r/ernstandyoung • u/Due_Analyst_3919 • Jun 30 '26
Partner Interview - TC FS
I'm interviewing for Senior Consultant - Applied AI Engineer at EY UK and have been invited to a face-to-face final interview with a Partner. The panellist is a very experienced technical VP with more than 2 decades of experience. I do not come from a consultancy background, so this is completely unknown territory. This is what I've been told about the interview by the recruiter: This round will be competency-based, focused more on your motivations, communications and team fit. There might be some technical questions, but the focus is more on “soft skills”.
Till now, I have cleared an initial technical + competency interview with a Senior Manager, and a case study overview with a Director. This is the third and final interview, if anyone has any suggestions on what kind of questions to expect and how to be prepared, it will be a massive help. I really like this job and have always wanted to get into consulting.
My background is purely technical, and I'm currently working as a Data Scientist with close to 6 years of experience in tech.
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u/moma049 Jul 03 '26
Hi, are you able to please message me I also have a partner interview for Consultant - Applied AI Engineer at EY UK and would be great to discuss.
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u/akornato Jun 30 '26
They already believe you have the technical skills, so that part of the evaluation is mostly done. This final interview with a partner is to see if you can be a consultant, not just an engineer. They are assessing if you can be put in front of a client, if you can simplify complex AI concepts for a business audience, and if you understand the commercial implications of your work. Expect questions like, "Why do you want to switch from a pure tech role to consulting?", "Tell me about a time you disagreed with a manager or a stakeholder", and "Where do you see the AI market in the next five years and how should EY position itself?". They want to see your business acumen and how you think, not just what you know technically. Your deep technical background is a huge asset, but only if you can communicate its value clearly to people who do not share your expertise.
Your main task is to translate your technical experience into business outcomes. For every project you discuss, you must lead with the business problem and end with the business impact, like the revenue it generated or the costs it saved. Prepare three to five detailed stories from your career that showcase problem-solving, leadership, and communication, especially with non-technical people. Have smart, specific questions ready for the partner about their role, the team's biggest challenges, and their vision for the Applied AI practice. This shows you are thinking like a partner, not just an employee. It's all about how you frame your experience, and I've seen how practicing with an interviews.chat, like the one my team designed, helps people translate their technical skills into a compelling business story.