
FAQ
Asked plainly.
Straight answers on how we work and who we work with. If yours is not here, get in touch.
The services
What is The Playbook?
The Playbook is our first service: consulting interview preparation tailored to your background and target firm. We start with your goals and the firms on your list, read the market with you, and teach the craft: frameworks you can adapt, case maths, fit answers that sound like you, and what interviewers watch for.
What is The Room?
The Room is our second service: one to one case interviews with a senior from a leading consulting firm, observed and scored. Each case is matched to your target firm and practice and run like a real round. Within 24 hours you receive a written scorecard on six dimensions, with one focus for next time.
What do consulting interviewers score?
Six dimensions: structure, judgment, communication, business sense, presence and coachability. Structure is whether you make an ambiguous question solvable. Judgment is whether you go to what changes the answer. Communication is whether you lead with the answer. Business sense is whether the numbers make commercial sense. Presence is whether you would be client ready in week one. Coachability is whether you improve when pushed.
How is an experienced hire interview different from a graduate one?
The panel tests different things. Entrants are tested on potential, structured cases and why consulting. Experienced hires are tested on proof, their industry and why now. The common entrant mistake is reciting a framework instead of building one for the client; the experienced hire’s is answering like the operator they were, not the adviser they are becoming. We prepare you for your interview, not someone else’s.
The coaches
Who are the coaches?
Seniors from leading consulting firms who sit on the hiring side of the table. They interview candidates, score them, and take part in offer decisions. Each has between 2 and 10 years of consulting experience.
Why do you not name the coaches or their firms?
We keep coach names and firms private. It protects our coaches and keeps our advice independent of any single firm. Your coach is introduced to you before your first session.
The offer
Can you promise an offer?
No. Nobody honest can. Offers depend on the firm, the season and how you perform on the day. What we commit to is an accurate read on where you stand against the real bar, and a plan to close the gap.
Can I take The Room without The Playbook?
Yes. Either service can be taken on its own. Many candidates learn through The Playbook first and then prove it in The Room, but the diagnostic call will tell us which route closes your gap fastest.
Is this only for the top three consulting firms?
No. We prepare candidates for leading consulting firms, the strategy arms of the large professional services firms, and boutiques. Your plan is built around the firms you target.
How is this different from a practice platform?
Platforms give you volume: drills, case libraries, practice with other candidates. We give you the judgment of the people who make the hiring decision, applied to your cases. Many candidates use both.
Is The Shortlist for experienced hires too?
Yes. We work with students and early career candidates, and with professionals and consultants moving into or back into top tier firms. For experienced hires the focus is calibrated feedback against the real bar and efficient use of limited time.
Sessions
How many sessions do I need?
It depends on your starting point, your target firm and your timeline. Get in touch and we will work it out with you on your diagnostic call.
How long does preparation take?
It depends on your starting point, your target firm and how soon your interview is. We agree the plan on your diagnostic call, so you only do what you need: some candidates need both services, others only observed practice in The Room.
When should I start preparing?
As soon as you know which firms you are targeting. If your interview is close, tell us the date and we will say plainly what we can do in the time you have.
How are sessions delivered?
Remotely, by video, one to one with a senior. Sessions are scheduled around your interview timeline.
What happens on the diagnostic call?
We look at where you are: your level, your timeline and your target firm. Then we agree together what comes next, built around you.
What happens after the diagnostic call?
We agree a plan together: which service fits (The Playbook, The Room or both), what to focus on, and how it works around your interview dates. The scope, including the number of sessions, is confirmed with you before you pay.
What is in a scorecard?
After every session in The Room you receive a written scorecard within 24 hours. It places you against the bar on each of the six dimensions interviewers score, with a specific note on each and one clear focus for your next session.
Do you use real case material?
No. Every case we run is built for practice. We never share proprietary client or firm material.
Practicalities
How much does it cost?
It depends on what you need. Get in touch and we will walk you through it on your diagnostic call.
What is your refund and rescheduling policy?
Sessions can be rescheduled with reasonable notice. Full refund and rescheduling terms are confirmed in writing when you book, before you pay.
How is my data used?
This website collects no personal information. What you send us by email or WhatsApp we use only to reply and arrange your preparation. We never sell it and never share it with any firm. Read the privacy policy for detail.
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