Clarkston Consulting Consultant Interview Questions
& Process

Clarkston's interview process was one of the best I've experienced. They recruit from my school and attend our career events, which they consider part of the interview. So, attending those events and getting to know the consultants is key. Clarkston really values its people and looks for candidates who are smart, driven, and a good cultural fit. Connecting with the consultants on a personal level is crucial. The first round was a casual 30-45 minute chat about my resume and experiences, with hardly any formal behavioral questions. The interviewer wanted to see if I'd be a good fit for the team. I then advanced to the final round, which involved four back-to-back 3-hour interviews, ending with a 'Why Clarkston/Why Consulting' presentation to a partner and manager. These interviews were all relaxed and behavioral. If you know your resume and experiences well and are comfortable having a professional conversation about them and Clarkston, you'll do great. They also expect candidates to come prepared with questions and to research their interviewers, which is very important! Overall, it was a great experience, and I'm excited to start.

First spoke with HR about my background and interest in consulting. They talked about potential job openings, the interview schedule, and what it's like working at a smaller consulting firm. About a month later, I had a long, collaborative chat with an experienced consultant about my background. They were pretty new to the company, so couldn't answer all my questions thoroughly. Another month went by, and I traveled to their corporate office for about 4-5 hours of in-person interviews with HR, an analyst, a manager, and a partner. It was mostly behavioral and situational questions, pretty extensive but manageable if you're prepared. They also gave me a business case to prepare and present in 5 minutes, which was mainly to check my communication and quick-thinking skills. After the interviews, HR gave me feedback. They liked my industry experience but were concerned about my consulting skills since I came from industry. HR mentioned a training bootcamp for people like me, but it wasn't available until the next quarter. Three months after that, HR contacted me again to say they couldn't offer me the job due to my light consulting skills. It was frustrating to wait so long for this news, and the last interaction left a bad taste, despite my initial high regard for Clarkston.

After applying online, I had an initial chat with a recruiter who called me to discuss the role. This was a really nice, back-and-forth conversation for about an hour. We talked about how I'd handle everyday work scenarios. Following that, there was an onsite interview in Durham, NC. It's possible the panel might meet you for lunch or dinner if they're in your city. This part included a whiteboarding session with a Partner.