I've been laid off since February and interviewing at a bunch of places. Just got through the KPMG recruiter phone screen for a tech-adjacent role on their advisory team and wanted to document what it actually looked like, because it was more substantive than the typical 'is this a human' call.
Length: 35 minutes. The recruiter had clearly read my resume.
What they asked:
Work history questions: Not just 'walk me through your background.' They asked specifically why I left each role in the last 6 years and what I was looking for next. Being laid off is obviously fine to say, no weird energy from her about it.
Comp: They asked for my current/last comp AND my target range. They shared the band for the role before I gave my number, which was a nice move. The band they quoted for the senior associate level in NYC was in the $110-130k base range, plus bonus eligible. That's roughly what I expected for consulting at that tier.
Work model: 2 days in office minimum, travel expectations vary by engagement. This came up early. If you're fully remote-only, that's a flag to address.
Timeline: They asked when I could start and whether I was actively interviewing elsewhere. I mentioned two other active processes. They said they'd try to sync timing if I reached the final stage.
What they did not ask: no behavioral questions, no technical questions, nothing about specific projects. This was purely logistics + fit screening.
One question that surprised me: 'What does an ideal manager relationship look like for you?' I had a good answer because I'd thought about it, but I wasn't expecting it in a recruiter screen. Worth having a real answer ready.