C1 Consulting Consultant Interview Questions
& Process

So this was a bit ago, but I wanted to share my experience. It started with a phone call, though I was initially stood up until HR remembered to call me back. After that first screening, I got a homework assignment involving a paper on drug trials and a report to write. Then came a Skype interview, where I was stood up *again* before they rescheduled. Honestly, this already made me question how they treat people. The next step was going to their San Francisco office. I met a senior consultant with a Ph.D. who was great – really honest and genuine. Other than him, I didn't really click with the team. There were more one-on-one interviews, plus a timed 1.5 to 2-hour presentation using a template PowerPoint about another paper on pharmaceutical trials. After that, I had to give about a 20-minute talk on my past scientific research. The office seemed to have maybe 8 people, and honestly, most didn't seem happy. The junior folks seemed really on edge. One of the office managers was just frowning and uninterested while I presented my research, which made me uncomfortable and probably hurt my performance. It seems like the job involves long hours, last-minute tasks, and a pretty cold office vibe. I'd heard rumors before that consultants don't get enough training, and it seems likely true.

I spoke with a partner on the phone and it went well, establishing a good reputation. Then I was put into the "formal" interview process. The in-house recruiter called me for a skype meeting with a Sr. Consultant. This was a personality and fit interview, followed by an online skills test against the clock. The skype interview was a bit awkward, but the skills test was straightforward GMAT-type questions. The company seemed pretty disorganized though. Communication between the remote recruiter and partner wasn't consistent. I got positive feedback from everyone and was asked to come in-house. But then, communication just stopped without any follow-up. A positive note about the firm culture is that all employees tele-work on Fridays.

The interview process had 3 steps: a phone call, a Skype call, and then an in-person meeting. It felt a bit odd since I was close enough to the office to just come in for more in-person interviews. The phone interview was a standard consulting personality interview with a senior consultant or manager, asking things like 'What makes you a good fit?', referencing my resume, and asking for examples like 'Tell me about a time you...'. The Skype interview was with a senior associate and had very similar, sometimes the same, personality questions. Right before the Skype interview, I had to take an online aptitude test that was really easy, covering basic grammar, math, and 'rapid perception.' I didn't get to the in-person interview stage. The people I spoke with seemed smart and nice. It would be great if they gave feedback on why they make their decisions, but that's pretty rare at most places.