Oliver Wyman 2nd round of case interview

Hey there, 

Partners know that by the time you meet them, you would have (usually) passed through at least 2 other interviewers (usually managers or other senior consultants). So they know that you know how to do the basics regarding structuring and generating insights that deliver recommendations.

Remembering that Partners essentially make the "hiring decision", I'd recommend you focus on:

• Cultural fit / personality / maturity
• Composure and presence
• Creativity and out-the-box thinking
• General common sense and 'big-picture' thinking

Please work on any feedback you would have gotten from your previous interviews (and if you didn't get any - it would be good to ask for it). And continue doing the good things that got you to the final round!

All the best

Congratulations on landing a second-round interview with Oliver Wyman! 

How the Second Interview Could Differ from the First

• More Senior Interviewer: The dynamics might feel more conversational and strategic. Partners typically focus on assessing:
  • Problem-Solving Depth: They may push you to explore the "big picture" implications of your answers and push you on the 2nd/3rd order implication of an insight/analysis (ask why/how)
  • Business Judgement: Partners will test your ability to keep the client's best interest in mind and to propose solutions that are practical to implement, giving strategic priorities, cost/timing constraints, and any other pointers shared during the case
  • Executive Presence: To put it simply, could the Partner leave you in the room with a reasonable senior client and not be afraid of how you will interact / represent OW. A few things that matter here: 1) top-down (structured) communication, concise (as opposed to wordy) statements, body language, tone, space, etc
• Potential Focus on Your Background: The alignment between your and the Partner's background in Government and Public Affairs might lead to:
  • Case contexts that reflect public sector challenges
  • Behavioral questions digging into your experience to assess relevance to Oliver Wyman’s work in this sector

On the Day of the Interview

• Treat the interview as a two-way conversation
• Demonstrate a genuine interest in public sector consulting (try to find articles from that practice, esp. ones co-authored by the Partner)
• Stay confident but humble—partners look for consultants they would enjoy working with on client engagements

Best of luck for Tuesday! If you would like more in-depth coaching to ace your second-round interview and increase your chances of looking into this offer, let's schedule a coaching session this weekend. 

Hey!

Congratulations on passing your first round! For your 2nd round interview with a Partner at Oliver Wyman, it's likely to focus more on your fit and personal motivations, as well as how your background aligns with the Partner’s expertise in Government and Public Affairs.

Preparation tips:

1. Understand the Partner’s Background: Research the Partner’s previous roles and how they relate to your background. Be ready to discuss how your experience and interests align with their expertise.
2. Prepare for Fit Questions: Reflect on why you’re interested in Oliver Wyman and specifically in a role within Government and Public Affairs. Be ready to discuss your career goals and how they fit with the firm’s values and projects.
3. Case Depth: While the first interview may have been more about getting comfortable with case frameworks, expect the second interview to potentially dive deeper into more complex case scenarios or require more nuanced answers. Practice structuring answers clearly and confidently.
4. Ask Questions: Prepare questions about the Partner’s projects, the team’s culture, or their view on trends in Government and Public Affairs. This shows your genuine interest and helps you evaluate if the firm is the right fit for you.

Good luck with your interview!

Alessa :)

Hi there,

Well done on passing the first round! Regarding your question:

Q: Please tell me how my 2nd interview could be different from the first and how I could prepare better.

A final round/ round 2 normally has the same structure as the first round (fit + case + your questions).

In a final round, the interviewers might:

1. Spend more time on fit and your alignment with the company.
2. Ask questions related to the areas of improvement for which you got feedback after the first round.
3. Not use a “standard” case. During one of my finals, I had one interview made by two market sizing questions and a brainteaser, without any business case.

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To prepare, you can work on the following:

1. Review your fit answers – they might spend more time on the fit part compared to the first round.
2. Work on the case areas they mentioned you could improve, if any (you can base that on the feedback they provided, if present).
3. Focus your case prep on the weakest areas. If you are tracking your performance, you can do drills for the areas where you are struggling the most / review cases where you made mistakes.

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Extra reading:

▶ How to Prepare for a Consulting Interview

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Good luck!

Francesco

Hi Alexandrina,

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

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

• I have written extensively about the differences between the first and final interview round in my article about the final interview round.

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 Oliver Wyman interviews, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen