With written applications for our consultant roles coming to a close and graduate applications now open, we have collated some useful advice to prepare you for consulting case crack interviews!
Behavioural Section
Typically in a consulting interview, there will be a behavioural section. This is your time to shine and distinguish yourself by recalling your skills and past experiences.
Take note of these suggestions:
- Prepare a 30 second to 1 minute “Tell me about yourself” answer. This is the best chance to show the interviewer who you are and why you'd be a great fit for the team!
- Be sure you support your responses with meaningful examples - show the interviewer how you'd make a great addition by reflecting on how you have demonstrated certain skills.
- Research into past projects and the type of people the company/organisation is looking for
- Use the STAR method to keep your responses succinct
Situation: Think of a situation that is relevant to what the interviewer is asking.
Task: Describe the task you performed in the situation. Highlight any challenges you faced
Action: Describe exactly what you did to perform the task and to address the challenges
Result: Share the outcome of the situation and the result of your contributions. Reflect upon what you learnt.
Find out more - https://theinterviewguys.com/star-method/
Case Interview
The case interview is a way to show the interviewer your critical thinking and presentation skills.Take note of advice given by our Consulting Directors:
- Communication is key! Remember, there is a limited time to understand and make recommendations for the problem. Be sure to openly communicate with your team to achieve this. - Make sure to deconstruct the problem logically and be vocal about your thought process. Fight the urge to immediately jump to a solution. - Be sure to take into consideration your group members’ opinions (if it is a group interview) during the discussion - looking at everyone’s ideas makes sure that more factors are considered! - Be aware of the time constraints - plan accordingly so that you have enough time to present a summary of your solutions at the end of the interview. - Follow the “Pyramid Principle” so that your presentation will be answer-first; (https://bit.ly/2SRxTXs). Identify your key insight and have each member of the team provide reasoning.
- Using a “Hypothesis Tree” is useful to diagnose your problem as it allows for methodical reasoning and explanation
What is it: A Hypothesis Tree sets out a series of MECE hypotheses to explain a problem
Why is it used: The tree allows you to logically break down the problem and directly organize problem solving around hypotheses
How is it constructed: Hypotheses branch from the problem statement, and can be further stemmed out into more specific branches
Find out more - https://bit.ly/2tqGzWl
All the best for your interview and good luck!