Applied for the Associate Consultant 2026 - Public Market, Strategy & Transformation role (originally a different req that the recruiter rerouted). The interview was scheduled as a panel but became a 1-on-1 when one interviewer had a conflict. Total length was about 45 minutes to an hour with a Senior Consultant from IBM's Strategy & Transformation service line (came in via acquisition, ~12 years consulting experience, public sector focus). Format: Conversational, behavioral, and situational — no case study or technical assessment. The interviewer took notes throughout and referenced my resume. Structure was: brief intro from her, behavioral/situational questions, then 10-15 minutes for my questions and next steps. Vibe: The interviewer was warm, gave thoughtful context after each answer, and shared real stories from her own engagements (including a multi-year hospital design project with Emory). It felt more like a conversation than an interrogation. She was clearly assessing communication style, ability to bridge technical and business audiences, and consulting instincts (empathy, listening, structured thinking) over rote answers.