Seven tips for the FTI Consulting application process from the firm’s recruiters

Read on for seven insider tips on how to succeed during the different stages of the FTI Consulting recruitment process from Neha Shah, the firm’s early talent recruiting manager.

Jump to: FTI Consulting recruitment process overview | Tips for the FTI Consulting recruitment process | Final words of advice

FTI Consulting recruitment process overview

FTI Consulting offers five specialist segments: corporate finance, forensic & litigation consulting, economic & financial consulting, technology and strategic communications. The exact recruitment process will depend on the segment you’re applying to but, generally, the process follows a common path.

First, submit your CV and covering letter online

Some segments require you to answer application questions. You’ll receive these along with an invite to the online assessments as part of the next stage. The questions are reportedly motivational according to graduates who’ve posted on Glassdoor.

Next, complete some online assessments

These are typically aptitude tests, such as verbal, and logical and numerical reasoning, and, if you’re applying to the technology segment, this may also include a technical test. Strategic communications applicants complete a written assessment.

‘The graduate recruitment team review your initial CV and covering letter and keep in touch with you, but assessments are carried out by the segment you’ve applied to,’ says Neha.

Then, undertake a first-stage interview

Usually, you will then be invited to a first FTI Consulting interview. However, some segments might skip this stage. Graduate applicants also report being interviewed either by telephone or via a real-time video call with questions having a competency and motivational focus.

‘The early stages of the process are about getting to know you as a person, your background and your motivation, while the later stages will also explore your understanding of the role you’ve applied for, your skills and aptitude,’ explains Neha.

Finally, attend an assessment centre

The final stage of the FTI Consulting application process is an assessment centre that includes a second, and, potentially, third interview. ‘Your interviews will be with senior members of the segment but the graduate recruitment team will be at the assessment centre so you have a familiar face on the day,’ Neha adds.

You’ll attend the assessment centre in person (usually at one of the firm’s London offices) and the remaining activities included on the day will depend on your segment. For example, economic and financial consulting applicants tackle a group exercise and a case-study interview, while strategic communications applicants take on their own group exercise and another written assessment.

Find all the content you need on the firm in its targetjobs employer hub!

Tips for the FTI Consulting graduate recruitment process

Neha shares her top seven pointers on how to convince FTI Consulting that you are the best fit for the role.

1. Demonstrate enthusiasm for the opportunity
2. Show that you want to work at FTI
3. Research the firm
4. Mind the details
5. Show off your interpersonal skills
6. Clue yourself in to the FTI Consulting values
7. Be authentic

1. Enthusiasm trumps academics and experience

At FTI Consulting, your enthusiasm and attitude will go a long way. In fact, this is usually more important than any academics or work experience.

‘Don’t worry if you don’t have any formal work experience. It’s not the be-all-and-end-all for us,’ says Neha. ‘What do you do outside of work? If you’re applying to the strategic communications segment, you might not have studied journalism or done an internship, but how else have you channelled your passion for writing? If you’re applying to the technology segment, you might not have studied a STEM degree, but have you taught yourself Python in your spare time? Put that on your CV.’

‘You don’t necessarily need all of the skills and experience at the start of your career but, if you’ve got the interest, you’re halfway there,’ adds Neha. ‘One of the most regular pieces of feedback we hear from our segments on the students they interview is that they wanted to see more energy, enthusiasm and passion for the role and for FTI Consulting.’

If you are truly enthusiastic about the role and about FTI Consulting, you don’t need to overthink how to get this across to your assessors. It’s better to be natural than to lay it on too thick or appear forced. However, Neha also points out that the questions you ask at the end of your interview can be very revealing.

‘You can always tell whether someone is passionate about FTI Consulting in the questions they ask,’ she explains. ‘Have you picked the first three generic questions you found on the internet, or have you come up with genuine questions based on what you are eager to learn more about?’

Learn about the sorts of questions that you should ask at your interview to demonstrate genuine enthusiasm for the job.

2. Show that you want to work at FTI Consulting

At every stage of the recruitment process, you need to give FTI Consulting your undivided attention and demonstrate why you want to be part of the firm. Ticking most of the boxes won’t guarantee success if it’s clear you’ve applied for 100 other jobs and don’t care which one you get.

‘You need to mention why you want the job, of course, but we also want to know why you want it at FTI Consulting specifically. A lot of applicants miss that second point,’ advises Neha. ‘As a first step, you need to tailor your CV and covering letter to us. I know it can be a pain, but we get hundreds and hundreds of applications. A quick copy and paste job will cost you.’

If you’re not sure where to start in answering ‘Why FTI Consulting?’, think back on when you first looked into the firm— what caught your attention and made you want to apply? Why do you think FTI Consulting is a strong employer in its field? Some further research will help you to expand and discover more reasons, which leads us to our next tip…

3. Knowledge about FTI Consulting is power

Neha says she is always impressed by candidates who have made the effort to find out more about FTI Consulting.

‘We don’t expect you to know everything about us and we certainly aren’t looking for you to recite all of our statistics, but we would like to see that you understand the firm, what our segments are, what work we do and who our clients are. If you’ve taken the time to get to know us, this is another indicator that you’re genuinely interested in working here,’ shares Neha.

‘Looking at our website is a good start, but it’s up to you to dive deeper,’ is Neha's advice. ‘If we’ve put together a case study on one of our projects, do some further research. You could search for FTI Consulting on Google or LinkedIn, follow us on social media, come to our events and speak to people. Equally, look at the job description to remind yourself of what you need to know for the role. If anything is new to you, consider doing some further reading to develop your understanding.’

Researching FTI is vital to your application's success – find out how to do so with our article on how to research an employer for a graduate role.

4. Small details count – especially spelling and grammar

It might sound basic, but sending an application littered with spelling mistakes and bad grammar could mean you fall at the first hurdle. Take an extra minute to proofread your CV and covering letter before sending them to FTI Consulting and consider getting a second pair of eyes from a careers adviser, friend or family member.

‘We’re a consulting firm, so the quality of our communication with external clients is really important,’ explains Neha. ‘It’s helpful for us to see that you can maintain a high standard of spelling and grammar in your application. Once you work here, you’ll regularly send emails to clients and plan presentations.’

You can use our article on crafting the perfect graduate consulting CV to ensure that your CV is spick and span. 

5. Let your interpersonal skills shine

Life at FTI Consulting involves talking to clients on a daily basis, so interpersonal skills take centre stage. ‘We’re looking for people who are friendly and sociable, who can think logically when advising clients and who can articulate themselves well, both verbally and in written form,’ says Neha.

You can write/talk about how you have developed your interpersonal skills in your CV, covering letter and interview(s). Part-time jobs and extracurricular activities such as university societies, sports teams and volunteering are renowned for developing these skills, so be ready to draw on these experiences as examples.

Assessment centres give FTI Consulting a chance to see your people skills in practice, through your interactions with other candidates and through informal networking with current employees.

‘Be prepared to talk to FTI Consulting representatives at your assessment centre, ask questions and get to know them,’ says Neha. ‘Alongside the other more structured activities, this is an opportunity for you to talk to some senior stakeholders at FTI Consulting and shine through in a different way. If we’re not seeing you interact, it’s much harder for us to discover more about you. Equally, when somebody at FTI Consulting is impressed by a student they’ve spoken to, they will tell us!’

She adds: ‘One thing I’d emphasise is that you don’t need to be the loudest person in the room or the one always taking the lead. We have seen candidates before who tried to be a bit too dominant in a group scenario, which had a negative effect on their peers.’ You need to give your input, but remember that interpersonal skills also include listening, patience, empathy, motivation, dependability and flexibility.

Find out more about the interpersonal skills consulting recruiters are after.

6. Get to know the FTI Consulting values  

FTI Consulting’s values spell out ‘I CARE’:

• Integrity
• Creativity
• Achievement
• Respect
• Empathy

You can find out more about these values on the ‘About’ page of the FTI Consulting website –  and Neha recommends that you at least familiarise yourself with what they mean.

‘Our interviewers have been known to ask students if they know what our values are. While we might not explicitly ask you to expand on how you share these values, they are in the back of our minds when we’re deciding who to hire,’ explains Neha. ‘Our values define our culture so we want to know that you will be able to exemplify them.’

7. It’s important that you be yourself

Recruitment at FTI Consulting is a two-way process, so you can get to know the company and they can get to know you. For this to work, you need to let your real personality shine. While it’s good to keep in mind FTI Consulting’s values and your interpersonal skills, do not lose yourself in the process.

’I know it’s a cliché, but it’s very important that you be yourself throughout the recruitment process,’ says Neha. ‘With previous candidates, we’ve sensed that they’re hiding their true selves, and this can come across as insincere. We’re not looking for one type of person, so there’s no need to put on a front of what you think we want to see. We just want to get to know you.’

Final tips for the aspiring FTI consultant

Check out the following related advice articles to ensure that you’re fully prepared for your FTI Consulting application. And, don’t forget that creating a graduate profile on targetjobs sets you up for tailored advice content and job opportunities without you having to search for it.