Author: Taylor Warfield, Former Bain Manager and interviewer

Last Updated: June 1, 2026

The Willis Towers Watson case study interview is the hardest part of the WTW hiring process, and you need to pass it to land an offer. It is a 30 to 60-minute exercise where you solve a real business problem out loud while an interviewer evaluates your thinking.

 

If you have a case study interview with Willis Towers Watson coming up, there is no need to panic. This guide covers the full WTW interview process, what the case assesses, how to solve it step by step, the most common case types with a full worked example, and a clear plan to prepare.

 

But first, a quick heads up:

 

McKinsey, BCG, Bain, and other top firms accept less than 1% of applicants every year. If you want to triple your chances of landing interviews and 8x your chances of passing them, watch my free 40-minute training.

 

What Changed in 2026?

 

This guide was updated to reflect that the firm now goes by WTW after rebranding from Willis Towers Watson. It adds full coverage of the HireVue video assessment that now screens candidates early in the process.

 

It also adds a section on what WTW actually does, a worked benefits case example, and a new set of common mistakes drawn from recent candidate reports.

 

What Is a Willis Towers Watson Case Study Interview?

 

A Willis Towers Watson case study interview is a 30 to 60-minute exercise in which you develop a recommendation to solve a business problem. It places you in a hypothetical client situation and tests how you think, not what you already know.

 

These business problems can be any challenge that real companies face:

 

• How can a company increase its revenues?

 

• Should a company target a new customer segment?

 

• Should a company acquire another company?

 

• How can a company reduce its costs?

 

A real WTW project may last 3 to 9 months, but the case study interview condenses that work into 30 to 60 minutes. The cases can cover any industry, including retail, financial services, energy, healthcare, government, and technology.

 

No technical or specialized knowledge is needed to solve a case. All of the background information you need will be given to you during the interview.

 

What Does WTW Do, and Why Does It Matter for Your Case?

 

WTW (formerly Willis Towers Watson) is a global advisory, broking, and solutions firm. It was formed in 2016 through the merger of Willis Group and Towers Watson, employs roughly 48,000 people across 140 countries, and reported about $9.9 billion in revenue in 2024.

 

WTW runs two main business segments. Knowing which one you are interviewing for helps you anchor your case answers and your motivation.

 

WTW Segment	What It Does	2024 Revenue
Health, Wealth & Career	Employee benefits, retirement, actuarial, and compensation consulting	About $5.9 billion
Risk & Broking	Commercial insurance broking, specialty risk, and insurance consulting	About $4.0 billion

 

This matters because WTW is not a generalist strategy firm in the same way as McKinsey, BCG, or Bain. Its cases often sit close to its core work, such as designing a benefits package, pricing insurance risk, or restructuring a workforce.

 

You do not need to be an actuary. But a candidate who can reason through basic benefits or insurance economics will stand out from one who treats every case as generic strategy.

 

What Is the Willis Towers Watson Interview Process?

 

Willis Towers Watson typically runs three rounds of interviews after an initial screen, usually spread over 4 to 12 weeks. Glassdoor data from 2026 shows an average of about 29 days from first contact to decision across more than 1,200 reported interviews.

 

The exact process varies by office and role, but it generally looks like this:

 

• Application: Resume and cover letter submission

 

• HireVue assessment: A recorded video screen with timed behavioral questions, scored with the help of AI

 

• First round: A phone or video screen with an HR recruiter, focused on resume and motivation questions

 

• Second round: Interviews with 2 consultants, focused on behavioral questions and case study interviews

 

• Final round: Interviews with 2 to 4 consultants, often including a group case interview

 

Across these rounds you will face a mix of resume questions, motivational questions, behavioral questions, and one or more cases. Resume questions dig into your past experiences and achievements.

 

Behavioral questions ask you to draw on a past experience where you showed a specific skill or quality.

 

Examples include:

 

• Tell me about a time when you solved a difficult problem

 

• Give an example of a time you disagreed with a teammate

 

• Tell me about a time when you went above and beyond

 

Motivational questions ask about your interests. Expect to be asked why you want consulting and why you want to work at Willis Towers Watson specifically.

 

According to WTW's careers site, common interview questions include:

 

• What do you know about Willis Towers Watson?

 

• Of all your accomplishments, which makes you the most proud?

 

• What do you value most from your career?

 

• What motivates you?

 

What Does the WTW HireVue Video Assessment Involve?

 

The WTW HireVue assessment is a recorded one-way video interview with timed behavioral questions. Based on recent candidate reports, you answer roughly 5 to 8 questions, get about 1 minute to prepare each answer, and have around 2 to 3 minutes to record.

 

You usually get a single attempt per question, so there are no retakes. Some candidates also report short written responses and a couple of brief mini-games inside the same assessment.

 

This stage is scored with the help of AI that reads the structure and clarity of your answers, not just the words. It is one of the biggest drop-off points in the process, so treat it as seriously as a live interview.

 

Three things will improve your score:

 

1. Use the STAR structure (Situation, Task, Action, Result) for every answer so your story is easy to follow
   
   
2. Record practice answers on your phone or laptop until you sound natural within the time limit
   
   
3. Look into the camera, not the screen, and keep your answers tight at around 90 seconds

 

What Does a Willis Towers Watson Case Study Interview Assess?

 

A Willis Towers Watson case study interview assesses five qualities: logical and structured thinking, analytical problem solving, business acumen, communication skills, and personality and cultural fit. All five can be judged in a single 30 to 60-minute case.

 

1. Logical and structured thinking: Consultants need to be organized and methodical to work efficiently.

 

• Can you structure complex problems in a clear, simple way?

 

• Can you take large amounts of information and pull out the most important points?

 

2. Analytical problem solving: Consultants work with a lot of data to build recommendations.

 

• Can you read and interpret data well?

 

• Can you run math computations smoothly and accurately?

 

3. Business acumen: A strong business instinct helps consultants make the right call.

 

• Do you understand fundamental business concepts?

 

• Do your recommendations make sense from a business perspective?

 

4. Communication skills: Consultants work closely with teammates and clients.

 

• Can you communicate in a clear, concise way?

 

• Are you articulate in what you are saying?

 

5. Personality and cultural fit: Consultants spend a lot of time in small teams.

 

• Are you coachable and easy to work with?

 

• Are you pleasant to be around?

 

How Do You Solve a Willis Towers Watson Case Study Interview?

 

There are six steps to solving any Willis Towers Watson case study interview, no matter the industry or case type. Follow them in order and you will stay structured under pressure.

 

1. Understand the case

 

Your case begins with the interviewer giving you the background. Take detailed notes on the most important information as they speak.

 

Ask clarifying questions if needed, and summarize the case back to confirm your understanding. The most important part of this step is verifying the objective, because answering the wrong question is the quickest way to fail a case.

 

2. Structure the problem

 

Next, build a framework to break the problem into smaller parts. Ask the interviewer for a minute to collect your thoughts, which is a normal request.

 

Your framework should be as MECE as possible, meaning mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive. Each part should have no overlap with the others, and together they should cover every important area of the case.

 

Once you have your major areas, walk the interviewer through them. Strong, tailored case study interview frameworks are what separate top candidates from the rest, so avoid forcing a memorized structure onto the problem.

 

3. Start solving the case

 

After presenting your framework, you start digging into it. How this works depends on whether the case is candidate-led or interviewer-led.

 

In a candidate-led case, you propose which area to explore first and explain why. In an interviewer-led case, the interviewer tells you where to start. Willis Towers Watson cases are generally interviewer-led.

 

4. Solve quantitative problems

 

Your case will have some quantitative element, such as calculating a profitability metric or estimating a figure. Lay out your approach with the interviewer before doing any math, then execute the calculations.

 

Talk through your thinking out loud so the interviewer can follow each step. Once you have the answer, explain how it affects the recommendation you are forming.

 

5. Answer qualitative questions

 

Your case will also have qualitative parts, such as brainstorming ideas or giving an opinion on a business issue. The key is to structure your answer instead of listing random thoughts.

 

When brainstorming, group your ideas into clear categories. When giving an opinion, state your position first and then list the reasons that support it.

 

6. Deliver a recommendation

 

In the final step, present your recommendation and the main reasons behind it. You do not need to recap everything, so focus only on the most important facts.

 

Include next steps you would take with more time or data. These can be areas you did not explore or open questions you could not fully answer.

 

What Are Common Willis Towers Watson Case Study Interview Examples?

 

Willis Towers Watson does not publish official case examples, so practice has to come from the most common case types. Below are eight problem types to expect, with examples tilted toward WTW's work in benefits, risk, and insurance where relevant.

 

Market entry: Assess whether a client should enter a new market or launch a new offering.

 

Example: A European reinsurer is considering entering the US cyber insurance market. Should it?

 

Profitability: Find the root cause of falling profits and fix it.

 

Example: A mid-size insurer's combined ratio has risen from 95% to 102%. Diagnose the problem and recommend a path back to profit.

 

Benefits design: Redesign an employer's benefits to balance cost and employee satisfaction.

 

Example: A large employer wants to cut health benefits cost growth without lowering employee satisfaction. What should it change?

 

Mergers and acquisitions: Evaluate the risks and benefits of buying or merging with another company.

 

Example: A client is acquiring a competitor. How should it combine the two workforce benefits programs?

 

Growth strategy: Build a strategy for steady growth.

 

Example: Develop a growth plan for an insurance brokerage that wants to expand into new regions.

 

Pricing: Set or optimize the price of a product or service.

 

Example: Recommend a pricing approach for a new specialty insurance product.

 

Operations improvement: Improve a process to cut cost or raise quality.

 

Example: Speed up the claims processing operation at a regional insurer.

 

Market sizing: Estimate the size of a market or segment.

 

Example: Estimate the total addressable market for pet insurance in the UK.

 

Worked Example: An Employee Benefits Cost Case

 

Here is a short walk-through of a benefits case, the kind WTW favors. Use it to see how the six steps come together.

 

Prompt: A technology company with 25,000 employees spends $400 million a year on health benefits. Costs have grown 8% per year for three years while revenue grew only 4%. The head of HR wants benefits cost growth under 5% per year without dropping employee satisfaction. What should they do?

 

Step 1, clarify the objective. The real goal is two-sided: slow cost growth and protect satisfaction. Confirm that before structuring.

 

Step 2, structure the problem into three areas: where the money goes, what levers can reduce it, and how to protect the employee experience.

 

Step 3 and 4, size the levers. Suppose three changes are on the table:

 

Lever	Estimated Annual Savings	Satisfaction Risk
Shift 40% of staff to a high-deductible plan	$30 million	Medium
Tighten the pharmacy drug list	$20 million	Low
Steer complex care to lower-cost providers	$10 million	Low

 

Those three levers total about $60 million in savings. Against $400 million of current spend, that pulls annual cost growth from 8% down to roughly 3%, which clears the under-5% target.

 

Step 5 and 6, protect satisfaction and recommend. Fund employee health savings accounts to offset the higher-deductible plan, then deliver the recommendation: roll out the three levers in phases, fund the savings accounts, and communicate the changes early to keep satisfaction above target.

 

Notice what makes this strong: domain-specific structure, quantified levers with clear assumptions, and a recommendation that balances both objectives. If you want to learn case interviews quickly, my case interview course walks you through proven strategies in as little as 7 days.

 

How Do You Prepare for Willis Towers Watson Case Study Interviews?

 

There are six steps to preparing for Willis Towers Watson case study interviews. Work through them in order for the fastest improvement.

 

1. Understand what a case study interview is

 

Start by learning exactly what case interviews are and what a great performance looks like. This makes it easier to pick up the right strategies in the next step.

 

Before moving on, you should know the objective of a case, the structure and flow, the types of questions you can get, and what strong answers sound like.

 

2. Learn the right strategies

 

Now learn the right way to solve cases. It is far easier to learn good strategies the first time than to unlearn bad habits later.

 

If you prefer books, three I recommend are Hacking the Case Interview, The Ultimate Case Interview Workbook, and Case Interview Secrets. Hacking the Case Interview tells you exactly what to do and say at each step, which makes it the best starting point for beginners.

 

Before moving on, you should have strategies for building frameworks, solving quantitative problems, answering qualitative questions, and delivering recommendations.

 

3. Practice a few cases by yourself

 

Once you know the strategies, start practicing. It is usually better to case with a partner than to practice alone, but for your first 3 to 5 cases, working by yourself is fine.

 

Solo practice lets you get the hang of the structure quickly without scheduling around anyone. You can also drill framework building and math on your own, which are easy to practice without a partner.

 

4. Practice cases with a partner

 

Next, case with a partner, which is the best way to simulate the real thing. There are parts of a case you cannot improve until you practice live.

 

Spend enough time on feedback. For a 30 to 40-minute case, give at least 15 to 20 minutes of feedback, because much of your improvement comes from those sessions.

 

5. Practice with a former or current consultant

 

After 5 to 10 cases, ask a former or current consultant to give you a case. They know how to run cases and give feedback, so you will catch things your other partners missed.

 

If you feel like you are plateauing with your usual partner, that is the sign to do a mock case with a consultant. You can find them among friends, classmates, colleagues, and your wider LinkedIn network.

 

6. Work on your improvement areas

 

Finally, fix your weak spots one at a time. Common areas include building a cleaner framework, doing math faster, structuring qualitative answers, and delivering a tighter recommendation.

 

How many cases you need depends on your starting point and how fast you improve. Most candidates do anywhere from 10 to over 100 cases to feel ready.

 

How Do Willis Towers Watson Group Case Interviews Work?

 

Willis Towers Watson sometimes uses a group case interview in the final round. This format assesses your collaboration and teamwork rather than solo problem solving.

 

Here is what to expect:

 

• You are put into a group with 3 to 5 other candidates

 

• The interviewer hands out the case materials

 

• You get about one hour to review, discuss, and prepare a short presentation

 

• Interviewers observe quietly and do not interfere

 

• Your group presents for about 15 minutes, then takes follow-up questions

 

Your goal is to add value to the group. There are six ways to do that:

 

• Lead or guide the discussion by proposing topics, order, and timing, and by refocusing the group when it drifts

 

• Expand on other people's ideas to make a good point even better

 

• Synthesize information by summarizing what others said and reconciling different views

 

• Keep track of time so the group stays on schedule

 

• Play devil's advocate by testing ideas against their risks and downsides

 

• Take notes so the group can recall what has been discussed

 

Five tips will lift your group case performance:

 

Tip #1: Treat your group as teammates, not competition

 

The group case is not a contest. Interviewers want to see whether you would be a good teammate, and multiple candidates in your group can receive offers.

 

Tip #2: Do not spend too long reviewing materials in silence

 

Reading independently for a moment is fine, but move to a group discussion early. There is usually a lot to decide together, so silent reading is a poor use of time.

 

Tip #3: Do not speak too much or too little

 

Speaking too much can look aggressive, and speaking too little can look timid. If you ranked everyone by how much they spoke, you want to land roughly in the middle.

 

Tip #4: Do not interrupt or talk over people

 

Cutting people off is rude and works against you. Be respectful and let others finish.

 

Tip #5: Involve other people

 

If someone has been quiet, ask for their view. If someone was cut off, invite them to finish their thought. This shows you are a considerate teammate.

 

What Are the Most Common WTW Interview Mistakes?

 

The most common WTW interview mistakes are treating the firm like a generalist strategy shop, underestimating the HireVue screen, and giving a weak answer to why WTW. Avoiding these three puts you ahead of most candidates.

 

1. Treating WTW like a pure strategy firm.

Many WTW cases sit close to benefits, risk, and insurance. Showing up with only generic frameworks signals you did not research the firm.

 

2. Underestimating the HireVue.

Candidates often treat the recorded video like a casual call. It is a real screen with a single attempt, so practice and record yourself first.

 

3. Giving a weak “why WTW” answer.

Saying you want consulting and WTW seems interesting is a non-answer. Tie your reason to a specific segment, such as Health, Wealth & Career or Risk & Broking.

 

4. Rushing the math.

WTW cases can include simple financial ratios. You do not need actuarial precision, but you do need clean, confident arithmetic done out loud.

 

5. Dominating the group case.

Trying to run the whole room backfires. Contribute sharp points, build on others, and offer to synthesize.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

Is the Willis Towers Watson case study interview hard?

 

It is moderately hard. Glassdoor users rate the overall WTW interview difficulty at about 2.76 out of 5, with roughly 66% reporting a positive experience. The case study is the hardest single part, but it is very passable with structured practice.

 

How many rounds does the WTW interview process have?

 

WTW typically has three interview rounds after an initial screen. There is usually a HireVue video assessment, then a recruiter screen, a second round with two consultants, and a final round with two to four consultants that may include a group case.

 

Does WTW use a HireVue video interview?

 

Yes. Many WTW candidates complete a HireVue recorded video assessment early in the process. You answer about 5 to 8 timed behavioral questions with one attempt each, and the responses are scored with the help of AI.

 

How long does the WTW interview process take?

 

It averages about 29 days from first contact to decision, according to Glassdoor data from 2026. Depending on the office and role, the full process can run anywhere from 4 to 12 weeks.

 

What kind of cases does WTW give?

 

Expect profitability, market entry, mergers and acquisitions, growth strategy, pricing, operations, and market sizing cases. Because of WTW's business, many cases focus on employee benefits, retirement, insurance, and risk.

 

Does WTW do group case interviews?

 

Yes, WTW sometimes uses a group case interview in the final round. You work with 3 to 5 other candidates to analyze a case and present a recommendation while interviewers observe.

 

Do you need insurance or actuarial knowledge for a WTW case?

 

No specialized knowledge is required, and all the information you need is provided during the case. That said, basic familiarity with benefits and insurance economics helps you stand out in WTW's domain-specific cases.

 

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