INTERVIEW PREP

Interview Philosophy

Trindent's interviews are based on the premise that we can better discern talents and 'fit' with our culture and values by asking candidates to demonstrate these things, rather than tell us about them. Many firms interview by asking candidates to answer questions about how they might do something; we ask them to do it. For example, instead of asking you how you would handle a difficult client situation, we ask you to demonstrate your interpersonal capabilities through a case interview. Rather than asking you to tell us how you would approach a business problem, we ask you to perform analysis and make specific recommendations on that problem.  In general, we are looking for candidates to exhibit two key abilities throughout the process: the ability to solve problems and build relationships.

PROBLEM SOLVING:  Our interviewers test capabilities in both analytic and interpersonal domains to ascertain whether or not candidates meet the standards necessary to become effective problem solvers.

BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS: While problem solving abilities are obviously important, we find that a good indicator of success at Trindent is your ability to relate effectively to team members and clients alike.  We look for evidence that a candidate can take constructive feedback, learn from it, and integrate it into their perspectives and solutions.  Consultants are also likely to be successful at Trindent if they can communicate effectively, build meaningful relationships and be persuasive and convincing in simulated client/consultant exchanges.

Interview Process

While our interview philosophy and the characteristics we look for are consistent across our entire firm, our actual consultant interview process varies a little by region or even sometimes by candidate. Our goal is to get the best information on a candidate before making a decision, and different circumstances may dictate a different approach in order to achieve this goal. However, there are a number of core components of our process which you will likely encounter throughout your interviews. These core components and their objectives are:

Initial Screening Interview
Our process always includes one or more screening interviews where we attempt to assess a candidate's suitability for a consulting role.  Factors include, citizenship, availability, visa eligibility, familiarity with financial modeling and analytical tools, linguistic capabilities, progression expectations and comfort level with domestic/international travel.

Practice Business Case Interview
Our process will include one or more practice case interviews which are designed to provide an understanding about our approach. We believe in eliminating 'false negatives' from the selection process, and wish to ensure that we don't exclude a qualified applicant from advancement based on unfamiliarity with our case interviewing methodology. This interview is conducted over the telephone and is a completely non-evaluative coaching session.  Cases used for the practice interview are cases which have been retired from the previous year, and should provide a good indication of what to expect.

Evaluative Business Case Interview
The next business case may be conducted over the telephone (or on campus) and will attempt to explore and assess dimensions of Logic, Reasoning, Analytics, Creativity, Quantitative Ability, and Communication Skills.

In-Person "Talent" Interview
In the final round of the interview process, candidates will be asked to participate in several interviews with consultants at all levels in the organization. In this exercise, we are looking to ascertain:

1. Your Record of Achievement: Show us a pattern of consistent high performance, that you expect and achieve outstanding results, handle obstacles well, and show signs of entrepreneurship.
2. Your Talents: Let us know what your talents are, and points in your life where you have had glimpses of excellence. We believe that certain applicants are 'wired' for success as a consultant, and have a natural talent for what we do.
3. Your Interpersonal Skills:  Elucidate how you have taken on leadership roles, seized opportunities, helped to build highly effective teams, and are sensitive to the thoughts and feelings of other team members.

In order to help you better prepare for your Trindent interviews, please request details on specific interview processes from the Recruiting Coordinator who arranges your interviews.