Impressive questions for the final round with the manager

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™

Hi there!

Lead with honesty and genuine interest. 

Meaning, you can do two things

1. Try to think whether there is anything that you would genuinely be interested in knowing about or learn from this person. On a basic level, you could also just see them as somebody who is on the same career path as you, only years ahead. You could ask: If you were in my shoes, right at the start of this journey, what would you recommend that I focus on? This will make them reflect on their past experience and give them the chance to impart something valuable, making it also incredibly useful for you. 

2. Listen to their introduction and see if there is anything based on that you want to know more about. Perhaps it turns out that you have some interest already in common, or you went to the same university, or anything that naturally triggers a question in you. The important thing here is actually focusing and listening when they do the introduction, which with the stress of the interview is a rather challenging thing. 

Best,
Cristian

Hi Louise,

I wouldn’t go with the intention of impressing the interviewer with your questions. Let your case and behavioral interview performance do this, as usually this kind of goal makes one sounds rehearsed or trying to hard.

Check this person’s past experience and see what kind of questions you naturally get from it. The idea is to actually have useful advice from a senior leader.

What advice could this person give you in terms of work / career considering his/her own experience? What’s this person’s point of view on performance within consulting? Etc.

Go for human connection and you’ll be fine.

Best,

Mari

Hi Luise,

Here are the five most impactful questions—each designed to demonstrate strategic insight and a readiness to drive real results:

1. “What would success in this role look like six months from now?”
   Why: Clarifies expectations, shows you’re outcome-oriented, and signals you’ll hit the ground running.
2. “What’s the single biggest challenge facing your team today, and how can I help overcome it?”
   Why: Illustrates you’re proactive, problem-solving focused, and eager to add immediate value.
3. “In your view, what skills or traits set top performers in this department apart?”
   Why: Demonstrates you want to model excellence and align your development with what really matters.
4. “Can you share an example of a recent strategic pivot or innovation here—and what you learned from it?”
   Why: Shows you appreciate adaptability, continuous improvement, and will bring that mindset to the team.
5. “Looking ahead, what do you see as the largest opportunity for this team over the next year?”
   Why: Aligns you with the company’s growth vision and shows you’re thinking long-term about impact.

Tip: Choose the 3–4 that resonate most, listen actively, and weave in brief follow-ups to turn this into a two-way strategic dialogue. Good luck!

Let me know if you need further advice - happy to help!

Best,

Evelina

Hi, thanks for your question.

As other coaches have mentioned, it pays to ask a combination of questions about 

• (i) your interviewer's professional background (e.g., formative experiences during their time in consulting, things they wish they had known earlier)
• (ii) things that will make them see you as a potential peer (e.g., what are the qualities that really differentiate an outstanding vs. a good early-tenure colleague)

But do focus on being authentic about what you're interested in. Interviewers can often tell if you're just asking a question that you think will make you sound impressive.

Hi Luise,

First of all, congratulations on the progress in the application process thus far!

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

• First of all, I would strongly advise you to shift your focus from trying to impress the manager to showing genuine interest in them as a future supervisor and as a person.
• Moreover, depending on what information you have about them before the interview, you could ask about their motivation for joining the consulting firm or their perspective on its future focus areas. Unfortunately, most of the other questions are those canned questions that annoy interviewers.

You can find more on this topic here: How to succeed in the final interview round.

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

Best,

Hagen