QUESTION 20 OF 27

A key component to success here at Egon Zehnder International is building solid relationships with new clients. How do you effectively get to know new people and lay the groundwork for a long lasting relationship?

The fast paced world of business consulting requires the ability to build relationship after relationship with all of the clients that you will potentially be working with. For this question, your interviewer will be looking to gain insight into how you build relationships with new people from the first time you interact with them. In your answer, talk about how you gain and build trust with new people and explain how the little things in your initial interactions go a long way toward building long lasting working relationships.

"I am a firm believer that success in any role I've played in my career was due in part to the relationships that I've built in those roles. Whenever I have the chance to work with a new colleague or a new customer, my approach is to create an initial connection with them to build trust. After that point, my interpersonal skills take over through active listening. I use my listening skills to learn about the motivating factors and needs of the person that I will be working with and this helps mold that respect and trust between us even more. I think this approach would be very critical in working with new clients on a regular basis here at Egon Zehnder International and I'd love the opportunity to bring these skills to the table for you."

Community answers are written by other candidates practicing this set. Reading how others frame the same question is one of the fastest ways to sharpen your own.

Anonymous Answer

Building relationships is essential to any successful consulting engagement, and I believe the key to doing this effectively is through active listening and communication. When meeting new clients, I first try to understand their goals, priorities, and challenges by asking open-ended questions and actively listening to their responses. By doing so, I can tailor our approach and recommendations to meet their specific needs. I also make a point to be transparent and honest about what we can and cannot do for them. This helps to establish trust and credibility, which is critical in building a long-lasting relationship. Finally, I believe in keeping open lines of communication throughout the engagement, which includes regular check-ins and follow-up meetings to ensure that our work continues to meet their expectations.

Marcie's Feedback

Awesome! It sounds like you know just how to quickly build a meaningful relationship with a new client. To further bolster your answer, can you provide a specific example of a time when you successfully accomplished this?

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Egon Zehnder Mock Interview

A key component to success here at Egon Zehnder International is building solid relationships with new clients. How do you effectively get to know new people and lay the groundwork for a long lasting relationship?

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27 Egon Zehnder International AG Interview Questions & Answers