In-Person Final Interview

Congrats on making it to the final round.

With only 30 minutes, it probably won't be a full case. They might ask a short business question or mini-case, but it won't be a full structured case. More likely they'll ask your opinion on something, test your thinking briefly, or discuss a current business topic. 

Expect it to be mostly conversational. The MD wants to get a sense of who you are, whether you'd fit the team, and if they can see you in front of clients.

Fit will be the main focus. Why consulting? Why this firm? Why now? What do you want from your career? Be clear and genuine. At this stage, they want to see the real you.

A few tips:

• Be yourself. You've passed the hard rounds. Now just show them you're someone they'd enjoy working with.
• Know your story cold. Be ready to talk about your background, your motivation, and what you bring to the table. Keep it tight and confident.
• Prepare good questions. With a short interview, your questions matter more. Ask about their experience, the team, or where the firm is headed. Make it a real conversation.
• Match their energy. MDs are busy and direct. Be confident, concise, and engaging. Don't ramble.

You're almost there. Stay calm, be genuine, and finish strong.

Good luck.

Hi!

A 30-minute final with an MD is quite common, so I wouldn’t overthink the duration.

Typically, this kind of interview is:

• Fit-focused
• More conversational than structured
• A final sense check on whether they want to work with you

There may be a light case or a short problem to see how you think, but it’s usually not a full, end-to-end case like earlier rounds. Many MDs rely heavily on feedback from prior interviewers and use this session to form their own judgment.

Feel free to reach out to the recruiter to ask what to focus on, but from my experience, it'll depend on how the MD would want to run it, and the recruiter might not know (I had a recruiter telling me it's just a chat on fit, but the interviewer gave me a case anyway). Since you're already doing it, you might as well be prepared for both.

How to prep:

• Polish your fit stories (impact, leadership, conflict, judgment)
• Be crystal clear on why this firm, why now
• Be ready to discuss your experience at a high level, focusing on decisions and outcomes
• Practice 1-2 cases just to stay sharp and familiar

All the best and good luck with the final round!

Hi there,

You should definitely reach out to the HR for clarifications. My sense is 30 min would not include a case, but would be more behavioral and high-level brain teasers to see your thought process.

Prepare for anything and everything. 

i had a 25 min chit chat and a 20 min sudden case for my final round even though it was originally scheduled for 30 min. Totally threw me off guard 

Hi there,

A 30-minute in-person final with an MD is very common and usually a positive signal. At this stage, it’s rarely about re-testing core case skills.

What to expect:

• A high-level, conversational discussion rather than a full case
• Focus on judgment, maturity, and fit at a senior level
• Questions around your motivation, decision-making, leadership, and how you’d represent the firm with clients
• Possibly a short business scenario or market discussion, but light and qualitative

They’re essentially asking: “Would I be comfortable working with this person and putting them in front of clients?”

You generally don’t need to ask the recruiter what to prepare for — the expectation is that you come ready for a senior conversation. Reaching out can sometimes signal uncertainty.

Tips:

• Be crisp and confident in your answers
• Have a clear, authentic why this firm / why now
• Be ready to discuss your career choices and how you think, not just what you’ve done
• Prepare thoughtful questions about the firm’s direction or the MD’s perspective

Think of it less as an interview and more as a final sense-check conversation.

Best,
Evelina

Expect two possibilities. Being more of a conversation, more on motivation and previous experience, although you may  have a fit question. You may be asked your opinion on a everyday topic or general business topic. And you may have a mini-case, most likely a "brainstorming" question (i.e. qualitative question).

Or you may have a full case and fit interview, as always, and the interview may extend beyond the 30 minutes.