Training · CO-1 · Lesson 06 of 06
The fit interview
The rule
Fit interviews check whether the client would tolerate you for three months and whether you can tell a story with a decision in it.
Why fit matters
Fit interviews test whether you would be effective with clients and teammates. Interviewers ask: would I want this person on my team at midnight before a client presentation? Would a CEO trust them?
Core questions
Prepare stories for the common prompts.
- ·Why consulting? Why this firm?
- ·Tell me about a time you led a team.
- ·Describe a time you persuaded someone.
- ·Tell me about a failure.
- ·Describe a time you worked with difficult people.
Building stories
Use a structure like situation, task, action, result. Keep situation brief, emphasise your actions, quantify results, and close with what you learned. Prepare six to eight stories that can be adapted to different questions.
- Situation / task
- 20 seconds
- Actions
- 70 seconds
- Result
- 20 seconds
- Lesson
- 10 seconds
Depth questions
Some firms probe a single story deeply for many minutes: what exactly did you say, how did the other person react, what would you do differently. Choose stories you remember in detail and where your role was central.
Asking questions
End with genuine questions about the interviewer's experience. Thoughtful questions show interest and help you assess the firm.
Hold onto this
- ·Prepare five stories: leadership, conflict, failure, influence, and a hard decision.
- ·Use situation, action, result — and name what you personally did.
- ·Have a reason for the firm that is not its brand.
Progress saved on this device
Education, not financial advice. Figures may be simplified for illustration.