Respected boutiques and specialists: the process and its assessments
The stages, the digital screens, and what varies by office, with dated sources.
Firm processes and online tests change from year to year and differ by office. Use this to prepare, and confirm the exact current steps on the firm's own careers page.
Key takeaways
- Application and screen: Online application, with an online test at some firms (reported).
- Interviews: Usually two rounds of cases and fit questions, flavored by the firm's specialty (reported).
- Varies by firm. Simon-Kucher is reported to use a short numerical and logical test.
- Alvarez & Marsal: the case depends on the practice.
- OC&C: cases are reported to focus on consumer, retail, and investor questions.
This lesson was checked against the sources listed at the end, official pages first. Firm processes change between offices, roles, and years, so use it as a guide and confirm the details in your invitation and with your recruiter.
The interview process, stage by stage
- 1Application and screen: Online application, with an online test at some firms (reported). What it tests: Reasoning and interest in the specialty.
- 2Interviews: Usually two rounds of cases and fit questions, flavored by the firm's specialty (reported). What it tests: Core case skills and specialty knowledge.
The assessments it uses and where they sit
- Varies by firm. Simon-Kucher is reported to use a short numerical and logical test.
What varies by office, region, and role
- Alvarez & Marsal: the case depends on the practice. Private equity performance improvement and transaction advisory cases lean financial; restructuring cases test cash and liquidity; corporate performance improvement cases are closer to strategy cases (reported).
- OC&C: cases are reported to focus on consumer, retail, and investor questions.
- Simon-Kucher: a short numerical and logical online test is reported before interviews, and cases usually focus on pricing.
Points from public candidate accounts and prep sources
- Alvarez & Marsal (reported): expect cash, cost, and restructuring topics in the restructuring practice, and more financial analysis in private-equity-facing practices.
- OC&C (reported): expect consumer and retail markets, customer research, and investor questions.
- Simon-Kucher (reported): expect willingness to pay, price elasticity, segmentation, and good-better-best packaging.
This platform builds the underlying skills these screens test and gives realistic practice in similar formats. It never provides or reproduces a firm's actual test, and firms do not allow AI tools, notes, or outside help during their assessments unless they say otherwise in writing.
Last reviewed: 2026-09-28. Sources, official pages first. "Reported" means a secondary source, not the firm or government itself.
- Reported: CaseBasix, Alvarez & Marsal case interview: https://www.casebasix.com/pages/alvarez-marsal-case-interview
- Reported: Hacking the Case Interview, Alvarez & Marsal case interview: https://www.hackingthecaseinterview.com/pages/alvarez-marsal-case-interview
- Reported: Management Consulted, OC&C Strategy Consultants overview: https://managementconsulted.com/consulting-firm/occ-strategy-consultants/
- Reported: Hacking the Case Interview, Simon-Kucher online test: https://www.hackingthecaseinterview.com/pages/simon-kucher-online-test
- Reported: RoadToOffer, Simon-Kucher case interview: https://www.roadtooffer.com/blog/simon-kucher-case-interview-guide
Sources for this lesson (5)
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