I have received an invited to the online test for graduate consultant at OC&C, however I haven't got any prior consulting experience such as internships and I only went to Newcastle University. My question is - Does everyone who applies get to the assessment stage, or are they genuinely impressed by my CV?
Context: I am a graduate Mechanical engineer, currently working at an engineering consulting firm. I have also worked in leading engineering firms in the past.
Typically, they review / scan your application high-level to see if it's relevant. If yes, then they send you the test and only after they have the result from the test they judge it against the rest of your application and decide whether to invite you to the interview.
So, it's a good sign that you got invited, but it doesn't necessarily mean that they were blown away by your CV (perhaps just moved enough to consider you a relevant candidate) :)
Best,
Cristian
No. This has a cost, so they only give it to students that have a chance if they get a good result. Otherwise it would be a waste of time and resources for everyone involved.
Hey there :)
Not everyone makes it to the OC&C online test, getting invited usually means your CV and experience stood out. Even without prior consulting internships, relevant analytical, problem-solving, or leadership experience (like your engineering consulting background) can make a strong case. So it sounds like they were genuinely impressed by your profile.
best, Alessa :)
Hey there,
No, not everyone gets the OC&C test. They pre-screen applications first, so it’s a good sign your profile stood out.
Your engineering background likely helped. Strong analytics and structured thinking matter more than prior consulting internships.
Now the key is to nail the test and prepare solidly for the case + fit stage. Focus on showing clear logic, business intuition, and a genuine “why consulting” story.
Good luck!
Lukas
Hi there,
Not everyone gets through to the assessment stage and OC&C does screen applications, so your background likely stood out. Your engineering consulting experience probably helped, as they value strong analytical and problem-solving skills, not just prior strategy experience.
Best of luck!
many thanks.
If you are referring more generally to how you can distinguish yourself in the recruitment process, it comes down to getting very clear about the things that you do well and learning how to do them to a distinctive level. Especially since MBBs and well as the other top firms care a lot about your spikes, not your general level.