Hi all, I have interviews scheduled in a week with Strategy& ME. I have 7 years of consulting experience at Mckinsey & other non MBBs with Industrial goods, Manufacturing, Digital, Retail, ecommerce experience.
Givens my background and experience,
Hi there,
1) What will be the focus of my interview - Fit & Case or more on the industry expertise?
Experienced hires normally still have fit and case as part of the process, although not necessarily in every single interview.
I helped a few candidates for Manager/Principal positions (not for Strategy& but for MBB). In their case, they got:
2) Within Fit & Industry - what specific questions can I expect. e.g., In industry will it be high level industry trends or specific to the projects I did
The candidates I helped for Manager/Principal positions got both. Examples:
Good luck!
Francesco
Hi there.
Congrats on your interviews! To your questions:
Q1: What will be the focus of my interview - Fit & Case or more on the industry expertise?
As experienced hire you can expect a combination of fit + case interview and industry overview or past experiences. Be ready for both scenarios.
Q2: Within Fit & Industry - what specific questions can I expect. e.g., In industry will it be high level industry trends or specific to the projects I did
Both! Make sure to 1) read some latests articles on your industry (MBB websites have great materials) to have an updated view of key trends and 2) select 3-4 good past projects and stories to share during the interviews.
Good luck!
Alberto
Hi there,
Congrats on the interview!
What will be the focus of my interview - Fit & Case or more on the industry expertise?
Please try not to “expect” things. Be ready for Fit. Be ready for Case. AND, be ready for them to ask about industry expertise and have brainstorming questions.
In general, most interviews have a fit and a case portion.
Within Fit & Industry - what specific questions can I expect. e.g., In industry will it be high level industry trends or specific to the projects I did
ANY AND ALL! Seriously. The industry could be anything. In general, cases are more likely to be relating to the region's industries (so, for ME you have energy incl O&G, tourism, government, infrastructure, etc.) BUT then can truly be anything.
Here's some more reading to help:
https://www.preplounge.com/en/articles/candidate-led-cases-what-to-expect-and-example-cases
https://www.preplounge.com/en/articles/how-to-shift-your-mindset-to-ace-the-case
https://www.preplounge.com/en/articles/pitfalls-case-interview-preparation
https://www.preplounge.com/en/articles/dos-and-donts-in-a-case-interview
https://www.preplounge.com/en/articles/tell-me-about-yourself-interview-question
As a seasoned strategy consultant with experience at Strategy& Saudi/Dubai and as an interviewer, I can provide some insights into what you can expect during your interviews.
Based on your background and experience, Strategy& ME is likely to focus on a combination of fit and case interviews. They will assess your fit with the firm's culture and values, as well as your ability to think critically and solve complex business problems.
In terms of fit questions, you can expect inquiries about your consulting experience, your motivation for joining Strategy&, and your ability to work effectively in teams. They may also ask about your specific industry expertise and how it aligns with the firm's focus areas in the Middle East.
Regarding industry expertise, the questions can vary. They may ask about high-level industry trends to assess your knowledge and understanding of the broader business landscape. Additionally, they may inquire about specific projects you have worked on, particularly those related to industrial goods, manufacturing, digital, retail, and e-commerce. They will likely be interested in understanding your role, the challenges you faced, and the impact you had on those projects.
To prepare for these interviews, I recommend reviewing your past projects and identifying key insights, learnings, and results. Familiarize yourself with the latest industry trends and developments in the sectors you have experience in. Additionally, practice structuring your thoughts and communicating your ideas concisely during case interviews.
If you have any further questions or need additional guidance, feel free to ask. Good luck with your interviews !
Actually, it depends a lot on the role you'll be interviewing for.
If you're interviewing for a generalist role, I'd basically expect anything.
If you're interviewing for a specialist / expert, then it's very likely that you'll have cases from that area + an actual technical interview. But even so, I wouldn't assume this to be the case.
The easiest way to put this question to rest is to actually email the recruiter and ask. Of course, they won't tell you what's the actual content of the interivew, but they can give you an indication of what to expect in terms of the structure.
That will then make you better positioned to prepare properly.
Best,
Cristian
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They would only focus on Industry IF you are recruiting for an industry specific role. However, given your experience, it is highly unlikely that they have any doubts about your industry knowledge.
Most likely Fit and Case.
