How To Apply

Our application process has been designed to help you understand the kind of work we do and allow us to assess the key skills needed to be a successful consultant at The PSC.

Online Application

The online application forms the first stage of our process. Part one of the application is a 30 minute numerical test. Before you begin the test, you will be offered the chance to complete a practice test to become comfortable with the types of questions you will be asked. If successful, you will then be invited to answer three questions where we’ll explore your interest in public services, critical thinking and emotional intelligence.

Interviews

Our interviews are unique to each interviewer. Our cases are based on real life projects our team has worked on. This gives you an example of the kind of work we do and the projects you could be involved in. To be a great consultant, our interviewers are looking for the following skills:

• Problem-solving skills - can you structure, break down and interpret a problem?
• Interpersonal skills - do you actively listen, ask good questions and communicate clearly and concisely?
• Getting the best from others - do you recognise the perspectives and emotions of others?
• Personal drive & impact - are you self-motivated and can you demonstrate initiative?
• Intellectual curiosity - are you ambitious and optimistic?
• Understanding of consulting - do you understand the world of consulting and the attributes required of a The PSC consultant?

Successful applicants invited to the second round of interviews will also be required to complete a data insight interview. Here you will be provided with a variety of data in tables and graphs to digest and develop insights from, to then present back (using PowerPoint or Google Slides) as an executive summary to the interviewer. 

Practice tips

Preparation is key for any recruitment process. Within consulting, case study based interviews are very common so make sure you know what these are. There are many online resources to help you prepare. Additionally, we have put together the following tips to give you the best opportunity to be a successful applicant:

• Practice case interviews with a friend
• Practice mental maths (including basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, percentages and fractions)
• Practice techniques for market-sizing questions
• Stay up to date with current affairs, especially with regards to the UK public sector and the work The PSC is doing.

You could also consider using the STAR method to structure your answers:

• Situation - Open with a brief description of the situation and context of the story - Where/when/who/what.
• Task - Explain the task you had to complete, highlighting expectations and challenges.
• Action - Describe the actions – which illustrate the desired traits/skills that you specifically took to complete the task.
• Result - Close with the specific result of your efforts. Include figures to quantify the result if possible.

AI Policy

We recognise that generative AI tools are increasingly becoming a part of everyday life and therefore have developed our AI policy to demonstrate our view on AI within our application process. As part of the application process, you will be required to agree and adhere to our Policy for the Use of AI.