How does the recruitment process differ for consulting Level 2 roles vs. Entry?

That's a smart question. While the structure of the interviews (fit + case) remains the same, the actual evaluation criteria for a Level 2 experienced hire role—what we often call the Consultant or post-MBA role—is drastically different from entry-level recruiting.

Here’s the essential difference: Entry-level recruiting evaluates potential and capacity to learn. Level 2 recruiting evaluates proven competency and immediate impact. When you apply as an experienced hire, the firm is generally hiring to fill a very specific, near-term operational slot, not joining a large cohort pool. This means the bar is often less forgiving and the timing must align perfectly with headcount needs.

The biggest shift is in the case interview and the behavioral portion. For the case, they are looking beyond perfect structure; they want to see you manage ambiguity, drive the conversation like a peer, and quickly prioritize (they assume you can already do the math). For the fit portion, your answers must pivot from describing tasks you completed to detailing impact you drove, specifically focusing on client management, team leadership, and dealing with complex internal politics. You need to demonstrate not just how you solved a problem, but how you owned the client relationship and mentored junior staff.

Therefore, your preparation needs to focus heavily on synthesizing your two years of experience into powerful, high-stakes leadership stories, rather than just drilling generic case math. You are demonstrating that you can skip the training ramp and deliver value immediately.

Hope this helps outline the pivot needed! All the best.

Hi there,

For Level 2 or experienced hire consulting roles, the recruitment process is usually similar in structure to entry level but with higher expectations. You’ll still see case interviews and fit interviews, often in the same MBB style, but interviewers will probe more deeply into your prior project experience, judgment, and ability to drive work independently.

Cases tend to be slightly more complex or open ended, with more emphasis on prioritization, synthesis, and practical recommendations rather than just clean structure. Fit questions also go deeper, focusing on leadership, conflict and influence rather than pure motivation. 

Happy to help you on your journey to secure a role - feel free to reach out

Best,
Evelina

hey there :)

for level two or experienced hire roles the process is usually very similar to entry recruiting, with case and personal fit still being the core, but the bar is higher on maturity, structuring and impact. interviewers will expect you to drive the case more independently, communicate more crisply and draw more from real project experience rather than hypothetical examples. fit questions also go deeper into leadership, client exposure and ownership. overall it is less about learning potential and more about whether you can perform at that next level from day one. happy to help you calibrate expectations or prep if you want.

best,
Alessa :)

The process is similar but the bar is higher.

You'll still do cases and fit interviews. That part doesn't change. But they'll expect more from you. They assume you already know how cases work, so they'll push harder on structure, insights, and how you pull it all together. Sloppy thinking won't fly at this level.

For fit questions, expect them to dig into your actual work. What projects have you led? How have you handled tough clients or situations? Generic answers won't cut it. You need real examples with clear impact from your current role.

They'll also ask why you're leaving your current firm. Have a good answer ready. Don't badmouth anyone. Focus on what you're moving toward, not what you're running from.

On cases, the questions might not be harder, but you need to perform at a higher level. Cleaner thinking, faster math, sharper insights. You should sound like someone with experience, not a first-time candidate.

The process itself varies. Some firms skip early screening if your profile is strong. Others run the full process anyway. Networking helps more at this level. A referral can get you past filters and shows you're a serious candidate.

Don't assume your two years means you can wing it. Prepare like you did before, but focus on sharper execution and strong stories from your current job.

Hi,

Great question. 

I used to interview both undergraduate candidates and experienced hire candidates while I was an interviewer. 

The short answer is that the process doesn't differ, but the expectations do.

As a more tenured hire, you are expected to show the same 'tablestakes' of the relevant skills/abilities, but need to give a more mature or sophisticated response. 

I talk about this and more in my articles:
 

5 Reasons Why Experienced Hires Fail the Interview

Succeeding in Consulting as an Experienced Hire

All the best!

Hi there, 

I agree with the sentiment stated here already - the process steps (as in number and types of interviews) will largely be the same but the expectations will be higher. 

Given that you are an experienced hire, you can expect that you will be probed on your previous project and consulting experiences in general. The interviewers will want to determine if you are a self-sufficient consultant who knows the day-to-day work and could be staffed on a client project from day 1 and pull their own weight. 

In addition, all of your interviewers might be from the company area your background and application aligns with - e.g. functional or industry specific. In that case you can also expect being tested on your respective functional and/or industry knowledge during the interviews.

Best

The interview format (with most firms) is exactly the same. 

What changes are the expectations regarding your performance during the interview.

To give you an example, the expectations are that somebody applying for an Associate role at McKinsey (post-MBA / post-PhD / or min 5 years of relevant experience) will be more insight driven and far better at connecting the dots across the case than somebody appying for Business Analyst (grad entry level). 

There are expected differences in performance that apply across all dimensions. 

Best,
Cristian 

Hi there,

The interview process for experienced hires are still the same.