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How PwC Interviews in 2026: Process, Questions & What They Score

The complete process, reported questions, and what interviewers score.

Explore the playbookJump to the questions

PwC / Interview snapshot

7

stages from
application to offer

39

reported questions

3-5

weeks, typically

27

public sources

Last verifiedJul 2026
HOW TO READ THIS PLAYBOOK

Independent: SupaCV is not affiliated with or endorsed by PwC. This is one well-documented shape of PwC's interviews, not a script: processes change and vary by role, team, level, and region, so confirm specifics with your recruiter.

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01 / For every PwC candidate

The process, start to finish.

PwC hires into Consulting/Advisory through several distinct practices (Strategy&, PwC's pure-play strategy arm, PwC Consulting Solutions/Advisory, Deals, Technology Consulting, Risk, etc.), and the interview process varies by practice, seniority, and country. Across US and UK sources, the process reliably includes: an online application, one or more online assessments (a video-based situational judgment test and/or a gamified cognitive assessment), a behavioral/HR-style screen, at least one case-based or "business" interview, and a final interview with a Partner or Director.

Strategy& runs a tighter, more candidate-led, fit-heavy process (2 rounds, roughly 4-5 total interviews); broader PwC Consulting/Advisory runs closer to 3-4 rounds and can add a written or group case later. Time from application to offer is commonly cited as roughly 3-5 weeks (Glassdoor aggregate average ~28 days across all roles; ~24 days for Audit Associate; Strategy& runs longer, averaging closer to 37 days per Glassdoor), though UK graduate schemes using a full assessment-day format ("Career Focus") can take up to ~6 weeks.

Because PwC is a large, decentralized Big 4 firm, exact stage names/counts differ by country and service line: treat the numbers below as directionally reliable, not a single fixed script.

Stage 1:

Online application & resume/CV screen

Ongoing/rolling; PwC often recruits on a rolling, first-come-first-served basis

Candidates apply via the PwC careers site with resume, transcript, and work history. PwC also runs background/reference checks at some point in the pipeline. Rejection rates at the earliest stages are steep by most accounts: campus-recruiting commentary and prep sites cite rough estimates anywhere from ~80% (application stage alone) to ~90% (resume plus assessment stages combined), but PwC does not publish an official funnel number, so treat any specific percentage as a directional signal, not a verified stat.

Stage 2:

Online assessment(s)

~15-20 minutes for the SJT; ~30-45 minutes (US-style test); ~75-85 minutes (UK 'Career Unlocked' game-based test)

PwC layers more than one online assessment depending on region and role, and they typically gate each other sequentially rather than running as a single step. In the UK, most pipelines start with a video-based Situational Judgment Test (SJT), where you watch short scenario videos of workplace situations and pick the most/least effective response, and only candidates who clear it move on to the gamified 'Career Unlocked' assessment (built by Arctic Shores: ~9-11 short games) plus roughly 15-18 timed numerical- and logical-reasoning questions. In the US it's more commonly a single, shorter cognitive/situational-judgment style test rather than this two-part sequence.

Stage 3:

Asynchronous/recorded video interview

~10 questions; ~2 min prep/3 min answer for standard questions, ~10 min prep/5 min answer for case-style promptsRegion-dependent

Used in some markets (notably UK, branded 'Career Conversation'): candidates record responses to behavioral and motivational questions plus short case-style prompts on PwC's portal, with a short prep timer per question. Not universal. Many US pipelines go straight from assessment to a live recruiter call.

Stage 4:

Recruiter/HR phone or video screen

~30 minutes

A live conversation with a recruiter (not yet a case) covering background, motivation ('why PwC', 'why this practice'), and basic fit. No case work at this stage.

Stage 5:

First-round interview(s): case + behavioral

~45 minutes per interview; group cases run ~20-30 minutes

Typically one or two back-to-back interviews, often with senior associates or managers, each split between a case discussion and behavioral/fit questions. At Strategy& the case is candidate-led (you structure the problem, ask for data, and drive the analysis). Broader PwC Consulting/Advisory can include a written case (materials released ~48 hours ahead, requiring a PowerPoint deliverable with a presentation and Q&A on the day) or, less commonly, a group case with roughly 3-6 candidates.

Stage 6:

Final round: Partner/Director interview

~30 minutes for a standalone partner interview; a full day for UK-style assessment centers

A senior leader (Partner or Director) in the line of service interviews primarily for career goals, seniority-appropriate judgment, and cultural/values fit; may include a final case or scenario discussion. In some regions (notably UK graduate schemes) this is folded into a full-day 'Career Focus' assessment center with group exercises, an individual case, a presentation, and a written report.

Stage 7:

Offer & onboarding handoff

Varies

Successful candidates are contacted with an offer and handed to an onboarding team.

A tag is the condition given in brackets in the stage name.

Reported interview time, one scale in minutes

Where the minutes go

  • Online assessment~15 to 85 min
  • Recruiter/HR phone or video screen~30 min
  • First-round interview : case + behavioral~20 to 45 min
  • Final round: Partner/Director interview~30 min
Low end of what is reportedUp to the high end

Not drawn: Online application & resume/CV screen, Asynchronous/recorded video interview and Offer & onboarding handoff, whose durations are not given in minutes.

02 / What PwC scores

The framework.

The PwC Professional framework, plus PwC's five firm-wide values

  1. 01

    Trusted Leadership (one of two overarching dimensions of The PwC Professional)

  2. 02

    Distinctive Outcomes (the other overarching dimension of The PwC Professional)

  3. 03

    Whole Leadership: leading and delivering results in a responsible, authentic, resilient, inclusive, and passionate way

  4. 04

    Business Acumen: bringing business knowledge, innovation, and fresh thinking to create value for clients and PwC

  5. 05

    Technical Capabilities: applying a range of technical, digital, and other professional capabilities to deliver quality and value

  6. 06

    Global Acumen: operating and collaborating across geographic, political, and cultural boundaries

  7. 07

    Relationships: building genuine, trust-based relationships internally and externally

  8. 08

    Act with Integrity (firm value)

  9. 09

    Make a Difference (firm value)

  10. 10

    Care (firm value)

  11. 11

    Work Together (firm value)

  12. 12

    Reimagine the Possible (firm value)

Per PwC's own careers pages and independent secondary sources, 'The PwC Professional' sits on two dimensions (Trusted Leadership and Distinctive Outcomes) and is operationalized through five named attributes (Whole Leadership, Business Acumen, Technical Capabilities, Global Acumen, Relationships), each with capabilities that scale by career level.

Separately, PwC publishes five firm-wide values (Act with Integrity, Make a Difference, Care, Work Together, Reimagine the Possible) used in its Code of Conduct and culture messaging: this list of five is complete and matches PwC's global purpose-and-values page word for word. Multiple candidates report being asked directly in interviews which of the five values, or which of the five PwC Professional attributes, they most identify with, so both lists are genuinely interview-relevant, not just marketing copy.

Read the rest of the framework notes

This is distinct from a scored case-interview rubric like MBB's; PwC's case evaluation criteria (structured thinking, quantitative/mental-math comfort, business judgment, communication, leadership presence) are described by third-party prep sites as the practical grading dimensions during case rounds, but PwC itself does not appear to publish a named case-scoring rubric the way it publishes The PwC Professional.

03 / Coach's notes

Coach's tips.

  1. 01

    Prepare behavioral/fit answers with the same rigor as case prep. Multiple sources say PwC, especially Strategy&, weights the behavioral interview more heavily than MBB firms, and a weak fit interview can sink an otherwise strong case performance; use STAR and explicitly tie your examples to a PwC Professional attribute (Whole Leadership, Business Acumen, Technical Capabilities, Global Acumen, Relationships) or one of the five firm values.

  2. 02

    Practice mental math daily for 4-6 weeks before the case rounds (percentages, margins, breakeven). No calculator is permitted in live case interviews.

  3. 03

    Know exactly which practice/service line you're interviewing for (Strategy& vs. PwC Consulting Services vs. Deals vs. Technology Consulting) and tailor your 'why this group' answer. Case style differs: Strategy& cases are candidate-led and strategy-flavored (make-vs-buy, market entry, M&A), while broader Advisory cases lean into profitability, cost, and digital-transformation scenarios and may include a written or group case.

  4. 04

    If you're in a UK or other market using the video-based situational judgment test, the gamified 'Career Unlocked' assessment (Arctic Shores), or the asynchronous 'Career Conversation' video interview, practice those formats specifically beforehand: they have unusual pacing (short per-question timers, game mechanics, scenario-judgment logic) that a standard live-interview prep routine won't cover, and each one is a separate gate you have to clear before moving on.

  5. 05

    For written cases, practice compressing a data packet into a client-ready PowerPoint/executive summary within a realistic time box (PwC reportedly gives materials ~48 hours ahead, with a same-day presentation plus Q&A); for group cases, interviewers are explicitly grading collaboration behaviors (bringing in quieter teammates, building on others' ideas), not just who reaches the 'right' answer.

  6. 06

    Be ready to be asked directly which of PwC's five values (Act with Integrity, Make a Difference, Care, Work Together, Reimagine the Possible) resonates most with you, and why you want this specific line of service (e.g., Tax Advisory, Deals). Candidates have documented this question in almost exactly this wording.

  7. 07

    Build in extra runway for timeline expectations: the overall Glassdoor average is ~28 days, but Strategy& specifically runs closer to 37 days and UK 'Career Focus' assessment-day pipelines can stretch to ~6 weeks, so don't read a slower pace as a bad sign.

04 / The research

Where this page comes from.

Compiled from public sources across 15 sites. PwC's own page is among them: pwc.com/us/en/careers/why-pwc/pwc-professional.html.

sites
15
coaching and prep guides
17
PwC's own pages
5
candidate reports and forums
5

Source composition

Where the research comes from

Grouped by the kind of site that published each source: PwC's own domain, candidate forums, and everything else.

  • Coaching and prep guides17
  • PwC's own pages5
  • Candidate reports and forums5

05 / The questions

Reported questions, by category.

Showing questions for

Roles are grouped by the category each question fits, not by the source.

Case / business problem-solving interviews

8 questions

  1. A regional airline is considering adding alcoholic beverages to its in-flight menu. Should they proceed? (walk through framework, quantify, recommend). This one is corroborated by multiple independent candidate reports as an actual PwC/Strategy& case

  2. A cardboard packaging manufacturer is facing declining margins. What's driving it, and what would you recommend? (profitability/margin case, also independently corroborated)

  3. Should our client enter a new geographic market, and how would you evaluate the opportunity? (market-entry case)

  4. How would you help a client cut costs by a target amount without hurting quality or service? (cost-reduction case)

  5. Should Company A acquire Company B? What synergies and risks would you look for? (Deals/M&A-style case, common in PwC Deals interviews)

  6. Should a client build a new capability in-house or buy/partner for it? (make-vs-buy case, common at Strategy&)

  7. How should a traditional retailer respond to declining foot traffic and rising online competition? (digital transformation case)

  8. Walk me through how you'd structure an evaluation of whether a client should launch a new product.

Market sizing / guesstimate questions

5 questions

  1. What's the market size for take-away/to-go coffee in this country?

  2. How many bottles of wine are sold in the U.S. every year?

  3. How many laptop computers are sold in North America annually?

  4. How many diapers are sold in the United States each year?

  5. What is the market size for wedding photography in the United States?

Every role

Case / business problem-solving interviews

1 question

  1. Note: PwC/Strategy& cases are typically candidate-led (you drive structuring, data requests, and synthesis, rather than the interviewer walking you through prompts step by step); no calculator is allowed, so mental math for percentages/margins/breakeven is expected.

Every role

Market sizing / guesstimate questions

1 question

  1. Note: these are general guesstimate-style prompts that multiple prep sources say Big 4 firms including PwC use, especially in first rounds; not verified as PwC-exclusive questions, but a well-documented question type to prep for at PwC and peer firms alike.

Every role

Behavioral / fit interviews

(STAR-format)

9 questions

  1. Tell me about a time you received criticism or difficult feedback. How did you respond?

  2. Tell me about a time you worked in a team to accomplish something.

  3. Tell me about a time you led a team (situation, task, action, result).

  4. Describe a conflict you had to manage or resolve.

  5. Tell me about a time you actively sought feedback.

  6. Tell me about a time you had to complete a project under a tight deadline.

  7. Tell me about a time you actively sought out a different perspective.

  8. Tell me about a time you had to work with little guidance from your supervisor.

  9. Note: reported consistently on Glassdoor and by prep sites as directly mapped to the five named attributes of The PwC Professional framework (Whole Leadership, Business Acumen, Technical Capabilities, Global Acumen, Relationships). Strategy& in particular is described as weighting behavioral/fit interviews more heavily than MBB firms; strong case performance alone reportedly will not save a weak fit interview.

Every role

Motivational / firm-fit questions

8 questions

  1. Why PwC (over other Big 4 firms or consultancies)?

  2. Why consulting as a career?

  3. What do you know about PwC's business, and how does PwC add value for clients?

  4. Tell me about a recent piece of business/industry news and how it affects clients or PwC.

  5. Where do you see yourself in five years, and what will you be doing in your first year at PwC?

  6. PwC's values are Act with Integrity, Make a Difference, Care, Work Together, and Reimagine the Possible. Which resonates with you most, and why?

  7. Why this specific service line (e.g., Tax, Deals, Technology Consulting, Strategy&) rather than another?

  8. Note: the values-identification question is directly documented via a candidate-submitted Glassdoor question transcript, confirming it is asked close to word for word.

Every role

Technical / industry-knowledge questions

(Technology Consulting, Deals, and other specialist tracks)

6 questions

  1. Walk me through a technical project on your resume and the technologies/architecture you used.

    Resume-based technical deep dive; tests explaining the architecture and technology choices behind your own project.

  2. Explain the difference between an INNER JOIN and a LEFT JOIN.

    SQL fundamentals: INNER JOIN vs LEFT JOIN semantics.

  3. Easy coding/data-structures problems (roughly LeetCode-easy level) plus multiple-choice questions on Agile methodology and Big-O complexity.

    Tests easy coding and data structures plus multiple-choice questions on Agile methodology and Big-O complexity.

  4. Fundamentals across OOP, databases (DBMS, including ACID properties and normalization), computer networks, and operating systems (processes, threads, paging, virtual memory).

    Tests CS fundamentals: OOP, DBMS with ACID and normalization, networking, and OS concepts like paging and threads.

  5. For ERP/SAP-track candidates: questions on the specific module or platform (SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics) relevant to the role.

    Platform-specific check for ERP tracks: depth in the SAP, Oracle, or Dynamics module relevant to the role.

  6. Note: technical depth and topic vary heavily by specialization (SAP/ERP, Data & Analytics, Cybersecurity, general Technology Consultant); resume-based deep dives are consistently reported as the anchor of these interviews.

Reported problems, listed so you know what to expect. Practice them in your own editor or on the platform you prefer; SupaCV's practice mode coaches how you talk through them.

Your next step

Interviewing at PwC?

Make sure your resume gets you to the first round.

Score your resume, then prep for PwC

Practicing for PwC against your resume is in Interview Prep on Career.

Common questions

Quick answers.

How many stages are in PwC's interview process?

PwC has 7 stages, set out in The process.

What framework does PwC use to evaluate candidates?

The framework behind PwC's evaluation is set out in What PwC scores.

What kinds of questions does PwC ask?

PwC's questions fall into 5 categories, grouped in The questions.

How reliable is this PwC interview playbook?

It is compiled from public sources, and the evidence is in The research.

Sources (27)

Every public source this page was compiled from. Links open in a new tab.

15 sites, by sources

  • glassdoor.com5
  • hackingthecaseinterview.com4
  • pwc.com4
  • wikijob.co.uk2
  • geeksforgeeks.org2
  • preplounge.com1
  • roadtooffer.com1
  • myconsultingoffer.org1
  • igotanoffer.com1
  • managementconsulted.com1
  • datalemur.com1
  • jobtestprep.co.uk1
  • graduatesfirst.com1
  • pwc.co.uk1
  • mconsultingprep.com1
  1. 01preplounge.com/en/blog/consulting/firms/pwc
  2. 02roadtooffer.com/blog/pwc-case-interview-guide
  3. 03myconsultingoffer.org/case-study-interview-prep/pwc-case-interview-strategy
  4. 04wikijob.co.uk/interview-advice/company-interview-questions/pwc
  5. 05hackingthecaseinterview.com/pages/pwc-strategyand-case-interview-prep
  6. 06hackingthecaseinterview.com/pages/pwc-consulting-interview
  7. 07hackingthecaseinterview.com/pages/pwc-career-unlocked-assessment
  8. 08hackingthecaseinterview.com/pages/pwc-assessment-test
  9. 09igotanoffer.com/blogs/mckinsey-case-interview-blog/strategy-pwc-case-i…
  10. 10managementconsulted.com/pwc-professional-framework
  11. 11pwc.com/us/en/careers/why-pwc/pwc-professional.html
  12. 12pwc.com/gx/en/about/purpose-values-and-behaviours.html
  13. 13pwc.com/gx/en/careers/what-we-look-for.html
  14. 14glassdoor.com/Interview/PwC-Interview-Questions-E8450.htm
  15. 15glassdoor.com/Interview/PWC’s-values-are-Act-with-Integrity-Make-a-D…
  16. 16glassdoor.com/Interview/From-five-competencies-Whole-Leadership-Busi…
  17. 17glassdoor.com/Interview/PwC-Associate-Consultant-Interview-Questions…
  18. 18glassdoor.com/Interview/PwC-Audit-Associate-Interview-Questions-EI_I…
  19. 19datalemur.com/blog/pwc-sql-interview-questions
  20. 20geeksforgeeks.org/pwc-interview-experience-for-tech-consultant-on-campus
  21. 21geeksforgeeks.org/pwc-india-interview-experience-for-technology-consulta…
  22. 22jobtestprep.co.uk/pwc-online-test
  23. 23wikijob.co.uk/aptitude-tests/test-types/career-unlocked-pwc
  24. 24pwc.com/us/en/careers/entry-level/recruiting.html
  25. 25graduatesfirst.com/pwc-job-tests
  26. 26pwc.co.uk/careers/experienced-careers/apply/what-to-expect.html
  27. 27mconsultingprep.com/pwc-case-interview

Related reading

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Compare PwC's process with other Consulting companies in this playbook: