Hey there,

Congrats on the 2nd round - almost there :-)

The first thing that you should know is that you have what it takes and you can go confidently into the 2nd round. The 2nd round is just to confirm what has been noticed during the 1st, yet with a different set of eyes from more senior firm leaders.

In theory, the 2nd round should not be too different than the first. As a result, you should expect exactly the same interviewing format as in the first round. You will be evaluated on the same criteria, and metrics, with the same types of cases and questions.

Now, that's the theory. :-)

Quick reality check!

That being said, partners still often employ their own way of doing interviews based on their personal preferences, which means that sometimes the final round with them can be less predictable.

Some focus on the case, others focus solely on the fit part and some might do 2 cases in a row.

In general, the more senior the partner, the more likely are they to deviate from the standard interview format because they a. can b. have their own way of doing things. :-)

So now you know the practice.

What does this mean for you and your preparation?

Nothing much.

Continue with your preparation, meaning

• Rehearse and finetune your fit answers with a coach or peers who know what they are talking about
• Hone your case interview skills that are relevant for (structuring, math, exhibit interpretation, hypothesis generation) with coaches and drills
• Prepare for some traditional fit questions (Why consulting, why RB, why you etc.) and more advanced ones (e.g., issues you faced, leadership roles,…)
• Pay special attention to the areas where you received negative feedback in the first round. Second-round interviewers are aware and will dig deeper into these specific areas
• RB does a lot of Infrastructure and Public Sector (see next point though)

During the interview

• Do not expect a particular type of case
• Stay cognitively flexible
• Do not be surprised if the format deviates from what you expect
• Stay calm and collected no matter what happens
• Stay enthusiastic, and engaged, and portray the impression that you are happy to be here (partners love that...)

If you managed to pass the first round, you should have it in you to pass the second round as well.

Fingers crossed!

Cheers,

Florian

Hi there,

Congrats!

One of my coachees signed an offer with RB in the Middle East just last week. 

Feel free to reach out via PM, if you'd like to learn more about what to expect. Also, might be able to connect you with my coachee for further details.

Regards, Andi

Hi there,

Remember that it's really important to be ready for anything. This isn't to shy away from answering your question, but it is the truth. The moment you go in expecting x, is the moment you've set yourself up for failure.

Train yourself in solving any problem, in any scenario, with any interviewer style.

After all…isn't that what consultants do on the job?

It doesn't matter if my past Roland Berger Middle East client got 1 top-down market sizing, 3 brainstorming questions, and 1 profitability case with a really direct/mean/short interviewer. You might get 2 bottom-up market sizings, zero brainstorming questions, and 2 unconventional cases with a really friendly/fast-paced interviewer!

Here's some reading to help:

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

(edited)

Hi there,

Common questions at RB Dubai include:

1. Estimation / market sizing
2. Assessment of different opportunities for investment
3. Profitability

In case you need help please feel free to PM me, I helped several candidates for RB Dubai and know 10+ real questions asked there.

Best,

Francesco

Dear applicant,

For second round please consider interesting,  challenging cases and that you can clearly demonstrate your interest in the firm. In particular, please pay attention to researching as creatively as you can some industry perspectives or activities particular to the region and office. For example check up front what is interesting ng to them at the moment, bring it up yourself, - your ideas- during the interview part and this let's you shine.

 Best regards, 

Hello,

Agree with other coaches here. If you need help with interview prep specifically for the middle east, I've written an article https://www.preplounge.com/en/articles/case-interview-middle-east

Feel free to reach out to me if you need any help with mock cases based on real middle east interviews.

Best,

Rushabh

Hi there,

in addition to all the comments and explanations, find below a few practice cases that are representative of the Roland Berger style across various interview rounds:

https://www.preplounge.com/de/case-sammlung/candidate-led-ueblicher-stil/schwierig/business-strategy-home-delivery-solution-for-retailer-chain-332?lang=en

https://www.preplounge.com/de/case-sammlung/candidate-led-ueblicher-stil/anfaenger/commercial-feasibility-of-natural-gas-pipeline-329?lang=en

https://www.preplounge.com/de/case-sammlung/candidate-led-ueblicher-stil/anfaenger/options-evaluation-profitability-of-brewing-company-startup-327?lang=en

Best