Knowledge Research

Knowledge Research interview prep.

The library content Coach uses to tailor reports for this role. Generated reports personalise this against the candidate's CV + the firm's context.

Behavioural questions to expect

  1. Walk me through your CV.
  2. Tell me about your most impactful research project.
  3. Tell me about a weakness, a failure, or feedback you have worked on.
  4. Why research inside a consulting firm - vs an industry research firm, journalism, or corporate strategy?
  5. Why the firm?
  6. Why now - why are you making this transition?
  7. How do you see the firm's research / knowledge function and how it supports case teams?
  8. How does an internal research function create value for case teams + clients?

Technical concepts to master

  • Research methodology - secondary, expert, model

    Secondary research first · Expert interviews via expert networks · Modelling and market sizing · Triangulation discipline

  • Synthesis + writing for case teams

    Top-down synthesis · Source citation discipline · Confidence + uncertainty flagging · Answer the actual question

  • Internal-client service - working with case teams

    Scoping conversation · Milestone check-ins · Negotiating competing requests · Knowledge codification

  • Database fluency + research toolchain

    Company + financial data platforms · Market data providers · Expert networks · Internal knowledge platforms

Practical drills

  • A partner pings you Monday morning - they need a sector primer on the sector for a Thursday client pitch. Walk me through your 72 hours.
  • A case team needs the size of the the sector market in geography by Friday for a client pitch. Walk me through your approach.
  • A manager needs a vendor landscape in category for a vendor evaluation. The client has a shortlist in mind but wants outside-in view. Walk me through how you would scope + deliver.

Smart-question anchors

  • Function model - central knowledge centre vs embedded in practice areas vs sector intelligence group
  • Practice area + sector coverage - which practice areas the function serves most heavily
  • Request volume + cadence - proposal season peaks vs steady-state engagement support
  • Database + tool stack - which platforms the firm subscribes to and how the team uses them
  • Career path - analyst to senior to lead to knowledge expert / partner-equivalent track

Sourced from

Strategy consulting firm knowledge / research career content · Case Coach + PrepLounge + Crafting Cases · Market Research Society + ESOMAR research methodology · Tech Interview Handbook behavioural pattern

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