Case Study Interview

Case study interview was first held by management consulting firms, however, it is now employed by all kinds of companies and is especially popular within consulting industry. This type of interview can be used to evaluate a candidate's analytical skills, creativity and the ability to frame and structure problems. These interviews offer candidates an opportunity to have a sense of the type of work that their consultants do, while allowing the employer to evaluate the competency levels of candidates. Usually, the interviewers don't have the "right answers" that you are expected to give. Rather, they are more interested in knowing what logic structures led you to the answers. Specific knowledge of the industry covered by the case question is a bonus but not necessary. MBA students and candidates with significant business world experience receive case questions that require a deeper understanding of business models and processes.

Case interviews can be very stressful for candidates and requires more preparation than other types of interview. In some situations, interviewers may deliberately present little or no information in their questions. So you'll have to figure out your solution based on your own resources, analysis and findings.

The objectives of case study interviews are to enable interviewers to see:

• How well you identify, structure and think through problems.
• Your ability to listen, gather information and present conclusions.
• How you identify information that will allow you to solve the problem?
• Your level of resourcefulness and ability to "think on your feet".
• How well do you react to an unfamiliar situation?
• How well you analyze the problem.
• How well you focus on the key issues?
• How you ask for additional details?
• How well you organize your thoughts?
• How graceful you are under pressure?
• How creative you are?
• How numerate you are?

Since in many cases, there may not even be a single, right answer. So your goal in case study study interview is not to get the right answer, but to demonstrate your analytical and reasoning skills.

The following tips may help you in managing case study interviews:

• Maintain eye contact.
• Listen carefully and take notes.
• Make no assumptions.
• Ask for clarification if necessary, make sure you understand the question.
• Think out loud so that the interviewer understand your thought process.
• If it's a client question, start by discussing the key issues you're facing.
• Describe the structure your approach first, and then discuss your findings in detail.
• Present your thinking in a clear, logical manner and summarize the case.
• Read body language. You can often tell if you're going in wrong direction or bothering them too much.

Next: Case Study Interview Questions