Frequently Asked Questions

You can submit your application through the ‘Apply Now’ form. It can be found in all our Careers pages.

If you are currently studying at one of our partner universities and graduating in 2027, please apply through the dedicated application links provided through the university career portals.

Once we receive your application (CV and covering letter), the below steps will follow:

Junior Hires (Graduate Consultant/Consultant)*

1. Online assessments followed by complete application screening 

2. First round interviews – a 30-minute session with a senior member of our team (Senior Consultant, Manager or Principal) – F2F from our offices, via MS Teams (for far-remote candidates) or on campus for our partner universities

3. Second round interviews – two separate 45-minute sessions with two members of our team – 1st session via MS Teams and 2nd F2F from Cairneagle offices (or via MS Teams for far-remote candidates)

4. Final round – a discussion with one of our partners and Head of People Operations – F2F or via MS Teams 

* At least one round of second or final round interviews should be face-to-face.

Experienced Hires (Senior Consultant/Manager)

1. Online assessments followed by complete application screening 

2. First round of interviews – a 20-minute session with one of our principals or Head of People

3. Second round interview – a 60 to 75-minute session with a manager and Senior Consultant

3. Third round interview – a 90-minute session with a partner and a principal

4. Final round – a discussion with a partner and Head of People Operations

We will be keeping you updated with the outcome of each step and whether you have successfully passed to the next one at the earliest possible.

Round 1 focuses on creative and conceptual thinking, clear communication, resilience, and cultural fit — including your interest in education.

Round 2 case studies interviews test analytical and numeracy skills, structured problem-solving, and organisation, alongside communication and resilience. The final round checks how you collaborate across levels, your overall potential, and cultural fit.

It would help you stand out if you can demonstrate that you are a fast learner, are intellectually curious, and have a keen eye for details. However, there is no perfect formula for these interviews so don’t be afraid to show the unique skillsets and experiences that you can bring to the table.

We recommend that all candidates familiarise themselves with the format of case studies and be confident in telling stories of your previous experiences. In addition, you should be ready to explain why you are interested in working at Cairneagle.

We do accept applications from candidates who have been unsuccessful in the past and there have been cases of unsuccessful candidates re-applying and being offered a position. We do, however, require that re-applicants wait at least 12 months from the date of their previous application.

For Graduate Hires, applications are reviewed on a rolling basis throughout each recruitment campaign, with interviews typically taking place in November and December. A similar timeline applies for Intern Hires. For Experienced Hires, we recruit on a rolling basis year-round. Each Graduate and Intern campaign is anchored around university career fairs each autumn. 

For Experienced Hires, we recruit on a rolling basis. 

For graduate and intern hires, applications open in August each year and the target closing date is the 25th of October.

We will continue to accept applications until mid-December but priority will be given to those who submitted an application before the 25th of October deadline.

For graduate hires, we offer start dates in February and September, and for intern hires, we offer a 2-month placement in July. 

We are accepting experienced hire applications on an ongoing basis. 

We offer summer internships, off-cycle internships and placement year internships. If you are interested in applying for these roles, please apply via the Careers section of our website.

We currently do not offer any work experience opportunities of less than two months. This is to ensure that interns get the chance to see the full life cycle of our projects. 

While we do not have specific entry points aimed at candidates with advanced degrees, we welcome applications from such candidates. We recommend that candidates review our job descriptions and apply for the role that they feel best fits their experience level.

For the Senior Consultant and Manager roles all hires should have previous experience in business consulting.

We do, however, accept applications for junior roles (Consultant and Graduate Consultant) from people who have no directly relevant consulting experience or little consulting experience.

Please see below for typical experience levels by role: 

• Consultant (Graduate hires and limited consulting experience) – 0-3 years of experience/up to two years of consulting experience
• Senior Consultant – 3-5 years of relevant consulting experience 
• Manager – 5+ years of relevant consulting experience

We recommend applying for the role that you believe most fits your current experience level. We will review your application on its individual merits and actively discuss if we believe a different level is better suited for an applicant with previous experience. 

Please see below for typical experience levels by role: 

• Consultant (Graduate hires and limited consulting experience) – 0-3 years of experience/up to 3 years of consulting experience
• Senior Consultant – 3-5 years of relevant consulting experience 
• Manager – 5+ years of relevant consulting experience

No, not necessarily. We come from a pretty diverse range of backgrounds, with our consultants having degrees in a wide range of fields, from business to science to arts and humanities. We look to recruit candidates who can demonstrate the key skills that we are looking for such as critical thinking, teamwork, professionalism – we know that these are things that can be developed in many different ways, including university clubs and societies, sports, entrepreneurship, part-time or holiday work as well as more traditional work experience, such as internships. 

You are able to apply to all our permanent vacancies if you require visa sponsorship. You can find out about your eligibility through the Home Office immigration website here. 

We would suggest outlining your top 2-3 experiences that demonstrate your skills and why you would make a good strategy consultant. We want to know why you are applying to Cairneagle and what motivates you to work here. It is also important to keep the letter concise, cohesive, and clear – we recommend that the cover letter be one page in length.