General interview questions Flashcards
Why are you interested in a career in Management consulting?
Having completed an internship at Greenside capital partners who focused almost exclusively in the areas of clean energy infrastructure, renewable energy, and green assets in private markets, we worked on raising capital for these private equity markets for an outcome in the future. While this reinforced, my love for working with smart like minded individuals and massive clients, I realised that i prefer to work more on a mix of conceptual and strategic tasks and projects, which i can focus internally on the firm ( not only purely external). This stimulated me create a tutoring venture where i would be able to tutor students completing GCSE’S, being able to delve deep into the students strengths and weaknesses, understanding their capabilitties and providing tailor made solutions which capture value for consumers. I would like to explore this more and believe i am natural fit continue this key passion of quality throughout solutions.
Technology is something that i am passionate about and currently study at my university information systems digital innovation in business and government across the world, with rapid technology change and advancements, this is a pivotal thing for sustained growth. I believe through consulting i can help expand my knowledge and gain expertise in order to provide value to clients.
Why do you want to work for PWC?
Having been a vice president of the LSE consulting team, i had the chance to speak to an previous LSE graduate working as an associate at PwC Fawaz Ahmad, who a chance to speak on the phone with him about the culture at PwC. I was blown away the feeling of inclusion at PwC, when i envision competiiton at high levels of competencies i envision tense environments, but i was told that inclusion from every level of senority matters, and team-working, is where everybody can thrive and learn more. This feels like the ideal environment which i would certainly thrive within. This is no better shown in with the PwC Client satisfaction = 8.78/10 in 2021, with this year representing huge business challenge for the company is very impressive.
In addition, pWC adopts a technological focus really well and understands the importance of technology through its operations and is constantly trying to come up with new processes which aid the development of a consultant. For example The new equation in which PwC invested in to create sustained outcomes and trust for clients. Technological change and disruptions present a massive challenge in this society, with pWC’s passion in order to be the forefront of this innovation, will mean that i will be able to grow as an individual, through training programmes also through digital academies in a fast pacing environment, this is an exiciting prospect to be apart off.
Why are you a good fit?
I believe i am a good fit for this role because of the diverse set of skills and qualities i already have that match the role of a consultant.
Good communicator and listener ( talk about the British heart foundation)
Understands putting the value of a client first and delivering tailor made solutions ( tutoring or flawless fits)
innovative problem solver ( currently i looking at a way, to develop new ways to improve my efficiency, to work smart not harder, through technological apps such as brainsscape.
What do you expect to do in your job role?
Meeting with clients and liaising with team members
carry out research and data collection to understand the organisation
present findings and recommendations to clients through presentations.
You are working in a team and you have introduced to a new timetabling software and one team member doesn’t want to use it, what do we do about it?
Working in a team is about a culumative effort of achieving a task, where the goal is the quality of the end result. It is important that we do not respond to this emotionally, but rationalize the concept. As a member of the team, i would demonstrate the benefits of the new timetabling software to the team member, providing clarity and how it would help us as a team. It is important that everyone in the team is on the same stage. I would ask why they wouldn’t want to use it and suggest another alternative. It is important to not marginalize the team member, but as a group we have to evaluate what is best for us. So we try to see if we could possibly implement both if alternative offers value, or use majority rule within the group. The aim is to be respectful and listen to all opinions.
What would you do if a client is not answering your questions fully/correctly?
As a consultant clients for the forefront of our purpose to solve their difficult problems they may present. it is important to that communication with the client is as clear as possible. Therefore if the client is not answering the question properly i would speak to my team members of presenting another way of answering the question. It is important to to interpret answers and try to fill gaps, as we want to be tailor made to the company. In addition if possible, i would see if i can ask probing questions and build myself up for the clients business challenge, the. key is to persist on finding a way to get across my question clearly.
What are the risks of your client not answering your questions correctly?
The risks is having to interpret the client says and fill in gaps, which could lead to not the required level of solution the client wants. Hence could affect reputation of the company and lead to a waste of resources.
Being unprofessional
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How is technology affecting the management Consultant role.
Technology is becoming very prevalent within organisations, especially be the effects of covid-19, where their was a transformation to online learning. With the increased threat of phising, cyber security has become an emerging issue within the world, in terms of protecting data. Consultants are going to be sought off, in order for companies to find ways of protecting data and being able to help companies choose and identify technologies to help efficiency within the business. This includes helping companies incorporate cloud computing and blockchain.
What is Management consulting?
Management consultants they work with businesses to improve their performance by providing expert advice to solve problems. ( basically a more internal process)
What is strategy consulting?
Strategy consultants advise organisations on high-level decisions in an unbiased fashion, using deep industry knowledge to deliver the best results. ( They solve big ambigious problems such as how to transform company in 5 years time.
lets look at a firm who has a profitability issue. What would a management consultant look at and what would a Strategy consultant look at?
Management consulting firms look at cost savings, tech innovations ( more technical focus)
Strategy consulting here would look at large scale directional change, so rather than fixing the ship, they look at new markets to go into ( its aspirational in its nature)
What is blockchain?
A blockchain is essentially a digital ledger of transactions that is duplicated and distributed across the entire network of computer systems on the blockchain.
What is a digital ledger?
is a digital system for recording the transaction of assets in which the transactions and their details are recorded in multiple places at the same time.
What type of industries do management consultants work in?
Financial services
Aerospace, defence and security.
Insurance
You have a vice president experience at the LSE, tell me more about it?
1) Developed social media forums allowing LSE Alumni to give career advice and give a thorough breakdown to over 1000 students of what consultancy is and what it means to be a consultant.
2) Had a career fair, where people came to listen to talks with consultancy firms such as Mckinsey
3) Group zoom meetings with students were they completed a challenge ( a client specific challenge and the best one, won an LSE prize) + mock ac
