OC&C Strategy Consultants Case Interview: Everything You Need to Know

OC&C Strategy Consultants is known for its focus on strategy-first engagements in sectors such as consumer goods, B2B, and TMT (technology, media, telecom). Compared to firms like Deloitte or Accenture, OC&C’s case interviews tend to be more purely strategic and hypothesis-driven, often resembling condensed versions of high-level corporate strategy engagements rather than operational or implementation-heavy projects.

This guide walks you through OC&C’s interview process, explains what makes their cases distinct, and helps you prepare using structured drills and resources available on case-prep.com.

OC&C Interview Process: What to Expect

While formats may vary slightly by region, this is the standard structure for US, UK, and most Western European offices:

1. Application and Resume Screening
Strong academics, analytical internships, leadership roles, and demonstrated interest in strategic problem-solving are key. Using an application tracker (such as ours, which includes salary data, interview timing, and recruiter insights) can help benchmark your competitiveness. OC&C also recently launched a math exam, which contains some short questions to test your math abilities. Your resume will only be reviewed once you've completed this exam, and it will be reviewed collectively with your math score, so it's best to brush up on some math drills before taking it.

2. First Round Interviews

• Typically 2 interviews, each lasting 45 minutes with Associate Consultants, Consultants, and Managers
• Includes a short behavioral section followed by a strategy-style case
• OC&C is known to focus more on the casing portion of the interview. As a result, your casing abilities matter more here than at other firms
• Cases are commonly candidate-led and focused on market entry, competitive dynamics, or growth strategy, although each case is uniquely crafted by the OC&C employee who interviews you, so some will be more candidate-led than others

3. Final Round / Assessment Day

• Typically 2 interviews, each lasting 45 minutes with Associate Partners and Partners
• May include a written or presentation-based case in some regions, but the US will have the same format between the first round and final round interviews (focusing more on casing)
• Cases become more ambiguous, requiring strong hypothesis-driven navigation and concise synthesis under time pressure

Note: OC&C is one of few firms that offers a "interview buddy" in between your first round and final round. During your buddy chat, you will receive feedback from the first round and you'll have the opportunity to ask questions in a more casual setting.

What Makes OC&C Case Interviews Unique

OC&C emphasizes structured thinking and strategic clarity over purely numerical intensity. Interviewers expect you to:

• Formulate a hypothesis early and iteratively refine it
• Understand dynamics of competitive positioning, differentiation, and customer segments
• Use logic and market insight to justify assumptions
• Demonstrate commercial intuition, especially regarding pricing power, customer behavior, and market attractiveness
• Provide a clear strategic recommendation tied to qualitative and quantitative reasoning

While not as profit-and-loss heavy as private equity-style interviews (e.g., EY-Parthenon or L.E.K.), OC&C still expects quantitative fluency. If mental math is a weakness, using structured math drills helps develop confidence and accuracy under time pressure.

OC&C Case Format: Step-by-Step Expectations

Clarify the client’s objective
Determine whether this is a market entry, competitive positioning, growth strategy, or pricing decision. Reviewing similar strategy-oriented cases in our case library helps build intuition.

Create a structured framework
Frameworks often emphasize market attractiveness, customer behavior, strategic levers, competitive differentiation, and potential risks.

Drive the analysis
OC&C expects you to lead the conversation, proactively pointing out critical unknowns and logically sequencing your approach. Practicing with peers via our casing network (free!) helps build this muscle.

Execute quantitative reasoning confidently
Expect CAGR, market share, profitability implications, and customer segmentation math. Consistent use of math drills and market sizing drills ensures fluency.

Interpret exhibits with a strategic lens
Charts often involve segmentation insight or competitor benchmarking. Using exhibit analysis drills trains you to quickly identify trends and strategically relevant insights.

Deliver a structured recommendation
Your conclusion should tie back to market rationale, competitive positioning, revenue potential, and execution considerations.

Behavioral Questions at OC&C

Expect questions that assess your strategic mindset, analytical ownership, and communication under pressure. Common themes include:

• Times you diagnosed a complex problem using structured thinking
• How you approached a strategic recommendation with limited data
• Moments when you influenced a decision using logic or analysis
• Working collaboratively in a high-intensity or intellectually demanding setting
• Why OC&C’s strategy-focused, sector-oriented approach aligns with your interests

If you are unfamiliar with how OC&C compares culturally and operationally to firms like BCG or Deloitte, our Intro to Consulting course helps establish this baseline before intensive prep.

How to Prepare for OC&C Interviews

Success at OC&C requires structured thinking, strategic clarity, and efficient quantitative reasoning. An optimal preparation sequence typically includes:

• Build baseline understanding of strategy consulting through an intro course (such as ours for newcomers).
• Drill mental math until break-even, ROI, and CAGR calculations are automatic.
• Practice market sizing frequently because it is often early in the case.
• Use exhibit analysis drills to strengthen your ability to extract strategic meaning from data quickly.
• Work through corporate strategy and profitability cases in our case library (premium).
• Practice live with peers through a dedicated networking hub for candidates.
• Stay updated on salary trends and recruiting timelines using a firm-specific application tracker.
• Subscribe to a weekly newsletter to monitor process changes and case trends at OC&C Strategy Consultants.

Many candidates struggle at OC&C not due to a lack of intelligence but because they fail to synthesize insights logically and tie them into a clear hypothesis-driven recommendation. Structured drills reduce hesitation and enhance strategic coherence under pressure.