FTI Consulting Interview: Everything You Need to Know

fti consulting interview

If you have an upcoming FTI Consulting interview, or if you’re interested in their work, we have everything you need to know to land a job there.

Did you know that FTI Consulting operates in various fields, including economic and forensic consulting? Or that some offices do online assessments as part of the FTI Consulting recruiting process?

Each consulting firm has its own hiring process, so preparing specifically for the FTI Consulting interview is key to securing a job there.

In this article, we’ll provide:

  • An overview of FTI Consulting, such as the type of work they do and the company’s culture
  • Steps in the FTI Consulting interview process
  • Examples of FTI Consulting interview questions
  • Our 4 tips on acing the FTI Consulting interview 

Let’s get started!

What Does FTI Consulting Do?

FTI Consulting is a global consulting firm that solves problems for major business, government, and NGO clients. With more than 8,000 employees in 31 countries and 84 cities, FTI is one of the leading consulting firms. 

Sounds familiar, right? Not so fast… 

FTI is different from other firms because it focuses on high-profile and complex situations that require the firm’s consultants to have deep expertise in the areas they serve. FTI Consulting has 5 areas: 

  1. Forensic & Litigation Consulting: Providing holistic solutions for high-profile litigation, arbitration, and investigations by combining risk advisory, investigative expertise, and dispute resolution
  2. Health Solutions: Developing innovative strategies to address healthcare challenges and improve outcomes for individuals and organizations
  3. Economic Consulting: Analyzing economic complexities to support decision-making in legal, regulatory, and international arbitration while supporting public policy debates
  4. Corporate Finance & Restructuring: Addressing strategic, financial, and capital needs for corporations, boards, and stakeholders through comprehensive solutions
  5. Technology and Strategic Communications: Collaborating with corporations, governments, and law firms to respond to e-discovery demands. Providing a comprehensive view of the internal and external communications addressing financial information, transactions, corporate reputation, and public affairs across all major markets.
Know What FTI Consulting Do- Prepare For Your FTI Consulting Interview

While most consulting firms are developing strategies to execute in the future, FTI predominantly works with clients to address problems that need to be solved right now.

FTI also publicly shares some of its client projects. You can browse case studies on their website to see how FTI Consulting helped Wells Fargo address customer fraud or how the firm helped a California power company through bankruptcy. Many other firms do not disclose who their clients are, so this is a rare opportunity to understand what FTI consultants do.

FTI Consulting Culture

FTI describes its culture as very focused on people, including having an open and diverse community and supporting consultants to “bring their whole selves to work.”

The company also values deep expertise to help clients make urgent decisions. To be successful long-term working for FTI Consulting, you’ll likely need to identify a specific focus area and plan to go deep on that topic. 

At many other firms, you start as a generalist and can spend a few years exploring different functions and industries. Even if you eventually become a partner working on procurement or pricing studies, you’re more likely to focus on broad, long-term strategies. In contrast, FTI consultants often choose a practice area up front and invest a great deal of time in specific technical areas to bring more expertise to clients.

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The FTI Consulting Interview Process

Thankfully, the FTI Consulting interview process is pretty similar to most consulting firms’. It can include an online application, an online assessment, screening, and an interview with behavioral and case questions.

There’s one key difference with the FTI Consulting interview process: you’ll most likely not apply as a generalist. You’ll need to select a specific practice and apply for an open role or internship in that group.

You can expect that the types of questions you’ll receive will be consistent across all practices, but as you prepare, you should focus on specific kinds of questions that might be relevant to the practice you’re applying for. 

FTI does recruit on several college campuses, so check with your career center to learn if they will be coming to your campus. If you’re enrolled in a university that FTI does not recruit with, keep an eye on their website for their annual recruitment calendar.

Part Of The FTI Consulting Interview Process

Online Application

You will use an online portal to submit a resume and cover letter. FTI wants to get to know you, so let your accomplishments and passions shine in your submission. 

Even though FTI prides itself as a firm full of experts, you don’t have to be an expert in anything when you apply. You do need to be the kind of person who is really excited about becoming an expert in one of FTI’s focus areas. For example, if you want to join Economics Consulting, demonstrate that you have taken economics courses in school, won case competitions in relevant topics, or are a leader in your school’s Model United Nations club debating foreign policies.

FTI Consulting Online Assessment

In the FTI Consulting interview process, you’ll likely have to complete online assessments to assess your numerical and verbal reasoning. For a deeper dive, check out our FTI Online Assessment article.

Phone or Video Screening

In the screening call, an FTI recruiter will want to get to know you as a person and hear your story about your education and work experience so far. If you have relevant experiences to the team you’re applying to join, you should share those. 

Our article on Consulting Recruiter Interviews will help you prepare.

Answering FTI Consulting Interview Questions

FTI Consulting Case Interviews

FTI Consulting case interviews are similar to interviews at many other firms. Each interview lasts 30 to 60 minutes consisting of a case discussion and some behavioral questions. You may be invited to multiple rounds of case interviews and some networking opportunities.

You are probably wondering about the FTI consulting interview questions and what an FTI case interview is like. In an FTI Consulting case interview, you will be expected to discuss a client’s challenge and work through several types of information to develop a recommendation for the client. This could include interpreting charts, graphs, or data tables.

The most important thing to remember in your case interview is that your interviewer wants to assess if you will be a valuable and good co-worker.

To show how you will add value to your teams, you’ll have to demonstrate organizational and critical thinking skills. 

To be a good co-worker, you’ll have to engage in an interesting conversation and demonstrate that you’d be enjoyable to work with. Consulting teams spend a lot of time together, and you want to get along well with your teams.

Examples of FTI Consulting Interview Questions

Case questions could include:

  • Your client is launching a new product that is cheaper to produce than their main product offering. How should they determine the price of the new product? 
  • A new competitor is growing fast in your client’s industry. How should your client assess the threat? How should they respond? 
  • Your client wants you to assess the possibility of opening a new manufacturing plant in an adjacent country.  

FTI Consulting’s clients are often amid major, urgent challenges. You may get some behavioral questions to assess how you operate under pressure. 

Here are some examples of behavioral questions in the FTI Consulting interview:

  • Of all the accomplishments on your resume, which one says the most about you? 
  • Can you share about a time you failed? 
  • When you get a new project, what will your first step be? 

Don’t be surprised by these challenging questions. If you can confidently talk about a failure and what you’ve learned from it, your interviewer will respect your growth mindset.

After you complete the case and answer some behavioral questions, you should be prepared to ask good questions in your interview to understand what it’s like to work at FTI Consulting.

For more tips on preparing for your FTI Consulting interview, read Our Ultimate Guide to Case Interview Prep and Consulting Behavioral Interviews.

 

Passing Your FTI Consulting Interview Successfully

3 Tips on Preparing for the FTI Consulting Interview

1. Be Knowledgeable and Passionate About FTI Consulting

FTI Consulting is looking for people who specifically want to work for FTI Consulting, not just anyone who thinks they will enjoy consulting. Do your research on the firm and incorporate what you’ve learned in your interview. Be sure to research the vertical you’re applying for and recent public case studies.

FTI recruiters say that applicants who are passionate about FTI Consulting stand out. This is likely because FTI’s work is so specific, so candidates who demonstrate passion will shine in their case and behavioral interviews.

2. Emphasize Your Fit WIth FTI Consulting’s Values

FTI Consulting believes in its values, summarized as “I CARE”:

  • Integrity
  • Creativity
  • Achievement
  • Respect
  • Empathy

How do you embody these values? Be sure to communicate your alignment with the values to your interviewer.

3. Ask Thoughtful Questions

Establish rapport with your interviewer and any FTI consultants you interact with during the process. Dig into our 5 Questions to Ask in a Consulting Interview for what to ask and, more importantly, what not to ask.

– – – – – – –

In this article, we’ve covered:

  • What it’s like at FTI Consulting
  • How to navigate the FTI Consulting interview process
  • An overview of FTI Consulting interview questions
  • Top 3 tips to ace your FTI Consulting interview

Still have questions?

If you have more questions about the FTI Consulting interview, leave them in the comments below. One of My Consulting Offer’s case coach will answer them.

Other people prepping for case interviews found the following pages helpful:

Help with Case Study Interview Prep

Thanks for turning to My Consulting Offer for advice on cost reduction case interviews. My Consulting Offer has helped 89.6% of the people we’ve worked with to get a job in management consulting. We want you to be successful in your consulting interviews too. For example, here is how Mikki was able to get her offer from Deloitte.

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Nail the case & fit interview with strategies from former MBB Interviewers that have helped 89.6% of our clients pass the case interview.

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