Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Assessment Process:
Best Practices for
Success
My background
Learn how to
succeed in case
interviews
Learn best
practices for the
CV interview
Time
Discussion topic
13:00 13:15
13:15 13:30
13:30 14:00
14:00 14:30
The CV application
14:30 15:15
15:15 15:30
15:30 16:15
Structuring a case
16:15 17:45
Case practice X 2
17:45 18:00
Agenda
Introduction
The Consulting Curriculum
Consulting: Market Overview
CV Applications
Case Interviews
CV Interviews
Agenda
Introduction
The Consulting Curriculum
Consulting: Market Overview
CV Applications
Case Interviews
CV Interviews
The Big Four are the largest players overall, though the industry
is still relatively fragmented
The Big Four take the largest share in the market, with Deloitte
the largest player overall
Revenue ($bn)
14.7
Deloitte
PwC /
Strategy&
12.7
EY
12.1
10.7
KPMG
Accenture
4.1
IBM
4.0
McKinsey &
Co
2.3
Booz Allen
2.1
CGI
1.0
CSC
1.4
-
10.0
20.0
Description
Acquisitions of strategy rms by members of the
Big 4
Big 4 rms increasingly competing with MBB
A shift to
implementation
Freelance
operating
models
A number of positives
Variety with the opportunity to
explore a number of dierent industries
and functional areas
Fast pace of learning and
development, including frequent
feedback and reviews
Generally good remuneration and
promotion opportunities, compared to
most industries
A fairly diverse range of exit options
Corporate
strategy
Corporate
operational roles
Finance
These are
common
options, but
there is a very
long tail of
other options
besides those
listed
Any questions?
Agenda
Introduction
The Consulting Curriculum
Consulting: Market Overview
CV Applications
Case Interviews
CV Interviews
The CV
screen acts
as a strong
lter, and is
a fairly blunt
instrument
to screen
out
candidates
Impact
Leadership
Personality
(informally)
Academic
performance
Career
performance
Question 1: Is the
candidate a clear no-hire?
If yes (30
secs)
If no
Takeaways
Invest
considerable
time in
proofreading
Play it safe
on the
formatting
Do
Invest signicant time in
proofreading and errorchecking your CV
Seek the advice of others to
review your CV and recommend
changes
Think about the skills rms are
likely to be assessing when
looking at your CV
Make your bullets actionoriented, and convey tangible
impact
Include interesting material to
add colour to your CV
Do not
Rush the CV application
Attempt to use innovative
formats, fonts, or layouts
Go into excessive detail when
describing situations and
experiences
Talk too much about process or
the day-to-day of your role
Use buzzwords, jargon, or vague
business terminology
Include anything you wont be
happy talking about during the
interview
Agenda
Introduction
The Consulting Curriculum
Consulting: Market Overview
CV Applications
Case Interviews
CV Interviews
Should we
make this
candidate
an oer to
join the
rm?
Case
discussion
CV discussion
CV discussion
CV discussion /
general
impression
Description
Can the candidate break problems up into their constituent parts, identify
causal factors driving an issue, and deploy logical reasoning to think
through a business topic?
Quantitative skill
Is the candidate able to set up and solve numerical problems, and does
she have a good feel for the numbers?
Conceptual and
critical thinking
Creative thinking
Judgement and
insight
Synthesis and
communication
Attitude and poise
Problem denition
Structuring
Analysis
Conclusion
Exhibit analysis
Spotting trends and
insights in graphical
data representations
Structuring
Decomposing a
problem into its logical
components
Quantitative problem
solving Handling
numerical problems
prociently
Prioritization
Knowing what to
focus on at a given
time
Structured
communication
Delivering top-down
comms at key points
Creative thinking
Generating numerous
original ideas on the
y during a case
Use of hypotheses
Making an educated
assumption, and
testing it against data
Synthesis
Clearly crystallizing
information and its
implications
Case leadership
Familiarity with the
format, and a grasp of
how to drive the case
Issue identication
The sense to spot
relevant and
interesting details
Qualitative analysis
Spotting connections
and drivers for a
problem
Lock-in clients
Compete
Lower prices
Dierentiate
Partner
It just found
out that IBM is going
to enter its segment
of the market. What
should it do?
Collaborate
JV
Do nothing
Sell
Exit
Liquidate
Description
MECE (mutually
exclusive, collectively
exhaustive)
Branches at a common
level of abstraction
Its communicated in a
top-down way
There is rarely a
single, right
framework to a
case. There are
usually multiple
approaches, and
often several
ways to
structure the
problem
Company
Oldpharma turnaround
Specialty papercases
sale
Operations
Public sector
Many others
Prot improvement
24%
Other
31%
New
entrant threat
Gas retail
17%
Market entry
8%
Response to shock
10%
10
Business model
China outsourcing
Outsourcing
Distributor or nal seller
Strategy
Film co
How
to compete in core market
Personal care co
Whether to remain in an industry
Revenue
Quantity
Prots
Fixed costs
Costs
Variable costs
Root causes:
Trucks take
longer to
arrive than
planned
Trucks aren't
ready for
loading
Loading is
delayed
Drivers arent
always ready
Delivery
delays
Longer journey
than planed
Truck waited
for loading
Truck waited
for driver
Product launch
process steps:
Design
Production
Distribution
Marketing
Supply
Production
Product
launch
Manufacturing
Distributors
Distribution
Marketing
Sales force
Pricing
Branding
Sandwich store
chain: revenue
increase options
Increase
number of
stores
Increase
number of
visits per store
Increase
revenue per
visit
Increase
number of
stores
Boosting
revenues
for a
sandwich
store chain
Increase
customer
visits per
store
Increase
revenue per
customer
visit
Increase customer
numbers
Increase frequency of
visits per customer
Increase pricing on
products
Increase number of
products bought
How to make a
city the Las
Vegas of Europe
How do we
dene the Las
Vegas of
Europe?
Whats our
current state?
How can we
go from the
current state
to the goal?
Make educated
guesses based on
context
Oering?
Objectives
Las Vegas
of Europe
Brand?
Visitors?
Situation
Execution
Assess current
situation on targeted
dimensions
Is this market
attractive?
Can my
product do
well in this
market against
competition?
Do I have the
capabilities to
deliver the
product in this
market?
Can I be
protable?
Market
attractiveness
Size
Growth
Competitor structure
Market
entry
Competition
Competitor behaviour
Supply chain
Capabilities
Distribution
Financials
Brand
Should we hire
this PR agency?
What do we
need to know
in order to
make a
decision?
Should I hire
PR agency
X?
Questions to
address
Overdraft
policies
Marketing
segmentation
Deposit
strategy
Competitor practices
Demographics
Approaches
to improve
prots
Marketing
segmentation
Behaviours
Attitudes
Supply
Deposit
strategy
Demand
Price sensitivity
For each of
sports /
streetwear
Size of the
prize
Ability to win
Market
comparison
Competitive advantage
Competitor strength
Ability to
win
Access to distribution
Regulatory restrictions
Volume
Revenue
Market
`Price
Market shares
& changes
Segments
Customers
Preferences
Competition
New entrants
Product
Purchasing decision
Substitutes
Size
Manufacturing
Regulation
Growth
Marketing
Unions
Segments
Processes
Sales
Macro
Technology
Protability
Distribution
Economy
Customer service
Political Issues
Segments
Skills
Variable Costs
Willingness to pay
Investment capacity
Cost
Price
Fixed Costs
Internal
Elasticity
Brand
Suppliers
Supply
Chain
Dierentiation
Partners
Distribution
channels
Do
Take a pause to structure
before you get started
Communicate your structure in
a top-down way
Relate your structure closely to
what you know of the problem
at hand
Make sure there isnt overlap in
your major branches, and
caveat your description if
overlap may be perceived
Think from rst principles, as if
youre the CEO of the client
Do not
Use a common o-the-shelf
framework (P&L framework an
exception)
Try to cover too much ground in
the rst level of your framework
Give a free-owing, ramble
description to your categories
Start to problem-solve and ask
for information too early
Pause too long up front (this is
rare, and generally OK in your
practices)
Ask practice partners to select cases that provide ample structuring opportunities, where possible
Structuring isnt only for the opening of the case; often there are opportunities to quickly decompose
topics further into the case
Review casebook material, and attempt to draw your own structures; check them against suggested
approaches to see if you missed major items
4) Read and review frameworks and sample cases to learn what good looks like
Review case framework suggestions to inspire your thinking and provide ideas
Be careful not to use frameworks o the shelf; use them rather as a starting point and as a pool of ideas
to draw from
Look for opportunities to break up tough problems, e.g. on a project or a tough assignment
Try to logically decompose such problems into their constituent parts (whether on paper or not)
Case practice
Instructions
Find a partner to practice cases with preferably someone you
havent practiced with before
Take turns to practice cases and give feedback. Youll have
roughly 45 minutes for a round of case + feedback before
switching
If you require case material, please take one of the example
cases provided. As an interviewer, you may want to spend a
moment reviewing the notes before you get started
Feel free to take notes as an interviewer however you wish. If you
would like ideas to structure feedback, feel free to take an
example assessment form to structure your thinking
Pay attention to any improvement areas you notice, as well as
things the interviewee did particularly well
Discussion topic
09:10 10:00
10:00 10:30
10:30 12:00
Case practice X 2
12:00 12:30
12:30 13:45
------Lunch------
13:45 14:15
14:15 15:15
15:15 15:45
15:45 16:45
16:45 17:00
17:00 17:45
Agenda
Introduction
The Consulting Curriculum
Consulting: Market Overview
CV Applications
Case Interviews
CV Interviews
Exhibit analysis
Spotting trends and
insights in graphical
data representations
Structuring
Decomposing a
problem into its logical
components
Quantitative problem
solving Handling
numerical problems
prociently
Prioritization Knowing
what to focus on at a
given time
Structured
communication
Delivering top-down
comms at key points
Creative thinking
Generating numerous
original ideas on the
y during a case
Use of hypotheses
Making an educated
assumption, and
testing it against data
Synthesis
Clearly crystallizing
information and its
implications
Case leadership
Familiarity with the
format, and a grasp of
how to drive the case
Issue identication
Have the sense to
spot relevant and
interesting details
Qualitative analysis
Spotting connections
and drivers for a
problem
Objectives
1) Understand
precisely
the question
youre being
asked
2) Understand
enough of
the client
context to
structure
eectively
Tips
Estimation questions
Tips
Objectives
1) Demonstrate
you can
structure a
quantitative
estimation
2) Compute the
numbers
eectively
3) Demonstrate
good
judgement in
evaluating
your
calculations
Objectives
1) Demonstrate
your ability to
synthesize
information
2) Demonstrate
your ability to
communicate
in a
structured,
top-down
way
Tips
Be 80/20 where you can be gure out what the minimum you need to know
to validate something is
Connect the dots look for ways to tie information from earlier in the case to
insights later on
Dont worry about perfection; mistakes are OK and dont mean the game is
over
Case practice
Instructions
Find a partner to practice cases with preferably someone you
havent practiced with before
Take turns to practice cases and give feedback. Youll have
roughly 45 minutes for a round of case + feedback before
switching
If you require case material, please take one of the example
cases provided. As an interviewer, you may want to spend a
moment reviewing the notes before you get started
Feel free to take notes as an interviewer however you wish. If you
would like ideas to structure feedback, feel free to take an
example assessment form to structure your thinking
Pay attention to any improvement areas you notice, as well as
things the interviewee did particularly well
Agenda
Introduction
The Consulting Curriculum
Consulting: Market Overview
CV Applications
Case Interviews
CV Interviews
Should we
make this
candidate
an oer to
join the
rm?
Case
discussion
CV discussion
CV discussion
CV discussion /
general
impression
Focus
of this
session
Career rationale
Culture t
Description
Does your reason to get into consulting makes sense,
and does it t with the reality of the job? Will you stay
with the job (at least for a while)?
Drive
Inuence
Characteristics
may vary for
particular rms
Check a rms
website and
careers
literature to see
if they assess
additional
characteristics
Takes place
as a 15-20
minute
discussion
Approaches
vary
somewhat
by rm
McKinsey
Tell me about a time when you [action
that will illustrate your drive, leadership
or persuasion skills]
Why consulting?
Why [Bain/BCG]
Be prepared
to speak
about
experience
and achievement
on your
Prepare
to speak
about
eacheach
experience
and achievement
on your
CV CV
Prepare other powerful examples from work, school, or extracurricular activities
Do not
Depth
Situation
Complications
Actions, actions, actions
Results
Time allocation
Overview
(optional)
Brief summary of
your story
[optional or
negligible]
Situation
Brief summary of
the context when,
where, your role
5 - 10%
Complication
5%
Actions
80 85%
5%
Step
Optionally (and
briey), why you
took certain
outcomes
Results
A specic, tangible
outcome
ExampleExample
Rational
approaches to
inuencing
Logical persuading Using logic to explain what you believe or what you want
Legitimizing Appealing to authority
Exchanging Trading for cooperation, preferably not explicitly
Stating Asserting what you believe or want
Social
approaches to
inuencing
Socializing Getting to know the other person, being friendly, nding common ground
Appealing to Relationship Getting cooperation of people you already know well
Consulting Involving people in the problem or solution by asking questions
Alliance building Finding supporters or building alliances
Do not use!
Emotional
approaches to
inuencing
You want to be spending the majority of your practice time on live cases and interviews (ideally)
Look for opportunities to do so, and consider reaching out to former alums in addition to other candidates for
this
If you nd there are aspects of the interview youre particularly struggling with, nd ways to hone in on them
eciently in your practice time
Consultants look for candidates who have spikes, or areas theyre distinctive. Ideally, you should know what
yours are and how to maximize on them
Aim to do cases you nd dicult, and that push your skill level
Push yourself to do things outside of what feels comfortable, and to make mistakes
Questions