There are many steps to take in preparing to apply and interview for a consulting position. If you are just starting out, you will find yourself editing your resume, preparing answers for experiential questions, and practicing business frameworks to use in the case interview. However, there is another hurdle that you must keep in mind as you get ready to apply – the airplane test.
The Airplane Test – also known as the Airport Test, Taxicab Test, as well as a plethora of other names – is one of social connection and compatibility. The interviewer imagines themselves sitting next to you on a long flight, sitting with you for hours in an airport transit lounge, or sharing a taxicab with you; a situation where it is only the two of you for a prolonged period. Can you hold a decent conversation? Are you interesting and engaging enough for them to feel comfortable talking with you during the entire flight or cab ride? Would they look forward to catching up with you the next time they run into you or visit your regional office? These are the questions the interviewer is thinking about during this test.
The airplane test is not a scheduled question – there is no set time it occurs. Rather, it can encompass the entire interview. During your interview you might find a short lull in between questions or session – and an airplane test occurs. Attending a virtual office hour or recruiting event will net you some one-on-one time with a consultant or recruiter – another airplane test. If you visit an office for a physical interview – multiple airplane tests will occur during coffee breaks, meals, and office tours.
There are three major levels that you need to be aware of if you want to reliably connect with your interviewers. Mastering these will help you be prepared for this unofficial social test. They are not listed in any priority order, each one is equal to the others.
1. Local Level
Before an interview, you should receive the names of those you will meet. Although you will sometimes only receive this information the day before the interview, you should have enough time to look at their LinkedIn profile, and note some key information about them: office location, college, hometown, past projects, and professional expertise. This gives you valuable material to start a conversation with, such as:
- “How did your MBA at Chicago prepare you for …?”
- “Do you enjoy the warm weather in Atlanta?”
- “What lessons did you learn from XYZ project?”
You might also be able to ask questions about their office, such as projects or specialties they are known for or prominent clients they have worked with. This will connect you with your interviewer on a local or city level.
Consultants love to talk, often about themselves or their personal interests, so asking follow up questions gives them a chance to share more information about themselves. They will learn plenty about you through the actual interview questions, so give them some space to talk. Listen carefully and focus on thinking of a follow up question based on what you hear.
2. Regional Level
You likely have a unique hobby or interest, which you will speak about during the experiential interview. Maybe you practice martial arts, started baking bread, or learned Japanese on Duolingo. However, you might bore the consultant to death if you try to explain the differences between various yeasts for 3 hours on a flight. I am not suggesting that you give up on these hobbies and interests, but you might also want to pick up some common interests that your consultant is more likely to share with you.
One big area is sports – many people have a vested interest in major sports. You do not need to become an expert overnight, but you should know major trends or occurrences for your region. For example, if you are based in America, you would want to know about Tom Brady un-retiring, Kansas winning March Madness (should have been Duke), and the lockout in Major League Baseball. If you know about the key events and happenings in major sports, you will be able to hold a conversation about a topic that many consultants enjoy talking about. Other regional topics might include unnatural weather patterns, major upcoming festivals or notable events, and nearby landmarks, among others of course.
Tip: avoid bringing up touchy subjects like politics, religion, stereotypes, or worse – sports rivalries. No need to dig yourself into a hole.
3. International Level
You do not need to watch 5 hours of CNN every day to keep up to date with current events. However, reading one major new story a day will help to keep you in tune with what is going on in the world. Consultants are usually very up to date on major events, so not knowing about a major scientific breakthrough, political uprising, or weather phenomenon will reflect poorly on you. Simply reading major headlines from places such as the Wall Street Journal every morning during breakfast will allow you to be prepared with some major topics for discussion.
Furthermore, consultants are business focused, so knowing major business trends would be a plus. Has there been a recent major merger or acquisition, a new IPO, or shift in technology trends? Your interviewer would be very impressed if you sprinkled in a memorized number or two in the course of a discussion during your interview. Some popular methods for learning information like this is to subscribe to the Morning Brew or listening to Motley Fool podcasts.
How to Practice the Airplane Test
Practicing this test is difficult because most people do not have multiple McKinsey contacts to call up randomly. In addition, you do not schedule this test like you would a case interview or an experiential question. However, this is a skill you can practice anytime you informally talk with someone.
Find an alumnus from your school or who works at a target company of yours and ask if you can get a cup of coffee with them. Sign up for a one-on-one session with a company recruiter and chat with them virtually or on the phone. Reach out to an upperclassman at your school or a manager at your current company and set up a networking meeting with them. Even better – practice with a friend, colleague, or fellow aspiring consultant and ask them for feedback afterwards, switch roles, and repeat. Use all of these opportunities to practice the above steps.
The Big Picture
How does this test fit in with the overall interview process?
Well, one day your company will send you out to meet with a client, and they need to know that you will represent the firm well. They want you to be able to hold a conversation and engage the client in a positive way, so that everyone is happy at the end of the day.
If the interviewer cannot see themselves sitting next to you for three hours on an airplane, how are they supposed to feel confident sending you to go and work at a client office for several weeks?
Richard Hollenbach is a Thermal Sciences Associate at Exponent Scientific and Engineering Consultant in Atlanta, Georgia. He assists clients in litigation and failure analysis, specializing in thermal-fluid machinery. He recently completed his Ph.D. at Duke University in turbomachinery, aerodynamics, and mathematical modeling. He previously served as the President of the Duke Advanced Professional Degree Consulting Club.
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