When it comes to hiring new consultants, whether you're an engineering firm or a management consulting firm, the interview process is critical. Consulting interviews offer a vital opportunity to assess a candidate's technical abilities, communication skills, and overall fit within your organization.

To help you navigate this process, we’ve compiled a comprehensive list of questions that can guide you in evaluating the key traits necessary for success in your firm.

In this article, we'll cover various types of interview questions, including opening questions, personality insights, behavioral scenarios, qualification assessments, challenging situations, situational analysis, and communication skills evaluation.

Each category will equip you with targeted questions to help you identify the candidates who will thrive in your organization.

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If you're focused on recruiting consultants who can not only deliver results but also excel in sales and build strong senior client relationships, you’ll want to read Mark Orttung’s article series, The Consulting Balance.

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What are consulting interviews like?

The formality and structure of consulting interviews can vary significantly depending on the company. For instance, the Big 4 firms often have a rigorous process with multiple, well-defined steps. In these cases, questions asked of applicants, particularly for graduate positions, tend to be standardized.

However, for smaller or mid-sized consulting firms, you may need to tailor your interview questions to the specific role you're hiring for.

So, what are most consulting interviews like? Generally speaking, they are formal. You should aim to ask thought-provoking questions, delve into the candidate's past work experience, assess their client communication skills, and evaluate whether they would be a good cultural fit for your firm.

Opening interview questions

The opening questions in an interview are key to helping candidates feel comfortable and set the stage for a productive conversation. It’s natural for candidates to feel a bit nervous at the start, so beginning with these basic yet thoughtful questions can help them relax and ease into the interview.

Allowing the interviewee to talk about themselves, their motivations, and their interest in your firm creates a more conversational atmosphere, which can lead to a more genuine and insightful discussion later on.

1. Could you please tell me about yourself?
2. Why did you decide to pursue a career in consulting?
3. What interests you the most about this position?
4. Can you tell me about your current/previous job and why you are leaving/left?
5. What do you know about our firm, and why do you want to work with us?
6. What part of your resume are you most proud of?

Personality interview questions

When bringing a new consultant into your team, it’s important to find someone who not only has the right skills but also meshes well with your company’s culture. Personality interview questions give you a glimpse into who the candidate really is—how they think, how they work closely with others, and what motivates them.

1. What personal qualities do you believe are most important for success in consulting?
2. How would your closest colleagues describe you?
3. How do you handle ambiguity or lack of direction in a project?
4. Do you prefer working independently or as part of a team? Why?
5. What is your preferred method of receiving feedback?
6. What role does humor play in your professional life?
7. What do you consider to be your greatest strength and how does it influence your work?
8. What kind of work environment do you thrive in?

Qualification-based interview questions

When hiring a consultant, it’s important to dig into the qualifications that really matter for the role. These questions help you get a sense of the candidate’s experience, the tools and methodologies they’ve mastered, and how they’ve applied their skills in past projects.

1. Tell me about a time when you led a significant project. What was your role, and what were the outcomes?
2. What experience do you have with [specific software or tool, e.g., PSA Software, Power BI, Salesforce]? Can you provide an example of a project where you used it effectively?
3. What specific consulting methodologies or frameworks are you most familiar with, and how have you applied them in your previous roles?
4. Tell me about the experience you have with client relationship management? How do you ensure long-term client satisfaction?
5. How do you tailor your consulting approach to different client needs and industries?
6. What formal education or training do you have in project management, and how have you applied it in your consulting projects?

Consulting behavioral interview questions

Behavioral interview questions are all about understanding how a candidate handles real-life situations. By asking about their past experiences, you can get a clearer picture of how they manage challenges, make decisions, and work under pressure.

1. Can you describe a time when you had to manage a project with a tight deadline? How did you ensure its success?
2. Describe a time when you had to adapt to a significant change in a project. How did you approach it?
3. Tell me about a situation where you identified a potential issue before it became a problem. How did you address it?
4. Can you describe a scenario where you had to motivate a team during a challenging project? What did you do to keep morale high?
5. Share an experience where you had to handle a project that was falling behind schedule. How did you get it back on track?
6. Can you share an experience where you had to make a tough decision under pressure? What was the situation, and what did you decide?

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Challenging consultant interview questions

Every consulting role comes with its fair share of challenges, whether it's handling a tough client or managing a project that hits unexpected roadblocks. These questions are meant to dive into how the interviewee handles those tougher moments.

1. Describe a time when a project you led failed. What did you learn from it?
2. What aspect of this role do you think you’ll find most challenging, and how would you overcome it?
3. How would you handle a situation where a client disagrees with your recommendations?
4. Tell me about a time when you had to push back on a client’s request?
5. Can you share an experience where you had to mediate a conflict within a team?
6. How would you manage a project where the key stakeholder is disengaged or uninterested?
7. How would you proceed if a client asked you to implement a solution that you believe is unethical?

Light-hearted questions for consultants

Slip in some light-hearted questions to bring out their creative side and get a glimpse into their personality.

1. If you could consult for any company in history, which one would you choose and why?
2. If you had to explain consulting to a 5-year-old, how would you do it?
3. If you could only use one consulting buzzword for the rest of your career, which one would it be?
4. If you could solve one consulting challenge instantly, what would it be?
5. Do you have a work ‘hack’ for getting through tough days?

Situational consultant interview questions

When interviewing consultants, it's important to understand how they handle real-world challenges. These situational questions are designed to help you assess how candidates would navigate various scenarios they might face on the job.

1. If you were assigned to a project in a new industry you have little experience in, how would you quickly get up to speed?
2. A client asks for a last-minute presentation on your project’s progress. How do you prepare and deliver it effectively?
3. You’re leading a project where the initial data is incomplete or unreliable. How do you move forward with the analysis and recommendations?
4. You’re working on a global project with team members in different time zones. How do you ensure effective collaboration?
5. You realize that a key assumption made early in the project is no longer valid. How do you adjust your strategy?
6. You’re tasked with managing a project that involves significant risk. How do you assess and mitigate those risks effectively?
7. You’re asked to take over a project that’s behind schedule. How do you quickly assess the situation and bring it back on track?

Client communication skills interview questions

Good communication is key in consulting, especially when working with clients. These questions are meant to help you see how candidates handle tough conversations, adapt their style to different clients, and keep things on track even when challenges arise.

Read more:  25 ways to build and retain trust with your clients.

1. Tell me about a time when you had to deliver bad news to a client. How did you handle the communication?
2. How do you adjust your communication style for different clients?
3. Describe a time you explained complex information to a non-expert client.
4. What’s your approach to keeping client meetings productive?
5. A client isn’t responding to your communications, and a tight deadline is approaching. What would you do?
6. The client’s expectations are higher than what you can realistically deliver. How do you manage their expectations?
7. You’ve completed a project, but the client isn’t satisfied with the outcome. What steps would you take to address their concerns?

Closing interview questions

As you wrap up the interview, it’s important to get a sense of where the candidate sees themselves in the future and what they’re looking for in their next role.

These closing questions are designed to help you understand their career goals, their approach to growth and development, and what matters most to them in a job. It’s also a great time to give them a chance to share anything else that’s important to them and to ask any questions they might have about the role or your company.

1. What are your long-term career goals, and how does this role fit into them?
2. What did you enjoy most about your previous job?
3. How do you approach continuing your professional development and learning new skills?
4. What’s the most important thing you’re looking for in your next role?
5. Is there anything else you'd like to add or clarify about your experience?
6. Do you have any questions for us?

Hiring the right people

Hiring the right consultant can make all the difference in your firm's success, and asking the right questions is key to finding that perfect fit. We hope this article helped you find a range of interview questions to help you explore different aspects of a candidate's skills, experience, problem-solving abilities, and personality. From understanding how they handle tough situations to seeing how they would fit into your company culture, these questions are designed to give you a comprehensive view of your candidates.

As you move forward with your hiring process, remember that the best consultants are not only technically skilled but also adaptable, communicative, and aligned with your firm's values and goals. Use these questions to dig deeper into what makes each candidate unique and to find the individuals who will truly thrive in your organization.

For more insights on recruiting top-tier consultants who can deliver, sell, and build strong client relationships, be sure to check out Mark Orttung’s article series, The Consulting Balance.

Mark’s experience offers valuable lessons on how to elevate your firm from just providing services to becoming a strategic partner for your clients. It’s a great resource as you continue to refine your hiring strategy.

Read the article here.