Analysis Group Interview: Process, Questions & Tips
From case studies to behavioural competencies, this guide walks you through every stage of the Analysis Group interview process and gives you the tools to answer confidently.
What to Expect from the Analysis Group Hiring Process
Analysis Group is one of the world's largest economic consulting firms, advising clients on complex litigation, regulatory, and strategy matters. Because the work requires both rigorous quantitative thinking and clear communication, the firm's interview process is designed to test both dimensions simultaneously.
While the exact sequence can vary by office, level, and role, candidates typically move through: an initial application and CV screen, one or more rounds of structured interviews (which may begin with a one-way video or phone screen), and final-round conversations with senior staff. Associate and analyst-level roles tend to place heavy emphasis on analytical and case-style questions, while consultant and manager-level hires face more in-depth discussions of prior project experience and leadership.
- CV and cover-letter screen (emphasise quantitative coursework, research experience, and any economics or finance exposure)
- One-way video or phone interview — assessing communication and motivation
- First-round interviews — analytical problems, behavioural questions, and fit
- Final-round interviews — deeper case discussions, research presentations, or technical deep-dives depending on level
Core Competencies Analysis Group Looks For
Economic consulting firms commonly evaluate candidates against a consistent set of competencies, and Analysis Group is no exception. Understanding these competencies before you sit down to prepare helps you prioritise your effort and choose the right examples.
The core competencies assessed across most interview rounds include analytical reasoning (the ability to break down ambiguous problems using data and economic logic), communication (translating complex findings for non-specialist audiences), intellectual curiosity (genuine interest in the subject matter of a case), teamwork and collaboration, and attention to detail. At more senior levels, client management and mentorship of junior staff also feature.
- Analytical reasoning and quantitative rigour
- Structured, clear communication — verbal and written
- Intellectual curiosity and engagement with economics or policy
- Collaborative, team-oriented working style
- Attention to detail in data handling and research
- At senior levels: project leadership and client relationship skills
Types of Questions You Are Likely to Face
Analysis Group interviews typically combine three question types: behavioural, analytical/quantitative, and case-based. The balance shifts depending on your level — entry-level candidates face more structured analytical tests, while experienced hires spend more time on their track record.
Behavioural questions follow familiar competency patterns: tell me about a time you worked through a difficult analytical problem, describe a situation where you had to explain a technical concept to a non-technical stakeholder, or give an example of managing competing deadlines. Analytical questions may involve estimating a market size, interpreting a regression output, or walking through the logic of a damages calculation. Case questions — more common at the associate level and above — ask you to structure an approach to an economic or business problem, often drawing on antitrust, finance, or health economics contexts.
- Behavioural: "Tell me about a time you identified an error in someone else's analysis."
- Analytical: "Walk me through how you would estimate the economic impact of a pricing change."
- Case: "A client is accused of predatory pricing — what framework would you use to assess this?"
- Motivation: "Why economic consulting over investment banking or academia?"
- Technical: "How would you interpret a statistically significant but economically small coefficient?"
Reading about it isn't the same as doing it on camera.
Run a free timed mock interview →How to Use STAR to Answer Behavioural Questions
For every behavioural question, structure your answer using the STAR method: Situation (the context), Task (your specific responsibility), Action (what you personally did, step by step), and Result (the measurable or meaningful outcome). This keeps your answer focused and demonstrates both impact and accountability.
Here is a worked example for a common Analysis Group question: 'Tell me about a time you had to communicate a complex finding to a non-expert audience.'
- Situation: 'During my master's dissertation, I ran a difference-in-differences analysis on the effect of a minimum-wage change on employment in the retail sector.'
- Task: 'I needed to present the findings to a panel that included both economists and policy professionals with no econometrics background.'
- Action: 'I stripped all technical jargon from my slides and instead used a visual comparison — a simple before-and-after chart — to show the parallel trends assumption. I prepared a one-page plain-English summary and rehearsed analogies for the key statistical concepts.'
- Result: 'The policy professionals engaged substantively in the Q&A for the first time in the series, and my supervisor noted it as a model for future presentations. I received a distinction on the project.'
Preparing for Analytical and Case Questions
Unlike management consulting case interviews, Analysis Group cases tend to be rooted in economic theory and empirical evidence rather than frameworks like profit trees. You are more likely to be asked how you would approach a damages calculation in an antitrust matter, or how you would design a study to establish causality, than to restructure a fictional retailer.
Build your preparation around three pillars. First, refresh your applied economics and statistics fundamentals — regression, causality, market structure, and basic finance. Second, read publicly available expert reports and white papers from economic consulting firms; these illustrate how professionals frame and communicate economic arguments. Third, practise structuring your thinking aloud. Starting with 'Let me make sure I understand the question' and then signposting your logic ('First I'd consider… then I'd examine…') demonstrates the structured communication the firm prizes.
ScreenReady is particularly useful here: you can record yourself answering analytical walkthrough questions under timed conditions and review your verbal clarity, pacing, and structure before the real interview.
Research and Motivation: Standing Out on Fit Questions
Interviewers at economic consulting firms pay close attention to why you want this specific type of work — not just consulting generically. Vague answers about 'applying economics to real problems' are common and forgettable. Instead, anchor your motivation in concrete examples: a paper you found compelling, a regulatory case you followed, or a specific practice area (health economics, competition, finance) where your background genuinely aligns.
Before each interview, review Analysis Group's published thought-leadership, academic affiliations, and any high-profile cases in the public domain. If you can reference a white paper or policy analysis the firm contributed to and explain why it resonates with your own research interests, you immediately differentiate yourself from candidates who have done only surface-level preparation.
- Identify one or two practice areas that genuinely match your academic or professional background
- Read at least two pieces of Analysis Group's published research before each round
- Prepare a concise, specific answer to 'Why economic consulting over other paths?'
- Know your own CV deeply — be ready to discuss any project or module in detail
- Prepare thoughtful questions for your interviewer about the nature of the work and team culture
Final Preparation Checklist
In the week before your interview, consolidate your preparation rather than cramming new material. The goal is fluency and composure, not volume of knowledge.
Use a tool like ScreenReady to run timed mock sessions for both your behavioural and analytical answers — watching yourself back reveals filler words, poor pacing, and moments where your structure collapses under pressure, all things that are invisible when you practise silently. Treat every mock as the real thing.
- Prepare three to five strong STAR stories covering different competencies
- Revise applied econometrics basics and core microeconomic concepts
- Research the firm's recent publications and notable practice areas
- Practise thinking aloud on at least two analytical or case-style problems
- Test your video setup, lighting, and audio if any stage is conducted remotely
- Prepare two or three specific, informed questions for your interviewer
- Sleep, eat, and arrive or log on with time to spare
Frequently asked questions
Does Analysis Group use a one-way video interview?
Many candidates report an early-stage one-way video or phone screen before progressing to live interview rounds, though the exact format can vary by office and role. This stage typically assesses motivation, communication clarity, and basic fit with the firm. Practising concise, well-structured answers to common 'why consulting' and behavioural questions is the best preparation for this format.
How technical are Analysis Group interview questions for analyst roles?
Analyst-level interviews commonly include analytical reasoning questions that draw on economics, statistics, and data interpretation — for example, interpreting regression outputs or estimating a market-level effect. You are unlikely to face highly specialised econometric theory, but you should be comfortable with core concepts such as causality, regression, and basic microeconomics. The ability to explain your reasoning clearly matters as much as arriving at a correct answer.
What is the difference between an Analysis Group case interview and a management consulting case?
Analysis Group cases tend to be grounded in economic and empirical reasoning — antitrust damages, regulatory impact assessment, statistical study design — rather than the business-framework-driven cases typical of strategy firms. You are more likely to be asked how you would approach measuring a causal effect or structuring an expert opinion than to diagnose a declining profit margin. Familiarity with economics literature and empirical methods is therefore more valuable than standard case-prep frameworks.
How should I explain why I want economic consulting rather than academia or finance?
The most convincing answers are specific and personal. Explain what draws you to applied, real-world impact over pure research, and what attracts you to the consulting model — the variety of cases, working across industries, or contributing to high-stakes litigation or policy decisions. Avoid generic statements and instead tie your answer to a particular type of case or subject area where your background is relevant.
How many interview rounds does Analysis Group typically have?
Candidates commonly experience two to three rounds, beginning with a screen and progressing to one or more interview days involving multiple interviewers. The number of rounds and the seniority of interviewers generally increases for more senior positions. Because processes can change and vary by office, it is worth asking your recruiter contact to clarify the expected structure for your specific role.
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