MBACASE | Serious Case Interview Prep

Ask David (Q&A)

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David’s Top 10 Most Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What is the most important thing to focus on when preparing for the case interview? By far the “start” to the case. I believe that “Forming a Plan”, or putting your approach in place on how to solve the case, is the most important part to practice. If you cannot start a case well, you don’t have much hope of surviving the interview. Also, most interviewers are required to note whether you were structured in your start, so making sure you have a well thought through, clean approach is vital. You should spend lots of time starting a variety of cases even if you don’t have time to do the full case. Drilling on this portion of the case is the fastest way to build your consistency and increase your odds of doing well on your cases.
  2. What is the key to starting a case well? First of all, use your own words. Every candidate will be talking about some of the same topics (e.g. revenue, costs, price and distribution), but using your own words and prioritization will make the start unique. Second, lay out your plan in a MECE (“me see” Mutually Exclusive Collectively Exhaustive) format. All of the elements of your plan should be separate and distinct (mutually exclusive), and together all of the elements should solve the problem at hand (collectively exhaustive). Since every interviewer has a different take on what MECE truly is and you have a short time to develop a MECE approach, be careful with your words. Point out how each element of your plan does not overlap with the other pieces and emphasize how they work together. If you’re finding that your interviewer is especially keen on knowing that you are MECE, go back to a more revenue-and-cost format. These two variables are the purest MECE form and every element in your approach can tie to one or the other.
  3. How important is the fit? Very important. The interview is the firm’s chance to “test drive” you and see if you are client ready. They want to be very comfortable stamping their brand on your forehead and putting you in front of their clients. Although each firm is full of a wide variety of people and personalities, there tends to be a personality type that is preferred over others. As you get to know the firms, try to discern if your style and approach to work and life fits with their culture. You shouldn’t knock any firm out right away because firm culture can vary greatly even between offices. But after spending enough time with people from your target firms you’ll most likely find a few that fit you best.
  4. Is there really a right answer? Can you really “crack” a case, or are the firms just evaluating how you think? It would be unusual to have only one right answer to a case but there is usually a very small set of acceptable answers. For instance, if you are solving a simple profit problem case, typically the issue will lie with the revenue or with the costs. It's possible to get that portion of the case wrong if the data indicates that one side is causing the problem. However, when it comes to recommending solutions, it is very common for two candidates to have different game plans for solving the cost problem or the pricing issue. Both candidates are focusing on the right answer, but they are using their creativity differently. Once you’ve established that you have found the real issue or the true value drivers, the interviewers are more open to creative solutions.
  5. How different are the firms in how they give cases? What should I expect with each company? Firms vary the most in the interview preparation. Some firms now supply their interviewers with case questions from a central repository, but most still rely on their interviewers to create their own cases from their experience and then test drive them with each other before the interviews. Clearly an interview where the interviewer has been working on the case at hand will have a very different feel from one where the interviewer is reading one that was supplied from a database. Another variation is with regard to the hypothesis. Some firms will outright ask you to state your “hunch” or hypothesis, while others will not want to hear it for fear that you are limiting your thinking. I think you should always Anchor Your Hypothesis--in other words, fix it in your mind--to help you prioritize and drive the case. Since the firms can vary quite a bit on both the type of case and the desire to hear about a hypothesis, you need to be ready for variations on both.
  6. Why did some people who are not as smart as I am get offers from McKinsey, Bain and BCG, while I did not? It is disappointing to see people who seem to be less qualified get your dream job. And even though the case is designed to properly weed people out and it should be your top priority, it is only one part of the equation. The partners and managers are trusting their judgment on subtle things during the interview that may not be on your radar when evaluating your peers. Items include your ability to “stick to your guns” when making recommendations, facility with a variety of topics ranging from hobbies to business trends, your potential as a partner with the firm and the ability to connect with any type of person quickly. One or more of these qualities may matter more to an interviewer and could sway a decision about a candidate.
  7. I keep messing up simple math. What should I do? I find that about 40% of my workshop attendees and private coaching clients have this problem. My first tip is to refresh your ability to estimate or “ballpark” numbers quickly. By doing quick estimates to get close to the answer, you’ll avoid looking dumb and give yourself more time to calculate a more precise answer. Quite often, the estimate is good enough for the interviewer. One simple way to sharpen this skill is to build your own personal deck of math flash cards. Take some blank 3 x 5 inch cards and write down basic math questions (e.g. $2B x 20% - “$400M or .4B”). On the back of each card write the answer. By training your mind to calculate these simple formulas quickly, you’ll now be able to answer similar but more difficult ones (e.g. $1.9B x 19% - “It’s about $400M or .4B”). Once you’re in the range, you can ask your interviewer if he or she wants a more exact answer. This estimating skill will improve rapidly if you practice it.
  8. Do grades, GMAT and my undergrad G.P.A matter that much? Having solid scores and brand name companies and schools will help you get the interview. At that point, your case interview and fit performance seem to matter the most. In my experience I never heard of anyone doing well on their case and fit interviews but getting rejected because of their low academic scores.
  9. What should I ask about in the last few minutes of the interview, after the case is over? Of course you will have done your homework in advance so you’ll already know the basics about the firm. To increase the odds of connecting with your interviewer, and to increase your consulting knowledge, focus on your interviewer’s work experience. Even if you get dinged (rejected) you can at least learn something from someone who is living the life you want to lead.
  10. What do candidates most commonly overlook when doing case interviews? Everyone forgets to smile. I know it sounds corny but you would be amazed at the number of people who are energetic, relaxed and smiling before the case and then become completely forced and frozen once the case begins. At that point, your body language has told the interviewer that you are scared and nervous. When you smile you project relaxed confidence. Also, smiling and laughing have a way of cutting the tension. The more relaxed you are, the more likely you’ll perform at your best.