Does anyone know what's the process like and what to expect? I was invited on a couple of days August 30-31 at a target school in Lebanon. Any tips?
Oliver Wyman Dubai Interview Process
Hi there,
I have a lot of friends at Oliver Wyman Dubai, and interviewed there myself some years back. Cases are almost definitely going to be interviewee-led. The reason the cases on the website are interviewer led is because it's pretty hard to make an online case that is interviewee led.
In terms of types of cases, it really varies a lot. Oliver Wyman doesn't seem to have a central database of cases that all interviewers use (unlike e.g. Bain, McKinsey), but have freedom to give their own (pre-approved) case. It is known as a very analytical firm, and I have found a lot of their cases are very quant-heavy. They also have a much greater tendency to give "brain-teaser" / estimation questions. One question I received, for example, was "what will be the total number of Bank branches in the UK in 2025?". Another person I know received the question "you find a dinosaur egg that is about to hatch - what do you do with it?"
It is also worth noting that, depending on where you are in the world, interviews (at least first round, sometimes also final round with 1-2 interview with a Dubai office partner) will likely be conducted in the office closest to you (e.g. London). In this case you will be subject to that office's process - which can be different from Dubai. For example, OW London uses a presentation format case in final round where you present to a panel.
So in summary, you should expect quant-heavy cases, expect possible "non-traditional" cases like brain-teasers/estimations, and be aware that part/all of the process may take place in your local office.
Hi,
From what my AUB colleagues have told me at OW Dubai, you will take part in a combination of:
1) Case interviews (with seniority progressing through the days)
2) Networking events (e.g. dinner, interactive presentations)
Feel free to message me if you have any specific questions, best of luck!
Hi Anonymous,
the interview process is the standard one for case interviews, thus:
- Fit questions
- Cases (note that in the Middle East public sector cases are more common than usual)
- Your questions for the interviewer
As general process to follow for the preparation, I would recommend the following:
- Define a calendar for your preparation. Identify how many hours you have per week to dedicate to consulting prep and how many weeks in total you have before interviews, then allocate a time slot for preparation in your calendar for each day. It’s important you write it down to self commit or you will start to skip some prep time pretty soon, in particular if you don’t have pressure for an interview scheduled soon – and it is definitely better to start slowly and constantly than rushing towards the end close to the interview. Ideally you want to have a minimum of 100 hours to dedicate to the preparation before your interviews.
- Read Case In Point or Case Interview Secrets for a general understanding of what a consulting interview is. Don’t focus too much on the structures proposed in the books though, as they are not good enough nowadays.
- Start reading MBA Consulting Handbook – you can find several for free online (Insead is a good one to start). Read the cases and try to apply your structure. Whenever you see there is something missing, upgrade your structure with the new insides. Try to read at least a new case per day – in this way you will absorb a lot better the information with constant learning. Structure your remaining daily preparation with 5-10 minutes per day for each of the following: market sizing, fit questions and mental math.
- After you have read the first 10 cases in books/handbooks and basic theory, start to practice live. There is a relevant part of the interview score that is based on your communication, which you cannot practice at all if you read cases only. Keep track of your mistakes and see if you repeat them. If so, try to identify the source of the mistake (feedback of experienced partners would be particular useful for this). Be sure to focus on both fit and case.
- Once you feel you are not improving anymore, if you have a tight time constraint or if you want a realistic assessment of your level, consider using experts’ support to strengthen your performance
- Before the interview, be sure to prepare your questions for the interviewer – great way to show you prepare in advance and to connect more with the interviewer for a good final impression.
In case you are interested in the "Why Oliver Wyman" question, the following thread may be useful:
https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/oliver-wyman-interview-1601#a3522
Best,
Francesco
I went through the process for OW Dubai from Canada so happy to provide some perspective.
Post the numerical test, OW Dubai's recruitment process consists of three rounds.
For me the first two rounds were over the phone, conducted by Engagement Managers at the Firm. The format of these interviews is a mix of case and fit, with the case taking up the larger chunk of the interview.
The final round or "super day" is held at the Dubai office. OW would fly you in for a full day day of interviews. At this final round, I went through three rounds of interviewers: two Partner cases and one round with a Engagement Manager.
They usually get back to you with a decision either later that evening or the following day.
Hope that helps!
Hey there, I can give you some insight on the types of cases you are likely to get, to guide your prep.
Cases are almost definitely going to be interviewee-led. In terms of types of cases, it really varies a lot. Oliver Wyman doesn't seem to have a central database of cases that all interviewers use (unlike e.g. Bain, McKinsey), but have freedom to give their own (pre-approved) case. It is known as a very analytical firm, and I have found a lot of their cases are very quant-heavy. They also have a much greater tendency to give "brain-teaser" / estimation questions. One question I received, for example, was "what will be the total number of Bank branches in the UK in 2025?". Another person I know received the question "you find a dinosaur egg that is about to hatch - what do you do with it?"
Good luck!
Hi Anonymous A,
I agree with all the responses above - I'll just add one tip: OW Dubai's office loves brain teasers (How much would it cost to rent [famous monument] for a year? How many golf balls can fit in a Boeing 777? etc.). Prepare those! and brush up on those quant skills. Apart from that, it's the standard consulting recruitment process: fit/case interviews, usually two-three rounds.
Good luck!