The company recruiter reached out to me on LinkedIn. A brief exchange of emails led to a phone call. They were ready to meet with me within days.
Prior to the interview, I was asked to complete a checklist of various consulting-related skills I felt comfortable performing and asked to supply some basic information to supplement my resume.
The interview was one of the most comfortable interviews in which I have ever participated - from either side of the table. There were two representatives from the company present, but the more senior representative provided most of the information. It included a lot of back-and-forth and flowed far more like a conversation among peers than an interrogation. While the obvious questions of what I could do to benefit the firm were woven into the discussion, there were plenty of questions and statements about how the firm could benefit me. The sense that this organization runs as a team and that every member is valued as a contributor and as an individual was ever-present.
A few days later I had a followup 1-on-1 with a more senior company representative who was just as welcoming and engaging. This strengthened my opinion that the culture at this organization is one that puts high value on the individuals to ensure the success of the team.
While these first two encounters did not lead to a placement at the client being discussed, everyone made sure I understood that they would be looking for other engagements that fit my abilities. About a week later I was contacted again, and I am about to take on my first assignment.