ZS Unstructured Interview: Question Types and Examples

Hi,

Like a typical consulting interview, the ZS interview consists of mainly 2 parts (case interview and fit/behavioral interview).

The case interview is very similar compared to a MBB interview. The major difference is that ZS has a bigger focus on the healthcare/life science industry. Typical cases are market entry, pricing, customer sales strategy... You need to develop the skill to draft a MECE customized framework to tackle every business problem.

Let me know if you would like to get some more detailed examples.

Mattijs

Hi there,

I would be happy to share my thoughts on your question:

• First of all, based on the experience of my coachees, ZS does not use unstructured interviews, but rather semi-structured interviews like all other consulting firms.
• Moreover, the interviews usually consist of both a case study and personal fit. For personal fit, there do not seem to be any questions that are always used (except perhaps the request to introduce oneself).

You can find more on this topic here: How to succeed in the final interview round.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare for your upcoming ZS interviews, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

I recently helped two people secure offers at ZS London.

Their interviews follow a candidate-led format with business-related topics.

Happy to help with your preparation—send me a private message.

Best,

Alberto

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Explore my latest case inspired by a real MBB interview: TitanTrail - Operations Outsourcing

I've participated in interviews similar to ZS, including the unstructured interview portion. During my preparation, I used Ninjafy AI to conduct mock interviews, which was very helpful as it generates targeted Q&A simulations based on job descriptions (JD) and real interview scenarios.

Regarding the types of questions in unstructured interviews at ZS, here's what you might expect:

1. Business-Related Questions

   • Example: How would you analyze a strategy for entering a new market?

   • Or: If sales of a product suddenly declined, how would you investigate the causes?

2. Logical Estimation (Guesstimate) Questions

   • Example: How many cups of coffee are consumed daily in a city?

   • Or: How many packages does a delivery company process annually?

3. Behavioral Interview Questions

   • Example: Can you share an experience where you resolved a conflict within a team?

   • Or: How have you handled a project with tight deadlines?

I recommend preparing your approach to these types of questions based on the job requirements, and practicing with tools like Ninjafy AI to build your confidence and response quality.

Hi there,

ZS’s interview process follows a McKinsey-style, interviewer-driven approach for the case interview. This means the interviewer will guide the flow, asking structured follow-up questions to assess your problem-solving approach.

For fit/personal interviews, the format is similar to other consulting firms. Expect questions like:

• Why you? (your strengths, experiences, and impact)
• Why consulting? (your motivation for joining the industry)
• Why ZS? (your understanding of their work and culture)

Additionally, the behavioral interview will include story-based questions focused on leadership traits, teamwork, problem-solving, and adaptability - common across consulting firms.

Your prep should be the same as for any other consulting firm, ensuring you’re comfortable with case structuring, analytics, business judgment, and clear communication.

Cheers,

Florian

It's a regular case interview. Prepare as you would for everyone else.

Hi,

Thanks for your question.

ZS interview format may vary based on region and what level you are applying. In general

1. Standard fit interview with a senior person such as a principal. The questions are similar to MBB interviews, but more focused towards ZS's values and culture.

2. Case interviews: In the first round you would  get a interviewer led structured case. I have not seen an interviewee led case with ZS. Cases are generally heavy on charts, analysis and not necessarily life sciences focused. It depends on the level you are applying for. In the later rounds you may get more unstructured cases with senior members in the organization and/or another case to present in front of a panel.

The unstructured case could be any topic testing your creativity, business acumen and logistical/estimating skills. They are testing how creatively and logically can you think on your feet and deal with ambiguity.

If you have any more questions, please feel free to set up a free consult with me.

Thanks,

Soh

Hey there 🙂, ZS's unstructured interviews can be a mix of business-related and logical guesstimate questions, but they primarily assess your problem-solving approach, structured thinking, and communication skills rather than testing a strict framework like traditional case interviews.

Common Question Types & Examples

1️⃣ Business Scenario Questions

• “A pharma company wants to expand into a new market. How would you approach this?”
• “What factors would you consider when launching a new drug?”

2️⃣ Market Sizing / Guesstimates

• “How many insulin pens are sold in Germany per year?”
• “Estimate the number of patients who would qualify for a new oncology drug.”

3️⃣ Behavioral / Fit Questions

• “Tell me about a time you worked with incomplete data.”
• “How do you prioritize tasks in a fast-paced environment?”

4️⃣ Industry-Specific Logic Questions (if applicable)

• “How would you improve sales force efficiency for a medical device company?”
• “What KPIs would you track for a pharmaceutical company’s new product launch?”

How to Prepare

• Stay structured: Even though it’s "unstructured," ZS still values a logical approach.
• Brush up on pharma/healthcare topics (since ZS focuses a lot on that sector).
• Practice market sizing & estimation problems to sharpen your mental math.
• Be adaptable: They might switch topics mid-conversation to test flexibility.

If you can demonstrate structured thinking and strong problem-solving, you’ll do great! Best, Alessa 😇