3 Key Tips For Your Case Interview
Simple tricks that will make you stand out.
Pause and adapt yourself
The case interview process might feel long, stressing and tiring. However, it doesn’t need to be like this. Understanding that every case is different, that you need to be transparent and confident while being able to pause and take your time will turn you into an excellent case solver. Here are some tips that might help you make the most out of your cases.
Every case is different
During your case practice, you might start to think that all cases have the same background and can be cracked by looking at the profits (revenue — costs) and the firm’s operations and environment (value chain, customers, competitors…).
We strongly advise against taking this stance. We encourage you to consider each case as being unique and tailor your issue tree and analysis to the problem being presented. Doing so will:
- Permit you to understand the case in more granular detail while being able to come up with an optimal solution.
- As you are invited to the next interview rounds, interviewers will pay more attention to the structure you use and the analysis tree you come up with. In case they suspect you to use the same framework over and over, they will quickly check with your previous interviewers. In case of doubt, you won’t be invited to the next rounds.
Take your time
It may happen that you lose yourself into the details of the case or that you don’t see where the case is leading. In order to prevent this, we suggest you to always carefully note down what the interviewers tell you. Note it down and make sure you look back at it when needed.
In case you are totally lost, kindly ask for a minute and explain that you need to “review your analysis”. Then, go over everything you noted down and come up with 3 elements you want to discuss next.
Be open that any insight and hint the interviewer gives you. Always remember, the interviewer wants you to succeed!
Be transparent and confident
When a consultant is on a mission, she asks questions, looks confident and openly discuss the assumptions and hypotheses she makes.
In the same logic, when you crack a case, make sure you look confident, discuss your assumptions, ask for more information when needed and explain the issue tree you developed.
Credits
This article was built on great insights and articles from Kellogg Consulting Club and Wharton Consulting Club. Make sure you check these out!
