Ace Your Oliver Wyman Interview: The Inside Scoop on Interview Questions and How to Prepare

Getting hired at a top consulting firm like Oliver Wyman is no easy feat The interview process is notoriously rigorous, designed to test your problem-solving abilities, communication skills, and overall fit for the company While you can’t entirely predict what you’ll be asked, doing your research on the types of case study and behavioral questions Oliver Wyman tends to use can help you practice and feel more confident going into the interviews.

In this insider’s guide, we’ll walk through examples of common Oliver Wyman interview questions, tips for how to approach them, and strategies to prepare so you can put your best foot forward. Master these and you’ll be well on your way to landing a coveted spot at one of the world’s leading strategy consulting firms!

Overview of the Oliver Wyman Interview Process

Before diving into specific questions, it’s helpful to understand the overall flow of Oliver Wyman’s interview process Here’s what you can generally expect

• 1-2 Phone/Video Interviews: 30-45 minute behavioral interviews focused on your resume, motivation for consulting, Oliver Wyman in particular, and ability to think on your feet.

• 1-3 In-Person Interviews: Held at one of Oliver Wyman’s offices, these are a mix of 60-90 minute case study interviews and behavioral interviews focused on fit. You’ll meet with multiple interviewers back-to-back.

• Case Study: You’ll be given a business scenario and data, then asked to analyze the situation, do some quantitative analysis, and propose a recommendation. Expect to use PowerPoint.

• Behavioral: Questions focused on your past experiences, accomplishments, leadership examples, and motivation for a career at Oliver Wyman.

• Networking: Both formal events and informal meet-and-greets with Oliver Wyman staff. A chance to get your personality across.

8 Common Oliver Wyman Interview Questions and How to Nail Them

Now let’s look at some of the most frequently asked Oliver Wyman interview questions and tips for crafting winning responses:

1. Walk me through your resume.

This is one of the most common opening questions in any interview, so make sure you have a smooth 2-3 minute “elevator pitch” that hits your academic highlights, internships,activities, and other experiences that make you a strong candidate. Use numbers and facts where possible to quantify your accomplishments. Finish by tying it back to why you’re passionate about a career at Oliver Wyman specifically.

Example response: “I graduated summa cum laude from NYU Stern with a 3.9 GPA and double major in finance and computer science. My coursework focused heavily on data analysis and modeling. I also served as VP of the Finance Club where I led a team of 10 to organize campus events and competitions, building strong leadership and project management skills. This past summer I interned at Morgan Stanley within their FICC trading division, where I automated 25% of daily risk management reports through Python scripts, allowing the team to focus more time on strategy…”

2. Why do you want to work at Oliver Wyman?

With this common question, interviewers want to gauge your level of interest in the firm as well as the sincerity behind your application. Be specific by mentioning Oliver Wyman’s industry expertise, prestigious clients, collaborative culture, opportunity for early responsibility, and other details that resonate with you. Convey genuine passion.

Example response: “I’ve been interested in Oliver Wyman since speaking with consultants at a campus event. The firm’s expertise across financial services paired with the technology practice really resonates with my background and interests. I’m excited by the opportunity to work cross-functionally on cases spanning strategy, operations, risk, and digital for leading finance clients. I’ve also heard Oliver Wyman has a great culture where even entry-level consultants get a lot of responsibility and can make an impact from day one. That really motivates me.”

3. Why consulting vs. investment banking or tech?

Since many candidates interview for multiple roles, be ready to address why you specifically want to go into consulting, drawing parallels to your background. Emphasize problem-solving, working across different industries, collaboration, steep learning curves.

Example response: “While I found my IB internship really interesting, what I enjoyed most was working with colleagues across groups to solve complex, unstructured problems and present recommendations to senior management. Consulting aligns more closely with those aspects of my experience. I’m excited by the constant challenge of new cases spanning different industries, which plays well to my problem-solving strengths and allows me to expand my business acumen.”

4. Tell me about a time you led a team.

Behavioral questions are a big component of Oliver Wyman interviews. Using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) will help you frame compelling responses. Emphasize leadership skills like goal-setting, coaching others, overcoming conflicts, and driving results.

Example response: “As part of the Finance Club executive board, we organized an ambitious initiative to create a stock-trading competition across 30 universities and over 700 students. My role was to lead a team of 10 to plan and execute regional events at 5 universities. I set weekly plans to ensure we met deadlines, trained new members on processes, and coached my team through conflict resolution and motivating participation at each school. Our events saw a 25% increase in turnout from previous years, allowing us to raise record funds for our nonprofit partner.”

5. How would you go about estimating the size of the ice cream market?

Don’t let estimation questions trip you up! Break these down systematically and think through assumptions. Ask clarifying questions. Walk through your logic step-by-step.

Example response: “This is an interesting problem. To estimate it, I’d first want to clarify – are we talking global or US market size? And is this retail only or wholesale as well? Let’s assume US retail market. Now, I’d start by determining average consumption per person. The US population is around 330 million people. If we assume on average each person eats ice cream 2 times per month, that’s 24 times per year. Let’s assume an average serving size of 0.5 pints purchased. So 24 * 0.5 is 12 pints per person per year. At an average price of $5 per pint that’s $60 per person annually. Multiply that by 330 million people and we get a $19.8 billion total market size estimate in the US.”

6. A client is considering entering a new market. How would you advise them?

Market entry case studies are very common. Outline your approach systematically, such as examining market size, competitive landscape, go-to-market strategy, risks and mitigations. Ask questions to clarify details. Share your logic each step of the way.

Example response: “I’d start by asking questions to understand their product, target segments, and any prior experience expanding into new markets. Next I’d look at market size – is it growing or declining? What customer needs exist? Are there major competitors? I’d analyze what share might be captured based on competitive advantages. I’d study channels and barriers to entry as well as a phased rollout plan to test and refine before full launch. I’d also look at product localization, pricing strategy, marketing messaging, and partnerships needed. Lastly I would call out major risks and mitigation tactics to ensure successful expansion.”

7. Tell me about a time you faced a conflict at work. How did you handle it?

Behavioral questions often focus on challenges or failures. Share a real example, being honest about the situation. Emphasize how you took a leadership role in resolving the issue professionally. Discuss how you’d approach it differently in hindsight.

Example response: “When I worked at [Company X], two members of our team had recurring conflicts that impacted our productivity. I decided to mediate an open discussion where we set norms for giving constructive feedback and actively listening. By role-playing responses, they built empathy and identified triggers to avoid. I also met privately with each member regularly to coach them through conflicts in real-time. Over time this helped improve their working relationship, and team cohesion. In hindsight, I could have involved senior leadership earlier for additional guidance.”

8. Do you have any questions for me?

Always prepare 2-3 thoughtful questions to ask your interviewers to show your interest in learning more about the role, team, leadership’s vision, or projects. Prioritize questions you don’t easily find answers to online.

Example questions:

• “How do you see digital transformation shaping strategy over the next 5 years?”

• “What excites you most about the cases your team has worked on recently?”

• “How would you describe the culture here and what makes Oliver Wyman unique?”

5 Key Strategies to Prepare for Your Oliver Wyman Interview

With practice and preparation, you can feel confident tackling whatever comes your way in the Oliver Wyman interviews. Here are some tips:

1. Thoroughly research Oliver Wyman – Study their website, news articles, LinkedIn, and other resources to gain a deep understanding of their practice areas, clientele, thought leadership, cultural values, and competitive positioning.

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