Has anyone completed PA Consulting's 24-hour case interview (especially for Defence & Security)? What was the case format, expected deliverables, and what did the assessors focus on during the presentation and Q&A?

Question

Hi,
I'm currently interviewing for a Management Consultant position within Defence & Security at PA Consulting.

Has anyone been through this stage, or something similar at PA? I'd really appreciate any insights into:

What the case was like (strategy, transformation, operations, etc.)
What the expected deliverables were (PowerPoint, memo, Excel, etc.)
How the presentation and Q&A were structured
What the interviewers focused on most

I'm not looking for confidential information—just general advice on what to expect and how best to prepare.

Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

Hi there,

First of all, congratulations on the invitation from PA Consulting!

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

While I'm not familiar with the specific application process of PA Consulting, I can tell you that the only reliable information on a boutique consulting firm like PA Consulting can come from the recruiting department. Thus, I would strongly advise you to reach out to them immediately and inquire about the situation; recruiters are there to facilitate the process, and if they don't do it proactively, it's your obligation to reach out.

You can find more on this topic here: Boutique consulting firms.

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

Best,

Hagen

Answer 2

hi there!

PA’s 24‑hour case in Defence & Security is usually a strategy or transformation brief with a public‑sector flavour. You receive a packet of documents and are asked to produce a short slide deck (3–6 slides) plus a verbal presentation. One of my coachees recently did it: the deliverable was PowerPoint only, no Excel model, and the assessors focused heavily on clarity, prioritisation and whether the recommendations were realistic for government clients. The presentation is typically 10–15 minutes followed by a long Q&A where they test your assumptions, your ability to defend trade‑offs and how you think under pressure. They care far more about structure and judgement than about fancy analysis.

Alessa

Answer 3

HI there,

I'm not familiar with the format but I recommend you direct all these questions at the recruiter. It's perfectly fine to ask them more about the format of the interview. Not only does it show you're keen, but it also helps you refine your expectations and enable you to direct your prep accordingly.

Best,
Cristian

Answer 4

A 24-hour Defence and Security case is a test of ruthless prioritization.

They will drown you in a massive data dump of policy documents. You are usually expected to produce a short presentation deck.

The real challenge is the Q&A. Interviewers are not checking if your transformation roadmap is flawless. They will poke holes in your logic to watch how you think under pressure. They want to know if you are safe to put in front of senior government clients.