19 tough interview questions you'll hear at a 'Big 3' consulting firm

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If you're looking for a job with one of the most prestigious employers in the management consulting industry, you better start preparing.

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According to The Gateway, an independent business and careers newspaper for students, the world's biggest consulting firms, known as the "Big Three," are extremely selective about who they hire, often taking on high-scoring graduates and MBAs from top universities.

Notable alumni include HP CEO Meg Whitman from Bain & Company, former GE CEO Jeff Immelt from The Boston Consulting Group, and Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg from McKinsey & Company.

According to Bain & Company, the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), and McKinsey & Company's respective careers pages, interview questions generally fall into one of two categories: case study questions and experience questions.

During the case study portion of the interview, interviewees analyze a real business problem and develop and discuss solutions to the client challenge it poses. During an interview job seekers may also be asked to solve logic questions. The experience portion of the interview is a more familiar format where interviewers can learn more about the job seeker's background and personal experience.

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From Glassdoor, here are some of the toughest non-case-study interview questions job seekers have been asked at "Big Three" firms (practice cases are available on each consulting firm's careers page):