Why consulting, why this firm, why you
The three questions every candidate must answer well, how to make them specific, and the other questions to prepare.
Key takeaways
- The specific answer is true, concrete, and shows rather than tells. The general answer gives the interviewer nothing new.
- Why consulting: link it to a real moment when you did this kind of work and enjoyed it, plus what the job will teach you.
- Why this firm: name something true about how that firm works that fits you, learned from people you spoke to or from its work, not its marketing slogans.
- Why you: a short, honest claim about what you bring, backed by one of your real stories, not a list of adjectives.
Three questions come up in almost every fit interview: why consulting, why this firm, and why you. The trap is a general answer. "I like solving problems and working with smart people" could be said by anyone about any job.
Make each one specific
- Why consulting: link it to a real moment when you did this kind of work and enjoyed it, plus what the job will teach you.
- Why this firm: name something true about how that firm works that fits you, learned from people you spoke to or from its work, not its marketing slogans.
- Why you: a short, honest claim about what you bring, backed by one of your real stories, not a list of adjectives.
Question: "Why consulting?"
General answer
"I like solving problems, I am analytical, and I want to work with smart, motivated people in a fast-moving environment."
Specific answer
"In my final-year project I spent two months working out why a local charity was running out of cash. Breaking the problem apart and finding the real cause was the work I enjoyed most in my degree. Consulting is that kind of work every day, with people who are very good at it, which is how I want to learn."
Why the stronger answer wins: The specific answer is true, concrete, and shows rather than tells. The general answer gives the interviewer nothing new.
Other questions to prepare
- "Tell me about yourself" or "Walk me through your CV": a 60 to 90 second story of your path, ending with why you are here today.
- "Tell me about a failure" or "a time something went wrong": a real setback, what you did, and what you changed afterward.
- For experienced hires: "Why are you leaving your current role?" Answer with what you are moving toward, not complaints.
- "What questions do you have for me?": prepare two or three real questions about the interviewer's work or the office, not things you could find online.
What makes a "why this firm" answer strong?
Sources for this lesson (1)
- Recognized public explanations of case-interview concepts and frameworks
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