What is a Consultant at Intuit?

At Intuit, the role of a Consultant—specifically within the Digital Sales and Merchant Services organizations—is far more than a traditional sales position. It is a strategic advisory role designed to power prosperity for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). You are the bridge between a business owner’s financial challenges and Intuit’s ecosystem of solutions, including QuickBooks Online, Payroll, and Payments.

In this role, you act as a problem solver and a trusted partner. You are not simply selling software; you are analyzing a business's cash flow, operational inefficiencies, and growth goals to recommend a tailored solution stack. Whether you are working Inbound or Outbound, your objective is to demonstrate how Intuit’s "cutting-edge technology" can put more money in the customer's pocket. You will collaborate deeply with support partners and leverage data to drive confident financial decision-making for your clients.

This position sits at the intersection of fintech expertise and consultative selling. You will face complex selling processes, often navigating conversations with business owners who rely on your guidance to safeguard their revenue. Successful Consultants at Intuit are recognized for their ability to "Win Together," fostering an environment of innovation while aggressively meeting quarterly targets through a customer-obsessed lens.

Getting Ready for Your Interviews

Preparation for Intuit requires a shift in mindset: you must demonstrate that you are a business consultant first and a salesperson second. The interview team looks for candidates who can diagnose problems before pitching solutions.

Consultative Sales Proficiency – Intuit values specific methodologies. You will be evaluated on your familiarity with frameworks like Challenger, SPIN, or Sandler. Interviewers want to see that you can uncover hidden needs and articulate value based on ROI, rather than just listing features.

Fintech & Ecosystem Knowledge – You must demonstrate a working knowledge of the merchant services industry. This includes understanding rates, cost analysis, risk management, and the basics of Accounts Receivable/Payable. You do not need to be a CPA, but you must speak the language of finance fluently.

Customer Obsession – This is one of Intuit’s core values. You will be tested on your ability to empathize with the chaotic life of a small business owner. How do you handle a frustrated client? How do you advocate for their needs internally?

Drive & Resilience – As a quota-carrying role, you must show a track record of managing a large pipeline and closing deals at scale. Expect questions about how you manage your day, how you prioritize leads in Salesforce, and how you bounce back from rejection.

Interview Process Overview

The interview process for the Consultant role at Intuit is rigorous but organized, designed to assess both your sales acumen and your cultural fit. Based on recent data, the process can vary slightly depending on the specific team (e.g., Inbound vs. Outbound) and location, but generally follows a structured path that emphasizes behavioral consistency and situational judgment.

Typically, the process begins with a recruiter screen, followed by a role-specific screen or a digital assessment. Candidates have reported using HireVue for initial assessments, which involves a mix of video and written questions under strict time limits. If you pass these initial stages, you will move to a final round, which is often a "Super Day" or a comprehensive block of interviews. This final stage is intensive, often lasting up to 90 minutes, and includes a deep dive into your sales process, role-plays, and behavioral questions aligned with Intuit's values.

Intuit’s interviewing philosophy relies heavily on "structured interviewing." This means interviewers use a standardized rubric to ensure fairness. They are looking for specific evidence of your skills, so vague answers will not score well. You should expect a professional, conversational atmosphere where the interviewers are genuinely interested in your thought process.

The timeline above illustrates the typical progression. Note that the Digital Assessment stage (HireVue) can be particularly fast-paced, with very short preparation times for video responses. The Final Round is where you must bring your highest energy, as it combines behavioral fit with a practical demonstration of your sales skills.

Deep Dive into Evaluation Areas

Intuit evaluates Consultants on several distinct pillars. You need to be prepared to discuss these in depth, using specific examples from your past experience.

Sales Methodology & Process

This is the core technical skill for the role. Interviewers need to know that you have a repeatable, successful process for closing business. They will look for evidence that you control the sales cycle rather than letting the customer dictate it.

Be ready to go over:

• Discovery techniques – How you move beyond surface-level pain points to find the root cause of a customer's issue.
• Pipeline management – How you organize your week to ensure you hit quota (e.g., prospecting vs. closing activities).
• Methodology application – Specific examples of how you have used Challenger or SPIN selling to turn a "no" into a "yes."
• Advanced concepts – Discussing "Total Cost of Ownership" vs. "Price" and how you shift the conversation to value.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Walk me through a time you had to turn around a detractor or a difficult customer."
• "Describe your sales process from lead generation to close."
• "How do you handle a prospect who says your solution is too expensive compared to a competitor?"

Fintech & Product Acumen

You are selling complex financial tools. While you will be trained on the specifics of QuickBooks, you need a baseline understanding of how businesses manage money.

Be ready to go over:

• Merchant Services – Understanding credit card processing rates, interchanges, and payment gateways.
• Business Operations – The lifecycle of a transaction (Invoice -> Payment -> Reconciliation).
• Competitive Landscape – Awareness of competitors in the POS (Point of Sale) and accounting software space.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "How would you explain the value of an integrated payment solution to a business owner using a manual process?"
• "What trends are you seeing in the fintech space that impact small businesses?"

Behavioral & Cultural Fit

Intuit is protective of its culture. They look for candidates who are collaborative ("Win Together") and innovative ("Learn Fast").

Be ready to go over:

• Collaboration – Working with support teams, onboarding specialists, and managers to get a deal over the line.
• Resilience – Handling a month where you missed quota or lost a major deal.
• Adaptability – Adjusting to new software, territory changes, or pricing model shifts.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Tell me about a time you made a mistake. How did you handle it?"
• "Describe a situation where you had a conflict with a peer or manager. How was it resolved?"

Key Responsibilities

As a Consultant, your daily work revolves around driving growth and safeguarding revenue. You are responsible for managing a high-volume sales funnel, often utilizing Salesforce to track your interactions and progress. You will proactively identify opportunities within your territory or lead list, reaching out to business owners to conduct deep discovery calls.

Collaboration is a massive part of the day-to-day. You will not work in a silo. You are expected to partner with Intuit’s support resources and other internal stakeholders to navigate complex selling processes. This might involve bringing in a technical expert to explain an integration or working with a manager to structure a custom deal for a high-value client.

Strategically, you are expected to articulate the QuickBooks Online Ecosystem value proposition. This means you aren't just selling a single tool; you are selling a "solution stack" (e.g., Payroll + Payments + Accounting) that streamlines the customer's entire operation. You must deliver recommendations with a clear focus on ROI, showing the customer exactly how the efficiency gains justify the cost.

Role Requirements & Qualifications

To be competitive for this role, you must meet specific criteria that demonstrate both industry knowledge and sales capability.

• Must-have skills:

  • Experience: Minimum of 2+ years in fintech/payments or quota-carrying software sales. This is a hard requirement; they need people who understand the mechanics of merchant services.
  • CRM Proficiency: Demonstrated capability in managing a large pipeline through Salesforce.
  • Sales Methodologies: Proficiency in frameworks like Challenger, SPIN, Solution, or Sandler.
  • Industry Knowledge: Familiarity with rates, cost analysis, and risk management in the merchant service industry.

• Nice-to-have skills:

  • Education: Bachelor’s degree or MBA is preferred.
  • Specific Software: Prior experience selling accounting, ERP, or financial management software specifically.
  • Process Knowledge: Deep understanding of AR/AP (Accounts Receivable/Payable) processes.

Common Interview Questions

The following questions are representative of what candidates face at Intuit for the Consultant role. These are drawn from recent interview data. Do not memorize answers; instead, use these to practice your STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) stories. Note that if you face a HireVue assessment, you may have as little as 15 seconds to prepare your answer and 3 minutes to record it.

Sales & Situational

• "Sell me on a product you are currently representing. What is the value proposition?"
• "A customer is frustrated with a price increase. How do you handle the conversation?"
• "How do you approach a prospect who is happy with their current competitor solution?"
• "Imagine you are behind on your quarterly quota with two weeks left. What is your plan?"
• "How do you identify up-sell or cross-sell opportunities in an existing account?"

Behavioral & Values

• "Tell me about a time you had to adapt your sales strategy to a specific customer need."
• "Describe a time you failed to meet a goal. What did you learn?"
• "Give an example of how you have collaborated with a team member to close a deal."
• "Tell me about a time you received constructive feedback. How did you implement it?"

Role-Specific Knowledge

• "What do you know about QuickBooks and its ecosystem?"
• "How do you stay updated on changes in the fintech industry?"
• "Explain a complex financial concept to someone without a finance background."

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How difficult is the interview process? The process is generally rated as Medium to Hard. The difficulty stems from the combination of role-play scenarios and behavioral questions. You need to be quick on your feet, especially during the HireVue portion or the live sales pitch.

Q: Is this a remote role? Intuit generally operates on a "hybrid" model for many of its sales roles, often based out of hubs like Mountain View, CA, Eagle, ID, or Atlanta, GA. However, specific "Inbound" or "Outbound" roles may have different flexibility. Check your specific job posting for location requirements.

Q: What is the HireVue assessment like? If your process includes HireVue, expect around 13 video questions and 2 written questions. It is intense due to the volume of questions and the short prep time (15 seconds). It tests your ability to think and speak concisely under pressure.

Q: What differentiates a top candidate? Top candidates do not just "sell"; they "consult." They ask insightful questions that make the interviewer think. They also show a deep alignment with Intuit's mission of "powering prosperity" for the little guy (SMBs).

Other General Tips

Master the "Why Intuit?" Question Do not give a generic answer. Connect your personal story to Intuit’s mission. Discuss why you are passionate about helping small businesses succeed. Intuit prides itself on being a mission-driven company, and they want believers, not just employees.

Prepare for the "Mock Pitch" In the final rounds, you may be asked to role-play a sales scenario. Treat the interviewer like a real customer. Do not jump straight to the pitch. Spend the first few minutes asking discovery questions to understand their pain points. If you pitch without understanding the problem, you will likely fail this section.

Know Your Numbers Be prepared to discuss your past performance in concrete metrics. Know your quota attainment percentages, your average deal size, and your conversion rates from your previous roles. Vague claims like "I was a top performer" are not enough.

Research the QuickBooks Ecosystem You don't need to be a user expert, but you should understand the difference between QuickBooks Online, Desktop, and Enterprise, and how Payroll and Payments integrate with them. This shows you have done your homework.

Summary & Next Steps

Becoming a Consultant at Intuit is an opportunity to join a premier fintech organization that genuinely impacts the lives of business owners. This role offers the chance to work with sophisticated sales tools, represent a market-leading product suite, and develop deep consultative skills. The environment is collaborative and values-driven, but the expectations for performance and quota attainment are high.

To succeed, focus your preparation on three areas: mastering your sales narrative (using methodologies like Challenger/SPIN), deepening your knowledge of the fintech landscape, and polishing your behavioral stories to align with Intuit's values. Approach the interview with confidence, empathy for the customer, and a clear demonstration of your ability to drive revenue.

The salary data above provides a baseline for what to expect. Intuit offers a competitive package that typically includes a base salary, a performance-based cash bonus (commission/incentives), and equity (RSUs). The exact offer will depend heavily on your location (e.g., California vs. Georgia) and your years of relevant experience.

For more insights and resources to help you prepare, visit Dataford. Good luck—you have the skills to succeed in this process!