How would you answer this question in your Personal Fit interview? Receive feedback on your answer and browse through the Q&As to review the approaches of other applicants and experts.
Hi,
This is one of the most frequently asked questions. The response to this question is quite generic, but it works all the time. When I interviewed with MBB, this is how I answered the question and you can follow a similar logic:
I focused on the fact that I was a recent graduate who did not know what to specialize in, in terms of industries (e.g. healthcare, consumer goods, retail, etc.) or functional topics (e.g., finance, HR, strategy, digital, etc.). Thus I emphasized that I wanted to get into consulting to better understand what I am passionate about by working on a different set of projects.
Moreover, I also mentioned that the skillset that I will acquire in consulting (e.g., team management, time management, client management) would be applicable anywhere I go next.
Lastly, I also highlighted the opportunity to take up significant responsibilities in the early stages of my career, as it is rare to find someone who is in his/her mid-20s sit on the same table with key industry leaders and make recommendations to them.
Best,
Deniz
1. Consulting job is extremely relevant to business school education. It is sort of waste not to apply the business acumen we honed in b-school into any other type of job;
2. Consulting enables people to handle various type of businesses. You'll never get bored easily with such a steep learning curve, or, should I say, learning curves;
3. Consulting offers unlimited career possibilities as a great launchboard, the analytical skills and sector insights might get updated one day, but the problem solving approach, once mastered, is highly transferrable.
My immediate thoughts: these answers are condescending (1), lecturing (2) and selfish (3). I understand what you're going towards but try rewording in the context of the employer's values or job description req's, then put in some examples. — Radu on Oct 12, 2019 (edited)
two of the most important things to me are continued learning and creating real-world impact. while research has the ability to achieve both, consulting provides me with an opportunity to delve into industries, problems, and technology that i'm not yet familiar with, in a highly-collaborative environment--something that academic research often falls short on. creating impacts that i can see unfold before my eyes has been the most rewarding experience of all, which all have come from my consulting experiences. it is much more motivating than uncovering an interesting research result that may or may not be impactful
For several reasons, the most important ones:
(edited)
3 reasons
1. Intellect of my coworkers
2. Tackling complex challenges in a variety of different industries
3. Continuously learning
Dear A,
When answering “Why consulting” questions, provide three reasons why you want
to pursue a career in a consulting firm. A general rule is to find the reasons that are
important for you and logically fit everything you have done before (e.g. you want to
grow further in financial services and get exposure to these clients). You can always
use some personal rationale like your experience of working with consultants on a
client side.
Hope, it helps.
Best,
André
Create Opportunities, make an impact, learn and work with brilliant people
1) the steep learning curve. As you work with very driven and bright people, you can learn a lot in a short period of time.
2) the continuously changing environment. No 2 projects are the same, so this job will keep on challenging you.
3) You can really make an impact. Based on the insights that you gained, you can deliver valuable outcomes for the client.
(edited)
I have been working in Consulting for the past 4 years. I love working across different business sectors, solve critical issues that span organizations, and enable organisations with the power of tech.
I´ve always been curious about everything, so trying out different project engamgemnts can really satisfy my need for change and curiosity by simultainiously test my creative problem sovling
because i enjoy solving problems
1. Diversity of projects
2. Enhance my soft skills
3. Meet new people
Hello!
On top of the insights already shared in the post, next week will be pusblished in PrepLounge´s Shop material related.
In concrete, the "Integrated FIT guide for MBB". It provides an end-to-end preparation for all three MBB interviews, tackling each firms particularities and combining key concepts review and a hands-on methodology. Following the book, the candidate will prepare his/her stories by practicing with over 50 real questions and leveraging special frameworks and worksheets that guide step-by-step, developed by the author and her experience as a Master in Management professor and coach. Finally, as further guidance, the guide encompasses over 20 examples from real candidates.
Hope you find it useful!
You have some great answers here already, but allow me to add my two cents.
I think the best way to address this question is to show the interviewer how the skills you get from consulting can help you achieve your greatest altruistic purpose in life. Firms are looking for candidates who can see the big picture and can attempt big dreams. If you can make this connection, then you will have answered the question well. That said, some of the common skills that consulting endows you with are problem-solving (analytical), communication, and people management skills. Find how these skills can equip you to, not only transform your life but that of millions of people. Show them that realistic connection.
You are also better off starting your answer by quickly and succinctly describing how you came to know about consulting. A personalized story makes your stand out. This is one thing I learnt from FirmsConsulting, and you may want to check it out.
I hope this helps.
Multidisciplinarity
Intelectual curiosity
conneted to international
- Project work
- learning curve
- challenging environment
- c-level exposure
- travel
Because it gives me the opportunity to work in a diverse and challenging environment
N/A
- Variety of projects
- opportunity to gain experience in different areas and sectors that I want to explore
-immense learning, growth, creativity and collaborative environment which I seek
1). 10 years of experience in all functions within the same industry, have learned the wohle perspective of running a business, now it is time to get to know how other indutries work.
2). positive experience as corporate strategist with Consulting firms, execellent and nice ppl
3). go out of comfort zone, expedite learning
1) Consulting gives experience that is unparalled: 1 year in consulting = 3 years industry. The breadth of experience I could gain as a junior consultant is a huge benefit in my eyes.
2) I like to solve problems of any kind, and this work would be highly stimulating and exciting to me. It would be an excellent extension of my education in finance/economics/math to really delve deep into real-world client issues.
3) The environment: I like to be mobile, not just stationary at a desk; and I like working with other like-minded, intelligent, and highly motivated young professionals.
I love consulting due to the type of challenges we face in every new project. It gives us a chance to make the sherlock out of us. Also, It provides exposure to different industries and understands the business in a better way, which is not possible working in a particular industry.
I want to have contact with several fields of management
I like fast paced and dynamic work environments
I like to be constantly challenged and forced to be creative
The biggest reason why I want to pursue a career in consulting is because I want to develop myself personally and professionally. I dream of opening a business someday and would really like to know what kind of problems business owners face and how frequent and hard are these problems and how to overcome problems in the best way possible.
I also like to travel and would love to work around great minds so that I can learn as much as I can so that I can implement those learnings in whatever way possible.
I choose consulting for my personal development. This would come through exposure to different industries, working on different topics, and different people. The industry exposure will give me a broader understanding of how the business side of the world works, different topics will enhance that by knowing what are the different types of issues companies face today. Working with different people enhance emotional intellgence because you learn to deal with different personality types, working styles, cultures, which makes you easily get along with people you don't know easily, and learn how to get the best from them while giving them your best.
To work on diverse range of projects
To work across functions such as marketing,finance, supply chain etc
To accelerate my learning curve as working in consulting comes with a steep learning curve
Dynamic projects, interesting clients, high level of learning
My interest in consulting it is driven by three key factors to achieve a personal development which I am looking for in this point of my life.
Firstly, the exposure to a greater number of industries would allow me to expand my knowledge to a wider variety of problems, trends and situations.
Secondly, I believe only consulting and investment banking provide young workers with the necessary fundamental skillsets to face problem solving situations. The heritage learnt from these roles can be applied and carried over to every situation in life, being it personal or professional.
Lastly, The exposure to both different individuals and cultures fuels my interests and endless curiosity to understand others perspective, mindsets and points of view. I believe this is the key in leveraging technical skills but also to adapt and appreciate a more open minded mindset.
Because I love learning new things, like to be challenged intellectually, and want to work on cases that have a real impact on the world around me. Also, having smart colleagues to work with is really stimulating.
g
help company and business grow.
I like to fire people!
- Maybe not the best answer
I want to better understand strategic goals, work on/learn about many different industries, and use data to drive ambiguous problems
learning, people, travel
I want to get into consulting for two reasons: creating true impact and developing personally.
1. I believe that as a consultant I'm in the unique position to help clients on a top level in overcoming their current business challenges, thus creating benefit for them and having a true impact in my work.
2. Intertwined with 1. is the chance to gather deep insights into varius businesses and industries and growing as a person. That helps again in improving in my daily work and achieving 1.
Diverse teams
Problem Solving
Variety of Work
The most important reasons will be a) to help our clients with disruptive growth, both revenue and profits b) simplify the prospects, opportunities and challenges framework within a complex multilayered, multi-geography organization and c) develop talent within for sustainable growth of our organization
- get to know different industries and companies in a short period of time
- challenging tasks
- learning curve
steep learning curve
competitive team environment
curiosity
why not
My internship last summer, where I worked directly with a client, showcased my interest in consulting. During my time there, I was able to work closely with a client to understand their problem in depth, propose a solution and finally build that idea it myself as part of a team! I greatly enjoyed the whole process: initially understanding the problem and getting to its root cause; then thinking about solutions to it, sometimes crazy ideas and finally building one of these ideas. As such, in one sentence, I greatly enjoyed solving a problem with a small team that would make a client succed.
I want to work with large companies and solve problems. I like how every day is different and there is a wide variety of work in the consulting industry.
Never ending learning curve
impact
exposition to the client and senior
Working in consulting is the best way to pursue a generalistic and complete business formation within excellent teams which works with top management staff from the very various companies the firm may work with, to work within a dynamic and demanding environment and finally to tbenefit from the international and mobile characteristic of the assignments.
- solve different types of problems for clients
- collaborate with representatives from international companies
- help companies achieve the best results in the long run
Collaborative environment, exoansidng my intellectual capacity with endless learning opportunities, achieving real change
xx
Personal growth and development
i like the idea of consulting since it uses logic
didnt like my major
