zeb.rolfes.schierenbeck.associates Consultant Interview Questions
& Process

There were 2 rounds, which consisted of 1 interview followed by 3 interviews. I'd advise you to steer clear of the London office if possible. My interview with the London Managing Partner was an exceptionally negative and unprofessional experience. He made disparaging remarks about my CV, used offensive language, told an anti-semitic joke, and several other weak jokes. The office environment with its 6 employees felt quite grim. I was rejected, and subsequently received an offer from an MBB firm, which honestly just makes me laugh now. Seriously, avoid them.

After submitting the written application, I was invited for a phone interview. It was very pleasant and clearly structured, and from the start, they indicated what they were looking for. Following that, I was invited for an interview in Münster, which consisted of three separate interviews, each involving a case study. The cases were from zeb's actual consulting practice and were commented on by the interviewers in a way that made it feel like we were working on a real case. Besides the CV, the questions related to technical aspects. I felt treated fairly and "at eye level" during the conversation. It was also positive that it was clear what the individual questions were aiming at, and there were no "hobby psychological" questions like "Do you enjoy roller coasters," etc. Unfortunately, I hadn't prepared sufficiently beforehand for solving case studies and underestimated this form of selection test. Therefore, I was not satisfied with my performance in two of the three cases, and as a result - which I could understand - there was unfortunately no offer as a Consultant. I advise anyone applying to zeb or other consultancies to thoroughly prepare for solving cases beforehand. If you encounter this form of testing for the first time in a real interview, it's not particularly fun. Nevertheless, I was able to gain a lot of experience from the application process and the transparent, fair feedback, and I was much better prepared for the next interview at another employer. Therefore, I rate the application process - even though it didn't lead to an offer - as consistently positive.

The whole process has three steps. In the first step, you'll get a detailed presentation about the company, the profile they are looking for, and the projects currently running. The second step is more business oriented, and they will ask you questions about your knowledge of the financial industry. Also, they will assess your analytical skills and number agility. Your English will be evaluated too. Finally, you'll have an interview with the Country Chairman, who makes the final decision.