Focus on Your Personal Approach
- Interact with the interviewer. The case should be a dialogue, not a monologue.
- Pace yourself. It's important to not rush to conclusions.
- And perhaps most important, relax and have fun.
Structure Your Analysis
Follow a logical progression. We suggest you approach the case by following these five steps to generate a hypothesis and supporting arguments:
1. Listen closely to the situation and to the questions you'll be asked
2. Firmly establish your understanding of the case
3. Create an approach that focuses on critical issues and guides your analysis
4. Analyze the problem. Ask the interviewer focused questions and evaluate the situation
5. Clearly summarize your final analysis and conclusions
Think out loud so that the interviewer understands the direction of your thinking. You may also want to write down your findings and assumptions.
Remember, there is no "right" way of doing a case; nor is there a single answer. If you have demonstrated the way you think, you have done all you can to "crack the case."
More Resources
Be sure to look at our Interactive Case, a "hands-on" example of how we work our way through a typical client project. You should also read our Practice Cases, which include valuable suggestions for getting to the heart of the key issues.
