How long does the Havas interview process take?

Most candidates spend between 4 and 8 weeks from recruiter screen to offer. The onsite loop itself runs in a single day or is split across two half-days, with debrief and offer typically within 5 business days after.

How should I prepare specifically for Havas?

Focus on three things: (1) the company DNA shown above — what they actually grade for, (2) the rounds in your loop, especially the round most candidates underestimate, and (3) drilling on the question types in this guide using a structured framework like CIRCLES or STAR.

Does this apply to engineering or design roles at Havas?

The DNA stays the same — what changes is the round mix. SWE candidates face coding screens instead of Product Sense; designers face portfolio reviews and design exercises. The "what they value" and behavioral signals carry across all functions.

Why are you interested in strategy consulting, and specifically within the SaaS industry at Havas?

Type: Motivation. Sign up at JobMentis to see the full framework, grading signals, and worked answer for this question.

Havas is considering expanding its flagship SaaS product into the South American market. Outline your approach to assessing the viability of this expansion.

Type: Market Entry. Sign up at JobMentis to see the full framework, grading signals, and worked answer for this question.

A key enterprise client is experiencing declining ROI from their Havas SaaS subscription. How would you diagnose the root cause and propose solutions?

Type: Profitability. Sign up at JobMentis to see the full framework, grading signals, and worked answer for this question.

Describe a time you led a team through a significant change or challenge. What was your role, what actions did you take, and what was the outcome?

Type: Leadership. Sign up at JobMentis to see the full framework, grading signals, and worked answer for this question.

Tell me about a time you identified an opportunity and took initiative to pursue it, even without being asked. What was the situation and what did you do?

Type: Entrepreneurial Drive. Sign up at JobMentis to see the full framework, grading signals, and worked answer for this question.

Based on your understanding of Havas's work in the SaaS space, what do you see as our biggest strategic challenge or opportunity in the next 3-5 years?

Type: Firm Fit. Sign up at JobMentis to see the full framework, grading signals, and worked answer for this question.

Your resume mentions [specific project/experience]. Can you walk me through the strategic thinking behind your approach and the key decisions you made?

Type: Resume Deep Dive. Sign up at JobMentis to see the full framework, grading signals, and worked answer for this question.

Tell me about a time you took initiative to solve a problem that wasn't explicitly part of your job description. What was the situation and the outcome?

Type: Ownership. Sign up at JobMentis to see the full framework, grading signals, and worked answer for this question.

Describe a situation where you had to persuade a difficult stakeholder or team to adopt your recommendation. What was your approach, and what was the result?

Type: Influence. Sign up at JobMentis to see the full framework, grading signals, and worked answer for this question.

Other roles at Havas:Brand Manager Marketing Sales Strategy Consultant

Enterprise · Strategy Consultant Interview Guide

How to Pass the Havas Strategy Consultant Interview in 2026

The Havas DNA (TL;DR)

Havas evaluates candidates on creativity, strategic thinking, client-centricity, and a deep understanding of modern media landscapes. They seek individuals who can demonstrate innovative problem-solving and effective communication skills in a fast-paced agency environment.

English original + your local-language translation

Tech and global multinational interviews are most often conducted in English. For industries like luxury, finance, or pharma, the working language may be local. We show every question in English first — alongside your local-language translation — so you can prep in whichever language your interviewer ends up using.

The Havas Interview Loop

Your onsite loop will typically consist of 5 rounds.

1
Round 1
Recruiter Screen
Motivation, fit, why consulting.
2
Round 2
Case Interview
Market sizing, profitability, market entry, M&A — structured problem-solving with hypothesis-driven analysis.
3
Round 3
PEI / Personal Experience
STAR-style stories on leadership, entrepreneurial drive, personal impact.
4
Round 4
Fit / Partner Round
Why this firm, why this office, deeper resume walkthrough with senior partner.
5
Round 5
Behavioral / Leadership
Past evidence of ownership, influence, resolving conflict.

The Danger Zone: Top Reasons Candidates Fail

Based on our database of Havas interview outcomes, avoid these common traps:

Choosing an example that was simply part of their job description.
Focusing on persuasion tactics rather than understanding the stakeholder's perspective.
Lack of research into Havas's recent performance, acquisitions, or stated strategies.
Describing a trivial disagreement.

Test Yourself: Real Havas Questions

Three real prompts pulled from our database.

Type · Influence

Describe a situation where you had to influence stakeholders (e.g., sales, product, leadership) to adopt a new marketing strategy or approach. How did you build consensus?

Type · Adaptability

Tell me about a time when project requirements or priorities changed suddenly. How did you adapt your approach, and what was the result?

Type · Ownership

Tell me about a time you took ownership of a project or initiative that was failing or at risk. What was the situation, what did you do, and what was the outcome?

+ many more questions, signals, and worked examples

Unlock the rubric →

Havas Interview Question Bank

A sample from our database, grouped by round. Sign up to see the full set.

9 of 18 questions shown

Recruiter Screen

1
Type · Motivation
Why are you interested in strategy consulting, and specifically within the SaaS industry at Havas?

Case Interview

2
Type · Market Entry
Havas is considering expanding its flagship SaaS product into the South American market. Outline your approach to assessing the viability of this expansion.
3
Type · Profitability
A key enterprise client is experiencing declining ROI from their Havas SaaS subscription. How would you diagnose the root cause and propose solutions?
+ 1 more questions in this round (sign up to unlock)

PEI / Personal Experience

4
Type · Leadership
Describe a time you led a team through a significant change or challenge. What was your role, what actions did you take, and what was the outcome?
5
Type · Entrepreneurial Drive
Tell me about a time you identified an opportunity and took initiative to pursue it, even without being asked. What was the situation and what did you do?
+ 1 more questions in this round (sign up to unlock)

Fit / Partner Round

6
Type · Firm Fit
Based on your understanding of Havas's work in the SaaS space, what do you see as our biggest strategic challenge or opportunity in the next 3-5 years?
7
Type · Resume Deep Dive
Your resume mentions [specific project/experience]. Can you walk me through the strategic thinking behind your approach and the key decisions you made?

Behavioral / Leadership

8
Type · Ownership
Tell me about a time you took initiative to solve a problem that wasn't explicitly part of your job description. What was the situation and the outcome?
9
Type · Influence
Describe a situation where you had to persuade a difficult stakeholder or team to adopt your recommendation. What was your approach, and what was the result?
+ 7 more questions in this round (sign up to unlock)

Unlock the full Havas question bank

Free signup, no credit card. You get every question + the framework, grading signals, and worked answer for each.

Unlock all questions →

Interview tracks at Havas

How Havas's DNA translates across functions. Pick your role.

For Havas, a strategy consultant must exhibit deep analytical skills, market trend analysis, and the ability to develop innovative communication strategies for clients. They assess problem-solving, strategic frameworks, and the capacity to drive brand growth and market impact.

Influence

Describe a situation where you had to influence stakeholders (e.g., sales, product, leadership) to adopt a new marketing strategy or approach. How did you build consensus?

Adaptability

Tell me about a time when project requirements or priorities changed suddenly. How did you adapt your approach, and what was the result?

+ 1 more

Unlock the Strategy Consultant grading rubric for Havas

See full Strategy Consultant guide