Impressive questions for the final round with the manager

Question

Hello there!

I have my final interview with the manager coming up soon. As I already know quite a lot about the company through personal contacts, and I was able to ask numerous questions in the preliminary rounds, I would prefer not to ask the same questions again.
What questions could I ask that would be valuable for me and also impress the manager enough to make me stand out?

Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

You’re asking the right question. But let me sharpen it for you.

Instead of:
“What question will impress the manager?”
Ask yourself:
“What question signals I’m ready to be one of them?”

Because by the time you’re in final rounds, they’ve already seen you can crack a case.
Now they’re asking themselves a different question:

“Would I staff this person on my team?”

That’s not so much about case cracking anymore.
It’s about judgment. Presence. Coachability. Strategic curiosity.

So skip the recycled culture questions.
Instead, ask questions that:

Signal how you think
Show you’re anticipating real consulting life
Invite the manager to speak like a peer — not just a recruiter

Here are a few that do exactly that:

“What do high-performing new joiners actually do differently in their first 6 months?”

This question shifts the conversation from abstract expectations to observed behavior. It also positions you as someone already thinking like a future peer, not just a hopeful hire.

“What’s something that took you years to learn here - but you wish you had known from Day 1?”

This one creates emotional resonance. It invites vulnerability and reflection, and shows you’re not chasing shortcuts, but depth.

“When you look at someone who got promoted unusually fast... what stood out?”

This question is tactical and ambitious. It communicates that you care about growth, performance, and internal leverage, without sounding entitled.

Pro tip: After asking... listen!
Don’t try to impress.
Just absorb like a consultant on their first client call.
Engaged, curious, sharp.

That silence you hold between their answer and your next question?

It says more about your readiness than 1,000 polished frameworks.

Let me be blunt:

Most candidates try to “perform”.
Top candidates are trying to understand.

And that is what makes them impossible to forget.

Good luck. :)
Sidi

___________________

Dr. Sidi S. Koné

Former Senior Engagement Manager & Interviewer at McKinsey | Former Senior Consultant at BCG | Co-Founder of The MBB Offer Machine™