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A consultant meeting two managers at a job interview.

Category: Succeed as a consultant

Consultant interview A to Z: Cheat sheet for landing your next job

The consultant interview is a good opportunity to make a lasting impression. Learn how to navigate your next interview and land the job.

Revised 30 January 2023

When working as a freelance consultant, a certain code (recommendations, if you will) applies when it comes to the process of progressing from being the needle in the haystack to landing the perfect job.

A pivotal part of this process is the consultant interview, which is the consultant’s first opportunity to make a lasting, personal impression. Here are 6 tips on some of the elements you should consider when preparing for your interview, as well as how to navigate the interview itself.

 

Do your research

Before the interview, it's vital to acquire an understanding of the type of organization and project you are dealing with. This will also give you an indication of how to make yourself relevant in relation to the client’s needs.

It will be to your advantage to look up who will participate in the interview, and how they relate to the project. It's also advantageous if you have knowledge of relevant problems or initiatives that the organization might have.

Besides making it easier for you to navigate through the interview, it also makes you appear professional and prepared, and this will give the client an initially positive impression.

 

Dress the part

It’s also important that you, as a consultant, consider how you appear at the interview. Make sure to check if the organization has a dress code that you should follow when going to the interview.

Regardless of whether there is a dress code or not, it's always important to appear well-dressed.

If the organization has English as its corporate language, you should be prepared to carry out the interview in English, if necessary.

 

Be concise

During the interview, it's essential for the client to get a clear sense of the competencies that you have, and how you will rise to the challenge. As a consultant, you should therefore prepare for the pivotal point of the interview – presenting yourself – to be hard facts rather than soft skills.

The approach to the interview is often matter-of-factly and well structured, and the client wants to get right to the point. They need to find out why you are right for the job.

Don't expect the usual small talk, instead be ready to give a suitable presentation of how you can help the client.

 

It will be to your advantage to look up who will participate in the interview.

 

Two managers interviewing a consultant.

The pivotal point of the interview is your presentation, which should involve more hard facts rather than soft skills.

Prepare a pitch

Seize the opportunity when it’s your turn to speak. The best way to do this is to prepare a pitch, which shortly and precisely emphasizes your relevant experience and competencies. Be ready to later expand on the previous assignments that you have solved.

A good idea is to base this on completed assignments similar to the one you are interviewing for, so the client can draw parallels between the assignments.

 

Go with the flow

In addition, it is natural that you base your pitch on the client’s outlining of the project. Contribute to the facts that the client gives and utilize them as a stepping stone to make your pitch as relevant as possible.

Besides presenting your assignments, you can advantageously emphasize what problems you have previously run into, and how you handled them.

It's always about stressing which of your experiences you will bring to the project.

 

Find the fine line

Be mindful of the importance of dialogue – the interview is about finding out whether you and the client are a good match for the task that needs to be done. Listen to what the client says and contribute when you are encouraged to.

It's also important that you answer relevantly and stick to the given topic. If you have any clarifying questions, you are free to ask them at the end of the interview. This will display interest and self-initiative, as well as give you the opportunity to identify your client’s setup; what code is it, what platform do they use, etc.

A manager and consultant during a job interview.

It's always about stressing which of your experiences you will bring to the project.

Bonus tip:

When in doubt, stick to the relevant details

In general, it is about showing that you have familiarized yourself with the client’s organization in advance and that you know how you can help the company. You should therefore be adaptable and transparent throughout the whole process, and give the client actual, relevant examples of what you can do, as well as why you are the exact match for their assignment and their organization.

 

Besides presenting your assignments, you can advantageously emphasize what problems you have previously run into, and how you handled them.

 

Read also:
Five characteristics of successful consultants (article).

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