Uncommon Interview Structure with T2 Leadership

Do not overthink this. A short interview with a senior leader is usually a good sign, not a bad one.

Here is what likely happened. The senior leader already had input from your earlier rounds. They were not there to retest you on cases. They wanted to get a quick read on you, check your quant sharpness, and see if you are someone they would want on their team. If they did not like what they saw, they would not be passing you to the Country Head.

The fact that they spent time letting you ask questions is also telling. Senior people do not waste time chatting with candidates they are about to reject. They were selling you on the firm.

For the Country Head round, expect it to be more about fit and presence than technical skills. At this level, they are asking themselves one question: "Is this someone I am comfortable putting in front of my clients?" Be sharp, be confident, but do not try too hard. Know the firm well. Know why you want to be there specifically. Have thoughtful questions ready, not generic ones.

Also, be ready for a curveball case or a quick business judgment question. Country Heads sometimes like to test how you think on your feet. Keep it conversational. Do not slip into robotic case mode.

You are in a good position. Do not let your nerves convince you otherwise.

Hi there,

At T2 firms, interviews with very senior leaders often look different from the “standard” case format. By the time you reach this level, they usually assume you can do the basics. The goal shifts from testing mechanics to answering two questions:

1. Can this person think on their feet under light pressure?
2. Would I personally be comfortable staffing or representing them?

That explains the short quant cases. They’re often used as quick signal checks rather than deep evaluations. The fact that the rest of the time was spent on your questions suggests the interviewer was more in “mutual fit” mode than in assessment mode.

The 35-minute duration on its own is not meaningful. Senior leaders frequently end early if they’ve seen what they need, either positively or negatively. Given the comment about the Head of Country being the next step, this sounds more like progression than rejection.

If you do move forward, prepare for a high-judgment, low-structure conversation. Expect less formal casing and more discussion around:

• Your motivation for the firm and region
• Your maturity and decision making
• How you would represent the firm with senior clients
• Your long-term trajectory and commitment

Think of it less as an exam and more as a senior stakeholder conversation. Be concise, opinionated, and clear on why you fit this firm at this moment.

Hi there,

This doesn’t sound negative at all — in fact, it’s often a neutral to positive sign, especially at T2 firms.

Senior leaders frequently deviate from standard interview formats. They tend to optimize for what they care about: quick calibration of your analytical ability (via short quant or business questions), followed by assessing judgment, curiosity, and senior-level communication through the questions you ask them. That’s very different from a structured behavioral + full case format, and it’s normal.

The shorter duration isn’t automatically a red flag. When interviews end early, it’s often because the interviewer has seen enough to form a view, not because something went wrong. The fact that they explicitly mentioned a next step with the Head of Country — and framed it as the person who decides on offers — is a strong signal that you’re still in the process.

For the potential next step:

• Expect an even more senior, conversational interview
• Less “casing,” more judgment, motivation, and fit at the firm and country level
• Be ready to articulate clearly why this firm, why this geography, and why now
• Prepare thoughtful questions about the firm’s direction, growth priorities, and culture

Think of that conversation as a mutual decision rather than an exam. They’ll be assessing whether they’d want you representing the firm and building the office long term.

Best,
Evelina

Hi!

I wouldn’t worry too much about this.

From my experience, it's not uncommon for interviews with senior leaders to turn out in a different format and run quicker than standard case + behavioral interviews. In many cases, they may have specific “boxes” they wanted to tick, or they’re pressure-testing a few things they personally care about. It can also mean they trust the assessments from earlier interviewers, so they don’t feel the need to re-run a full case.

It sounds like the next call will just be a casual chat on whether you got the offer or not. Here's how I would prepare before the next call:

• Prep the same way you did before, just in case, but with more focus on fit
• Polish your stories (impact, leadership, judgment, trade-offs)
• Be very clear on why this firm, why now
• Expect more “get-to-know-you” and senior-level judgment questions

At this point, you’ve done what you can. Wait for the update, and in parallel, prep calmly for what may come next.

All the best!

This is a great question, and I can tell you exactly why that dynamic occurs—it is extremely common once you get past the initial hurdle rounds and interact with senior leadership.

You should not worry about the short duration. Senior partners and regional heads are not using the interview process to clock hours; they are using it to rapidly de-risk a hire. If they quickly confirm analytical horsepower (which the focused quant questions suggest) and feel comfortable with your executive presence and questions, they end it. They found the signal they needed quickly. If there was a serious red flag, they usually find a polite way to wrap up even faster. The fact that they spent significant time on your questions shows they were evaluating your curiosity and fit, which is a key checkpoint at that level.

The different structure also makes sense. Previous interviewers confirmed your mechanics; this senior leader was confirming your raw intelligence and decision-making speed (the quant) and whether you possess the necessary gravitas to put in front of a major client (the Q&A fit check). They are vetting your potential as a future leader, not just a problem-solver.

The statement about the Country Head is the most critical piece of information you received. This signals that you have passed the initial screen and are likely in the final candidate pool—perhaps the final two or three. The Country Head round is rarely a traditional case; it is the ultimate "veto" round.

To prepare for this, you must pivot away from case mechanics. You need to intensely research that specific Country Head’s background, recent firm press releases relevant to that country, and the specific strategic direction of the local office. The question they will ask is: Why are you the right strategic fit for the office I am building? Be ready to articulate your vision for consulting, demonstrate deep knowledge of the local client base, and show polish and gravitas.

Hope it helps!

Hi there,

It's hard to say whether the shorter duration signals a rejection. It could be that you answered the questions well and they didn't feel a need to ask further. My suggestion is to wait for their response on whether you proceed to the next step, and reach out to the HR for guidance on the format of the interview with Country Head.

Don't be worried. 

Some senior interviews do move faster if they've already seen what they were looking for. 

If anything, it could be a good sign, especially since he mentioned what the next round is about. 

There's not much that you can do now on this application but wait (I know that's exhausting in and of itself). Do invest some time in developing your other applications so you can diversify your risk a bit. 

Best,
Cristian

1. Partners are busy. We don't really need 1 hour to know if the candidate is strong or not.

2. He basically told you that you've passed the interview. Why would you be nervous?!?!?

How to prepare? Be very strong on the FIT interview. This is one of my areas of strong expertise, so I would be glad to support you.

hey there :)

A shorter or unusual interview isn’t automatically a bad sign, it often just reflects the seniority of the interviewer and their focus on high-level fit and your questions. For the next step with the Head of Country, expect a very strategic conversation: they usually care more about overall judgment, motivation, and how you’d fit with leadership priorities than detailed case work. Be ready to clearly articulate your story, your impact, and why you want to join the firm, and have thoughtful questions that show you understand the business.

best,
Alessa :)