Let’s take a quick look at EY-Parthenon and what makes it stand out! EY-Parthenon is the strategy consulting branch of Ernst & Young, with 45 offices across 25 countries. Since its founding, it has grown into a major global player in strategic advisory.
In 2014, EY acquired the consulting firm Parthenon to strengthen its position in the strategy sector. This move followed a trend among the Big Four, as firms like Deloitte had already expanded into strategy consulting to compete with firms like McKinsey and BCG.
Each year, thousands of students apply to EY-Parthenon. The reason is simple: it offers the chance to work on real business challenges at a high level. But the process to get in is tough. Candidates go through several interview rounds, including demanding case studies that test how you think and communicate.
In this article, we’ll walk you through what to expect, how to prepare, and what all of this actually means for you! 💡
EY-Parthenon places more emphasis on personal qualities than many other strategy consulting firms. In fact, they focus on ten key traits that go beyond academic performance or work experience. If you're wondering whether you'd be a good fit, these are the qualities they care about:
Team player: You’ll work with different people all the time. Being collaborative from day one is essential.
The EY-Parthenon recruitment process may seem intense at first, but once you understand the structure, it becomes much more approachable. Here’s a clear breakdown of the four main stages:
It all starts with submitting your resume and a personalized cover letter through the online portal. While most hiring takes place during the autumn recruitment cycle, there are occasional off-cycle opportunities, especially in smaller offices. EY-Parthenon is looking for more than strong academics. They want to see clear motivation, relevant experiences, and signs that you reflect the qualities they value in consultants.
If your application moves forward, you’ll be invited to take a numerical reasoning test. This is a timed, online assessment that involves interpreting charts, graphs, and tables to make quick calculations. It is not about complex math, but rather how well you can handle data under time pressure.
In the first round, you will typically have two interviews with junior consultants. Each one includes a short section on personal fit or past experience, followed by a business case. These interviews focus on how you think, how you structure your approach, and how clearly you communicate your ideas.
The final round involves interviews with more senior consultants. The format is similar to the first round, combining fit questions with a case. However, the expectations are slightly higher, as they are assessing your readiness to take on real client work and contribute to a team right away.
EY-Parthenon conducts three main types of interviews throughout their recruitment process: experience or fit interviews, traditional case interviews, and structured written case interviews. Each format serves a different purpose and tests specific skills, so let's look at what you can expect from each!
These interviews are based on real client projects. Interviewers often use cases from their own work, so they can provide detailed data and context. This format is the most common because it closely reflects the consultant’s daily work. The key question is: “Can this candidate do the job of an EY-Parthenon consultant?”
You will be assessed on:
Before the case, expect questions about your background and motivation. Common questions include:
The key is to structure your answers clearly. This shows you think critically, even on personal topics. Our expert Ian has a guide to help with these questions, and reviewing common consulting questions can also be useful.
This written case interview is similar to exercises at firms like BCG or Bain. You receive a detailed information pack of 15 to 20 pages and three broad questions. You have 10 minutes to review the materials alone while the interviewer leaves the room. This is what the board questions can look like:
There is no single right answer. What matters is how you evaluate trade-offs and compare strategic options. The interviewer looks for clear reasoning, strong conclusions, and well-explained recommendations.
The case interview is the heart of the recruitment process at every strategy consulting firm because it closely mirrors the kind of challenges you’ll face on the job. To succeed in an EY-Parthenon case interview, you need to meet the key criteria we discussed earlier. The best way to do this is by following a clear, structured approach.
Here’s what a typical EY-Parthenon case interview looks like:
At the start, the interviewer will set the scene and explain the problem to solve. For example:
“A high street retailer wants to cut costs by 30% due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. How would you approach this?” You will then be expected to offer an initial hypothesis and explain how you plan to prove or disprove it.
Next, you will build a structured framework to guide your analysis and discuss it with the interviewer. If your framework is MECE (meaning mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive) and you explore it thoroughly, you’ll identify the root cause of the problem. This might lead you to pinpoint areas where the client can reduce costs. You may also need to perform some calculations to support your analysis.
At times, the interviewer will test your creativity by asking for alternatives. For instance, they might say, “The client does not want to close stores. What other ways can they reduce costs?” These questions can come up multiple times and challenge your ability to think flexibly beyond your initial solution.
Finally, you will be asked to summarize your findings and give a clear, concise recommendation.
