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

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.

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

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

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 probably get a interview led structured case. 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 both 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