Consulting · ~5-7% acceptance rate

PA Consulting Interview Preparation

The innovation and transformation consultancy — where consulting meets engineering and design

~15,000+

Applications

~5-7%

Offer rate

£38,000-42,000 base

Graduate salary

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HireVue Practice

PA Consulting — HireVue Practice

Your question

30s preparation 2 min recording Camera + mic

Application process

How to get into PA Consulting — step by step

Online Application

September-October.

PA combines consulting with engineering and design. Show you value innovation and implementation, not just strategy.

Online Assessment

1-2 weeks

Numerical and verbal reasoning. Standard format.

First Round

November-January

Case interview + behavioural. PA cases are often more innovation/transformation focused than MBB.

Final Round

2-3 weeks later

Partner interviews. Expect a more creative case. PA values novel thinking.

Offer

Within 1-2 weeks

PA offers good WLB and interesting work.

Interview questions

PA Consulting interview questions by round

Questions change at every stage. Know what to expect.

1Why PA?
2Case: a government agency wants to digitise its services. Structure your approach.
3Tell me about a time you innovated.
4Why consulting over industry?
5How would you improve a hospital's patient flow?

What they value

What PA Consulting looks for in candidates

Innovation mindset

PA is about turning ideas into reality. Show you think creatively and implement, not just advise.

Technical curiosity

PA combines consulting with engineering. Interest in technology and design matters.

Structured thinking

Cases still require frameworks. But PA values creative approaches more than textbook ones.

Implementation focus

PA doesn't just write reports — they build things. Show you care about delivery.

Client orientation

Long-term client relationships. Show you can build trust.

Adaptability

Projects span strategy, technology, engineering, and design. Show breadth.

Compensation

PA Consulting salary & benefits

Graduate

~£38,000-42,000 base (~£45-50K total)

Intern

~£32,000 pro-rata

Perks & benefits

Health insurancePensionFlexible working25 days holidayTrainingInnovation lab accessGym discount

Culture & work style

What it's actually like to work at PA Consulting

Consulting + engineering + design — unique combination

45-55 hours/week — good WLB

Employee-owned — everyone has a stake

Innovation labs for prototyping and testing

Less travel than MBB

Strong public sector and healthcare practice

Victoria office

Known for implementation, not just strategy

Insider tips

How to stand out at PA Consulting

PA is employee-owned. Understand what this means for culture and incentives.

Innovation labs are PA's differentiator. They prototype and test solutions, not just recommend them.

Public sector and healthcare are key sectors. Know current government digital transformation.

PA doesn't just advise — they implement. Show you value delivery over slide decks.

Know the difference between PA and MBB — PA is more hands-on and technical.

Compare

PA Consulting vs competitors

Firm	Salary	Hours	Culture	Exit opps
PA Consulting	~£38,000-42,000 base (~£45-50K total)	45-55/week	Consulting + engineering + design — uniq...	—
McKinsey	~£57K base	50-60/week	Higher prestige, pure strategy	Strongest
Accenture	~£35K base	45-55/week	Larger, tech-focused	Strong
Oliver Wyman	~£50K base	50-55/week	FS specialist	Strong
Roland Berger	~£48K base	50-60/week	European strategy	Moderate-strong

FAQ

PA Consulting FAQs

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