Kearney interviews are tough compared to regular interviews at other large companies. The questions are difficult and the interview format is specific to Kearney.
Of course, the good news is that if you prepare well, it can be pretty easy to do well at a Kearney interview. Weve put together this ultimate guide to maximise your chances of success.
Today, Kearney is among the worlds most prestigious consulting firms. It brought in $1. 3bn in revenue in 2022 and has around 4,200 employees globally, across 40 different countries. Kearney also ranked #7 in the top consulting firms to work for in the 2022 Vault Consulting 50.
In the past, the business was known as “AT Kearney,” but in January 2020, it changed its name and dropped the initials.
Earning a coveted consulting job at Kearney is a major career milestone. But first you must navigate their rigorous case-based interview process that tests your analytical thinking, communication skills, and poise under pressure.
To help you enter your Kearney interviews confidently, I’ve compiled a breakdown of what to expect, sample questions, and expert tips to craft winning responses. With preparation using the advice below, you’ll prove to Kearney interviewers that you have what it takes to join their elite global consulting firm.
What to Expect in a Kearney Interview
Here’s an overview of Kearney’s interview format:
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Screening call – 30 minute phone interview assessing communication skills and fit
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1st round – 3 back-to-back 60 minute case interviews focused on analytical thinking
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2nd round – Interview with senior leadership on culture fit
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3rd round – Interview focused on “soft skills” like leadership and collaboration
In total, expect 5-8 hours of case interviews, so practicing cases is essential The emphasis is on demonstrating structured problem solving rather than getting the “right” answer
The case interview format involves:
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The interviewer presents a business challenge or prompt
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You ask clarifying questions to probe and structure the problem
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You logically work through your approach and proposed solutions
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The interviewer may interject additional ambiguities or complications
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At the end, you summarize key insights and recommendations
Now let’s look at some of the most common questions and case examples Kearney uses during interviews.
Top Kearney Interview Questions and Answers
Walk me through your resume. Why Kearney?
Kearney wants candidates passionate about management consulting and their firm specifically.
Sample Response:
- Share your interest and relevant college major, internships, or prior work experiences
- Discuss skills gained relevant to consulting like analytics, problem solving, communication
- Demonstrate knowledge of Kearney’s expertise in operations, procurement, analytics, and transformation
- Express interest in Kearney’s collaborative culture and global reach
- Note Kearney’s rankings and reputation for challenging, high impact work
Describe a time you faced a challenge on a team project.
Behavioral questions like this assess your leadership, teamwork, and problem-solving.
Sample Response:
- Briefly explain the project challenge such as disagreements on direction
- Share how you brought the team together to understand all viewpoints
- Discuss process you drove to align on goals and evaluative criteria
- Explain how you helped team compromise to decide on solution approach
- Share successful outcome of re-aligned team completing an impactful project
Our client is a leading furniture maker. Profits are stagnant – how would you approach this?
This prompts a case focused on driving growth for the client.
Sample Response:
- Ask clarifying questions on clients’ products, markets, production, costs
- Propose comprehensive framework to approach issue:
- Assess state of market and completion
- Analyze operational efficiency – where are highest costs?
- Identify pricing strategy opportunities
- Determine if launching new product lines could drive growth
- Suggest 2-3 hypotheses for stagnant profits to test via additional research
- Share I would partner closely with client through iterative process
Estimate the market size for online tutoring in the US.
Market sizing questions test your business sense and comfort with ambiguity.
Sample Response:
- Think through available data points such as:
- 67 million students enrolled in US schools
- ~20% high school students take SAT/ACT annually
- 25% of test takers use tutoring
- Typical spend $1,000 on test prep
- Estimate 60% of households have broadband internet access
- Use estimates above to determine potential online market
- Ex: 67M students x 20% taking SAT/ACT = 13.4M
- 25% of 13.4M use tutoring = 3.35M
- If 60% capable of online tutoring, addressable market is 2M
- With $1,000 average spend, total market = $2B
- Clearly state assumptions and logic throughout
- Acknowledge approximations given limited info
Our hotel client is losing guests – how would you approach this?
A sample case examining a hospitality client’s declining occupancy.
Sample Response:
- Ask clarifying questions about hotel locations, segment, occupancy trends
- Establish framework to determine root causes:
- Understand competitive landscape
- Assess hospitality market performance
- Analyze hotel’s marketing effectiveness
- Identify operational issues impacting guest experience
- Propose analyses such as mystery shopper stay, guest feedback survey, pricing audit
- Share how I would partner with client to address underlying issues surfaced
- Emphasize tailoring solution to hotel’s specific context
What questions do you have for me?
Always prepare 2-3 questions that demonstrate your interest and understanding of the role.
Sample Questions:
- Can you describe the training experience for new consultants?
- How are consultants supported to develop new skills and expertise over time?
- What types of clients and projects would I work on in my first year?
- How would you describe Kearney’s culture and values?
- What excites you most about the future of the firm?
How to Prepare for a Kearney Interview
To maximize your chances of interview success at Kearney, focus your preparation on these areas:
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Practice case interviews extensively – Work cases with peers, seek sites like CaseCoach to build experience.
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Master business analysis frameworks – Structure your cases using MECE, Porter’s Five Forces, SWOT, etc.
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Ask good clarifying questions – Probing gives you the details needed to frame an effective response.
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Think out loud clearly – Verbalize your hypothesis-driven approach and logic explicitly.
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Develop crisp communication skills – Frame responses concisely and articulately.
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Research Kearney thoroughly – Understand their core expertise, clients, values and culture.
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Review your experiences – Identify examples that demonstrate consulting capabilities.
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Prepare thoughtful questions for your interviewers to show engagement.
With rigorous preparation and practice, you’ll feel ready to analyze cases and answer questions like a true management consultant. Wishing you the best of luck on your pursuit of a career at this prestigious firm!
Kearney behavioural questions ↑
As we said above, Kearney will often ask you behavioral questions at the start of your case interviews. These are called “fit” questions. Of course, you could also be asked only behavioral questions. In this case, the questions are more likely to be situational or “PEI.” Lets take a look at both types:
- Fit questions. The questions are general, like “Why consulting?” or “Why Kearney?”
- Personal Experience Interview (PEI) questions. They are questions like, “Tell me about a time when you led a group through a tough situation.” “Or “Tell me about a time you had to handle a disagreement on the team.”
Here are the top 5 fit and PEI questions you should prepare for at AT Kearney.
Top 5 fit questions:
- Why Kearney?
- Why consulting?
- Walk me through your resume
- Tell me about something not on your resume
- Tell me about your greatest accomplishment
Top 5 PEI questions. Tell me about a time when …
- You led a team through a difficult situation
- You were part of a team that had to deal with a disagreement.
- You had a disagreement with a colleague / boss
- You had to change someones / a groups mind
- You overcame a really difficult challenge
Dont fall into the trap of under-preparing for both these types of behavioural questions. While they may seem easier than the case interviews, they are extremely important to get right.
You will need to come up with a number of “stories” or “examples” from your personal and professional life to show that Kearney that you have the qualities they are looking for.
To learn more, check out our guide to consulting fit / PEI questions.
1 Resume and cover letter screening
First, recruiters at Kearney will look at your resume or application and decide if your experience fits the job opening. This is the hardest part of the process; 90% of candidates don’t make it past this point.
If you want to make sure your resume and cover letter are perfect for the job you want, you can use these free guides.
You can also get feedback from our team of former MBA recruiters, who will tell you what achievements to highlight (or not highlight), how to improve your bullet points, and more.
If your application is approved, youll face two first-round interviews of ~ 1hour duration.
Typically, each will be a case interview, but with the first 15mins dedicated to behavioural or fit questions. Your interviewers will be managers and associate consultants at Kearney.
If youre applying on-campus at a target school, then you may have your interviews in-person. Otherwise, the first round is usually done over the phone or through a video call.
After the first two interviews, there will be at least two more case interviews in the final round.
These case interviews may start with 15 mins of behavioural questions, as before. However, this time the interviewers will be more senior members of the firm – i. e principals and partners.
If you are an undergraduate, you might be asked to go to an Assessment Center for the final round of interviews. You will probably also have to give a group case presentation.
If you have an MBA or work experience, you’ll likely be interviewed at a Kearney office and have to give a written case presentation as well.
An in-person interview with a partner may also be given to both experienced and new graduates as a final check to see if they are a good fit for the firm.
This part will tell you how to get ready for all of your interviews so that you have the best chance of getting a job as a Kearney consultant.
Business Analyst Interview Overview | Road to Kearney Webinar
FAQ
Is Kearney interview hard?
Is it hard to get hired at Kearney?
What does Kearney look for in candidates?
How long did it take to get interviewed at Kearney (Seoul)?
The process took 2 weeks. I interviewed at Kearney (Seoul) Case Interview (2 rounds) –> Partner interview – Case interviews were not difficult than I thought though it may be challenging if you are not used to solve the case questions. Thoughs on switching from Kearney to Oliver Wyman?
What are the interviews like AT Kearney?
really enjoyed the interviews with Kearney. When I was applying for the internship, I had three one-hour interviews with my potential team members: a senior business analyst, a manager, and a partner. All the interviews had a similar structure and included behavioral questions and a case.
What is Kearney’s recruitment process like?
However, Kearney’s recruitment process was so fast and intense that I received an ofer before I was even invited to interviews with other firms. really enjoyed the interviews with Kearney. When I was applying for the internship, I had three one-hour interviews with my potential team members: a senior business analyst, a manager, and a partner.
How does Kearney’s interview process work?
However, the exact process can vary based on location and role. It can be really helpful to ask your HR contact if they can provide more details on your specific interview track. First, Kearney’s recruiters will look at your resume / application and assess if your experience matches the open position.
