Strategy& Middle East - Interview process for a Principal position

Hi there,

Q: Is there anyone able to provide visibility of how the process is run and what to expect for a Principal position (e.g. rounds, interview structure, etc.)?

I helped a few candidates for principal positions (not for Strategy& but for MBB).

Compared to the standard process, in their case they got:

• Questions about their specific industry
• Questions about managing a project (eg how to organize team/proposals/first meetings)
• Not necessarily a case in every interview

If you need help, please feel free to reach out, I know 30+ real case and fit questions asked in the Middle East at Strategy&.

Good luck!

Francesco

Hi there,

Congrats on the interview opportunity!

The key with higher level interviews (especially Principal) is they care way more about your general aptitude and ability. They are much more focused on whether you have relevant industry expertise. If you know your stuff both on the technical side of things and the client/team management side of things.

Yes, you should be prepared for a case. However, if they do give you a case it will be much more “flexible” (more brainstorming, faster moving, less focus on math, etc.).

You should be prepared for them to ask more questions about your background, more hypotheticals, and more brainstorming. It should be more peer-to-peer and conversational as well.

Ultimately, the most important thing is that you demonstrate your ability to think and communicate in a structured, objective-driven way.

When I train experienced hires at this level the #1 problem I see is that they ramble and can stick to the point (either answer the wrong question, or answer the question in teh wrong/unclear way).

Here's some reading to help: https://www.preplounge.com/en/articles/how-to-shift-your-mindset-to-ace-the-case

Hi there,

First of all, congratulations on the invitation from Strategy&!

I think this is an interesting question that may be relevant for many people. I would be happy to share my thoughts on it:

• First of all, the application process will most likely be very similar to the standard process, with the only difference being that your interviewers will most likely only be (senior) partners with the same industry/capability focus as you. To know for certain, I would highly advise you to reach out to the recruiter to inquire about the specific structure and contents of the application process.
• Moreover, in order to succeed in the interviews, please keep in mind that for a senior leadership position, the focus will lie much more on your industry/capability knowledge and existing client relationships. While you might still have to conduct case studies, they are most likely more focused on your thinking and knowledge and less about manual case study skills.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare for your upcoming interviews, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Hi there, 

I'm currently working with a Principal interviewing for a transition into MBB / Tier 2 and her interview process has the same elements as those for more junior roles. 

The key difference was that before getting to the case interview (the purpose of which is to test for problem-solving ability) she had multiple rounds assessing the personal fit part. 

So if there's one thing that you need to emphasize in particular that's the personal fit. Make sure you have a very clear story and an amazing value proposition. Also, try and connect as much as possible with the interviewers inside and outside of the interview frame. 

Best,
Cristian

Same as in any other role for that company - simply more senior people interviewing you.