online case study interview

online case study interview

Strategies for Success in Online Case Study Interviews

1. Introduction to Online Case Study Interviews

Case interviews are a staple, if not the most important component, in the interview rounds for multinational consultancy firms such as Bain & Company, Boston Consulting Group (BCG), and McKinsey & Company. They are used as both a recruitment tool to identify ‘quality’ candidates and as a way to simulate the work of the firm to see how a potential hire may fare in the role. Although different firms are looking for different things in their candidates, the case aspect of case interviews is similarly structured. In a case study, candidate(s) must solve a problem typically presented in a ‘case’ format, where extra information and direction need to be sought out at the beginning and already known analysis and solution.

However, due to the recent pandemic, in-person case interviews are increasingly being moved into an online format, often over platforms such as Microsoft Teams or Zoom. This ‘case study’ interview format involves the candidate first being presented with a business problem early in the interview, as a kickoff/icebreaker activity, and then given a set amount of time (30-60 minutes) to solve the problem. After this, the candidate is expected to present their solution at the end of the interview in a fairly short time, usually about 20 minutes. This guide is for undergraduate/early postgraduate students, giving some pointers on how to tackle a case study interview, whether in the written or online format.

2. Preparing for an Online Case Study Interview

There are several steps you will want to take prior to your case study interview. You can use these to ensure you’re making logistical arrangements, setting up your technical equipment, and improving your mental readiness. Preparation is key to avoid any missteps. There are a few steps you can take to prepare for your online case study interview. First, ensure that you understand the agenda and have confirmed logistical details with your interviewer. Then, allocate enough time before your interview to allow for last-minute troubleshooting. Finally, set up the physical space for your interview to promote a quiet and professional setting.

To ensure you’re ready for your case study interview, consider the following logistical arrangements:

– Understand the agenda: Ensure that you know how long your interview will be, the structure of the interview, any materials you should bring, who will be on the interview panel, who will be leading the interview, and whether there is a formal presentation involved. Make sure you know what you’re being evaluated on! – Communicate with your interviewer: Reach out to your interviewer before your interview to ask any lingering questions. Confirm your interview time, date, and length. If you are interviewing with multiple firms, be sure to clarify the format of your case study (i.e., you may need to complete the case on-site or submit it before your interview).

3. Strategies for Excelling in Online Case Study Interviews

Strategies for excelling in online case interviewing: Your ability to engage in creative problem-solving and illustrate this creativity to your interviewers is the greatest determinant of your success in a case interview. That is just as true in online case interviewing as it is in person. Here are three strategies for succeeding in your online case interviews.

The goal is to answer the case in a way that both adequately answers the prompt and also allows you to showcase the best of all your different and diverse talents. Break down every question into at least three parts: the stated question, an understanding of the audience, and what is interesting to us as consultants, to ensure that you answer the case prompt in a way that shows off your ability to think about problems from multiple angles. In addition, if the case gives you a choice, frame your answer to the prompt in a way that allows you to show off your talents in their very best light.

Practice your case prompt analysis to prepare for interacting with clients in these calls. We’d advise that going forward, you practice “prompt analysis” to understand how to put yourself in clients’ shoes through phone or video chat. Getting used to absorbing an idea outside of a “pure ranking” is a HUGE leg up. Excellent project management, brainstorming, and communication are critical skills, and yet they are too often overlooked by candidates seeking to impress interviewers. So for this workshop, we want to spend our time preparing you for those modules of the case that are deal-makers, not deal-killers. If you have strong critical thinking and communication skills, we want to help you leverage these into an offer.

Finally, never neglect your hand-offs. Make sure that your audience knows what is on your mind and make sure to help future examiners see how what you’re talking about fits with what they’re talking about. If the transition is difficult, remember that it is often more than halfway to making a point in your discussion of the material, but not coming to the conclusions that demonstration leads you to in this case. Note the mismatch. In the long-term, it is most important that our audience remembers YOU, and that they remember you fondly. You want to leave them with an impression.

4. Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

There are unique challenges to completing case studies in an interview, and doing so in an online setting only compounds these challenges. As such, there are also common pitfalls. The first of these pitfalls is when candidates display a lack of structure in their quantitative case problem. The reasoning behind this pitfall is twofold. On one hand, the interviewer will be less inclined to guide the candidate to the next step because it is more difficult for those conducting the interview to gauge what the candidate’s uncertainty is and rectify it. Prospective hires who demonstrate an inability to proceed are more likely to be eliminated as a result. On the other hand, there is an amount of time set for the duration of a case interview. If progression is not made in a timely manner, the candidate can potentially miss out on the brain teaser portion of the interview altogether. To mitigate this problem, candidates must structure their thinking and provide updates toward their decision to the interviewer throughout the solving process. Even if they cannot find a specific answer, a good prospective hire will walk the interviewer through their thought process.

Back-of-the-envelope math with the wrong kind of estimation is another common pitfall. Here, the tendency toward the wrong kind of estimation is low-balling or choosing an easy solution. To avoid this pitfall, respondents must explicitly confirm the unit of measure they are utilizing before proceeding on; if they neglect to do so, they should estimate high. The overutilization of estimation also proves to be a potential obstacle for candidates. This often causes candidates to arrive at the incorrect answer. Even when correct, however, this is an issue as it lacks an actual value. Additionally, estimation fatigue can wear on the candidate over the course of the day. If candidates begin to see increasingly difficult problems, the temptation to apply estimation based on preconceived notions derived from earlier estimates may become overwhelming, leading to erroneous conclusions and unnecessary mental fatigue.

5. Conclusion and Key Takeaways

When you are afforded the luxury of preparing answers in the case of a tendency, error or pitfall, do, and utilize your interviewer, so that they may guide you accordingly. Similarly, be prepared to adapt your analyses and be resilient in the face of challenge. While demonstrating this ability, however, do not go overboard with follow-up questions, as they may be interpreted as attempts to “cheat” the process. With regards to style, embody the behavioral and personal fit frameworks that you would in-person, while giving yourself a bit of slack for not doing so perfectly, as some organic communication is lost through a screen.

There are several factors and ideas that are absolutely imperative to a successful evaluation of a case study online, as well as an in-house interview. The following are the keys to success in any interview – irrespective of the format – in that they demonstrate the psychology, mathematics, and business savvy to set yourself apart as a candidate. So long as you adhere to these guidelines and avoid self-sabotage by engaging in the mistakes outlined in this chapter, your interview will be considered a success. Take these guidelines as a foundation for your interview efforts and continuously engage in the formulation of strategies that will help you do better in the future.