Client Question

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In a consulting career, you provide clients with recommendations that are aimed at solving problems or achieving goals. When you apply for these kinds of jobs, you often must answer questions that assess whether you have the necessary knowledge, skills and qualifications to collaborate successfully with clients. Understanding how to answer common consulting questions will help you make a positive impression and show why you deserve the job. In this article, we list 35 common questions for consulting interviews, along with sample answers to help you prepare.

• Why consulting?+

  Interviewers ask this question to gauge your genuine interest in a consulting career and knowledge of the field. When an employee has passion, it demonstrates their enthusiasm for and commitment to the job. You may hear this question often during consulting interviews, so you need a structured answer that conveys the specific reasons you want to be a consultant and anecdotal evidence that supports those reasons. Try to focus on one or two aspects of the field that you enjoy most.

• Tell me about a time when you struggled or failed to meet a deadline.+

  Interviewers use behavioral questions such as this one to assess how you manage common challenges at work. They most want to understand how you react to stressful situations and learn from them. When answering specific behavioral questions, structure your response using the STAR technique (situation, task, action and result). Your responses to these questions provide evidence of your value as an employee.

• Explain how you adapt to your clients culture when working on projects.+

  As a consultant, you will work on projects with a variety of clients. Your potential employer wants to ensure you can navigate different company cultures and seamlessly fit into new environments using effective communication and collaboration skills. Your answer should demonstrate these skills, along with your interest in the values of teamwork and trusted relationships.