OC&C one-way interview

Hi there,

OC&C publishes what it screens for, and I would build every answer around it rather than around generic video interview advice. Its own application page names intellectual curiosity, extracurricular interests and commercial awareness as what it assesses, and a recorded round is the cheapest place a firm has to check all three at once.

A few things I would prepare specifically:

• Build three commercial awareness answers rather than one: a company you think is well run and why, a sector you follow and what is changing in it, and a recent decision by a business you would have made differently. Commercial awareness is the thing they cannot train into you afterwards, which is why it gets screened early.
• Have your interests outside work ready as stories rather than as a list. OC&C names them on the page itself, and an answer that sounds like a CV line read aloud is the one that gets remembered for the wrong reason.
• Give a reason for OC&C that would not survive being pasted into an MBB answer. Retail and consumer goods is a choice, and saying why you want that rather than generalist breadth is the whole question.
• Check whether this round contains any quantitative element at all before you prepare one. The numerical and verbal assessment usually sits as its own separate stage, so market sizing practice may be preparation for a different part of the process.

OC&C says on that same page that you can expect feedback within 3 weeks of the closing date, so what follows this is bounded in a way most processes are not. What a screen like this filters is whether you sound like someone a client would talk to, and that is not a question you answer by knowing more.

Hi there,

I'd need to see the actual invite/email to tell you exactly what to expect.

If it's a standard one-way recorded interview, I would prepare primarily like you would for a regular fit interview.

Be ready with:

• Your resume walkthrough

• Why consulting

• Why OC&C

• 4 to 6 strong, flexible behavioral stories covering leadership, teamwork, challenges, persuasion, conflict, achievement, etc.

And practice recording yourself! Being able to give a good answer to another human being and being able to deliver one naturally into a webcam are surprisingly different skills.

If the invitation doesn't make clear whether there are any case questions, just ask the recruiter. Don't guess.

I'd also take a look at my Behavioral Interview Course to make sure your stories and fit answers are properly prepared.

Use the invitation as your source of truth. Check the number of questions, preparation time, answer limit and whether the round includes any numerical or case component. Ask recruiting if the email is unclear.

For a standard recorded interview, prepare a concise introduction, why consulting, why OC&C and several flexible stories covering leadership, teamwork, influence, conflict and a setback. OC&C is known for focused strategy work, so your “why OC&C” answer should be specific and should not sound interchangeable with an MBB answer. Also prepare two commercial-awareness views: a company or sector you follow, what is changing and what decision you would recommend.

Practise on camera with the real time limit. Lead with the answer, give only enough context, explain what you personally did and close with the result or lesson. Review the recording for pace, eye line and unnecessary detail. Prepare case material only if the invitation says this stage tests it.

Hey there :)

I actually interviewed with OC&C myself, so I’d definitely prepare specifically for their style. For the one way interview, have a few concise stories ready around motivation, leadership, teamwork and a challenging situation. Also be prepared to explain clearly why OC&C and why strategy consulting.

Practice answering on camera with a strict time limit. The biggest thing is sounding natural rather than memorized.

Best, Alessa :)