than serious and want to have a good time

Hi, 

This is one of the most frequently asked questions. The response to this question is quite generic, but it works all the time. When I interviewed with MBB, this is how I answered the question and you can follow a similar logic:

I focused on the fact that I was a recent graduate who did not know what to specialize in, in terms of industries (e.g. healthcare, consumer goods, retail, etc.) or functional topics (e.g., finance, HR, strategy, digital, etc.). Thus I emphasized that I wanted to get into consulting to better understand what I am passionate about by working on a different set of projects. 

Moreover, I also mentioned that the skillset that I will acquire in consulting (e.g., team management, time management, client management) would be applicable anywhere I go next. 

Lastly, I also highlighted the opportunity to take up significant responsibilities in the early stages of my career, as it is rare to find someone who is in his/her mid-20s sit on the same table with key industry leaders and make recommendations to them.

Best,

Deniz

Hi,

“Why consulting?”, “Why McKinsey” or “Why BCG” questions are used to assess your motivation to be a consultant in general and to work in that particular firm. They will check how you have done your homework and what you’ve learned about them. They also want to make sure that you have a clear intention to work in consulting. 

• The answers to these questions are supposed to be short and take no more than 30 seconds each. 
• For each question, you should provide three bullets points with different reasons.
• Make sure that you guide the interviewer through your reasoning. Words like “The first reason”, “Moreover”, “Finally” will help you.

Why consulting

When answering “Why consulting” questions, provide three reasons why you want to pursue a career in a consulting firm. A general rule is to find the reasons that are important for you and logically fit everything you have done before (e.g. you want to grow further in financial services and get exposure to these clients). You can always use some personal rationale like your experience of working with consultants on a client side.

Why our company

Answer “Why our company” question fits exactly the same logic. You can start with general facts about the local office. If you have an interest in a particular industry or client this may also be a great reason. If you have friends working in that company mention what you’ve learned from their experience.

Good luck!

Hello!

This is a question that for sure will pop up at some point, and that you need to have well prepared. 

The "Integrated FIT guide for MBB" has been recently published in PrepLounge´s shop (https://www.preplounge.com/en/shop/tests-2/integrated-fit-guide-for-mbb-34), and this is one of the questions targetted. 

It provides an end-to-end preparation for all three MBB interviews, tackling each firms particularities and combining key concepts review and a hands-on methodology. Following the book, the candidate will prepare his/her stories by practicing with over 50 real questions and leveraging special frameworks and worksheets that guide step-by-step, developed by the author and her experience as a Master in Management professor and coach. Finally, as further guidance, the guide encompasses over 20 examples from real candidates.

To the WHY CONSULTING in particular, some tips: 

• In most cases, there is more than one reason. Write your ideas, in order of importance, in bullets points
• Start your answer by an introduction to those bullet points (e.g., There are mainly 3 reasons why I would like to work in consulting)
• Comment the bullets in order or importance, clearly separating the ideas. This makes it easier to follow, more structured and dynamic
• Finish with a summary of the points, as long as a “tweet” (e.g., In a nutshell, the 3 reasons why I want to work in consulting are the multidisciplinary approach, global scope and client-facing engagements

This would be a good example: 

There are two main reasons why consulting is the way that I want to start my career. I studied Architecture since I loved the multi-multidisciplinary approach: from Math to History, from Construction to Aesthetics. However, I realized that, when it comes to working as an architect, the scope narrows down a lot. Hence, the 1st reason why I want to transition to consulting is to keep the multi-discipline and multi-industry focus. Furthermore, I love being constantly challenged and learning at high speed, and I know that consulting has one of the steepest learning curves. In a nutshell, the 2 reasons why I would like to join consulting are the multi-disciplinary focus and the constant challenge that drives exponential growth

Feel free to PM me for disccount codes for the guide, since we still have some left from the launch!

Hi,

First of all, let me explain, why MBB and other consulting firms are interested in your motivation:

• Consulting is a long term game with long hours, high pressure and to cope with that you really need strong motivation specifically for this role
• Consulting firms also check your understanding of the role via this question

Characteristics of a bad answer:

• Non-specific cliche reasons (e.g. ability to work with multiple industries, great people, etc)
• Unstructured delivery (you tell it like a story to a friend in a very unstructured way)

Characteristics of a good answer:

• Structured (start with naming 3 reasons and only than drilling down in each of them)
• Specific (as many details as possible)
• Genuine (only real personal reasons without BS)
• Remarkable (interviewer should remember your answer after he leaves the room)
• Value originated (you need to demonstrate your strength in your answer and tie them to consulting industry)

Good luck! 

To add to the comments : 

- Be specific.  E.g., it is okay to say I want to learn about more industries, it is better to say that during my time at xx and yy internships, I realized that the part of the job that excited me most was problem solving or looking at things from a strategic perspectives and presenting those findings to senior leaders

- Make sure your answers reflect what matters as a consultant. For example, MBB typically will not serve smaller startups so if that is your interest it may not be the best fit

- Don't focus on the glamorous aspects of the job in your answer - e.g., travel  - this gets old really fast and people will be weary of your answer if that is what is most exciting to you

- Do mention instances where you think consulting has had a big impact on a company or industry and why this is important to your decision making process

As to why a particular firm

- Make sure you read up about the firm and it's culture and values. Everyone wants to be told they are special and unique, understand what makes each firm unique

- For example, McKinsey almost always works at the client site because they think it is critical to build sustainable long term relationships in order to be the best consultant, Bain on the other hand typically works from their home office. Similarly McKinsey has a global staffing model and BCG does not etc.

- Go to events and informations sessions to learn more. Firms will tell you what they want to hear, they also want to know you have made the effort to go to events when possible and are genuinely interested. If you do go - make sure you refernce that you went and how it helped you learn about the firm in your answer

- It is always a good idea to talk about the specific people you know at the company and why they helped you in your decision making process and how that matters to you

Hope this helps,

Udayan

Dear A,

When answering “Why consulting” questions, provide three reasons why you want
to pursue a career in a consulting firm. A general rule is to find the reasons that are
important for you and logically fit everything you have done before (e.g. you want to
grow further in financial services and get exposure to these clients). You can always
use some personal rationale like your experience of working with consultants on a
client side.

Hope it helps,

Best,

André

1. Consulting job is extremely relevant to business school education. It is sort of waste not to apply the business acumen we honed in b-school into any other type of job;

2. Consulting enables people to handle various type of businesses. You'll never get bored easily with such a steep learning curve, or, should I say, learning curves;

3. Consulting offers unlimited career possibilities as a great launchboard, the analytical skills and sector insights might get updated one day, but the problem solving approach, once mastered, is highly transferrable.

Hi Anonymous,

When it comes to the answer length, from my talks with different consultants I have learned that the ideal answer is about 2-3 minutes. More than that and you risk that interviewer will lose focus and won't remember what you have said.

As for other questions, I suggest you to take a look at the bootcamp article on the topic: https://www.preplounge.com/en/bootcamp.php/interview-first-aid/ace-the-personal-fit-interview/the-three-key-questions

Hopefully the article will provide you some guidance on how to approach those common questions.

- Tadeus

You have great and insightful answers here already, but allow me to add my two cents. 

As I am learning from FirmsConsulting, the best way to address this question is to show the interviewer how the skills you get from consulting can help you achieve your greatest altruistic purpose in life. Firms are looking for candidates who can see the big picture and can attempt big dreams. If you can make this connection, then you will have answered the question well. That said, some of the common skills that consulting endows you with are problem-solving (analytical), communication, and people management skills. Find how these skills can equip you to, not only transform your life but that of millions of people. Show them that realistic connection.

You are also better off starting your answer by quickly and succinctly describing how you came to know about consulting. A personalized story makes your stand out.

I hope this helps.

My response could serve as a prequel to the sufficient and useful ones you've received so far. It is more philosophical in nature.

This is a great question, although it seems trivial and boring at first. If I may draw the analogy to the movie Karate Kid. Mr Miagi asks the karate kid to clean his house with the "wax on and wax off" movements. Only after it became a habit and after he mastered the movements did the karate kid understand why he was doing it in the first place. Similarly, if you've (1) done sufficient research about consulting as a sector/career, the firms you are applying to, the skill sets you gain, the experiences and exposures you gain, and the people you meet; (2) defined your objectives by working in this field; (3) networked enough with current and ex-consultants, your answer to this question will come very naturally. If you are struggling with responding to this, it is a sign that there is still a knowledge gap against what you know about consulting, your career objectives and your knowledge of the firms and what it really is like.

To answer your other concerns:

1. How long & specific/vivid should an answer be?

Limit your response to under 3 minute. In interviews, you are expected to be able to deliver the message when asked and to do so directly. The response should be personalized although may overlap with general responses. Be specific on how you arrived to that "why". For instance, spoke to 50 people in the firm and loved XYZ about it.

2. Should it be answered in a structured manner as well; i.e. "There are X reasons why I choose consulting / MBB.... First is .... Second is .... "?

Don't over structure the response to these questions. They want to see your natural side as they will be assessing if they'd want to work with you as well. Be structured when solving problems and communicating complex ideas/thoughts. Otherwise be natural yet direct and to the point. There's no harm in being a bit structured.

3. Other things that need to be considered when answering these questions.

This question is more important to you than to the firm. Before assessing how they would view or take your response, it should truly be the right one for yourself. You need to know why, align your personal objectives, pick the right firm, be entirely convinced and happy with your choice and then respond. 

You mentioned only extrinsic factors, which, although important, do not cover everything. Let's think for a moment about what type of intrinsic motivators we have at consulting:

• Work itself - where else you can do such a challenging work, where no single day is the same? Working in the industry becomes boring, which can't be said about consulting.
• Colleagues - you will be working with smartest people on the planet, who are, at the same time, due to the nature of the business, colleagial and friendly, unlike what you would face at some IB.
• Growth - due to the 2 previous factors, and due to facing different people and different cultures, you are growing faster as an individual and as a professional.
• Advancement - fast career progression due to up-or-out approach helps you stay focused.
• Achievement - you will be impacting development of multi-billion companies, governments and entire businesses. Although you won't normally receive any credit for that outside of your firm, it can still be pleasurable to open a newspaper in the morning and read about a successful deal, where you played your part.

Considering that intrinsic motivators are more powerful, if we can believe the famous HBR article ( https://hbr.org/2003/01/one-more-time-how-do-you-motivate-employees ), it's no wonder that MC is an attractive career.

Hi,

Let me share some thoughts.

• It's ok if you know your goals and using consulting as a step, nobody expects that you'll be working in consulting whole life.
• But it's not the best answer if you tell that you don't know what you want. Uncertainty do not characterize you as a strong candidate. So, please think of other personal rationale. For example. you set a goal to become top-manager/ entrepreneur in the future, so you need to develop CEO toolkit. And you believe working in consulting, where you can gain experience in different industries, functions and geographies, is the best way to do it.
• Think of 2 more other reasons, you should provide 3 reasons why consulting.

Best!
V.

Hi Yan,

Actually, you should use your personal story, and you MUST avoid those general answers you found online.

In order to be distinctive and remembered, you really have to find a story that unique, genuine, and relevant to consulting. The interviewers have spent a lot of interviews and heard similar reasons over and over again, so if there is a different/distinctive answer (in a positive way) - we would make sure we take care of him/her.

Hope this helps!

Hello,

Great questions! While these questions might seem trivial, they're actually quite important because they help interviewers understand your motivations and how well you've researched the role and the firm. Here's how to approach them:

Length and Specificity: Your answer should be concise and specific. You want to convey your reasons clearly without going into too much detail. Aim for about 1-2 minutes for each question. Be sure to provide a clear and compelling reason for your interest.

Structured Response: Structuring your response can make it easier to follow. It's not mandatory to use a numbered list, but you should organize your thoughts logically. You could start with a brief introduction, followed by a couple of key reasons, and conclude by summarizing your interest.

Considerations: Here are some things to keep in mind:

• Research: Your answers should reflect a deep understanding of the firm and the consulting industry. Mention specific projects, initiatives, or aspects of the firm that resonate with you.
• Authenticity: Be genuine in your response. Share what truly excites you about consulting and the firm you're interviewing with. Avoid generic answers that could apply to any consulting firm.
• Tailoring: Customize your answers for each firm if you're interviewing with multiple ones. Highlight unique aspects that attract you to each firm.
• Passion: Convey your enthusiasm. Show that you're genuinely excited about the opportunity to work in consulting and with the specific firm.
• Clarity: Ensure your response is clear and well-articulated. Practice your answers to eliminate any stumbling or uncertainty.

Remember, these questions are about fit and alignment. Interviewers want to see if your career goals and values align with the consulting industry and their particular firm. Tailoring your answers to reflect this alignment will make a strong impression.

Best of luck with your interviews! If you have any more questions or need further assistance, feel free to ask. Warm regards, Frederic 

two of the most important things to me are continued learning and creating real-world impact. while research has the ability to achieve both, consulting provides me with an opportunity to delve into industries, problems, and technology that i'm not yet familiar with, in a highly-collaborative environment--something that academic research often falls short on. creating impacts that i can see unfold before my eyes has been the most rewarding experience of all, which all have come from my consulting experiences. it is much more motivating than uncovering an interesting research result that may or may not be impactful

Dear A,

When answering “Why consulting” questions, provide three reasons why you want
to pursue a career in a consulting firm. A general rule is to find the reasons that are
important for you and logically fit everything you have done before (e.g. you want to
grow further in financial services and get exposure to these clients). You can always
use some personal rationale like your experience of working with consultants on a
client side.

Also, you can follow common framework in answering any personal fit questions. It consists of 5 parts:

1. Situation

2. Problem

3. Solution

4. Results 

5. Your learnings
 

Hope it helps,

Best,

André

Hi Yan,

For sure you can use your own story as long as it makes the logical connection to consulting. It would likely sound a lot more convincing. 

My own "why consulting" answer relates to a past experience I had when I was in my pre-MBA job. It had some similarities to consulting. I enjoyed the project a lot and realised that's what I want to do. It works. 

Cheers,

Emily

There are many reasons you would want to join consulting. Below are examples of what makes a good reason vs ones that are not good

Good

1. You want to make an impact and consulting is a career that allows for that given the people you work with and the projects you work on 
2. You enjoyed meeting folks from the consutling firms you are interested in and that interaction is what led you here
3. You want to broaden your focus from your function/company etc. to the entire industry
4. You want to work on the cutting edge of x,yz things (applicable ONLY if you have read about the work done by the firms and it is relevant - need to be specific here)
5. Your learning has plateaued and sonsulting is a way for you to grow in your career as it allows you to take on new and exciting challenges
6. You have been following the work they have been doing (again has to be super specific) and that is exactly the kind of work you want to do/expertize you want to build

Not so good

• You want to travel a lot
• The firm is 'global'
• The firm is prestigious
• You are looking for something new to do
• It will help you do an MBA
• You want to try new industries
• Other successful people have done it

All the best with your preparation

Udayan

Hello!

Here are some hints for it: 

• In most cases, there is more than one reason. Write your ideas, in order of importance, in bullets points
• Start your answer by an introduction to those bullet points (e.g., There are mainly 3 reasons why I would like to work in consulting)
• Comment the bullets in order or importance, clearly separating the ideas. This makes it easier to follow, more structured and dynamic
• Finish with a summary of the points, as long as a “tweet” (e.g., In a nutshell, the 3 reasons why I want to work in consulting are the multidisciplinary approach, global scope and client-facing engagements

For instance, this could be how it looks: 

There are two main reasons why consulting is the way that I want to start my career. I studied Architecture since I loved the multi-multidisciplinary approach: from Math to History, from Construction to Aesthetics. However, I realized that, when it comes to working as an architect, the scope narrows down a lot. Hence, the 1st reason why I want to transition to consulting is to keep the multi-discipline and multi-industry focus. Furthermore, I love being constantly challenged and learning at high speed, and I know that consulting has one of the steepest learning curves. In a nutshell, the 2 reasons why I would like to join consulting are the multi-disciplinary focus and the constant challenge that drives exponential growth

I leave you here one of the slides of the FIT Guide I´ve written for PrepLounge that summarizes it and gives some examplez. Full guide can be found here > https://www.preplounge.com/en/shop/tests-2/integrated-fit-guide-for-mbb-34

PM me if you are interested in disccount codes for it!

Hope it helps!

Cheers,

Clara

Hello!

On top of the insights already shared in the post, next week will be pusblished in PrepLounge´s Shop material related.

In concrete, the "Integrated FIT guide for MBB". It provides an end-to-end preparation for all three MBB interviews, tackling each firms particularities and combining key concepts review and a hands-on methodology. Following the book, the candidate will prepare his/her stories by practicing with over 50 real questions and leveraging special frameworks and worksheets that guide step-by-step, developed by the author and her experience as a Master in Management professor and coach. Finally, as further guidance, the guide encompasses over 20 examples from real candidates.

Here I leave you the link > https://www.preplounge.com/en/shop/tests-2/integrated-fit-guide-for-mbb-34

Feel free to PM me for disccount codes!

Hope you find it useful!

Best,

Clara

Hi!

It is actually quite simple. The best possible answer can be crafted in two steps:

Step 1: Define your objectives over a 5-10 years horizon - both career-wise and personal.

Step 2: Think about why and how Consulting/the particular firm can help you achieve these objectives in an optimal way.

Cheers, Sidi

Hi,

When answering “Why consulting” questions, provide three reasons why you want to pursue a career in a consulting firm. A general rule is to find the reasons that are important for you and logically fit everything you have done before (e.g. you want to grow further in financial services and get exposure to these clients). You can always use some personal rationale like your experience of working with consultants on a client side.

"Why this company" is a more specific question and can include the following arguments:

• The general marketing story the company is trying to sell (e.g. Bain is a small "Family" company)
• Brand / positioning / market share in the region
• More clients / projects / expertise in the industry you are interested in
• More well-known stories of success in your city
• Your friends working there
• Your interactions with the other consultants before the interview
• Your prior experience of working with the Firm on a client side
• Office traditions
• Work experience with firm alumni
• etc 

Best!

Hi there,

you have a lot of good content in your answer. I will attempt to add some additional perspective/value based on my experience as ex-MBB interviewer.

1) Do your homework to inform answer through talking to consultants: it is not sufficient to look into a consulting firm website to be credible in saying why you want consulting. 

a) Reach out to people in your target firm and office - this will infuse your answer to “Why firm X”, BUT also on “Why consulting” - it is far more powerful saying during response "I talked to xx BCG consultants and this reinforced my view that consulting could give me ….

2) Deeply self-reflect and make it YOUR answer: I hated seeing multiple candidate saying substantially the same thing in a semi-robotic way ("I want to be exposed to many industries"). You need to link your reasons for “why consulting” to YOUR specific experience and life reflections. This has two advantages 

a) shows maturity, preparation and frankly humanity 

b) Differentiates you from other candidates and make you more REMEMBERABLE/gives you an edge 

Hope this helps

Dear Ben,

In my experience, "Why X company" is based solely on your own research and the internal network that you have built (e.g., friends, conversations, experience, etc.)

All companies have its own strategy, strengths, weaknesses, and specific goals either in the short-term or long-term. By doing your research and talking with people, you will find out relevant information that will help you build your customized answer. Determining these differences are important during the interview, especially in MBA or experienced hires.

Some specific examples that come quickly to my mind: 

- ATK: Worldwide experience in Procurement and Analytics

- OW / Bain: Financial Institutions and PE

- Simon K.: Revenues

AFTER DETERMINING THE SPECIFICS, A STRONG CANDIDATE WILL LINK THESE SPECIFICS WITH HIS / HER CAREER GOALS OR MOTIVATIONS

I hope this helps.

Hugo

Hi there,

Welcome to PrepLounge and thanks for asking your question on our Consulting Q&A.

Have you already checked out our new feature Self Study Mode?

You can find a number of personal fit questions such as "Why consulting?" including best practice answers by our experts.

Maybe this helps you for your further practice.

We wish you a great case prep!

Best,

Astrid

PrepLounge Community Management

Follow us on: Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | twitter

For several reasons, the most important ones:

• The fulfilment I get while helping clients with their business challenge
• The exposure to the various projects, industries and/or sectors
• The problem solving spirit of the task

Hi Yan,

Absolutely you can! However, you have to make sure that this story isn't a "sob" story or a story about how you got inspired. You have to make sure that "Why Consulting" also answers why they want YOU.

So, in your personal story, make sure you highlight things you're good at, skills you have, some big accomplishments. You can pepper them in to make sure they're noted.

Hi Yan,

Using personal story is absolutely fine.

Be sure to run it through someone else to make sure it is:

1. Believable
2. Real conections to "Why Consulting"
3. Demonstrate your relevant experience, skills and character that will make you succeed in consulting

Hi,

It's really hard to say without hearing your story. Unfortunately, I keep hearing a lot of myths about consulting from the applicants, and pls be aware that the story may reveal the lack of knowledge about consulting. Let me give a couple of examples: 

• "In consulting I will be working on strategic projects like Profitability problems, M&A, Market Entry" - that's far from reality. Consulting is more and more about implementation and pure strategic projects are now rare.
• "In consulting, I will be working with a lot of industries" - that can be true, but mostly at the beginning of your career. Consulting is about becoming a specialist in 1-2 industries and functional areas
• "In consulting I will be working with many clients globally" - again, there might be multiple paths but this one is not the most common

So make sure that the story you want to tell is also in line with what consulting really is and not just the ideal picture.

Best

Hi Yan,

"Why consulting" is the applicant's chance to differentiate himself/herself from the rest and leave a mark on the interviewer who is probably interviewing 3-4 other applicants on the same day - interviewers hate getting the vanilla answers without a personal flavor.

Go for a personal story! Make it engaging, make the interviewer see the drive/passion you have for this line of business, because "vanilla applicants" don't last long as consultants...

Feel free to reach out if you want to fine-tune the answer or test it out.

I hope this helps,

Khaled

So, the reasons for inhouse would be different than external, for sure.  I can first speak to the latter and then give you my assumed thoughts about inhouse.

For strategy/boutique consulting, responses often fall along the following lines (not exhaustive list)

1) Skill development (okay to say you would want to eventually transfer these skills back to some other sector)

2) Working with smart people

3) Very rigorous and intellectually stimulating

4)  Opportunity to work across wide range of sectors/geographies, broaden your experiences, etc.

5)  Access to high-level thinking based on what you work on, who you work with.

All of the above are general - in your interview, if you can give specific examples, that helps.  Maybe talk about a story you heard and why you want that experience/opportunity.  I took the route of explaining how I had a very grassroots/operational focus in my prior work in nonprofits, and I wanted to build more analytical, strategic thinking skills.  You don't want to put down your prior skills, but showing that you have thought about what you can gain from consulting in a specific way and how that will make you more effective is a nice touch.  You can also cite specific really cool work the specific firm has done and show your passion for it -- that's a pretty effective strategy as interviewers love to see specific interest related to their firms.

For inhouse - I'm guessing here you need to demonstrate an interest in the sector/company, combined with a passion for solving problems, etc.  The closer you get to a pure industry role, the more you need to do your homework on the company, it's sector, etc.

3 reasons 

1. Intellect of my coworkers 

2. Tackling complex challenges in a variety of different industries 

3. Continuously learning

Not only you should, but you totally must!

Some advises: 

• In most cases, there is more than one reason. Write your ideas, in order of importance, in bullets points
• Start your answer by an introduction to those bullet points (e.g., There are mainly 3 reasons why I would like to work in consulting)
• Comment the bullets in order or importance, clearly separating the ideas. This makes it easier to follow, more structured and dynamic
• Finish with a summary of the points, as long as a “tweet” (e.g., In a nutshell, the 3 reasons why I want to work in consulting are the multidisciplinary approach, global scope and client-facing engagements

Here you have an example:

There are two main reasons why consulting is the way that I want to start my career. I studied Architecture since I loved the multi-multidisciplinary approach: from Math to History, from Construction to Aesthetics. However, I realized that, when it comes to working as an architect, the scope narrows down a lot. Hence, the 1st reason why I want to transition to consulting is to keep the multi-discipline and multi-industry focus. Furthermore, I love being constantly challenged and learning at high speed, and I know that consulting has one of the steepest learning curves. In a nutshell, the 2 reasons why I would like to join consulting are the multi-disciplinary focus and the constant challenge that drives exponential growth

Hope it helps!

Cheers,

Clara

It depends...who are you? We know nothing about you so how can we advise on this?

To answer this question, one needs to know your background, your journey, what interests you, what motivates/drives you, what you've liked in the past, what you haven't liked in the past.

Furthermore, I think you really need to change your mindset: If you're asking US for an explanation for why YOU want to join consulting, you won't last a day in the office!

Think long and hard about why you're doing this...if you can't think of a reason, then quit now before you waste months preparing for interviews and years working long hours and being pushed hard!

Hi, 

“Why consulting?”, “Why McKinsey” or “Why BCG” questions are used to assess your motivation to be a consultant in general and to work in that particular firm. They will check how you have done your homework and what you’ve learned about them. They also want to make sure that you have a clear intention to work in consulting.

• The answers to these questions are supposed to be short and take no more than 30 seconds each.
• For each question, you should provide three bullets points with different reasons.
• Make sure that you guide the interviewer through your reasoning. Words like “The first reason”, “Moreover”, “Finally” will help you.

When answering “Why consulting” questions, provide three reasons why you want to pursue a career in a consulting firm. A general rule is to find the reasons that are important for you and logically fit everything you have done before (e.g. you want to grow further in financial services and get exposure to these clients). You can always use some personal rationale like your experience of working with consultants on a client side.

"Why this company" is a more specific question and can include the following arguments:

• The general marketing story the company is trying to sell (e.g. Bain is a small "Family" company)
• Brand / positioning / market share in the region
• More clients / projects / expertise in the industry you are interested in
• More well-known stories of success in your city
• Your friends working there
• Your interactions with the other consultants before the interview
• Your prior experience of working with the Firm on a client side
• Office traditions
• Work experience with firm alumni
• etc

Best!

Good luck!

Hi there,

It's a very valid reason - Consulting will offer you various engagement in different geographies, markets, and industries. Also, it will allow you to work on a large spectrum to tasks from the highly quantitate ones (financial modeling) to the highly qualitative ones (vision/mission definition workshops)

Make sure your answer isn't generic - show your character through your answer. The last thing the interviewer wants to hear is a plain answer without a real flavor :) 

Best of luck in the process

Khaled

Hi,

Variety is okay as an entry point but variery in and of itself is not sufficient. Just having different experiences is okay what you want is to say why that matters. For example you can talk about how the ability to learn from different situations will accelerate your learning. Or how working across different industries can improve your ability to solve problems by helping you focus on both your approach and the industry specificities. 

In short the reason is currently superficial - go to the next level to make it a strong reason

Best,

Udayan

Hi Anonymous,

I agree with Tadeus, I would add the following points as potential elements:

1. Broad exit opportunities – You have the option to do basically everything after few years in consulting – from starting your own venture to prestigious PE funds
2. Companies’ investment in you – as a junior, you get the opportunity to have a sponsored MBA; as a more senior consultant, training and benefits (companies’ cars, healthcare, maternity leave, etc..)
3. Networking – You will likely develop a powerful network in different sectors, thanks to both connections with clients and current colleagues

Best,

Francesco

Hi!

It should be your personal research since the reasons may vary in different geographies. Here are some ideas of what you can use to structure your thoughts:

• You can start with general facts about the local office. Something like “Sidney office is the fastest growing McKinsey office worldwide.”
• If you have an interest in a particular industry or client this may also be a great reason. For example, Bain can be the only consulting firm working with airlines in your region.
• You may address to different Global opportunities and office initiatives. Using 1-year relocation as an opportunity to learn about business in a particular country can be a valid reason
• Try to combine professional and Non-business rational. If you have friends working in that company, don’t forget to mention them and what you’ve learned from their experience.
• You may use your other personal experiences like working with this company on a client side.

Good luck!

Hi there!

It's a good answer, but make sure 1) You include other reasons and 2) You highlight traits behind this that show they they want you.

I.e. "I love learning, I learn quickly, I run towards the unknown/ambiguity, I handle changes well, "etc." 

NOT "I get bored easily"

Hello,

SUre, it would be more thank okay. Other good reasons can be:

• Motivations that consultancy can give, challenging you everyday
• Quality of people working there, you can learn from

Best,
Luca

Hi, 

I totally agree with what has been said so far but I would add one thing:

If you make a good introduction this question should not be asked !

Indeed, it is important when you present yourself to show the logic of your journey and explain why consulting is the next obvious step. If we ask you this question, it is because your intro was not convincing enough on this dimension.

We can discuss it in PM if you want.

Best

Hi there,

adding on to some of the good answers already provided..

1. Be top down - follow consulting-style top down comms also for these kind of questions rather than standard prose. This helps with concision and is easier to follow.
2. Be natural - don't come with the “there are 3 reasons why” kind of language. Instead, try to articulate the structure more naturally. "I have been reflecting on this question for a while. For me there are a couple of reasons on why I believe it's the right step for my career now. First, xxx; Second; xxx etc
3. Be specific - start with a headline / buzzword but then explain what you mean by it. Add specific examples to back up your point
4. Be concise - rather have 2-3 strong points on why consulting instead of giving too many, too shallow arguments. Substance matters.

Hope this helps.

Regards, Andi

Hi Anonymous,

as for your question on why people choose consulting, besides the points already mentioned there are also some reasons more related to career advancement than the actual job:

1) Company investment on you. In many countries, MBB allows you to have a paid MBA after 2 years, if you stick with the company at least for other 2 years after the MBA.

2) Brand stamp. If you get a good consulting brand on your CV, in particular MBB, this will open many doors for a career in very few years.

3) Alumni connections. You will have the opportunity to contact easily key decision makers that have been part of the same company.

Few would choose consulting just for the previous points, and they would not represent the ideal answer in a fit interview; yet for many people they represent very relevant reasons as well.

Best,

Francesco

Hi!

It should be your personal research since the reasons may vary in different geographies. Here are some ideas of what you can use to structure your thoughts:

• You can start with general facts about the local office. Something like “Sidney office is the fastest growing McKinsey office worldwide.”
• If you have an interest in a particular industry or client this may also be a great reason. For example, McK can be the only consulting firm working with airlines in your region.
• You may address the different Global opportunities and office initiatives. E.g. international staffing can be a good opportunity to learn about business in a particular country
• Try to combine professional and Non-business rational. If you have friends working in that company, don’t forget to mention them and what you’ve learned from their experience.
• You may use your other personal experiences like working with this McKinsey, it's deliverables or as it's client
• You can provide your personal experience of working with McKinsey Alums

Good luck!

Hi,

When answering “Why consulting” questions, provide three reasons why you want to pursue a career in a consulting firm. A general rule is to find the reasons that are important for you and logically fit everything you have done before (e.g. you want to grow further in financial services and get exposure to these clients). You can always use some personal rationale like your experience of working with consultants on a client side.

"Why this company" is a more specific question and can include the following arguments:

• The general marketing story the company is trying to sell (e.g. Bain is a small "Family" company)
• Brand / positioning / market share in the region
• More clients / projects / expertise in the industry you are interested in
• More well-known stories of success in your city
• Your friends working there
• Your interactions with the other consultants before the interview
• Your prior experience of working with the Firm on a client side
• Office traditions
• Work experience with firm alumni
• etc 

Best!

Dear A,

When answering “Why consulting” questions, provide three reasons why you want
to pursue a career in a consulting firm. A general rule is to find the reasons that are
important for you and logically fit everything you have done before (e.g. you want to
grow further in financial services and get exposure to these clients). You can always
use some personal rationale like your experience of working with consultants on a
client side.

Hope, it helps.

Best,
André

Hi Yan,

if by a personal story you mean connecting the answer to your previous experiences, that can definitely be a good idea (of course, it also depends on the story).

As Emily mentioned, so far that you show you had a “taste” of what some areas you will find in consulting are about, this will help the interviewer to feel you have an authentic interest. You should still be structured in the answer though – I coached several candidates that thought you don’t need to be structured answering fit questions, while that’s critical to leave a good impression.

Best,

Francesco

Hi, I think it is a good point to discuss. Further interesting considerations can be made about:
- quality of people: consulting can attract and retain the best resources available every year
- high-level exposure with top clients: especially for most junior people, no role has comparable exposure with C-level of top organizations
- impact on large companies: in a team of 3-4 people you can really bring impactful changes in the business  

Best,
Antonello

- Learning courve

- Project business

- High-pace, dynamic environemnt and implementation of work (compared to industry)

- directly creating impact / changing the clients buisness habits

- Netzwork (different Projects) & international background of people (for international consultancy)

Create Opportunities, make an impact, learn and work with brilliant people 

Hello!

On top of the insights already shared in the post, next week will be pusblished in PrepLounge´s Shop material related. 

In concrete, the "Integrated FIT guide for MBB". It provides an end-to-end preparation for all three MBB interviews, tackling each firms particularities and combining key concepts review and a hands-on methodology. Following the book, the candidate will prepare his/her stories by practicing with over 50 real questions and leveraging special frameworks and worksheets that guide step-by-step, developed by the author and her experience as a Master in Management professor and coach. Finally,  as further guidance, the guide encompasses over 20 examples from real candidates.

Hope you find it useful!

Dear Yan ,

Absolutely!  It's the best way to be very authentic and share your story within an interview. It will also help you to be very convincing. So, go for it. But, please, structure it properly during your communication. 


Good luck, 

André

Hi there,

you may have multiple reasons why you want to work in consulting, from the opportunity to work on different projects solving impactful problems to the extremely high learning opportunities.

However, the points should be customized to YOUR story and be specific to that.

If you use any list of points uncorrelated to what you really want (including those suggested on this page), the interviewer will understand the points are fake in few seconds, and your interviewer will basically be over.

If you want to really develop a great answer, I would recommend that you list some possible reasons and ask for feedback on them, rather than only ask the question without any proposed answer – in this way you can learn far more and benefit the most.

Best,

Francesco

Dear A,

It doesn't matter in fact what you would tell in your motivation. It should be authentic. Everyone has his own motivation to join consulting firms. Just take some time before the day of your interview and this question to yourself, why consulting? And think about your internal and external motivation, also try to think why you choose this specific company. By thinking about this in advance you can pick 2-3-4 points for your future interview. 

Also, to shape your thoughts into structure I would recommend you the following structure to shape your thoughts and ideas properly:

1. Situation (background)

2. Problem (Complication)

3. Your approach (how did you manage this problem)

4. Results (Outcomes of your approach)

5. Your learnings (what you take from this situation)

If you can apply this framework to every of your PEI stories and communicate in a top-down way, you would definitely leave great impression. For more details, feel free to approach me.

Good luck,

André

These are the most common questions in that part, and with them interviewer wants to get from your your real motivation on:

• Do you really want this job?

• Do you want to become a professional in consulting and why?

• Do you know about this job and what is your reasons?

• To assess your persuasion skills 

To answer this kind of questions use top down communication: explain the framework and give 2-3 reasons to each point. Make sure you have specific reason for your motivation, they don't contradict with each other and they have real connection to yourself.

To answer specific reason question why this firm - go on their webpage, read how they present themselves, network to get some information from insiders. 

Was it helpful for you?

GB

1. 60 seconds would be ideal to answer this question
2. Stick to “reason 1, reason 2, etc.” structure since it is easier to follow for the interviewer
3. Make sure your answer is genuine and include examples (e.g., I enjoy the steep and continuous learning curve, for example XXXX really impresses me)
    

Hopefully this helps!

Jorn
 

Can't add much more to Sri's answer, but I chose consulting because:

• prestige and good income

• allows me to use and develop my interests and strengths (analysing, problem solving, change management, organizing, presenting, business)

• variety of working on different projects, with different clients and type of firms

• help organizations and clients

• work together with other inspiring and intellectual people

because i enjoy solving problems

I´ve always been curious about everything, so trying out different project engamgemnts can really satisfy my need for change and curiosity by simultainiously  test my creative problem sovling 

I have been working in Consulting for the past 4 years. I love working across different business sectors, solve critical issues that span organizations, and enable organisations with the power of tech.

1) the steep learning curve. As you work with very driven and bright people, you can learn a lot in a short period of time.

2) the continuously changing environment. No 2 projects are the same, so this job will keep on challenging you.

3) You can really make an impact. Based on the insights that you gained, you can deliver valuable outcomes for the client. 

Answering this question, you need to prove that you share the same values and goals with the company. You should point out the reasons - why you are a good fit for them and explain that you can see your future within the firm.

I would also recommend mentioning the inspiring atmosphere and that you've liked communicating with people who work there. Moreover, you can point out that you would be happy to develop in such a successful company. However, try not to give typical answers which usually candidates do. Answer the question according to your personal values and motivation!

That's exactly what you need to figure out for yourself and convince your interviewer of. Good luck!

i like the idea of consulting since it uses logic

didnt like my major

Personal growth and development

xx

Collaborative environment, exoansidng my intellectual capacity with endless learning opportunities, achieving real change

- solve different types of problems for clients

- collaborate with representatives from international companies

- help companies achieve the best results in the long run

Working in consulting is the best way to pursue a generalistic and complete business formation within excellent teams which works with top management staff from the very various companies the firm may work with, to work within a dynamic and demanding environment and finally to tbenefit from the international and mobile characteristic of the assignments. 

Never ending learning curve

impact

exposition to the client and senior 

I want to work with large companies and solve problems. I like how every day is different and there is a wide variety of work in the consulting industry. 

My internship last summer, where I worked directly with a client, showcased my interest in consulting. During my time there, I was able to work closely with a client to understand their problem in depth, propose a solution and finally build that idea it myself as part of a team! I greatly enjoyed the whole process: initially understanding the problem and getting to its root cause; then thinking about solutions to it, sometimes crazy ideas and finally building one of these ideas. As such, in one sentence, I greatly enjoyed solving a problem with a small team that would make a client succed. 

why not

steep learning curve

competitive team environment

curiosity

- get to know different industries and companies in a short period of time

- challenging tasks

- learning curve

The most important reasons will be a) to help our clients with disruptive growth, both revenue and profits b) simplify the prospects, opportunities and challenges framework within a complex multilayered, multi-geography organization and c) develop talent within for sustainable growth of our organization 

Diverse teams

Problem Solving

Variety of Work

I want to get into consulting for two reasons: creating true impact and developing personally.

1. I believe that as a consultant I'm in the unique position to help clients on a top level in overcoming their current business challenges, thus creating benefit for them and having a true impact in my work.

2.  Intertwined with 1. is the chance to gather deep insights into varius businesses and industries and growing as a person. That helps again in improving in my daily work and achieving 1.

learning, people, travel

I want to better understand strategic goals, work on/learn about many different industries, and use data to drive ambiguous problems

I like to fire people!

 - Maybe not the best answer

help company and business grow.

g

Because I love learning new things, like to be challenged intellectually, and want to work on cases that have a real impact on the world around me. Also, having smart colleagues to work with is really stimulating.

My interest in consulting it is driven by three key factors to achieve a personal development which I am looking for in this point of my life. 

Firstly, the exposure to a greater number of industries would allow me to expand my knowledge to a wider variety of problems, trends and situations. 

Secondly, I believe only consulting and investment banking provide young workers with the necessary fundamental skillsets to face problem solving situations. The heritage learnt from these roles can be applied and carried over to every situation in life, being it personal or professional.

Lastly, The exposure to both different individuals and cultures fuels my interests and endless curiosity to understand others perspective, mindsets and points of view. I believe this is the key in leveraging  technical skills but also to adapt and appreciate a more open minded mindset. 

Dynamic projects, interesting clients, high level of learning

To work on diverse range of projects

To work across functions such as marketing,finance, supply chain etc

To accelerate my learning curve as working in consulting comes with a steep learning curve

I choose consulting for my personal development. This would come through exposure to different industries, working on different topics, and different people. The industry exposure will give me a broader understanding of how the business side of the world works, different topics will enhance that by knowing what are the different types of issues companies face today. Working with different people enhance emotional intellgence because you learn to deal with different personality types, working styles, cultures, which makes you easily get along with people you don't know easily, and learn how to get the best from them while giving them your best.

The biggest reason why I want to pursue a career in consulting is because I want to develop myself personally and professionally. I dream of opening a business someday and would really like to know what kind of problems business owners face and how frequent and hard are these problems and how to overcome problems in the best way possible.

I also like to travel and would love to work around great minds so that I can learn as much as I can so that I can implement those learnings in whatever way possible.

I want to have contact with several fields of management

I like fast paced and dynamic work environments

I like to be constantly challenged and forced to be creative

I love consulting due to the type of challenges we face in every new project. It gives us a chance to make the sherlock out of us. Also, It provides exposure to different industries and understands the business in a better way, which is not possible working in a particular industry.

1) Consulting gives experience that is unparalled: 1 year in consulting = 3 years industry. The breadth of experience I could gain as a junior consultant is a huge benefit in my eyes.

2) I like to solve problems of any kind, and this work would be highly stimulating and exciting to me. It would be an excellent extension of my education in finance/economics/math to really delve deep into real-world client issues.

3) The environment: I like to be mobile, not just stationary at a desk; and I like working with other like-minded, intelligent, and highly motivated young professionals.

1). 10 years of experience in all functions within the same industry, have learned the wohle perspective of running a business, now it is time to get to know how other indutries work.

2). positive experience as corporate strategist with Consulting firms, execellent and nice ppl 

3). go out of comfort zone, expedite learning

- Variety of projects

- opportunity to gain experience in different areas and sectors that I want to explore

-immense learning, growth, creativity and collaborative environment which I seek

N/A

Because it gives me the opportunity to work in a diverse and challenging environment

- Project work

- learning curve

- challenging environment

- c-level exposure

- travel

Multidisciplinarity 

Intelectual curiosity 

conneted to international 

You have some great answers here already, but allow me to add my two cents.

I think the best way to address this question is to show the interviewer how the skills you get from consulting can help you achieve your greatest altruistic purpose in life. Firms are looking for candidates who can see the big picture and can attempt big dreams. If you can make this connection, then you will have answered the question well. That said, some of the common skills that consulting endows you with are problem-solving (analytical), communication, and people management skills. Find how these skills can equip you to, not only transform your life but that of millions of people. Show them that realistic connection.

You are also better off starting your answer by quickly and succinctly describing how you came to know about consulting. A personalized story makes your stand out. This is one thing I learnt from FirmsConsulting, and you may want to check it out. 

I hope this helps.

1. Diversity of projects

2. Enhance my soft skills

3. Meet new people

Hi Anonymous,

I basically agree with previous answers given to that question. However, from my perspective there is one major aspect completely missing so far, which I would like to add since it's probably the most fundamental aspect at all.

The missing aspect is actually understanding the root cause of the question, and thus how to answer it 'correctly'. ('correctly' in this respect is meant to think like a consultant, not to learn/say specific magic phrases)

So - as we know consulting is a service business, meaning you will render a highly specific and targeted service to create value for someone else. (yes, you will be out of the limelight while some executives will happily order their new Ferrari with their bonus payments after achieving their goals...) 

The starting point of how to answer the question about your motivation is therefore what you can contribute to your future clients' and the firm's success (and not what you somehow find interesting in a specific firm - yes, that's additional side aspects, but hey - also as an interviewer I am sometimes asking myself what's in it for me when hiring a candidate).

The more experience you already have, the easier it will be to outline parallels between current activities of the firm's practices and what/how you can potentially contribute.

Understandably, that sounds impossible being a hire fresh from university. Obviously your contribution will be not that much at the beginning since you first need to learn a lot. However, you can still tailor your answer based on your educational background and future goals in terms of knowledge gain, and how that will at some point in time help your clients' and the firm succeed!

Hope that helps - if so, please be so kind and give it a thumbs-up with the green upvote button below!

Robert

Becouse, of: 

1. people best industry experts 

2. interesting projects from around the world 

3. Fast curve of learning

Hi,

Please never use "A variety of projects" as why consulting answer for the following reason:

1. It's the answer 90% of candidates give and it is super boring
2. Consulting is not about a variety of projects. Success in consulting is all about specialization

Best

Hi Anonymous,

I am afraid you approach this question from a different (if not to say inccorrect) angle.

The question is not really that much what's in it for - the question is more how exactly can you contribute to the client's and firm's success with everything you bring to the table.

Please consider that consulting is a service business - what's in it for you (variety etc.) is a tertiary factor - the ranking is always 1) client 2) company 3) consultant. So try to align your argumentation also along this hierarchy, and connect your argumentation with specific examples of your past to make it credible (as opposed to generalized statements).

Hope this helps - if so, please be so kind and give it a thumbs-up with the green upvote button below!

Robert

Dear A,

“Why consulting?”, "Why company X" is quite a common questions to assess your motivation to be a consultant in general and to work in that particular firm. They will check how you have prepared for the interview with this specific company and what you’ve learned about them. They also want to make sure that you have a clear intention to work in consulting.For this question I would recommend you to find the reasons that are important for you and logically fits everything you have done before. 

So, regarding to your question, actually you can use it but align it with consulting topic that lead to the logical answer - why consluting

If you need any further help or advice, feel free to reach out. 

Best,
André

Hi, 

Everyone is motivated for an interview! It is quite rare (it sometimes happens) that I find that a candidate is not motivated.

The biggest challenge in my opinion is rather to prove that all your past experiences (internships, academic path, ...) give you legitimacy for the position for which you are applying.

You have to convince the interviewer that consulting is the next obvious step in your career.

Best

because i like to work in a fast-moving environment and to be faced with new challenges

Having the ability to work for wide range of different industries

Work in a dynamic environment

Develop technical expertises

Consulting is an industry that

1. Demands different types of problem-solving skills which helps you develop many skills

2. Provides you an opportunity to work on grand problems

3. Allows you to make industry connections and gain insights

These are the three reasons why I would choose consulting

asdas

- Projektarbeit macht mir Spaß

- Neugierde an neuen Themen

- steile Lernkurve

Consulting is something, which helps people and companies in all kinds of areas. As a Consultant you get to know so many topics, industries and people, which helps you improve yourself. You learn new things every day. Furthermore over the time you have so many expertise than you can aanlyse a situation very quickly and help other companies by using the knowledge you already have through other topics.

It's an area that is getting me really exicited about. I am not a comfort zone person, so I take the risks and really enjoy the challenges. Beacuse I thinks it is teh only way to grow up. 

Because I enjoy a continous leraning process and strive to conquer new and challenging tasks on a regular basis. Therefore I would like to work in consulting as I am convinced that this would allow me to work in a environment where ongoing change and and new challenges are provided everyday.

For me, these are the key features that I will emphasize for an interview:

Consulting is a sector in which I will have a great opportunity to learn by doing and surrounded by the best experts. Furthermore, the learning curve never ends which means I will develop a vast array of marketable skills in a prestigious environment. Thereby, I will make a strong impact on society by helping clients to tackle their problems in order to improve their performance while I am a member of a dynamic team focused on delivering breakthrough solutions. In other words, my goal is to use my talent to help others and I believe consulting is the best place to achieve it due to the sector´s commitment to excellence.

Just see the answer

it is the biggest challenge for the first job you can imagine. talking to CEOs about a new strategy from a "newby" is very hard. everyone grows in situations where you will learn and develop when you are thrown into the deep.

also i want to be able to do something with big and exciting customers. also i want to discover and meet a lot of new people and work together in interesting projects.

Because I want to work with like-minded people and diverse people who will challenge me to push myself to be the best version of myself that I can be

test

Personal learning: Deepen my know-how in digital across industries, working with highly ambitious colleagues to further push me, make use of best-practice approaches by internal know-how data base and train myself on strategical questions in C-level cases as well as getting used to communicate to C-level clients.

fsdfdsfs

I want to learn about many industries and sectors in a short time. Often there are similar problems and challenges that can be solved and eased when you take expertise from other benchmarking industries to theirs. Consulting companies have both, this overview and deepnes for industries and solutions.

Further, I think it is very exciting to work with many people and on many different projects in a relatively short time. It develops yourself to know what you like, dislike or generally want to stay in consulting for very long-term.

helping people solve problems and do better in the future

Personal fit stratigic mindset problem solving, growth 

Want to be part of key decisions in a variety of interesting industries that have a direct impact on the world

It is a really challenging enviroment where I have the possibility to challenge myself

1. It is a logical nest step in my career as I am currently working in private sector consulting on projects. 

2. Although my employer is one of the best in the public sector, I am attracted by the efficiency  private sector companies are well known for

3. the company i am intersted to work with has challenged the industry by its approach to consulting but also challenged its culture by  regularly rethinking its recruitment and retainment process, and D&I strategy

Short answer: Consulting causes change - positive change.

To develop sustainable solutions for business development

I have always been a tough problem-solver in my previous position as IT project manager. I love working cross-functional and solving different business issues. I think consulting would be a great fit also because of my interpersonal skills and my team spirit.

the best job on earth

1. i have experience in consulting as a private equity analyst

2. love dealing with clients and stakeholders

3. i want to leave a mark on this world

It is challenging and I can be the best self when in a competitive environment.

I enjoy working on a team.

I like solving complex problems.

Because in consulting the learning never go down. I will learn and work with the most brillant peaple in word.

Analytisch, strukturiert, Zahlen affin

1. Learning curve 2. I will be exposed to many industries 3.I will develop a wide range of versatile skills in a prestigious environment.

the learning opportunities, the people (some of the most interesting and smart individuals) and the lifestyle (fast paced with exposure to tons of new things very often)

darum

I love problem solving and I want to use my gifts for the greater good. I believe that I would be able to contribute to the company by offering information driven advice.

Diverse people

different sectors

work with impact

1) I like to work on new challenges for different businesses.

I like the challenges posed by consulting jobs and the solutions to the problems are quite unique.

It gives an opportunity to freshly understand a problem and revisit the solution 

Learning curve never ends

Great variety of missions, clients etc.

Working with great profiles and great personnalities

Throughout my studies and career, I strove to attain a holistic view of a company. I actively search for opportunities to learn and have a bias towards action, building on my knowledge, identifying new opportunities and putting them into action.

Coming from an engineering background, consulting offers an ideal next step to build on this knowledge in a vibrant international background with like-minded peers, seeking new challenges and extensively learn about new industries.

I know that in consulting my knowledge and skills will be challenged while working with people on the highest levels of organizations and welcome this opportunity to grow both personally and professionally.

Consulting is a area which deals with diverse set of industries on issues which will equip myself with better knowledge and at the same time help me take up challenging roles wjich gives job satisfaction even though demanding

For three main reasons: 

1- The steep learning curve: The opportunity to work and learn from expert people 

2- I will get to work and meet international people with diversed background and experience 

3- The challenging aspect of problem-solving: I thrive in challenging environments 

• Hoogste niveau impact bij verscheidenheid van klanten
• Nadruk op zelfontwikkeling, aangezien ik het product ben
• Ruimte om creativiteit te gebruiken, zowel in vraag achter de vraag achterhalen als in de oplossingen (niet proposal-driven)

First, I strive while improving things and processes around me.

Second, I really like to share knowledge and experience.

Third, I'm eager to learn more, growth and get developed.

- seeing things from another angle help to figure out what's behind it and the critical sequences it leads to 

I like the challenge of working with new clients, new problems.

I savour the opportunity to work with leading talents in their industries.

The opportunity to grow within my field is very attractive and I believe consulting is the only place to offer the kind of diversity I need on a day to day basis

Use experience and energy to find actionable strategies to solve problems.

I enjoy consulting 

Because I love to work hard and love to do what I love!

The "Why consulting" and "Why McKinsey/BCG/Bain" questions are indeed critical in case interviews and are often used to assess your motivation, alignment with the firm's values, and understanding of the consulting industry. Here are some guidelines for answering these questions effectively:

1. Length and Specificity:

• Length: Your answers should be concise and to the point. Aim for a response that lasts around 1-2 minutes for each question. Interviewers appreciate candidates who can communicate their thoughts clearly and efficiently.
• Specificity: Be specific and provide examples or anecdotes whenever possible. Rather than giving vague statements, share concrete reasons based on your experiences and research.

2. Structured Response:

• Structuring your response can make it easier for the interviewer to follow and understand your reasoning. You can use a structured approach like "First is..., Second is..., Third is..." if it helps you organize your thoughts. However, don't make it sound overly formulaic; maintain a conversational tone.

3. Addressing "Why Consulting":

• Express your passion and enthusiasm for consulting by discussing what attracts you to the profession. You might mention:
  • Problem-solving: Explain your love for tackling complex problems and your desire to make a significant impact on various industries.
  • Learning and Growth: Highlight your interest in continuously learning, adapting, and developing new skills.
  • Variety of Work: Mention your desire for diverse and challenging projects that consulting offers.
  • Teamwork and Collaboration: Emphasize your enjoyment of working in collaborative environments and your ability to thrive in a team-based setting.
• Personalize your response: Share personal experiences or anecdotes that illustrate why consulting is the right fit for you.

4. Addressing "Why McKinsey/BCG/Bain" (or any specific firm):

• Research: Demonstrate that you've thoroughly researched the firm. Mention specific projects, values, or initiatives that align with your interests.
• Fit: Explain how the firm's culture, values, and mission resonate with your own career aspirations and personal values.
• Differentiation: Highlight what sets the firm apart from others and why you believe it's the best place for you to achieve your goals.
• Be sincere: Authenticity is crucial. Avoid using generic statements that could apply to any consulting firm. Tailor your response to the unique aspects of the firm you're interviewing with.

5. Tailor Your Response:

• Customize your answers to the specific consulting firm and role you're interviewing for. Your responses should show that you've thoughtfully considered how the firm aligns with your career path.

6. Practice: Practice your answers with peers, mentors, or through mock interviews. This will help you refine your responses, ensure clarity, and eliminate nervousness.

In summary, your responses to "Why consulting" and "Why McKinsey/BCG/Bain" should be concise, specific, structured for clarity, and tailored to the firm and role. Demonstrating your genuine enthusiasm and alignment with the consulting profession and the specific firm will leave a positive impression on your interviewer.