I was very nervous about interviewing with a management consulting firm. I thought it would be really difficult with lots of numerical case-based questions and high-pressure interview techniques. I prepared for days, reading Harvard Business Review articles and sample case studies; holding informational interviews with former employees and memorizing Booz Allen's core values. In reality the interview was a piece of cake. And in a lot of ways, it was disappointing because I expected more from such a large, well-established firm. My interview started with a phone screening with one of Booz Allen's contracted outside recruiters. This was frustrating because the recruiter seemed to read from a script, had poor listening skills and didn't seem equipped to understand or communicate the strategic goals of the company and how the job vacancy I was interviewing for fit into that. It felt like a check-the-box exercise and it didn't give me a great first impression. Next, I attended a half-day interview at Booz Allen's HQ in McLean, VA. The day was well organized, with a decent overview of the company given by the Booz Allen Resource Management Team. Then, I had a series of one-on-one interviews with Associates. The interviewers probably skimmed my resume for 2 minutes outside the interview room, because they came across as very junior, with little or no knowledge of the strategic direction of the firm. Their questions were bog-standard interview questions; nothing really scratched the surface of what I'd done in the past or what I'm passionate about. They read from interview scripts and seemed to be another 'check-the-box' part of the process. I wasn't impressed or challenged. It felt like they were asked to interview me the day before. Finally, I had a 1-hour telephone interview with a Senior Associate and Lead Associate. This was much better and probably turned the tables for me in terms of my decision to join the firm. The interviewers seemed to have a much better grasp of my experience, asked more engaging questions and described what day-to-day life might be like at the firm.

There are several interviews for a role, it can a time consuming process. It may take a longer time than expected. Please be patient. Believe in yourself, it is important.