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Case interview tips
Stacking your skills up against a real business challenge.
If you're a candidate for Deloitte Consulting LLP, you'll be asked to demonstrate your problem-solving skills, your analytical ability, as well as your strategic and logical thinking. These case interviews can also help us assess your common sense, creativity, and comfort with ambiguity. At the same time, you'll gain insight into our approach because these cases represent real client projects.
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How to stand out in your case study interview
During a case interview, you'll be asked to demonstrate your problem-solving skills, analytical ability, and strategic and logical thinking. Use these tips to help you prepare.
Cases can help us assess a candidate across multiple dimensions, and your answers should project clear thinking, practical judgment, and a professional demeanor. Apply this five-step approach while working through the case interview:
- Understand the issue; ask clarifying questions as needed
- Identify the underlying assumptions
- Summarize specific issues and findings
- State your recommendations
- Outline next steps and expected results/impacts
We want candidates to have an effective and enjoyable case discussion so we encourage you to follow the case interview tips below. You are not expected to provide the "right" answer, but rather clearly convey your logic and thought process. Sample case interviews provide examples and mimic an actual case dialogue.
To help you demonstrate your best thinking in the case interview, we encourage you to:
- Take notes throughout the case exercise
- Be sure you understand the case question
- Ask questions, but don't use them as a crutch—we're interested in how you connect the dots, not in painting the picture for you
- Develop and articulate a framework and the initial hypothesis that you intend to explore
- Take time to compose your thoughts–don't just start talking
- Structure your analysis into a clear, logical story
- Walk the interviewer through your thinking and explain your assumptions
- Don't panic—engage the interviewer in a business conversation
- Don't forget that the case interview is an opportunity to learn about a Deloitte project
View our case interview preparation tool for more help in getting ready for your case interview
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Deloitte case interview prep: the only post you'll need to read
Deloitte interviews are pretty challenging compared to regular interviews at large corporates. The questions are difficult and the interview format is specific to Deloitte.
But the good news is that with the right preparation it can actually become relatively straightforward to succeed at a Deloitte interview. We have put together the ultimate list of facts and tips you need to know to maximize your chances of success.
Here's an overview of what we'll cover.
- Introduction
- Interview process
- Regular case interviews
- Group case interviews
- Fit and PEI questions
- Preparation plan
1. Deloitte Consulting is bigger than McKinsey + BCG
Deloitte is a force to reckon with in consulting. In 2017, it generated ~$14bn in revenue from its consulting business line. This makes it about as big as McKinsey (~$10bn) and BCG (~$5bn) combined.
Deloitte Consulting grew through a series of acquisitions. As a result, it's a collection of relatively independent firms operating under the Deloitte Consulting umbrella. Each member firm is managed by local partners who are responsible for their P&L. The different geographies are therefore less integrated than at a firm like McKinsey which mainly grew organically.
Deloitte Consulting has three main practice groups you need to be aware of when applying:
1. Strategy and Operations (S&O) focuses on topics such as corporate strategy, supply-chain improvement, business model transformation, process improvements, etc.
2. Technology consulting focuses on digital strategy, delivery of IT programmes, cyber risks management, designing and building tech-based solutions for clients, etc.
3. Human capital focuses on topics such as organisation transformation, change management, corporate learning and development, diversity and inclusion, etc.
The type of work Deloitte S&O does is very similar to what you would do at McKinsey, BCG and Bain . In 2013, Deloitte acquired Monitor which was initially founded by Michael Porter, the father of Porter's five forces . Monitor is now part of Deloitte S&O and that brand is particularly strong in North America.
And if you'd like to learn more about how Deloitte (and the other Big 4 firms) compares to the MBB firms, check out our MBB vs. Big 4 guide .
2. Deloitte interview process
Deloitte uses 3 steps in its recruiting process:
- Resume and cover letter screening
- First round interviews
- Second round interviews
The exact format of each interview round will vary slightly by country. Below we step through the format that's currently being used in the US. If you are applying in another country you can still use this as a rough guide of what to expect. In addition, we recommend that you ask your local HR contact at Deloitte for more details.
First, recruiters will look at your resume and assess if your experience matches the open position. This is the most competitive step in the process—we’ve found that 90% of candidates don’t make it past this stage.
You can use this free resume guide and this free cover letter guide to help tailor your application to the position you’re targeting.
And if you’re looking for expert feedback, you can also get input from our team of ex-MBB recruiters , who will cover what achievements to focus on (or ignore), how to fine tune your bullet points, and more.
Next, first round interviews usually contain one behavioural interview (30 to 45mins) and one or two case interviews (30 to 45mins each). This is quite similar to what you could expect at other consulting firms.
Second round interviews are slightly different however. They include one case interview and one behavioural interview, like in the first round. But in addition, you will also be asked to complete a group case interview.
Let's step through regular case interviews and group case interviews at Deloitte in more details. You can also look at a few case interview examples on Deloitte's website .
3. Deloitte uses similar cases to BCG and Bain (candidate-led)
Case interviews at Deloitte are candidate-led. The style is therefore similar to what you will experience in a BCG case interview or a Bain case interview . As we have mentioned in the past there 7 types of questions you need to prepare for in candidate-led case interviews:
- Framework development
- Framework exploration
- Quant question – Data provided
- Quant question – No data provided
- Creativity question
- Recommendation
You can learn more about case interviews and how to prepare in our free case interview guide . One unique thing about Deloitte case interviews is that they will occasionally (but not always) give candidates written materials and a few minutes to review before they start the interview. This type of scenario requires the kind of skills you could learn in our free written case interview guide . You can also see an example of written case materials in this practice case published by Deloitte . To get a sense of what case interviews at Deloitte are like, you should have a look at the video below. As we mentioned, case interviews at Deloitte are candidate-led and therefore use the same format as BCG and Bain case interviews.
4. The second round also includes a group case interview
As mentioned above, Deloitte also uses group case interviews in its final round. Here is the key information you need to be aware of for this interview format:
- Candidates get divided into groups of 4 to 6
- Each group is given information about a case (i.e. a client facing a problem)
- You are given 10mins to review the materials by yourself or with another person in your group
- You are then asked to discuss a few questions about the case for 20mins with the rest of your group in front of your interviewers
- The interviewers will ask a few questions to the group for 15 to 20mins
This type of case mainly tests your ability to work with others. Interviewers won't intervene during the group discussion. They will just observe the group dynamics and mark each participant based on how they are contributing to the discussion.
Here are the top 3 things you should aim to do in your Deloitte group interview:
- Speak with a purpose. At the beginning of a group discussion, a lot of candidates will want to speak their mind as they know participating is important. But participating is not enough. The QUALITY of your input is crucial. Sometimes, it's better to let two or three people get the discussion started. And to then make a very thoughtful point based on how they started the discussion. Focus on the quality of your input, not the quantity.
- Involve everyone. Another tip that's easy to apply is to keep an eye on who's participating in the conversation and who's not. If you identify a member of the group who's struggling to make themselves heard, you should not hesitate to help them be heard by saying something like: "We haven't heard everyone's opinion on this yet. John, Rebecca what do you think?"
- Summarise. Finally, at the end of the 20 minutes group discussion it's a good idea to summarise the different points people have made. This will position you as the person bringing everyone together and making sure all candidates are on the same page. It is something some partners in consulting like doing with clients in real life and will therefore reflect positively on you.
And the top 3 things you should really avoid doing :
- Being easy to read. Group interviews is the time to put your poker face on. Everyone is stressed in a group interview. But you need to try your best to come accross as confident. A good way to do this is to focus on basic body language: look at people in the eye, sit confidently, don't cross your arms, etc.
- Interrupting others. Consultants need to be client-friendly, and interrupting someone in a discussion is not client-friendly at all. You should listen carefully to what others are saying. Try to have a genuine interest in what they think. Before making your point, summarise their point to show that you understand what they mean.
- Dominating the conversation. Finally, some candidates are so eager to participate in the conversation that they end up completely dominating the rest of the group without realising it. A good tip to avoid this is to keep an eye on how much time you talk. If you are in a 5-person group you should aim to speak 20% (1/5th) of the time and really no more than 25%.
Your performance in regular and group case interviews will play a big role in Deloitte's decision to give you an offer. If you'd like to learn more about group case interviews, check-out our separate detailed guide here .
5. Top behavioural interview questions asked at Deloitte
Behavioural interview questions asked at Deloitte fall into two categories:
- Fit questions. These are generic questions such as “ Why consulting? ” or “ Why Deloitte? ”.
- Personal Experience Interview (PEI) questions. These are questions such as “Tell me about a time when you lead a team through a difficult situation.” Or “Tell me about a time where you had to manage a team conflict”
We've written extensively about consulting fit / PEI questions in the past. But in summary here are the top 5 fit and PEI questions you should prepare for at Deloitte and other consulting firms.
Top 5 fit questions:
- Why Deloitte?
- 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 lead a team through a difficult situation
- You worked in a team and had to manage a conflict
- You had a disagreement with a colleague / boss
- You had to change someone's / a group's mind
- You overcame a really difficult challenge
If you would like guidance on how to answer PEI questions, you can check our article on the topic here .
6. Deloitte case interview preparation plan
Now that you know what to expect in Deloitte interviews, let's discuss the steps you should take to prepare.
6.1 Become really confident at maths
You don't have to have a perfect GPA or GMAT score to succeed at case interview maths. However, during your Deloitte interviews, you will be expected to quickly perform accurate mental maths.
In order to do this, it’s essential to know the formulas for common metrics, like return on investment or breakeven point. And it’s also helpful to know a few maths shortcuts to help you solve problems more quickly. To learn more about these topics, check out our free guide to case interview maths .
In our experience, the most successful applicants start their interview preparation by practising maths skills, so make sure you prioritise this step.
6.2 Develop a consistent method to crack cases
One of the biggest challenges of interviewing with Deloitte is solving cases that you’ve never seen before. Each case can be difficult, and you’ll have to perform well across multiple case interviews in order to get an offer.
As a result, it’s critical for you to have a consistent approach for solving cases. Deloitte uses candidate-led case interviews, which can be broken down into the following types of questions:
If you can crack each type of question (within a case), then you can crack the overall case. To learn how to use this process to solve Deloitte cases, you can use our BCG & Bain Case Interview Training Programme . Deloitte uses the same type of case interviews as BCG and Bain, so you can use that programme to prepare.
6.3 Learn from every mistake you make
During case interview preparation, the quality of your preparation is just as important as the quantity of time that you dedicate. It's better to do 20 cases thoughtfully than to rush through 40 cases.
We recommend that you keep a notebook where you record improvement opportunities and specific things you did well for each case.
The notebook and self-evaluation will help you to be more strategic (and efficient) with your preparation. It's also a good idea to go back and re-do old cases. For example, after you have done case #20, you could go back to case #1, to make sure you are not repeating the same mistakes.
The minimum preparation time required to succeed in case interviews is probably around 30 hours. However, if you don't prepare thoughtfully, it may take much longer. So take notes, be strategic, and keep practicing!
6.4 Do mock interviews
How you solve each case is important, but your interviewers will also be evaluating how you COMMUNICATE your answers. It's important to speak in a structured way that makes it easy to clearly understand your points.
The best way to hone your communication skills is to practise interviewing out loud, and you can do that in three main ways:
- Interview yourself (out loud)
- Practise interviewing with friends or family
- Practise interviewing with ex-interviewers
To help you with this process, here is a broad list of consulting interview questions you can practice with. Practising by yourself is a great way to get started, and can help you get more comfortable with the flow of a case interview. However, this type of practice won’t prepare you for realistic interview conditions.
After getting some practice on your own, you should find someone who can do a mock interview with you, like a friend or family member.
We’d also recommend that you practise 1-1 with ex-interviewers from Deloitte . This is the best way to replicate the conditions of a real case interview, and to get feedback from someone who understands the process extremely well. Meet our Deloitte ex-interviewers who’d love to work with you.
Any questions about Deloitte case interviews?
If you have any questions about case interviews, do not hesitate to ask them below and we will be more than happy to answer them. All questions are good questions, so go ahead!
The IGotAnOffer team
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Deloitte interviews are comprised of case interviews, a group case interview, and behavioral or fit interview questions. In this article, we’ll cover exactly what to expect in your upcoming Deloitte interview and how to best answer all of the different types of questions you may be asked.
Although most case interviews follow a similar structure, each consulting firm runs their interviews in a slightly different way.
We’ll cover in detail:
- The Deloitte interview process
- The 5 steps to solving Deloitte case interviews or case study interviews
- The 3 types of Deloitte case interviews
- 6 examples of Deloitte cases
- 8 Deloitte case interview tips
- How to ace the Deloitte group case interview
- The 10 most common Deloitte behavioral and fit interview questions
Deloitte Interview Process
Deloitte is a massive company with over $46B in annual revenue, with about 40% of that coming from their consulting practice. They are the largest and arguably most prestigious firm of the Big Four. Some consider Deloitte to be the next best consulting firm after McKinsey, BCG, and Bain.
Given its size, Deloitte interviews may vary depending on the country of the office that you are interviewing for. However, the most common interview process consists of two rounds of interviews.
In the first round of interviews, you will have one 30 to 45-minute behavioral interview and one or two 30 to 45-minute case interviews.
In the second or final round of interviews, you will have a 30 to 45-minute behavioral interview, a 30 to 45-minute case interview, and a one hour group case interview.
We’ll cover exactly how to answer each of these types of interview questions in the following sections.
Deloitte Case interview
Deloitte case interviews are candidate-led. You will be in the driver’s seat of the case interview and will be expected to ask the right questions, probe for data, and propose each next step to solve the case.
In a Deloitte case interview, you are not assessed on whether or not you have the correct answer. Instead, Deloitte uses case interviews to assess six different qualities:
- Problem solving : Can you decompose a problem into smaller, more manageable questions?
- Analytical ability : Can you draw the right insights from data and information?
- Strategic thinking : Do you have a sharp business acumen and practical business judgment?
- Logical thinking : Are you structured, organized, and rational in the way that you think?
- Creativity : Can you generate interesting or unique ideas and solutions?
- Professional demeanor : Are you calm, confident, and articulate?
The Five Steps to Solve a Deloitte Case Interview
Deloitte recommends taking these five steps to solve a case interview:
1. Understand the issue and ask clarifying questions
The most important part of the case interview is to make sure you understand the business issue and the objective of the case. The quickest way to fail a case interview is to answer or address the wrong business problem.
Therefore, if either the business issue or objective of the case is unclear, make sure to ask clarifying questions.
2. Identify the underlying assumptions
Next, you’ll need to decompose the overall business problem into smaller, more manageable issues. Identify what would need to be true in order for you to recommend a particular course of action.
To do this, it will be helpful to put together a framework, which is a tool that helps you organize your ideas and thoughts into different categories. To learn how to create outstanding frameworks, review this comprehensive case interview framework guide .
3. Summarize specific issues and findings
Afterwards, you’ll begin investigating different issues or areas of your framework. After investigating each one, it is important that you summarize the key takeaways or insights that you uncovered.
Connect these findings back to the overall business problem and explain how your findings impact your potential recommendation.
4. State your recommendations
Once you have gathered enough evidence and support for your recommendation, you will need to present your recommendation in a clear and concise way.
Start by giving a firm recommendation. Then, provide the three major reasons that support your recommendation. This should summarize most of the important findings from the case.
5. Outline next steps and the expected results or impact
After delivering a recommendation, you should propose potential next steps that you would take if you had more time or data. What would you need to know to further strengthen your recommendation or make you more confident in your answer?
You can also talk about the expected results or impact of your recommendation. This may also have implications on potential next steps, such as analyzing the risks or quantifying the financial benefits.
Types of Deloitte Cases
Deloitte consulting is broken down into three groups:
- Strategy & Operations : primarily focused on corporate strategy, supply-chain improvement, business model transformation, and process improvements. The work that this group does is most similar to the work that McKinsey, BCG, and Bain do
- Technology : primarily focused on digital strategy, delivery of information technology programs, and building tech-based solutions for clients
- Human Capital : primarily focused on organization transformation, change management, corporate learning and development, and diversity and inclusion
The type of case that you get depends on what group you are interviewing with.
For example, If you are interviewing with the Strategy & Operations group, you’ll get a strategy or operations case. If you are interviewing with the Technology group, you’ll get a technology or IT case.
Deloitte Practice Cases
Below are practice cases created by Deloitte. We recommend working through these so that you know exactly what to expect in your Deloitte case interview.
Strategy & Operations cases:
- Retail strategy practice case : Business strategy case focused on helping a warehouse club retailer decide between two different business models. This case provides great practice for interpreting charts and graphs and practicing case math.
- Finance strategy practice case : Non-profit case focused on helping a Federal Health Agency manage the financial activities related to eliminating Ebola.
- Extreme Athletes World Games practice case : General business strategy case focused on helping an Organizing Board develop a strategic plan for hosting the Extreme Athlete World Summer Games.
- Footloose practice case : Strategy case focused on helping a footwear company decide whether to focus on growing in the work boot sector of the market or the casual boot sector of the market. This case provides great practice for interpreting multiple different pieces of data simultaneously.
Technology cases:
- Green Apron practice case : Operations case focused on helping a grocery chain redesign and implement a new e-commerce platform
Human capital cases:
- Technology Institute of the West practice case : Post-merger integration case focused on helping an educational institution realign employee and leadership roles after merging six sister institutions.
Deloitte Case Interview Tips
Deloitte provides the eight tips below to help you improve your case interview performance.
Tip #1: Take notes
While the interviewer is providing you with the case background information, take notes on the most important pieces of information. Pay particularly close attention to the context, company, and case objective.
Tip #2: Make sure you understand the case question
Answering or addressing the wrong business problem is the quickest way to fail a case interview. The most important thing is understanding what the business issue is and what overall question you’ll be expected to answer at the end of the case.
Tip #3: Ask questions
Do not be afraid to ask questions. You will not be penalized for asking questions that are important and relevant to the case.
Great questions to ask include asking for the definition of an unfamiliar term, asking questions that clarify the objective of the issue, and asking questions to strengthen your understanding of the context or company.
Tip #4: After you develop a framework, develop an initial hypothesis
A hypothesis is an educated guess on the answer based on the data and information that you have so far. It helps guide your analysis and keeps you on the right track.
After developing a framework, try to develop a hypothesis to help you decide what area of your framework you should explore first.
Tip #5: Take time to structure your thoughts
When asked a question in a case interview, don’t always start answering immediately. Instead, take the time to process the question and develop an organized and structured way to answer it. It is acceptable to ask the interview for a brief moment to collect your thoughts.
Your answer will likely be much stronger if you give yourself time to think.
Tip #6: Present a clear, logical story for your recommendation
Remember that consultants need to convince clients to follow their proposed recommendations. Being articulate and persuasive are necessary skills for consultants.
When you deliver your recommendation, try to make it a coherent story. This will make your recommendation easier to follow and more compelling.
Tip #7: Walk the interviewer through your thinking and explain assumptions
You do not get any points for the ideas and thinking that you do not communicate. Therefore, you should make every effort to talk through your thoughts out loud.
Walk the interviewer through what you are thinking. Explain why you have made particular decisions. State your assumptions. This makes it easier for the interviewer to provide feedback or hints to help you out.
Tip #8: Engage the interviewer in a business conversation
Remember that a case interview is a collaborative exercise. You should not be dismissing the feedback and suggestions that the interviewer provides you. They may be trying to help steer the case in the right direction or provide you with hints when you get stuck.
Treat the interviewer as your teammate and turn the case interview into a business conversation.
Deloitte Group Case Interview
Deloitte is one of the few consulting firms that uses group case interviews in their final round of interviews. They conduct group case interviews because Deloitte’s work culture has a huge emphasis on teamwork and culture fit.
Here’s what to expect:
- You’ll be put into a group with 3 to 5 other candidates
- The interviewer will hand out case materials
- You’ll be given 10 minutes to review the case materials and prepare
- The group will have a discussion for 20 minutes
- During this discussion, interviewers will be observing candidates and will not interfere
- Afterwards, the interviewer will ask the group specific questions for another 20 minutes
Group case interviews can be challenging to prepare for because it is difficult to replicate the exact conditions to practice them. However, if you prepare for case interviews well, you will be in a great position to succeed in group case interviews.
Your goal in a group case interview is to add value to the group. There are six different ways that you can add value:
- Lead or facilitate the discussion : You can propose what topics to discuss, the order they should be discussed in, and how much time should be allocated towards each topic. If the group gets off track, you can bring the group’s focus back together.
- Expand upon other people’s ideas : If a group member suggests a great idea or raises a good point, build upon it and make it even better.
- Synthesize information : You can summarize information that other people have said and reconcile different viewpoints and ideas together.
- Keep track of time : You can volunteer to keep track of time and make sure that the group is on track.
- Play devil’s advocate : You can help your group develop strong ideas by testing the team’s thinking by considering potential risks or downsides of their ideas.
- Take notes: You can keep track of what other people are saying so that you can recall what has been discussed if any group members have questions.
Deloitte Group Case Interview Tips
Follow these five tips to shine during your Deloitte group case interview.
Tip #1: Treat your group members as teammates, not competition
The group case interview is not an exercise in which you are competing with others. Interviewers are trying to assess whether you would be a great teammate. Multiple people or even all people in your group can receive job offers.
Therefore, focus on adding value to the group rather than making yourself look better than your teammates.
Tip #2: Don’t speak too much, but don’t speak too little
If you speak too much, this may be seen as being too aggressive or controlling. If you speak too little, you may come off as shy or timid.
If you were to rank all of the members in your group by how much each person spoke, you would want to be roughly in the middle. This would be the perfect balance of speaking and listening.
Tip #3: Don’t interrupt or talk over your group members
Interrupting others when they are speaking is rude and disrespectful. You do not want to be inconsiderate or a jerk. Be nice and respectful to your group members.
Tip #4: Involve other people
If you observe that someone has not spoken much, ask them for their thoughts or opinions. If you notice that someone has been cut off when they were speaking, ask them to finish their thoughts after the person interrupting them has finished what they have to say.
These are easy ways to show interviewers that you are a considerate and helpful teammate.
Tip #5: Speak only if you are adding value to the group
Just because you are speaking a lot during the group case interview does not mean that you are doing well. Interviewers are not assessing you purely on the quantity of what you say. They care more about the quality.
Great teammates know when to speak and when to listen. Therefore, you should speak only if you are adding some kind of value to the group. Interviewers can tell when people are speaking for the sake of getting air time.
Deloitte Behavioral and Fit Interview Questions
In addition to case interviews, you will likely be asked a few behavioral or fit interview questions. There are ten questions that are most commonly asked.
1. Why Deloitte?
How to answer: Provide your three biggest reasons why you’re interested in working at Deloitte. You could mention that you loved the people that you have met from Deloitte so far. You can talk about Deloitte’s massive global presence, their expertise in nearly any industry or function, or their professional development opportunities.
2. Why consulting?
How to answer: Again, provide three reasons for why you’re interested in consulting. You could mention the fast career progression opportunities, the learning opportunities to develop soft and hard skills, or the level of impact that you can make right away in consulting.
3. Walk me through your resume.
How to answer: Provide a concise summary of your work experience, starting with the most recent. Focus on emphasizing your most impressive and unique accomplishments. At the end, tie your experiences to why you are interested in consulting and why you would be a great fit for Deloitte.
4. What accomplishment are you most proud of?
How to answer: Choose your most impressive, unique, or memorable accomplishment. Structure your answer by providing information on the situation, the task, the actions you took, and the results of your work. Explain why the accomplishment is so meaningful to you and what qualities that reveals about you as a person.
5. Tell me about something that is not on your resume.
How to answer: This is a great opportunity to highlight an accomplishment that is not related to your professional work experience. Perhaps there is a non-profit that you volunteer at, a side project or business that you work on, or a hobby that you have won awards or recognition for. Select an accomplishment that is impressive and interesting.
6. Tell me about a time when you had to lead a team.
How to answer: If possible, choose a time when you directly managed a person or a team. For this question and the following similar questions, make sure that you structure your answer. Provide information on the situation, the task, the actions you took, and the results of your work. This is known as the STAR method and is the most common way of answering behavioral or fit interview questions.
7. Describe a time when you faced conflict or disagreement.
How to answer: When answering this question, focus on emphasizing the steps you took to resolve the conflict or disagreement. Speak about the interpersonal skills you had to use in order to mediate the situation. Interviewers want to know that you can handle conflict in a constructive way.
8. Give an example of a time when you successfully persuaded someone.
How to answer: Choose a time when you were able to change someone’s mind who originally disagreed with you. Focus on emphasizing the steps that you took to persuade that person and what impact this had on the organization. Interviewers want to know that you are a great communicator and have strong people skills.
9. Tell me about a time when you failed.
How to answer: Choose a time when you failed to meet a deadline or did not meet expectations. You do not want to pick a failure that is too big or embarrassing. Focus on emphasizing what you learned from the experience and how you used that experience to deliver even better results in the next opportunity that you got. Interviewers want to see that you strive to learn from your past failures and are always working to get better.
10. Are there any questions that you have for me?
How to answer: This is a fantastic opportunity to get to know the interviewer on a more personal level. Ask them questions about their experience in consulting. Ask what their favorite case was or what they are looking to do next in their career. The more you can get the interviewer talking about themself, the more likely they will be to have a positive impression of you. People love talking about themselves, so make sure to listen attentively and ask follow-up questions.
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Table of content
Deloitte Case interview
Deloitte interview process and requirements.
What does the Deloitte recruitment process look like?
What does deloitte look for in candidates, deloitte case interview format – candidate-led, what is a case interview, what are deloitte case interviews like.
Deloitte case interviews | Question categories
Deloitte case interview problem-solving fundamentals, deloitte case interview frameworks.
Deloitte case interviews tips
Tip #1: open the case perfectly.
Tip #2: Use the map habit
Tip #3: keep organized notes, tip #4: stick to the hypotheses.
Tip #5: Avoid long silences
Tip #6: find more insights, tip #7: present one structured pitch, tip #8: keep a personal script, 1-on-1 coaching with top ex-mbb consultants.
Get personalized meetings with ex-consultants from McKinsey, BCG, Bain, and other consulting firms to increase your chance of getting an offer.
Deloitte group case interviews tips
Tip #1: manage your ideas, tip #2: lead the discussion, tip #3: speak to add value, tip #4: ask good questions, tip #5: view others as teammates, tip #6: sum up ideas, how to prepare for deloitte case interviews, step 1: familiarize with interviewer-led case examples, step 2: practice consulting math, step 3: develop business intuition, step 4: learn the fundamentals and frameworks.
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Step 5: Perform mock interviews
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Deloitte Case Interview
Eyeing a career at Deloitte? You’ll have to ace the feared Deloitte case interview. What is Deloitte? Deloitte is one of the Big 4 firms with offerings spanning Tax, Audit, M&A, Risk, and Consulting. Out of all the Big 4 firms, Deloitte is generally considered to have the most prestigious consulting offering. The firm is one of the largest consulting firms by revenue globally and, as such, has significant volume and breadth of work. Unlike companies like McKinsey, Bain, and BCG whose consulting services historically focused on strategy, Deloitte’s offerings span:
- Strategy & Analytics (formerly known as Strategy & Operations) – this group is most comparable to McKinsey, Bain, and BCG and is the most common practice group candidates apply to if they are looking to get into traditional strategy roles. Management Consulted considers Deloitte Strategy & Analytics as the best non-MBB option in consulting.
- Core Business Operations
- Customer & Marketing
- Enterprise Technology & Performance
- Human Capital
Deloitte differentiates itself in its ability to serve clients holistically from strategy through operations while also transforming their clients’ workforces and enabling their clients’ underlying technology.
The Deloitte case interview is designed to mirror a real-world consulting project and is used to test the candidate’s problem solving and analytical skills. The cases are also designed to test business judgment and logic.
Generally, the Deloitte case interview follows similar structures to those from other consulting firms (e.g., BCG, Bain, Oliver Wyman). However, within the interview process, Deloitte typically includes one group interview which is less typical for other firms.
Let’s jump in.
Table of Contents:
Keys to the deloitte case study interview, the deloitte recruiting process, core skills to showcase to deloitte, deloitte case interview framework, deloitte case interview questions, deloitte interview case study examples, deloitte group case interview, deloitte strategy and analytics consulting case interview, deloitte human capital consulting case interview, deloitte enterprise technology and performance consulting case interview, deloitte federal consulting case interview.
There are multiple keys to the Deloitte case study interview.
Clarify the question when needed: It is extremely important to answer the question being asked during the case interview. You will not be “docked” or judged for clarifying the question; however, if you answer the wrong question, you will not do well.
Develop a MECE framework: The framework should be tailored to the case and not a carbon copy out of a case book.
Structure, structure, and structure your answers: Deloitte is known for its market sizing questions. In these cases, it is especially important to write out and verbalize your structure before moving to solve the problem. Read our market sizing guide for more tips.
Mental Math
Practice mental math: The cases will include some quantitative questions – full stop. It is important to practice mental math ahead of time to solve the problems quickly and accurately. Utilize our free math drills to help you prepare.
Note Taking
Write notes throughout the case and keep your notes organized: Throughout the case, you will be given A LOT of facts. It may be hard to know what information is critical as you look back on your notepad. It can be helpful to put stars or boxes around the most critical facts, so you can easily reference them as needed
Synthesize your interim findings and clearly state how you got to your answer: At the end of each question, it is important to state your key conclusions and the supporting points.
Confident Recommendation
Provide a recommendation, and follow it with next steps: At the end of the case, you will be asked for a recommendation. It is critical to take a clear stance on the problem rather than a wishy washy answer or an “I don’t know.” To add more nuance to your answer, it is helpful to include the next steps the client will need to take.
Market Knowledge
Read about industry / market trends: Superstar candidates will link the themes in the case to real life applications and trends in the industry. It is helpful to have a broad understanding of trends going on in the market and tie them into the case, when relevant. For example, in 2022, key trends can include: shift towards e-commerce, supply chain shortages, focus on wellbeing, rising interest rates, etc.
Stay calm and take your time, when needed: Ultimately, it is important to keep your composure throughout the process (even if things don’t go right) and take a deep breath!
Ultimately, the key to mastering these skills is practice, practice, and more practice. Resources to practice Deloitte case interviews are included below.
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Your Deloitte case study interview will also depend on the part of the recruiting process you are in. The process typically involves 3 steps:
- Resume / Cover Letter Screening
- 1st Round Interviews
- 2nd Round Interviews
The 1st round of interviews usually involves one 30-45 minute behavioral interview and one or two 30-45 minute case interviews. Your interviewer will be a consultant or lower level manager.
The 2nd round of interviews is notably different at Deloitte compared to other consulting firms. Typically, candidates will go through one behavioral interview, one case interview, and a group case interview .
Deloitte, like any consulting firm, is looking for:
- Problem solving skills
- Analytical skills
- Strategic and logical thinking
- Common sense
- Comfort with ambiguity
There are several ways to showcase these skills throughout the case interview:
Problem Solving Skills
Generally, candidates can showcase problem solving skills when developing the case framework. Specifically, the firm is looking for candidates to create a mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive (“MECE”) framework. In addition, good problem solvers understand the “so what” implications from their findings and can link the implications to the client’s problem statement. For example, let’s say the case is centered around a top CPG player (think Proctor & Gamble) whose sales have been declining YoY.
For the framework, a superstar candidate will want to look at buckets like: market environment; competitive environment; client’s products; client’s capabilities (e.g., talent; e-commerce; marketing). In addition, during the interview the candidate may uncover that trendier brands are gaining market share vis a vis more traditional brands. A superstar candidate will then show the “so what” associated with the takeaway – for example, a potential implication is that the client should consider acquiring smaller, trendier brands or even setting up an incubator that can give the client first access to more innovative brands.
Analytical Skills
Deloitte typically tests analytical skills through the quantitative questions in a case. These quantitative questions include: interpreting graphs, performing mental math, and more detailed math questions. Market sizing questions are typically great ways to showcase your analytical skills, given you can break down an ambiguous problem into its discrete parts and complete detailed math problems to size the market. Superstar candidates perform the math correctly (and within a reasonable amount of time). They also check to make sure their answers make sense. Put the answer into context – for example, if a candidate sizes a market at $1T, a good candidate will communicate that the market size is likely too large and go back through and check their math.
Strategic and Logical Thinking
Strategic and logical thinking refers to the ability to push the problem forward in a logical way. Specifically, it’s important to understand what the insights are from the case and ask additional questions that build on the learnings (rather than ignore the learnings). For example, going back to the CPG example, imagine that the candidate learned that the client (a legacy CPG company) is losing market share because it is losing share on ecommerce purchases (the client is doing well in stores).
A logical next step would be to ask for more information around the ecommerce market and understand why the client is losing share in that channel. Asking questions about the client’s performance in stores would be viewed as a non-strategic question given performance in stores is not driving the client’s underperformance. In a true consulting engagement, there will be so many areas to dig into to understand the root of the client’s performance. However, given there is a limited amount of time to get to the root of the problem, it is important to use the 80/20 rule and not “boil the ocean.”
Common Sense
Common sense is similar to strategic and logical thinking. Here, Deloitte is looking for candidates to provide answers that are logically plausible. The answers don’t need to be correct, but they need to be reasonable. By testing for common sense, Deloitte is looking whether they can put you in front of a senior client.
Deloitte will be asking the same question to tens to hundreds of different candidates. At times, the answers will start to blur together. Superstar candidates will include responses that the interviewers may not have heard before. For example, going back to the prior prompt, let’s say the CPG client is losing out on Gen Z’s share of wallet and is looking for ways to increase market share. Creative answers to this question include:
- Acquiring trendier, smaller CPG companies
- Creating an incubator to develop CPG companies
- Evaluating the client’s digital marketing capabilities and bringing in new talent, as needed
- Partnering with Gen Z Tik Tok influencers to promote the legacy brands
- Running additional campaigns on Tik Tok / Instagram
Comfort with Ambiguity
As a consultant (especially a consultant at a generalist firm like Deloitte), you will be placed into new cases that may be out of your area of expertise. Although you may not be an expert on XYZ industry/functional area, you need to rely on your business acumen and problem solving skills to first dissect what you are being asked and then leverage your consulting toolkit to break down the problem. Translating this into a case interview context, it is important to show confidence throughout the case study interview and to not get flustered even if the questions are out of your comfort zone. In addition, you should never say “I don’t know” to any of the questions. Instead, press into the ambiguity and utilize your problem solving skills to provide a logical hypothesis
Additional skills to show throughout the interview include:
Communication
Communication can take a few different forms, e.g.,
Top-Down Communication
Top-down communication is also known as pyramid principle communication. The pyramid principle refers to starting with the answer to the question and then providing the supporting information afterwards. For example, if you are recommending your client (a CPG company) to acquire a specific target, a top-down answer could be: “I believe our client should acquire the target for 3 reasons. First… and so on. The key point here is that the answer (acquiring the target) was at the beginning of the response. For more on the pyramid principle and top-down communication, see Management Consulted’s overview here.
Structured Communication
Structured communication refers to the ability to group your answers into categories. For example, if you are listing off the supporting evidence for your point of view, you can say that you believe “x, y, and z for 3 reasons.” Then, before delving into each supporting point, you can enumerate the point, i.e., “first; second; third.” By grouping your supporting reasons into categories, it is easier for your interviewer to follow your logic and see your problem solving skills.
Oftentimes candidates rush through their answers (especially given interview nerves). It is important to go slow and breathe throughout the entire interview process.
While delving into your arguments, avoid upspeak (raising your voice at the end of the sentence)
Executive Presence
Throughout the interview, it is important to show that you can be around / hold your own with senior level clients (e.g., C-suite). Executive presence comes out in many forms including your communication skills, posture, dress code, and word choice. Avoid words like “like” and “umm.”
What to Expect in a Deloitte Case Interview
If you’ve never experienced a case interview, it can be a little unnerving not knowing what to expect. Take a deep breath, that’s completely normal! We’re going to outline below what you should be prepared for. If you do your prep work, especially if you work with an expert case coach, you can walk into your interview in a much more confident demeanor. But just as an overview, here are some things you can expect:
- Your interviewer isn’t trying to trick you. They genuinely want to see your business acumen, problem solving skills, and demeanor.
- Yes, math is important. You should have command of basic math skills in your head. If this is a challenge for you, then you’ll want to check out our math drills or full article on mental math .
Deloitte values candidates with the ability to develop tailor-made MECE frameworks that reflect the specific case interview question. There is no cookie cutter framework that can be used. Utilize your business acumen and creativity to build a custom structure for the business problem in the case.
Deloitte case interview questions can span a wide variety of industries and topics, reflecting Deloitte’s breadth of work. For specific Deloitte case interview questions, please refer to Deloitte’s case interview prep tool here .
In addition, practice with Deloitte case studies in our comprehensive case library here .
Deloitte Case Interview Behavioral / Fit Questions
While the case interview is important for the Deloitte interview, the behavioral / fit portion of the case is also critical to prepare for. Unlike McKinsey which expects candidates to provide longer-form responses, the Deloitte fit interview mirrors that of BCG and Bain. Types of questions you can be asked include:
- For details on Deloitte’s culture and what sets it apart, see our firm profile here
- Why Strategy and Analytics / Enterprise Technology & Performance, Human Capital, etc.?
- Tell me about a time you influenced someone
- Tell me about a time you exhibited leadership
- Tell me about a time you failed
- Tell me about a time when you faced adversity
- Tell me about a time when you worked as a team
- What are your biggest strengths?
- What are your biggest weaknesses?
- Walk me through your resume
- Tell me something that is not on your resume
- What questions do you have for the interviewer?
For an overview of consulting fit interviews, please see here . For 1:1 fit interview coaching with an ex-MBB consultant, go here .
Deloitte Case Interview Prep
Deloitte case interview prep is similar to MBB firms. The biggest mistake you could make, is not preparing adequately, and missing out on nailing your interview. You’ll want to give yourself enough time to really grasp the frameworks to be able to build your own to fit the case. If you need to brush up on your quant skills, then focus on that as well. The power move is to get an expert coach early, so that you know from the start what you’re weak and strong in. Don’t waist time doing things you don’t need to, and spend most of your energy bolstering those weak areas. Going through example cases is helpful for a lot of people, but you have to actually engage in casing yourself rather than just watching or readying about them.
Deloitte provides a handful of practice cases that are helpful depending on the consulting division you are interested in. These are actual Deloitte interview case study examples, and are provided through the Deloitte or third party websites.
- Tech Consulting case interview
- Strategy & Operations case interview
- Human Capital case interview
- Retail Strategy case question
- Finance Strategy case question
- Footloose case question
Deloitte Case Interview Practice
Again, the most helpful way to prepare for Deloitte case interviews is to practice out-loud with a partner (e.g., an ex-consultant or an expert coach ). Reading about cases or watching others case will only go so far. To become an effective “caser”, you have to put boots on the ground and get your hands dirty.
Deloitte Case Interview Variations
The group case interview at Deloitte is the part of the recruiting process that is most challenging to prepare for. This is simply because it’s difficult to simulate a group interview, while of course practicing mock one-on-one case interviews requires just one other person.
During the group case interview, you and 3-5 other candidates will be given a case study to examine. You are given 10 minutes to review the materials and then asked to discuss questions about the case for 20 minutes with the rest of your group. Interviewers from Deloitte will be watching the whole time and will conclude the interview by asking the group questions for another 20 minutes.
This part of the interview is markedly different from other consulting firms. Your goal should not be to outshine or dominate the conversation – instead, do your best to show a collaborative spirit while speaking with a purpose when it’s your turn to talk. Deloitte places a high emphasis on teamwork and culture fit, so it’s important to show that you can be a great colleague.
Deloitte Strategy and Analytics case interviews mimic the cases you will see at other strategy-focused firms (e.g., BCG, Bain). If you are prepped for MBB cases, you will be well prepared for the Deloitte Strategy and Analytics consulting case interview.
The Deloitte Human Capital case interview will, not surprisingly, focus on human capital related issues. Topics can include:
- Workforce transformation
- Organization design
- HR transformation
Similar to the Deloitte Human Capital case interview, the Deloitte Enterprise Technology and Performance case interview will be more likely focused on topics in which the group focuses. These topics can include:
- Technology strategy and transformation
- ERP solutions
- Supply chain and network operations
Again, the Deloitte Federal Consulting case interviews will likely be focused on public sector issues. Topics that could be covered include:
- Federal health
- Defense and security
- Civil government
Preparing for these case variations doesn’t differ in most respects. You just need to be aware of the sectors that your role is engaged in. What specific issues does that sector encounter? Immerse yourself in that sector and get a firm grasp on those issues, as there will undoubtedly be questions related to those issues.
Concluding Thoughts
The Deloitte case interview is designed to mimic a real-life consulting case. To be a superstar candidate, you should show distinctive problem solving skills, business acumen, analytical skills, and creativity; you should also be able to deliver the case in a top-down way. For 1:1 coaching to prep for a Deloitte interview, book an hour with an expert coach here.
Related Content:
- Deloitte Online Assessment
- 3 Reasons To Work For Deloitte
- Case Interview: Complete Prep Guide
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Deloitte Case Interview: 6 Tips to Help You Ace Your Case
- Last Updated January, 2022
What Does it Looks like?
6 Tips on Acing the Deloitte Case Interview
What to Expect?
Deloitte Group Case Interviews
Sample Deloitte Case Interviews
Deloitte Behavioral Interview
The Deloitte Case Interview: What to Expect
Deloitte Group Case Interview
Have an interview with Deloitte Consulting coming up? If so, you’ll want to know what to expect and how to prepare.
We’ve got you covered, including our 6 tips on how to ace your Deloitte case interview!
In this article, we’ll discuss:
- What the Deloitte Consulting case interview process looks like,
- The Deloitte case interview: what to expect,
- Sample Deloitte case interviews,
- Our 6 tips on acing the Deloitte case interview,
- The Deloitte group case interview, and
- The Deloitte behavioral interview question.
Let’s get started!
What the Deloitte Consulting Interview Process Looks Like
Initial application.
The Deloitte Consulting interview process has 4 steps:
- Application
- Online assessment
- First round interviews
- Final round interviews
If you’re a student, make sure you know if you need to apply directly to Deloitte Consulting or through your career center.
As part of your application, you’ll need to submit your resume and, for campus hires, your academic transcript. Research which office you want to apply for as you’ll need to state that at this stage.
Nail the case & fit interview with strategies from former MBB Interviewers that have helped 89.6% of our clients pass the case interview.
Deloitte Online Assessment
The second stage of the Deloitte Consulting recruitment process is an online assessment. This assessment tests numerical reasoning and your situational judgment.
Information from recent candidates suggests there are 35 questions split over 5 distinct sections. We’ve got all you need to know about this part of the process in our article, Deloitte Online Assessment: What It Is & How To Pass .
Deloitte Consulting First Round Interviews
If you’re selected for a Deloitte interview you’ll be contacted via your campus career center or direct by the Deloitte recruiting team.
For campus hires, first-round interviews often take place on campus and include one or 2 interviews. These interviews include both case and behavioral interview questions. We’ve heard the cases include market-sizing as well as the non-profit sector.
The same types of interviews are used for non-campus hires.
Deloitte Consulting Final Round Interviews
Final round interviews may take place virtually, on campus, or in a Deloitte office. While the exact format depends on the position you’re applying to, expect both behavioral and case interviews at this stage. Candidates may also have a group case interview.
Deloitte will let you know the outcome of your application within a week of the final round interview.
Case interviews can feel daunting for many candidates. In this section, we’ll cover what type of cases Deloitte uses and how to approach them so you can feel confident in tackling them.
What Exactly Is a Case Interview?
A case interview is an interview conducted within a business context.
The interviewer will present information about a company and a business problem it faces. These 2 elements together are known as a case.
Case interviews can either be candidate-led or interviewer-led depending on who is expected to steer the order in which different aspects of the case are analyzed.
Deloitte case interviews are predominantly candidate-led which means they’ll be looking to you to take control of solving the case — breaking down the problem, choosing a suitable business framework, and asking for appropriate data to fill in the gaps.
What Type Of Cases Does Deloitte Consulting Use?
The branch of Deloitte Consulting you are applying for can influence the business context you receive in the case. There are 3 parts to Deloitte Consulting:
- Strategy and Operations (S&O) focuses on corporate issues such as organizational strategy, supply-chain improvement, operating model transformation, and business process improvements.
- Technology Consulting focuses on technology issues such as digital strategy, IT program delivery, infrastructure and software solutions, and cybersecurity.
- Human Capital focuses on people issues such as organizational transformation, cultural change, knowledge management, and talent acquisition and development.
So, if you were applying for a Human Capital role you might get an organizational transformation case or, if you were applying to S&O you might get an organizational strategy case
Whichever branch you’re applying to, there are going to be certain skills Deloitte Consulting is looking to test through the case interview process.
What Skills Is Deloitte Consulting Looking to Assess?
Deloitte uses case interviews as a way to assess skills it values in its consultants.
- Structured problem solving
- Analytic skills
- A balance of creativity and practicality
Structured Problem Solving
The ability to carefully think through a problem in a structured and logical way, is a key skillset for consultants. You’ll need to be able to break down a business problem to identify and analyze root causes and potential solutions.
Case interviews test this skill by providing lots of data for you to manage within an unfamiliar business context. Your ability to sort through information to pull out what’s most relevant to the issue will be assessed.
Analytic Skills
Deloitte Consulting will assess your numerical ability during the case interview. Make sure you brush up on your math skills in advance of the interview. Our article on Case Math tells you what to expect.
A Balance of Creativity and Practicality
Case interviews give Deloitte recruiters a chance to see how creative you are when searching for an answer to a thorny problem. Clients hire consultants to solve complex, multi-factor problems, not for mundane issues they can solve themselves.
However, innovative thinking needs to be balanced with good business sense. Suggesting solutions that aren’t viable or attractive to the client shows you lack practical business judgment.
Whatever your recommendation, make sure you highlight the risks associated with it and how those could be managed.
Case interviews can feel challenging — very like tackling a real-life client problem! They’re the perfect environment for interviewers to see how comfortable you are with ambiguity and how resilient you are when things get tough.
Whether that’s grappling with a tricky calculation, or struggling to see how the pieces fit together, make sure you don’t give up. Take a breath and give yourself a moment to clear your head. Then jump back in and keep going.
How Do I Tackle a Deloitte Consulting Case Interview?
There are 4 key stages to tackling any case interview:
- Opening . Make sure you fully understand the client’s problem. Repeat back to the interviewer your understanding of the issue so they have a chance to guide you if you’ve misunderstood. Ask any clarification questions you need.
- Structure . Brainstorm all the issues or factors related to the client’s problem that need to be considered. Be explicit about any underlying assumptions you are making to check their accuracy with your interviewer. Organize your thoughts into a logical sequence to make sure you tackle all of them in your analysis.
- Analysis . Gather and review all the data available to you. Data can be communicated directly by your interviewer or come in the form of exhibit. Complete any calculations required. Identify the most important issues and use this to formulate a recommendation.
- Conclusion . Present your findings to the interviewer and give your final recommendation. State any risks associated with the recommendation and how you’d mitigate them. Outline the next steps and the expected result of taking them.
For more information on using these 4 steps to tackle case interviews see Our Ultimate Guide to Case Interview Prep .
Once you’ve got the 4 stages nailed, it’s time to practice! Doing the thinking is only half the battle in a case interview, you’ve also got to effectively communicate your thoughts.
Practicing with friends, people in your network who are also going through the process, or with former consultants who can coach you through it, is critical to your confidence and success.
Links to Sample Deloitte Case Interviews
You can find links to several Deloitte case interviews in our Case Interview Examples article, as well as dozens of cases from other major consulting firms. The Footloose example has a lot of data exhibits so it’s a good one for practicing how to effectively manage information.
In addition, Deloitte has a very helpful tool on their site that helps you practice case interviews. Each of these cases is 15–20 minutes long and presents you with a real-life business problem and a number of questions.
You can prepare your answers to these cases then compare your thoughts to the Deloitte model answers provided.
Our 6 Tips on Acing the Deloitte Case Interview
Tip 1: keep organized notes.
Deloitte case interviews can last up to an hour and have a lot of information to review. Make sure you take organized notes throughout so you don’t forget anything important or miss something in your analysis.
Neat and logical notes also show you can manage large amounts of data effectively.
Tip 2: Ask Questions to Fill In the Gaps
It’s important to fully understand the problem you’re trying to solve. Don’t be afraid to ask clarification questions or for more data to fill in any gaps in your analysis. Asking questions gives the interviewer insight into how you’re approaching the problem.
Tip 3: Take Time to Organize Your Thoughts
Make sure you take your time during the interview to compose yourself and structure your thoughts. It’s tempting to launch into responding straight away but give yourself space to think through your answer first to make sure you don’t miss something or forget an important point.
Tip 4: Utilize a Framework and Develop a Hypothesis
Using a business framework or an issue tree helps you drill down into the heart of the problem. This means you’re more likely to develop a hypothesis that solves the key issue the client is facing.
Keep referring back to your issue tree and hypothesis during your Deloitte interview to make sure your analysis is logical and hasn’t gone down a rabbit hole!
Tip 5: Structure Your Recommendation
Present your analysis in a clear and structured way. Start with the main takeaway — your recommendation. Then walk your Deloitte interviewer through your analysis in a logical way, highlighting the most important points and explaining how they led you to draw the conclusion you have.
Share any assumptions you’ve made to reach your recommendation and also any associated risks. This shows you’ve thought more broadly about the problem in the context of the business as a whole.
Tip 6: Don’t Forget to Breathe!
While case interviews can feel daunting, try not to panic. Viewing the case as a business conversation that showcases your ability to think through a problem, rather than as something that must be solved, can ease the pressure.
As part of the final round assessment, Deloitte Consulting uses group case interviews.
As many of the top consulting firms don’t use group case interviews, candidates can be unsure of what to expect. But, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!
What Happens In the Deloitte Group Case Interview
In Deloitte group case interviews you’ll be organized into a group with 3-6 other candidates. The group will be presented with information about a case that they’ll need to work together to solve.
- For the first 10 minutes, you’ll work alone, or in a pair, to review the information and prepare your thoughts.
- The group will then discuss the problem for 20 minutes, sharing analysis, and preparing a recommendation for the client. During this discussion, interviewers will observe the group to see how you interact with each other.
- For the final 20 minutes, interviewers will ask questions of the group.
Our Top Tips for the Deloitte Group Interview
Group case interviews are your opportunity to stand out against other candidates. Interviewers will be observing the group dynamics and looking for great communication skills, strong analysis, and leadership.
Here are our top tips:
- Add value with your contribution . Everyone knows interviewers are looking for participation but it’s not enough just to speak up during the group case interview — what you say matters. Your contribution should add fresh insights to what’s already been said. This shows good listening and analysis skills.
- Showcase your leadership ability . Leadership isn’t just about speaking first or dominating the conversation. Facilitate the conversation and bring other team members into the discussion if they haven’t had a chance to speak. This shows you value the contribution of others, which links to one of Deloitte’s core values: foster inclusion . Do be proactive about proposing points for discussion, managing time, and bringing the group back on track if you lose focus.
- Recognize others as teammates . While demonstrating leadership is important, it’s equally important to remember you’re trying to deliver value to the client. Make contributions that bring the group closer to a recommendation — don’t sidetrack the discussion just to stand out. Acknowledge the great ideas of others — which shows confidence — and then add to them.
- Summarize the discussion . At the end of the group discussion, summarize the main points of the conversation and state the group’s recommendation. You can also do this throughout the interview, any time when a lot of points have been discussed and a quick recap would be helpful.
This is important as it shows good communication skills and the ability to synthesize large amounts of data. It also makes sure that everyone’s on the same page and clear about the next steps, which is critical when dealing with real-life clients.
For more information on how to ace the group case interview, check out our article .
Deloitte Consulting Behavioral Interview Question
The Deloitte behavioral interview has 2 types of questions: fit questions and personal experience questions.
Fit questions help interviewers judge whether you’d fit into the Deloitte culture. Personal experience questions help them judge whether your skills and personal qualities match those they’re looking for in a consultant.
Top 3 Fit Questions and How To Ace Them
1. Why Do You Want To Work For Deloitte Consulting?
This is the top fit question and for good reason. Deloitte Consulting cares about recruiting people who really want to work there and value its specific culture and approach.
Consulting firms invest heavily in developing their new recruits and they need you to stay long enough to make that investment worth it. So they’re expecting you to join the firm with eyes wide open.
Tackle this question by having a few good reasons why Deloitte is the company for you. The best answers are personal to you.
Maybe you’ve been inspired by someone you’ve met from the firm. Or there’s something about Deloitte core values that really matters to you. That’s what recruiters want to hear about.
Deloitte Consulting’s core values are:
- Lead the way
- Serve with integrity
- Take care of each other
- Foster inclusion
- Collaborate for measurable impact
2. Why Consulting?
Consulting can be intense, so consulting firms are genuinely concerned that you understand what’s required of you and have the potential to meet the challenge. This question is your chance to explain why consulting is the career for you.
Whether that’s because you get to work with senior management early in your career or you’re excited about the opportunity to make a difference, make sure you’re clear on your motivation.
3. Tell Me Something About You That’s Not On Your Resume.
It’s easy to curate a polished, professional profile on paper. But interviewers are interested in who you are outside of work too.
This question provides an opportunity for you to talk about something you’re passionate about, and show a more human side. Bear in mind the Deloitte Consulting core values when you’re considering how you’d tackle this question.
For example, maybe you organize a community garden to provide food to local families. Or you spend time as a reading volunteer at your local care home.
Contributions you make as a volunteer can demonstrate your leadership capability as well as other ways you create a positive impact in your daily life.
Personal Experience Questions And How to Approach Them
A typical personal experience question starts with “Tell me about a time when…”
They help the interviewer see how your experience has helped you build the skills that make you suitable for consulting.
Examples include:
- Tell me about a time you disagreed with someone and how you worked through the problem.
- Tell me about a time when you led a team to solve a problem.
- Give me an example of when you had to deal with adversity. How did you resolve it?
- Tell me about a time when you changed someone’s mind on an important topic.
- How did you go about deciding on your class project recommendation?
The best approach to tackling a personal experience question is to tell stories. Stories are engaging and stick in the interviewer’s mind even after a long day.
However, like everything else in the case interview, your answer should be well-thought-through and structured. Don’t just launch into your story without thinking.
We recommend using the A STAR(E) framework to make sure your story is impactful and covers all the main points.
Using the A STAR(E) Framework
The A STAR(E) framework covers the following points:
- Answer . Start with a clear, short answer to the question.
- Situation . Give your story some context. Who were the people involved in the story? When and where did it take place?
- Tension . What was the problem you faced? The conflict or challenge?
- Action . What action did you take to resolve the issue?
- Result . What happened as a result of your action?
- Effect . What did you learn?
The (E) is in parentheses because this won’t be relevant to every story.
Remember the behavioral interview is also an important opportunity to learn more about Deloitte so you can feel confident you’re making the right choice.
In fact, that’s one of 6 key things Deloitte Consulting encourages candidates to bear in mind when tackling the behavioral interview:
- Share personal experiences to illustrate your critical skills and achievements.
- Describe experiences and career/life periods reflected in your resume.
- Focus on the positives of all your past experiences and remain optimistic.
- Use this discussion to learn more about Deloitte Consulting.
- Relax, be yourself, and help us get to know you.
- Use your time wisely; it’s your time, make sure you get your points across.
Learn more about the A STAR(E) framework or about tackling the Fit/Behavioral Interview in our article on Consulting Behavioral Interviews.
In this article, we’ve covered:
- The stages of the Deloitte Consulting interview process,
- What to expect from the Deloitte Consulting case interview,
- Some examples of Deloitte case interviews,
- Our top 6 tips for tackling the Deloitte case interview,
- How to ace the Deloitte group case interview, and
- How to answer Deloitte behavioral interview questions.
Still have questions?
If you have more questions about Deloitte case interview prep, leave them in the comments below. One of My Consulting Offer’s case coaches will answer them.
Other people prepping for the Deloitte case interview found the following pages helpful:
- Our Ultimate Guide to Case Interview Prep ,
- Group Case Interview ,
- Behavioral Interviews , and
- Deloitte Government & Public Services Case Interview .
Help with Consulting Interview Prep
Thanks for turning to My Consulting Offer for advice on Deloitte case interview prep. My Consulting Offer has helped almost 85% of the people we’ve worked with to get a job in management consulting. We want you to be successful in your consulting interviews too. For example, here is how Lindsay was able to get her offer from Deloitte.
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