Preparing for a consulting interview at a prestigious firm like EY can feel daunting You know the competition will be fierce and that you’ll be put on the spot to demonstrate your problem-solving abilities and “soft” skills.
Luckily, by doing your research and practicing, you can enter each interview with confidence. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the EY consulting interview process, from what to expect to sample answers for the most common questions. Follow these tips and you’ll be ready to land your dream job as an EY consultant!
Overview of EY’s Consulting Practice
Let’s start with some key facts about EY’s consulting practice to set the context. EY is one of the “Big Four” professional services firms and its consulting division spans strategy, operations technology and more for clients across all industries.
Some notable aspects of consulting at EY:
- Massive global reach, serving clients in over 150 countries
- Cutting-edge focus on emerging tech like blockchain, AI and cybersecurity
- Emphasis on flexibility through agile team structures
- Opportunities to work across service lines like digital transformation and transactions
As a consultant at EY, you’ll work on high-profile projects requiring strategic thinking, technical skills, and the ability to lead diverse teams to deliver results for clients. It’s fast-paced and challenging but also highly rewarding.
Now let’s look at how to prepare for the consulting interview process.
What to Expect in the EY Consultant Interview Process
The interview process typically follows these stages:
1. Initial phone/video screening: A 30 minute call with a recruiter reviewing your resume and interests.
2. Online assessment: Tests problem-solving, critical thinking and personality traits.
3. In-person interviews: Two to three rounds speaking with managers and partners. Each is 45-60 minutes, often over the course of one day.
4. Case interviews: Analyze and develop solutions for real client issues. Usually an in-person presentation.
5. Decision: Receive an offer to join EY Consulting!
Now let’s look at how to ace each step, starting with the critical in-person interviews.
How to Prepare for the In-Person EY Consulting Interviews
In the in-person interviews, you’ll face a mix of traditional questions about your background as well as case-style questions.
Here are examples of both types and how to craft winning answers:
Traditional questions:
Q: Why do you want to work at EY?
A: EY’s global footprint and leadership in emerging technologies presents exciting opportunities to grow my skills and make an impact. Consulting also aligns well with my passion for solving complex strategic challenges. I’m inspired by EY’s purpose of building a better working world and I believe my collaborative approach fits well with the firm’s culture.
Q: What is your greatest strength?
A: I have very strong analytical abilities. I’m able to break down complex problems into components and identify interlinkages. At my past internships, this skill helped me effectively evaluate business models and provide recommendations supported by data. Analysis comes naturally to me and enables me to develop innovative solutions.
Q: Discuss a time you faced a conflict on a team. How did you handle it?
A: When I was leading a case competition, one team member wasn’t pulling his weight on the analysis. I spoke to him 1-on-1 to understand why. He was stressed about an upcoming exam. I related to his situation and we agreed he would take the lead on the presentation while I covered more of the technical work. Empathizing with him improved our communication and collaboration.
Case-style questions:
These will assess your problem-solving process from structuring the issue to developing a recommended solution.
Q: Our client is a pharmaceutical company whose revenue has declined 15% over the past year. What should we advise them to do?
A: * Clarify if the decline is industry-wide or unique to the client. Ask about factors like competitive landscape, reputation, and regulations.
-
If industry-wide: Recommend consolidating production facilities and distribution channels to cut costs. Develop partnerships to co-market existing products while R&D focuses on new high-value treatments.
-
If client-specific: Assess their marketing approach, including messaging and channels. Research their reputation. Examine their product pipeline compared to competitors. Then provide targeted solutions addressing root causes I uncovered in analysis.
Q: A retail bank wants to improve customer conversion rates on loan applications. How would you approach this project?
A: * Start by requesting past conversion data to quantify the scope of the problem and set a benchmark
- Analyze which steps in the loan application process have the highest drop-off rates
- Interview bank employees to identify bottlenecks customers are facing
- Survey customers who didn’t complete applications to understand pain points
- Develop a prioritized list of recommendations such as simplifying forms, providing online assistance, or improving credit check turnaround times
- Provide estimated conversion rate lift each solution would achieve based on data analysis
Using a structured approach demonstrates your strategic thinking abilities. Quantify when possible and validate recommendations with data.
How to Prepare for the EY Case Interview
Many candidates find the case interview the most intimidating part of the process. It tests your ability to analyze business scenarios and client problems in real-time.
Here are some tips to master this crucial step:
-
Practice out loud – Verbalizing your thought process is key. Work through sample cases speaking through your approach.
-
Use a framework – Structured thinking impresses interviewers. Apply frameworks like MECA (Metrics, Environment, Capabilities, Alternatives).
-
Ask clarifying questions – Don’t make assumptions. Make sure you have all the information needed.
-
Be logical and creative – Use data to back up your solutions but also brainstorm innovative ideas.
With practice and a methodical approach, you can show interviewers your potential to become an excellent consultant.
Helpful Tips to Keep in Mind
Throughout the interview process, keep these success strategies in mind:
-
Know your resume cold – Be prepared to elaborate on any points in your background. Tie it back to the job.
-
Research the firm and role – Show how your skills and values align with EY’s consulting practice.
-
Have thoughtful questions ready – Asking smart questions demonstrates your engagement.
-
Review your social media – Make sure there is nothing that could reflect poorly on your judgment.
-
Dress professionally – Appearance matters. Wear a tailored suit in a dark color.
-
Send thank you notes – Following up reinforces your enthusiasm for the role.
With rigorous preparation, you can truly excel at the case interviews and conversations. This will demonstrate to EY why hiring you as a consultant would be a smart strategic decision.
Questions to Ask the Interviewer
Along with preparing your responses, you should go into each interview ready with thoughtful questions to ask your interviewers. Here are some options:
-
What do you enjoy most about working at EY?
-
How would you describe the culture of the consulting practice?
-
What types of projects tend to excite people at the manager or senior manager level?
-
How is new technology like data analytics and AI impacting EY’s consulting services?
-
Could you describe the variety of clients I might get exposure to?
-
What does career progression look like for high performers?
-
How does EY encourage mentorship and professional development?
Asking incisive questions shows your engagement. It also helps you assess whether the role aligns with your own interests, strengths and values.
How to Impress Your EY Interviewers
Making a strong impression in each interview accelerates your chances of receiving an offer. Beyond preparing sharp answers, dazzle your interviewers by:
-
Demonstrating passion for problem-solving and continuous learning
-
Showcasing strong communication skills
-
Proving you work well on diverse teams
-
Conveying maturity, professionalism and leadership potential
-
Displaying interest in EY’s emerging technologies and innovation
-
Asking thoughtful questions that advance the conversation
-
Emphasizing your alignment with EY’s mission and culture
If you present yourself as a strategic thinker with the ability to grow into a leader in global consulting, you will be top of mind when decision time comes.
How to Ace the EY Consultant Role
If you receive the coveted offer letter to join EY Consulting, congratulations! This is just the start of an exciting career where you’ll rapidly build experience across industries.
To ramp up quickly:
-
Immerse yourself in the culture – Build connections through colleague groups and social events
-
Seek out mentorship – Find managers open to giving advice and guidance
-
Ask for stretch assignments – Take initiative to work on complex client projects
-
Crush each deliverable – Apply yourself fully and exceed expectations
-
Get feedback – Ask managers how you can improve after wrapping up work
-
Develop specialist knowledge
You can never do too much research
If you do a lot of research, your knowledge will not only show how well you prepared, but it will also help you connect with us more deeply.
As you learn more about EY, you should also learn more about the person you will be interviewing with. Check out their LinkedIn page and read any articles or articles they’ve written in the past. This will help you connect with your interviewer and talk about the things that are most important to you.
Make sure you fully understand the job description and how you will fit into the company and how it is set up. This will help you understand EY better, which will make it easier to talk about the skills you have that make you a good fit for the job. If you’re applying for a job in a new industry after having worked in a different type of job before, you should think about what skills you can bring to the job you’re interviewing for. Also, think about where the job could go in the future and any questions or thoughts you may have about that.
We also want to know what you think about the most important market trends right now, so it’s helpful to do some research before the interview.
What if my application leads to an interview?
If you were asked to come in for an interview, you’ve already done a great job. Now we need to get to know each other better to see if we’re a good fit. At EY, your interview process may include a mix of in-person, video, and phone interviews so that we have plenty of chances to get to know you.
We want the best people to join EY, so our interviews are tough, but we also want them to be fun and relevant so that you have a great time and get to know us too.
We hire for our future success – and for yours.
Learn more about careers with tips and other tools from EY recruiters that may help you with your job search.
It’s not always easy, but try to relax and be natural. We want to learn more about you during the interview, so be ready to talk about yourself and your skills and experience that are relevant to the job. We want to know about your personality and way of thinking as well as your skills, so be honest when you answer questions.
Be confident, but not arrogant. Be enthusiastic and positive, but focused – tell your stories succinctly, don’t ramble.
Put yourselves in our shoes – what do you think we’re looking for in a candidate?
EY (Ernst & Young) Interview Questions And Answers! How To PASS your EY Interview!
FAQ
How do I prepare for an interview at EY?
How many rounds of interview at EY?
