Boutique and specialist consulting interviews use the same core case and fit format as generalist firms but expect more sector knowledge, often feature cases drawn from the firm's actual specialism, and may include written exercises, Excel tests or presentations. To prepare, combine standard case skills with a working understanding of how money flows in the sector.
What counts as a boutique or specialist firm?
This includes healthcare and life sciences strategy firms, energy and utilities specialists, technology strategy consultancies, economics consultancies, and specialist practices within larger firms. Their processes vary widely, so always check each firm's careers pages and speak to current employees.
How do specialist interviews differ from MBB?
| Generalist (MBB-style) | Specialist / boutique | |
|---|---|---|
| Case content | Any industry | Usually the firm's sector |
| Domain knowledge | Not expected | Basic knowledge expected or rewarded |
| Additional exercises | Online assessments | Written tests, Excel, presentations common |
| Fit focus | Motivation for consulting | Motivation for the sector specifically |
These are generalisations. Some boutiques run very MBB-like processes.
How do you prepare for healthcare and life sciences cases?
Know the value chain
Understand how drugs and devices move from R&D through regulatory approval, pricing and reimbursement to patients. Know the payer–provider–patient relationships in the markets you'll interview for, including how the NHS commissions services in the UK.
Typical case themes
- Launch strategy for a new drug
- Market sizing for a therapy (patient-based: prevalence × diagnosis rate × treatment rate × price)
- Commercial due diligence on a healthcare services business
- Hospital operations (bed capacity, waiting times)
Useful habits
Size markets from the patient population. Consider regulators, payers and clinicians as stakeholders. Recognise that clinical evidence drives adoption.
How do you prepare for energy cases?
Know the economics
Understand generation costs (including the concept of levelised cost of energy), how wholesale power prices are set, the role of grid networks, and how policy and subsidy mechanisms shape investment.
Typical case themes
- Should a utility invest in a renewables project?
- Market entry into EV charging
- Decarbonisation strategy for an industrial client
- Due diligence on an energy services company
Useful habits
Think in capacity (MW) and output (MWh) terms. Watch for capacity factors. Treat policy and regulation as central drivers, not side issues.
How do you prepare for technology strategy cases?
Know the business models
Subscription/SaaS metrics, platform economics, cloud migration, digital transformation business cases and build-versus-buy decisions.
Typical case themes
- Should a retailer build or buy an e-commerce platform?
- Pricing a SaaS product
- Prioritising digital initiatives under a budget
- Assessing an AI implementation's business case
Useful habits
Be fluent in metrics like recurring revenue, churn, customer acquisition cost and lifetime value. Separate one-off implementation costs from recurring costs. Consider change management and adoption, not just technology.
What other exercises might you face?
- Written case: analyse a pack of data and write a short report or slides.
- Excel test: clean data, build a simple model and answer questions.
- Presentation: present findings to a panel, sometimes after a group exercise.
- Technical interview: for economics consultancies, questions on economic concepts or econometrics.
How should you answer "why this sector?"
Specialist firms want genuine interest in their sector. Draw on coursework, work experience, personal connection or sustained reading. "I've followed the UK grid connection queue issue closely because..." is more convincing than "Energy is an exciting sector."
How should you practise?
- Learn one primer per sector (value chain, key metrics, current issues).
- Practise sector-specific cases alongside generalist ones.
- Read the firm's published insights and case studies.
- Practise written and Excel exercises under time pressure if the firm uses them.
AI case practice is useful for sector drills. You can ask an AI interviewer such as caize.ai for healthcare, energy or technology cases to build sector fluency quickly, then sense-check your domain knowledge with people who work in the field.
FAQ
Do I need prior industry experience for a specialist firm?
Not always for graduate roles, but demonstrated interest and basic knowledge help significantly.
Are boutique interviews easier than MBB?
Not necessarily. They're different, often more sector-specific, and sometimes include more exercises.
Should I prepare differently for a specialist practice at a large firm?
Yes. Expect generalist cases plus sector questions, and be ready to explain your interest in the practice.
What's the most important sector concept to learn?
How the money flows: who pays whom, for what, and what drives margins.
