Interview Practice
When applying to top tier firms, there is no substitute for structured and rigid interview practice. If you are fortunate enough to make it to the interview stage, you will find that corporate interviews are a world apart from anything you will ever experience in the medical world.
For a start, the interview schedule for the average corporate firm consists of a range of different rounds. Each round will consist of a different interview format and a new set of interviewers on the panel.
The types of interview you may expect to encounter include experience/background interviews, case interviews, 'fit' interviews and a range of other formats, dependent on the type of firm and stage of the recruiting cycle.
Experience Interviews
By the time you are called for interview with a top firm, you can be assured (and reassured) that they are suitably impressed with your achievements listed on your CV and covering letter. Firms do not presume anything when considering your application and therefore wish to find out exactly how you accomplished these achievements. They will want to examine your specific skill set, how these helped you to reach your goals and more importantly how these will assist you in the particular role you are applying for within their firm.
Case Studies
These are a virtual certainty when applying for positions in Management Consultancy. These types of firm perceive that the best way to assess your problem solving skills is to discuss a typical business problem with you - a case study. Interviewers are trained to use case studies similar to the particular business problems faced by their own consultants in a typical day. Case studies are two-way discussions rather than a didactic set of questions and answers, and there is often no perfect answer or solution. Candidates are assessed more on their structure for dealing with the problem, rather than on the specific answers they come up with. Although most doctors are adept at dealing with complex tasks and evolving innovative solutions, the vast majority will have never heard of, let alone tackled a business case study. This is why detailed practice is the best way to achieve success in this unfamiliar environment. Case studies are designed to take you out of your 'comfort zone', examine your ability to think logically under pressure, de-construct complex problems and provide effective strategic solutions. We will help you develop all of these techniques through feedback, a structured learning package and most importantly practice.
'Fit' Interviews
Even if you are successful at navigating the more typical experience and case study interviews, there remains the issue of personal 'fit' for the particular company and role you are applying for. Your suitability for the role will be assessed in a relatively subjective manner and will vary according to the panel of interviewers making this judgement. Whilst it may seem a rather random process, this uncertainty can be mitigated for by optimising your profile in order to 'iron out' any particular traits in your character that could result in a personality clash with your interview panel. We will aim to mould your 'fit' to the broadest range of company profiles and offer you strategic advice as to how best to identify with the particular firm you are being interviewed for. This will be achieved through constructive feedback and mentoring from consultants that have worked within the specific companies you select.
Our interview-coaching scheme will revolve around practice interviews with a variety of coaches, all ex-industry (mainly doctors) and all well versed at the typical corporate interview schedule. You will be assessed on the basis of every interview and offered feedback after each round. Within a short period you will see your approach drastically improve, your interview technique reaching the standard required and your interview performance ensure that you secure the job you desire.
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