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Added for You - Management Consultancy Interviews - Planning To Succeed
Here's a little story about what not to do as you carve out a name for yourself in the world of internet business.Don't use a miscellaneous email account as your primary web contact address.Some silly copywriter did this when she thought she was going to start working "freelance corporate" for staffing agencies.This copywriter chose the name "seniorcopywriter" for her contact email because, in the corporate world, copywriters come in three sizes: Junior, Regular (actually referred to as just "Copywriter"), and Senior. (It's sort of like the sizes of Starbucks coffee cups, but not.)Since she had left her last corporate job wielding the lofty title of Senior Copywriter, I guess she thought that would be a fairly direct way of advertising her capabilities
• Drive – has the candidate demonstrated the necessary levels of drive and ambition so far in their career?
• Focus – can the candidate demonstrate the ability to ignore distractions and follow the main thrust of a project?
• Ability to manage people – has the candidate shown a willingness/ability to manage others, in any environment? This can be managing down (staff, subordinates), managing colleagues or managing upwards
• Commitment – is there a willingness to work long hours and under pressure
• And finally, “Depth of character” – this last trait proved the most difficult to define.
The following quotes from Consultancy Recruitment Heads were inciteful in summarising their views:
“As long as the candidate is reasonably intelligent and willing to work hard we have in place training plans and mentoring systems that will enable us to pa
Losing your job can be devastating. You have to deal with loss of income, colleagues, perks (e.g. a company car) plus wondering how you will manage – when will you get another job, how will you cope financially etc. There is also the underlying feeling of rejection – rejection from the job you have lost, plus more rejection each time you don’t get a job you have applied for.The hardest part of job search is keeping up a positive attitude, and it’s imperative you do this!The whole process of job search can make people feel depressed so you need to take good care of yourself. If you do become run down it can affect you mentally, physically, and socially. It can show itself in both body language and tone of voice. This will greatly reduce the likelihood of a successful interv
Recruitment is buoyant - so is the number of candidates
The current market for recruitment at management consultancies is highly bouyant – indeed it appears set to reach record levels this year. However the competition for these positions is still intense, with record numbers of MBAs looking for work in the sector! There are over two hundred applicants for every role in strategy consulting - the vast majority of these will be screened out at the C.V. stage and go no further – but if you do get through to the interview stage the following advice may prove highly valuable.
Understand whom you are applying to
A significant skill-set in consultancies of all types is research – and the less published information available the more important consultants become to their clients – and the more these skills are tested. It is very important that you don’t waste time in the interview room – also that you display a genuine interest in the company and it’s work – good research is the key! Research the company on the internet – not only on their own website, but follow any links they may give, search press articles, industry associations and look at their clients’ sites. Try to fully understand what type of work they do and what is it like to work for them. Know which industries and sectors they operate in and who their major clients are. Never be afraid to pick up the telephone and ask other people’s opinions. Talk to anyone who has worked in the sector or ideally at that firm! Again, a good recruitment consultant should be able to put you in touch with such people.
As in life – it is all about selling! In this case you are there to sell yourself into the consultancy – make it easy for them to hire you! Show them how your qualifications, qualities and experience will match and enhance their own – but you can only do this successfully if you understand what they do and who for. Corporate culture has become more important in recent years and consultancies in particular have embraced this idea. Again their website should furnish you with a good overview of how they see themselves as a work-environment – but remember, this is how the like to see themselves. Speaking with a current or former employee will give you a better insight.
The ideal candidate
First of all we discussed the key characteristics that a candidate should possess and - crucially - be able to demonstrate during the interview process:
• Strategic thinking - is this candidate able to think in terms of strategic direction?
• Analytical rigour - does this candidate think in a logical, methodical way?
• Mathematical ability – does the candidate have the mathematical aptitude to cope with financial modelling, understanding of statistical analysis, corporate financial reporting etc
• Commercial awareness - is this candidate able to think in terms of pricing, competitive environment etc?
• Intellectual curiosity - is this candidate sufficiently curious to go beyond the surface and seek out the detail and underlying reasons?
In addition to identifying these specific qualities a number of less tangible facets were mooted. These are traits that a consultancy would ideally like all it’s consultants to have, but are rather more difficult to identify or display:
• Drive – has the candidate demonstrated the necessary levels of drive and ambition so far in their career?
• Focus – can the candidate demonstrate the ability to ignore distractions and follow the main thrust of a project?
• Ability to manage people – has the candidate shown a willingness/ability to manage others, in any environment? This can be managing down (staff, subordinates), managing colleagues or managing upwards
• Commitment – is there a willingness to work long hours and under pressure
• And finally, “Depth of character” – this last trait proved the most difficult to define.
The following quotes from Consultancy Recruitment Heads were inciteful in summarising their views:
“As long as the candidate is reasonably intelligent and willing to work hard we have in place training plans and mentoring systems that will enable us to pa
This Article Is Based On Proven Real-Life Practice The ideas, concepts and strategies I advocate for adoption in this article are based on proven practice. In fact, the case study and specific analogies used are based on real-life activities that I personally partook in over a period of six years, as a manager in a large blue-chip multinational brewing company. Read my article titled "Use Custom Automation Of Your Spreadsheet Reports To Drive Down Costs And Increase Your Profits" for additional details of my experiences in this area, while in paid employment.What you learn from reading the above mentioned article, will hopefully encourage you to seriously explore ways to put the information provided in this article to good use for your business. The principles descr
Understand whom you are applying to
A significant skill-set in consultancies of all types is research – and the less published information available the more important consultants become to their clients – and the more these skills are tested. It is very important that you don’t waste time in the interview room – also that you display a genuine interest in the company and it’s work – good research is the key! Research the company on the internet – not only on their own website, but follow any links they may give, search press articles, industry associations and look at their clients’ sites. Try to fully understand what type of work they do and what is it like to work for them. Know which industries and sectors they operate in and who their major clients are. Never be afraid to pick up the telephone and ask other people’s opinions. Talk to anyone who has worked in the sector or ideally at that firm! Again, a good recruitment consultant should be able to put you in touch with such people.
As in life – it is all about selling! In this case you are there to sell yourself into the consultancy – make it easy for them to hire you! Show them how your qualifications, qualities and experience will match and enhance their own – but you can only do this successfully if you understand what they do and who for. Corporate culture has become more important in recent years and consultancies in particular have embraced this idea. Again their website should furnish you with a good overview of how they see themselves as a work-environment – but remember, this is how the like to see themselves. Speaking with a current or former employee will give you a better insight.
The ideal candidate
First of all we discussed the key characteristics that a candidate should possess and - crucially - be able to demonstrate during the interview process:
• Strategic thinking - is this candidate able to think in terms of strategic direction?
• Analytical rigour - does this candidate think in a logical, methodical way?
• Mathematical ability – does the candidate have the mathematical aptitude to cope with financial modelling, understanding of statistical analysis, corporate financial reporting etc
• Commercial awareness - is this candidate able to think in terms of pricing, competitive environment etc?
• Intellectual curiosity - is this candidate sufficiently curious to go beyond the surface and seek out the detail and underlying reasons?
In addition to identifying these specific qualities a number of less tangible facets were mooted. These are traits that a consultancy would ideally like all it’s consultants to have, but are rather more difficult to identify or display:
• Drive – has the candidate demonstrated the necessary levels of drive and ambition so far in their career?
• Focus – can the candidate demonstrate the ability to ignore distractions and follow the main thrust of a project?
• Ability to manage people – has the candidate shown a willingness/ability to manage others, in any environment? This can be managing down (staff, subordinates), managing colleagues or managing upwards
• Commitment – is there a willingness to work long hours and under pressure
• And finally, “Depth of character” – this last trait proved the most difficult to define.
The following quotes from Consultancy Recruitment Heads were inciteful in summarising their views:
“As long as the candidate is reasonably intelligent and willing to work hard we have in place training plans and mentoring systems that will enable us to pa
Business competitors are not meant to be relied upon. Of course, there are instances of healthy competition and you may even be friends with your competitors. Nonetheless, all competitors want to know the trade secrets of their opponents. As a result, be careful, no matter how cordial your relations are with your competitors; never ever reveal your business secrets to them.Let’s look at some of the most common trade secrets that you should keep from your competitor:1. New products – Any changes that you make in your product or service line should be kept under wraps till you are ready to reveal it to the public at large. Otherwise, you never know, maybe your competitor would beat you to it. These new changes, could take the form of new products that you may be launching or closin
As in life – it is all about selling! In this case you are there to sell yourself into the consultancy – make it easy for them to hire you! Show them how your qualifications, qualities and experience will match and enhance their own – but you can only do this successfully if you understand what they do and who for. Corporate culture has become more important in recent years and consultancies in particular have embraced this idea. Again their website should furnish you with a good overview of how they see themselves as a work-environment – but remember, this is how the like to see themselves. Speaking with a current or former employee will give you a better insight.
The ideal candidate
First of all we discussed the key characteristics that a candidate should possess and - crucially - be able to demonstrate during the interview process:
• Strategic thinking - is this candidate able to think in terms of strategic direction?
• Analytical rigour - does this candidate think in a logical, methodical way?
• Mathematical ability – does the candidate have the mathematical aptitude to cope with financial modelling, understanding of statistical analysis, corporate financial reporting etc
• Commercial awareness - is this candidate able to think in terms of pricing, competitive environment etc?
• Intellectual curiosity - is this candidate sufficiently curious to go beyond the surface and seek out the detail and underlying reasons?
In addition to identifying these specific qualities a number of less tangible facets were mooted. These are traits that a consultancy would ideally like all it’s consultants to have, but are rather more difficult to identify or display:
• Drive – has the candidate demonstrated the necessary levels of drive and ambition so far in their career?
• Focus – can the candidate demonstrate the ability to ignore distractions and follow the main thrust of a project?
• Ability to manage people – has the candidate shown a willingness/ability to manage others, in any environment? This can be managing down (staff, subordinates), managing colleagues or managing upwards
• Commitment – is there a willingness to work long hours and under pressure
• And finally, “Depth of character” – this last trait proved the most difficult to define.
The following quotes from Consultancy Recruitment Heads were inciteful in summarising their views:
“As long as the candidate is reasonably intelligent and willing to work hard we have in place training plans and mentoring systems that will enable us to pa
Advantages (Objectives of Trial Balance)1. It ensures that the transactions recorded in the books of accounts have identical debit and credit amount.2. Balance of each ledger account has been computed correctly.3. Balance of each and every ledger account has been transferred accurately and on the correct side of the sheet on which trial balance has been prepared.4. The debit and the credit columns of trial balance have been added up correctly.5. Preparation of final accounts is not possible without preparing trial balance first.6. Agreed trial balance is a prima facie evidence of the arithmetical accuracy of the accounting books maintained.7. Errors which are revealed by preparing trial balance (listed below) are rectified even
• Strategic thinking - is this candidate able to think in terms of strategic direction?
• Analytical rigour - does this candidate think in a logical, methodical way?
• Mathematical ability – does the candidate have the mathematical aptitude to cope with financial modelling, understanding of statistical analysis, corporate financial reporting etc
• Commercial awareness - is this candidate able to think in terms of pricing, competitive environment etc?
• Intellectual curiosity - is this candidate sufficiently curious to go beyond the surface and seek out the detail and underlying reasons?
In addition to identifying these specific qualities a number of less tangible facets were mooted. These are traits that a consultancy would ideally like all it’s consultants to have, but are rather more difficult to identify or display:
• Drive – has the candidate demonstrated the necessary levels of drive and ambition so far in their career?
• Focus – can the candidate demonstrate the ability to ignore distractions and follow the main thrust of a project?
• Ability to manage people – has the candidate shown a willingness/ability to manage others, in any environment? This can be managing down (staff, subordinates), managing colleagues or managing upwards
• Commitment – is there a willingness to work long hours and under pressure
• And finally, “Depth of character” – this last trait proved the most difficult to define.
The following quotes from Consultancy Recruitment Heads were inciteful in summarising their views:
“As long as the candidate is reasonably intelligent and willing to work hard we have in place training plans and mentoring systems that will enable us to pa
Surveys can be conducted in numerous ways: directly, by mail, by fax or by phone. Generally, you will have a better response if you ask customers to complete surveys while on your premises. Follow the guidelines below and, above all, let your customers know how you have implemented their suggestions. Eight out of ten will come back to see if you have followed their advice. Keep surveys simple and easy to read. Do not get too technical or make the survey long and boring. Ask close-ended or direct questions as much as possible. Instead of asking, for example, "What products would you like to see us add to our product line?" ask, "Of the following list, which products would you like to see in the store?" 1. Get a large sample befor
• Drive – has the candidate demonstrated the necessary levels of drive and ambition so far in their career?
• Focus – can the candidate demonstrate the ability to ignore distractions and follow the main thrust of a project?
• Ability to manage people – has the candidate shown a willingness/ability to manage others, in any environment? This can be managing down (staff, subordinates), managing colleagues or managing upwards
• Commitment – is there a willingness to work long hours and under pressure
• And finally, “Depth of character” – this last trait proved the most difficult to define.
The following quotes from Consultancy Recruitment Heads were inciteful in summarising their views:
“As long as the candidate is reasonably intelligent and willing to work hard we have in place training plans and mentoring systems that will enable us to pass on all the skills our consultants need to fulfil their roles – the one thing that you cannot teach is character... and it’s probably the most valuable trait of all!”
“How do you recognise it in interviews? We look at the prepared responses that candidates give to the more predictable questions, and we also try to ask them some questions they won’t be prepared for! But ultimately - you know it when you see it!
Successful interviewing
It is in the consultancies’ interests to allow you an opportunity to sell yourself to them. They want you to be able to demonstrate your qualifications, your abilities, your enthusiasm and – to some extent – your personality!
You need to be able to do this effectively and efficiently – so BE PREPARED!
Preparation will allow you to speak fluently about whichever facet you are called upon to discuss – as well as talking about yourself and your achievements in a structured and logical manner. These are all highly attractive abilities in a consultant!
The best way to prepare for this is PRACTICE!
• Think about the questions you are likely to be asked
• Search on the internet and in libraries for further examples
• Talk to the recruitment consultant or the interview co-ordinator
Work out some answers to these questions that allow you to show your best qualities and highlight your achievements. We would also highly recommend that you practice answering these questions out loud. Find some friends or colleagues and arrange to spend some time asking each other interview-style questions and listening to responses. Discuss your own and others performance – there is no substitute for ‘performing’ in front of other people! The ultimate goal in these situations is a difficult balance to achieve:
“Be prepared - sound spontaneous!”
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