第1页共9页编号：时间：2021年x月x日书山有路勤为径，学海无涯苦作舟页码：第1页共9页CrackingtheCase:AConsultingInterviewPrimerPage1of3[WebExclusive]Youdon'thavetobeSherlockHolmestoacethecasesinaconsulting-firminterview.Infact,alittlepreparationcanmakesolvingthemseem,well,elementary.FirmsAreTheretoHelpYouConsultingIndustryGuideRememberyourseventh-gradealgebrateacher’sthreefavoritewords?"Showyourwork."Atthetime,itseemedsilly:Whynotjustshowtherightanswer?Nowthatyou’reolderandwiser,however,youknowthatinmanycaseshowyougettotherightanswerismoreimportantthansimplyknowingtheansweritself.Thesamegoesforthecasequestionsthatconsultingrecruiterslobatyou.Consultingisademandingjobwithfew"correct"answers;thismethodofinterviewinggaugeshowwellyoumanagetheprocessofgettingtoananswerandhowyouperformundersimulatedclient-engagementconditions.Wetalkedtoconsultant-huntersatseveralfirmstogleantheiradviceoncrackingthecaseinterview.Here'swhattherecruitersrevealed—andhowyoucanbestprepare.WhytheCaseInterview?Caseinterviewshavelongbeenusedbyrecruiterstoseeacandidate'sthoughtprocessesinmotion.Canyoudeconstructandanalyze光华人向上的精神www.gsmer.net第2页共9页第1页共9页编号：时间：2021年x月x日书山有路勤为径，学海无涯苦作舟页码：第2页共9页complex,open-endedbusinessproblems?Doyoustaycalm,orwillyousweatbulletsunderpressureataclientsite?Atthemostbasiclevel,acaseinterviewisaboutaskingtherightquestions,developingalogicalwayofworkingthroughtherelevantissues,andarrivingatarecommendation.Yourstructuremaybeapackagedframeworkoritmaybevariousframeworksstrungtogether;youmayevenchoosenottouseframeworksatall.What'simportantisthatyoudemonstratesomedefinedstructure.“Casestudiesareanimperfectscience,”concedesMichaelGibney,projectmanageratPricewaterhouseCoopers,“butareeasilyimplementableinthe30to45minuteswehaveforeachinterview.”Sincetheymeasureyouranalyticalskills,they'reanimprovementoversimple"fit"or"resumé"interviews.Inmostcaseinterviews,therecruitergivesyouanexampleofareal-lifeclientproblem.Sometypicalcategoriesinclude:CompanyStrategy:“Myclientisthinkingofmakinganacquisition,and…”BrainGames:“HowmanytennisballsareintheUnitedStates?”OperationsImprovement:“Whyismyclient’sfactoryrunningbehind?”MarketSize:“Howbigistheglobalairconditionermarket?”Althougheachrequiresaslightlydifferentapproach,allaremeantmainlytoevaluatetheprocessyouuse,nottheansweryoucomeupwith.PracticeMakesPerfectYouabsolutely,positivelymustprepareinadvanceforcaseinterviews.“Itbecomesprettyclearprettyfastwhohas—andwhohasnot—practiced,”saysGibney.“Iknowthereisabasicsortofbusinessacumenthatmaynotbeabletobepracticed,butcandidatesmusthaveanunderstandableapproachtosolvingproblems.That’swhatourclientsdemandofus.Ifwecan’trelatesolutionstotheclient,it’saproblem.”Don’tassumethatattendingacase-orientedbusinessschoolwillgiveyouanupperhand.JohnFlato,CapGeminiErnst&Young’snationaldirectorofuniversityrecruiting,saysthesecandidatesdon’tseemtodo光华人向上的精神www.gsmer.net第3页共9页第2页共9页编号：时间：2021年x月x日书山有路勤为径，学海无涯苦作舟页码：第3页共9页anybetterorworsethancandidatesfromnon-caseschools.Studydifferentkindsofcasequestions.Justbecauseyourbuddyinterviewedbeforeyouandgaveyouaheads-uponthequestionsdoesn’tmeanyouhavealegup.Recruitershavetonsofcasequestionsintheirrepertoire,andthechancesoftheirusingthesamequestionmultiplet...
