Strategist Consulting Compendium Vol-2 Case Book

Consulting Compendium
Vol-2: The Case Book
Strategist The Strategy & Consulting Club, MDI Gurgaon

2016-17
No part of this casebook may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical,
photocopying or otherwise without prior consent from Strategist Club, MDI Gurgaon
Table of Contents
Foreword......................................................................................................................................................................... 3
Purpose behind Case Interviews .................................................................................................................................... 4
Interview Transcripts ...................................................................................................................................................... 5
Consulting Compendium Vol -2 2

Foreword
The Case Book is the second volume of the Consulting compendium series by Strategist.
This case book documents the interview experiences of students across various consulting firms. This
being the first ever edition, we have included experiences from PG14 final placements and PG15 summer
placements experiences. We have also included experiences from HR consulting firms interviews. We
hope this casebook would be a recurring fixture year on year, henceforth.
We hope that interview transcripts shared will add adequate value to your on-going preparations. The
Case book only serves as a guide on what to expect at the consulting interview scenario. Students are
expected to continue case interview preparations through their consulting circles and earlier
compendiums published.
We would like to thank all PG14 and PG15 students of MDI Gurgaon who have supported us with this
endeavour. Special thanks to all the contributors and all the very best for placements!
Note: It is important that pg16 students seeking to reach out to pg15 and pg14 seniors mentioned in this
casebook, reach out to members of the Strategist club in order to do so.

Purpose behind case interviews
Case Interviews - If you have reached so far, you have probably got the firms attention. You have
the basic prerequisites they seek in a candidate. Now its the time to prove your mettle.
First lets look at the purpose behind a case interview. The interview process is especially pertinent
in the consulting industry, since consulting professionals spend the lions share of their business day
interacting with clients and colleagues and must themselves constantly interview client employees
and executives. Consultants must be cool under pressure, be influential without being
condescending, be highly analytical, have the ability to understand the smallest aspects of a problem
(while simultaneously seeing the big picture).
Keep this in mind during every stage of interview and we are good to go. A case Interview typically
starts with the statement of a business problem. You are expected to start with asking about basic
internal and environmental factors through which you expect to solve this case. For eg. If problem
pertaining is that of decreasing profits, you may start asking more about client, the industry etc. and
propose to check both revenues and cost factors to improve profits.
If you get the basics correct, the interviewer may present you with more data to proceed. Your job is
to ask the interviewer logical questions that will permit you to make a detailed recommendation.
The majority of case interviewers dont have a specific answer that you, the candidate, are expected
to give. What the interviewer is looking for is a thought process that is both analytical and creative
(what consultants love to call out-of-the-box thinking). Specific knowledge of the industry covered
by the case question is a bonus but not necessary.
To make the whole process a bit easier, we are have presented to you basic 11 frameworks to tame
case interviews, in the Consulting Compendium volume 1.
The idea behind the frameworks is to help ask you right questions for proceeding through the case.
We strongly recommend practising cases through mock interviews in your consulting circles.
Remember to keep a professional head all through. Relax, interviewers will guide you through the
whole case as far as you show interest and keep asking questions.

Interview Transcripts
I. Piyush Bagdi KPMG IGS, Final Placements 2016
Team Strategist (TS): What were the questions asked? Were they based on your CV, hobbies etc.?
Ans: The questions were based broadly on describing myself, my work experience and some questions from
academics. My work experience was in the core oil and gas sector. So, I was asked about the nitty-gritties and
nuts and bolts of the sector as well as the current happenings (reasons for the oil and gas slump, future
forecasts, oil and gas pricing etc.).
TS: Were there are any guesstimates?
Ans: Not really. They generally dont have guesstimates for IGS (Infrastructure & Government Services) &
FMAS (Financial Management & Advisory Services). There were guesstimates for BPS (Business Performance
Services, i.e Strategy & Operations) division.
TS: Was it a case interview?
Ans: No. It was a normal GD & PI. Usually consulting companies dont conduct GDs. But KPMGs IGS, FMAS &
SSOI (IGS deals with governmental services consulting, FMAS Financial management advisory & consulting, and
SSOI - Shared services offices) conduct GDs.
TS: What was your GD topic?
Ans: Majority of the topics were generic in nature and irrelevant to the sector. My topic was Shift of e-
commerce (web-based platforms) to m-commerce (mobile platforms).
TS: Why were others eliminated and you selected in the GD (i.e. the trigger points)?
Ans: As the GD topic was very generic, I felt that the points would be repeated. Hence, I decided to start off.
Everyone was given a minute to sum up the GD at the end. So, everybody said what they felt about the GD or
what points they made in the GD. So, I categorically mentioned the salient points of the GD and also summed
up what I said. Further I also acknowledged a few people who I believed had made very valid points during the
GD.
TS: Did you have multiple rounds or just a single round?
Ans: Just a single GD & multiple PIs. Initially there was a core PI, the next round was to judge whether my
work-ex was ok with their scheme of themes and the final round was a HR round. The last two rounds of PIs
were mostly nominal and only used to judge where I would fit in the organisation.

TS: What advice do you have for preparation of consulting companies in general and KPMG in particular?
Ans: I had prepared for Deloitte, but I didnt get selected. I didnt prepare as extensively as for Deloitte. I was
in touch with the oil and gas sector for quite a while and thus could answer questions related to it quite easily.
One thing I did was that I asked two people from Unnati who were following the oil & gas sector to take an
exhaustive interview on this topic.
TS: Was there any material which you used for preparation, for example many people go for Case in Point?
Ans: Case in Point is meant for Deloitte and not KPMG at all. KPMG, unlike Deloitte, is quite flexible in terms of
their selection. The will modify the format as per their requirement. They may go for case based interviews,
GDs and even normal PIs. They may go for additional rounds if they feel like. I had prepared for Deloitte using
Case in Point and didnt repeat for KPMG as that part of preparation was done.
TS: What do you think you were selected? What in your opinion were they looking for?
Ans: I believe that I answered a few questions which were very particular to this division very well and I
summed up my thoughts very aptly. Also my answers were to the point.

II. Shashank Sinha Deloitte USI, Final Placements 2016
I had 3 rounds of interviews. The first 2 rounds were basic guesstimate sort of rounds. When I entered for the
1st round, the person was really friendly and he said this round will be of max 10-15 minutes. So well wrap it
off quickly. You just need to give your opinions and we would be checking your process of thinking.
He went through my CV and asked a few questions from it. The first question was related to my PoR as the
academic representative/lead. He asked about what an academic lead did and what role does an academic
club play. He tried to link it to what he experienced in his college. He wanted to know about the
responsibilities of academic clubs and my role in that.
The next question was about my CG. When I said it was 6.8, he asked how good or bad it was. I said it was
above average, in a relative system you dont get an idea.
My CV was named Finance CV. So he asked me why I thought it was a Finance CV? I linked it to my work
experience. Although I was working in an IT role, I was developing systems for GS trading platform. So, I knew
about how trading works and how these systems come together. I had lot of exposure. The knowledge that I
gained there was much more than what was taught in the college in that specific area. He seemed to be okay
with my answer.
Then he gave me a guesstimate. As I was from Patna, the question given to me was:
Estimate the number of garbage trucks in Patna.
He gave me a sheet of paper so that I could write my approach. I started by asking a few questions. The first
one was Talking about garbage trucks, exactly what kind of trucks are these?
He wanted some clarification on this and then I mentioned that there were 2 types of garbage trucks; first the
smaller trucks which travel inside the city and collect garbage from each lane and dump it at collection points
and second were the bigger trucks which collected garbage from these points.
He told me that he wanted to consider the bigger trucks only.
I then gave a population estimate. I gave the population number. By assuming there are 3 people per family in
a household, I estimated the number of households in Patna.
I mentioned that meals generated the biggest part of the garbage. Assuming that each family had 4 meals a
day and each meal generates an average of kg of garbage, the total garbage per family from a meal came
out to be 2 kgs per day. Thus, on multiplying by the total no. of families I got the total garbage weight from
meals. I assumed 1 kg roughly from other waste for each family. Thus, I got the garbage per family and garbage
for the entire city.

I started assuming the dimensions of truck. I knowingly kept the dimensions easy to multiply and calculated
the total volume (L: 12 m, b: 10 m and h: 5 m). After getting the total volume carried by each truck, I asked for
the density to be considered. The interviewer told me to take the density to be 1. Thus, I calculated the
number of truck and the answer that came out was 750.
Here, I mentioned that this number seemed large to me. He said that this number seemed large because you
assumed that each truck would be used only once a day. There I defended myself by saying that we were
estimating the number the big garbage trucks which would take the garbage from the city and dump it way
outside, hence it would be just one trip they would be making. He was convinced with the points I had given.
Then I said that this was the estimate for households and next point would be Commercial. So I wrote the next
point as commercial. At that point the interviewer stopped the process. He said he was okay with my
approach, confirmed my selection for the second round and thus the interview ended.
The next round was a case study round. There were 2 interviewers; a male & a female. First we introduced
each other. The male gave me a case and he wanted to see how I approached it and I had to reach to a final
solution. He said that he was expecting a specific answer at the end. So that is where he set the expectations.
He then asked me if I had any preference for cases. As I didnt have much idea about what kind of case or
industries may come, I kept it open for them to assign a case of their choice.
They assigned a case related to the telecom industry. The case was as follows:
There is a developing country. The Telecom Ministry of that country is trying to increase the penetration of
data usage be it 3G or 4G. They have hired Deloitte to help them come up with a strategy to give a solution on
how to increase the penetration.
At this point they gave me blank sheet of paper and they asked me to start with the case. I started with a top
down approach and tried to understand the macro-condition and then moved down. I started asking about the
macro conditions like the stage of development of the industry, split of urban and rural population etc.
Then I moved to the sector specific conditions. I asked questions pertaining to the sector like How old the
sector was. At each question the interviewers asked the relevance of the question. For example, when I
wanted to know how old that sector was I had to explain that I wanted to understand how fast the sector was
growing.
Next I asked about the level of competition. They said that there were three competitors; A, B & C. I asked for
their respective market shares which they gave me. So now I had an idea of the macro conditions, the industry
and the split of competition within the industry. Then I moved to the products. I asked which types of product
were being put into the market (as in 2G, 3G, 4G etc.) and at what stage of technology products were in. They
told me to assume that the product was in 3G stage. Then I asked whether there was any technological
substitute to the existing product. They asked what type of substitute I was looking for. I explained that
instead of 3G, people in other countries people may use public wifi or free messaging provided by telecom

operators. Was there any other way to use these services in the country? They said that there was no
substitute as such and I should assume that the conditions are similar to India. Now I had an idea from macro
to the product level as well as the shape of industry.
At this point there was a little confusion regarding the question. As I was only talking about 3G networks, they
said that it was not only about 3G but overall mobile usage penetration. So that changed the problem
statement a bit. So I would suggest candidates to clarify the problem statement from the beginning (preferably
twice).
As the industry analysis was more or less same, I continued from that point and started listing enablers in the
mobile industry (such as Available technology, Govt. support, pricing costs etc.) as well as the hindrances.
After this they said that they wanted to move a bit further. They said that Deloitte has done some analysis and
they found the problem was related to cost. They asked how I would approach this analysis. I said I would take
a P&L approach. In this I said I would break down the P&L of a telecom company into various components and
start identifying the ones which seemed to be above the average costs in other similar countries.
At this point I added a few things which I believe helped me crack the interview. One of the points I
mentioned was Government support in law and other. I called the component as Miscellaneous expenses. I
said that there could be scenarios were a company has to shell out a bit more than what is required for the
service to be completed. The interviewers asked me for an example. I replied with an example from Bihar.
While Airtel was setting up its business over there in 2001-02, there were rumours that, after they set up their
infrastructure, they had to pay ransom money to start their operations. Such expenses would add to the cost
of the operations of the company. I felt this point changed the way they were looking at me. I was thinking of
thing beyond the P&L statement.
After this this they wanted to go a few steps further, a situation where Deloitte has done the analysis for the
organisation and projections of the future were done. They gave me a few charts and asked me to do an
analysis on feasibility of the project. The sheet had components like projected growth rates, projected cash
flows, gave the components of WACC, and the method to calculate discount rates and taxes. I started by
asking them what was the criterion that was decided for analysing the feasibility at the start of the project (as
in IRR, NPV etc.)
They told me to suggest an approach and go ahead with the analysis. I opted for an NPV calculation and if it
was positive then the Government could go ahead with the project. I created the cash flows for the next 10
years. I completed the projections, calculated the revenue, the cost and the final profit. Then they said that
they were done with the interview

Keys to success as per Shashank:
Out of the box thinking (For example: The Ransom money point)
Attempting to get to the solution (In their workshop Deloitte mentioned that they were interested in
people who are interested in coming to the solution)
Point to note: Data sheets were given at the end. Only people who reached that level/stage were given these
sheets for further analysis.
The third round was a Partner round. The Partner interviewing me seemed to be very friendly at the beginning.
Then the partner examined my CV thoroughly. Then he asked me, Are you a good fit for consulting? I related
the answer to my work experience.
He then asked, Are you Ok with travelling? I said that I had travelled abroad previously and have worked
with different cultures.
Next he asked, If you were in my place (in the interviewers place) what would you ask the candidate? I
answered with question on why consulting, culture fit, what I am looking at, career goals etc.
He then asked if I had any questions for him. Then I asked what he was looking at. As an answer he repeated
what I had previously said. This is where the interview ended.
In the middle he specifically asked why I left my previous firm as well as what my career goals were. I believe
he wanted to check whether I had a career plan in mind or not. I said that I was not in a revenue generating
role and wanted to move towards revenue generating roles. So I left my job.
I said that I wanted to create an impact and thus I needed to have end to end knowledge of an industry. Thus, I
am looking at working at all different levels of the industry. Becoming an expert is what I am looking at. I
further linked the answer with my prior work-ex so as to back my assertions.
The answer was primarily derived from the Deloitte workshop where they said that they would give an
opportunity to work with various people and in different roles and probably one can become an expert.
The interview ended at this point in time.
Q&A:
Q: Was it a stress interview?
A: No. But the partner was not looking at me at all during the interview.
Q: Did he mention anything about the previous rounds?

A: No. But when he asked me on what parameters he should judge me, I talked about the previous rounds.
Otherwise he did not mention anything of the previous rounds. He also did not give a hint if I was selected or
not.
Q: Where do you feel you made an impact?
A: Answers were linked to some part of my previous experience or any activity I had done in past. Answers
were backed with points on my CV.
Q: Mode of preparation and any tips?
A: Deloitte puts in a lot of effort into their selection process (i.e. PPT & workshop). The PPT & Workshop will
give a great idea of what they want. I designed my answer based on these experiences. Showing them that you
were attentive during the session will be helpful.
Q: What is the best way to prepare for consulting?
A: I used Case in point. I went through the structures of the cases and not the cases in depth. I solved
problems/guesstimates but did not follow its solutions. Solving all problems as per Case in Point solutions may
narrow your vision. I looked at and also tried to creates guesstimates from my area of interest (as in cricket)
Also I tried to remember the area & populations of the cities that I had been to. During the interview when I
gave the population of Patna, the interviewer asked me how I came up with this figure. I said I had checked it
up beforehand.
Q: Did you go for mock interviews?
A: Yes. After a few interviews I realized that I was giving a narrowed viewpoint. Thus, I rectified myself.
Q: Was there anything in your profile that helped you get selected?
A: I dont know. In fact I cant say. I just tried to show the impact that I had made through the points in my CV
(For ex: I talked of my achievements of my work-experience, also that I had worked in international projects
and talked of my cultural understanding). They asked me about my CGPA. I believe they are looking at a
certain minimum level, above which they are ok.
Q: Any strong points in your CV that helped you?
A: A strong point in the profile: Work ex at Goldmann Sachs & work in the finance industry which was an
impact creating role. I have been abroad (comfortable with travelling, I have worked abroad and with different
regional teams).
Q: Any specific preparation tips that you would recommend?

The ppt workshop helped me frame my answers- based on their comments and requirements. Make sure that
you are attentive during the sessions. Also, I went through the Case in point the structures (market entry,
pricing etc) not the cases (as it could narrow the vision of thinking). I also tried to solve the problems by not
looking at the situations. I also tried to solve some guesstimates (from my area of interest, i.e I created self-
problems) I also looked about the relevant statistics pertaining to me (population and areas about places,
demography about the country etc. and basic details). I practised mock cases with friends, and even gave a
mock interview.

III. Jasdeep Mehta - Accenture Management Consulting, Final Placements 2016
The conversation below details the experience I had in the AMC interview process. It covers the First
telephonic interview only and I have covered the Case Interview Question and Situational Question in it.
Second and Third interview was general HR questions so, I haven't written it down.
Telephonic conversation 1: The Interviewer is a Manager from the Chicago Area.
Interviewer: What will you do if you as a consultant approach a client who is not happy with Accenture?
Candidate: Sir, It is my innate behaviour to connect with person on personal front. So, I will try to connect with
him using a common ground and not professionally. And it is in my nature to help my friends to grow by
helping them out with things. So, I will help him on personal front first and after gaining his trust I will try to
push the work of Accenture. It might take time but it will give us the desired results.
Case Interview Round
Interviewer: Which sectors do you like?
Candidate: Consumer durables and FMCG.
Interviewer: Okay, so I if say you that you got HUL as client and the management want to develop product
strategies for next 3 to 5 years what will you do? Or how will you approach it?
Candidate: Can I get 1 min to gather my thoughts?
Interviewer: Sure.
Candidate: Is it the only objective of the management or anything else like they want to develop new product
strategies or want to increase market for the current product.
Interviewer: They want to increase market for current product only not the new one
Candidate: Then Sir, I will like to ask if the current market is growing or do we want some efficiency
improvements.
Interviewer: Current market is near saturation.
Candidate: Assuming the company like HUL will have market penetration of around 60% in India. Is it a safe
assumption to make?
Interviewer: Yes, that is a fair assumption.
Candidate: So, I will try to look at the current operations of the company. As the Profits = Revenue Costs. I
will try to look at the costs side. For this Sir, I will move along the supply chain to tell you details.

First, I will look at the sourcing is the sourcing is being done at the effective rates. If it is, then in will move to
the production plant setup as how the processes are there in the production setup and try to measure the cost
impact of each process. After the cost impact I will do sensitivity analysis for each process as how the change
in process can reduce the cost or improve the efficiencies of the process. Once that is done I can list down the
processes to improve and chalk out a plan for future.
But, if I havent found any major cost components in the operations of the company or processes of the
manufacturing Unit, I will try to get information on the distribution of the company. I will see if there are issues
in the Supply chain distribution, do I need to integrate the processes dealing with the Distribution channel or
do I need to look at the Product, information flow through the channel. Once I identify this I can develop
strategies for the same.
But, if I still havent got the issue identified then I have to look at the product lifecycle in the market i.e. I will
see in which areas of the country the product is in which lifecycle stage. Once, if I see that the product is in
initial phase of adoption in some areas I will increase the penetration of the brand from 60% to higher range in
those areas as In initial stage client can invests in developing channel and increasing penetration. If the
product is in final stage I wont recommend investing in developing the channel in those areas as it might not
give much returns in future.

IV. Prachi Mohan BCG, Final Placements 2016
Note: The BCG process was a pooled campus process.
Team Strategist (TS): Can you take us through the selection process for BCG?
Ans: All shortlisted students were assigned buddies. What that buddy does is that he will basically be
interacting with you and everything you speak to him about is actually being evaluated. So its an interactive
session throughout and that is also supposed to be as practice as he practices cases with you. Also my buddy
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did 3 cases with me over the phone. I had some 3-4 calls. The 1 call was a basic informative call where he was
just asking basic questions, and if I have any doubts and he was just giving me some idea about BCG and all
subsequent phone calls had cases in them. So he was basically evaluating me and giving me suggestions and
feedback at the end of it that this is what you could have done better and things like that. So these buddies are
basically 2 -3 years into the firm and not very senior people. Each of them has been assigned multiple
mentees. So my mentee was assigned me from MDI and must have been assigned somebody from FMS. I dont
know who it was though. That is how it works. So each buddy gets candidates from different campuses as it
was a pool campus and he has to rank his mentees in an order and he puts them in a hotlist. So, the mentor
may not put any mentee on the hotlist if they dont feel like any. If your name is on the hotlist, what happens
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is that on the day of the final interview, youll be the 1 one to be called inside and it is basically a matter of
perception so the interviewer thinks that somebody from BCG has already put you on the shortlist (hotlist) and
is in some way endorsing you and he forms a perception about you, so that can help you obviously. But even
you are not on the hotlist it doesnt matter because if you do well that day and the person is convinced
anyway then its okay but otherwise it is just basically a psychological thing.
TS: So, its an elimination round?
Ans: Its not an elimination round. Its basically an evaluation roundand it can work to your benefit but itll
not really hamper your chances really badly. Its good to have a good first impression.
TS: Can you take us through the final day?
st
Ans: What happened in case of 1 year summer placements, all the students were made to go through at
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least 2 rounds but in our case we had just the 1 round. Everybody thought that even if they didnt do well in
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the 1 round, they will get a second round but that did not happen. Only a few people were called for the
second round. So that is one thing that they have changed. So we had around 6 people from MDI and 11
people from FMS so almost twice the number. Ultimately, only one girl got selected there. So the same of
people got through (from MDI and FMS) but their shortlist was twice as big as ours. So the first round was
st
taken by a senior consultant/manager (I am not sure of the designation of the person who took my 1 round)
and he asked me a case. Basically, every round will be a case round. They expect you to crack the case and you
have to do a good job to be able to get through to the second round. So, I was asked some basic HR questions

in the first round and I was asked a case where the interviewer formed the case impromptu seeing my CV. So it
was not some case he had in mind. So, again at least in BCG in all the cases I went through, the cases were not
concrete. They are mostly qualitative cases so they see your CV and ask you something about yourself and
basis that they form the case. I was asked a case and I was asked a guesstimate.
So from the first round, a few of us went through to the second round and I think 3 of us from MDI had one to
the second round.
Then again there is some pecking order that happens. So if they like you a lot then the time difference
between your first round and the second round would be very less. So the guy from MDI who had gone in last
was the first to be called for the second round because they really liked him.
st nd nd
I went first in the 1 round but I was the 2 person to be called for the 2 round.
nd
My 2 round was taken by a principal and I was again asked a case and I was asked questions from my CV and
nd rd
basic HR questions. So after my 2 round, in a very short duration, I was called for my 3 round.
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The 3 round was a partner round. Again, I was asked a case, basically. I was asked 4 cases, if I were to include
the guesstimate etc., I was asked 3 buddy cases. So I was asked to solve a total of 7 cases in my entire process
and the end of each round, they ask you if you have any questions for them. So finally 2 of us from MDI went
rd nd nd
through to the 3 round and 1 went to the 2 round, so 3 did not even go through to the 2 round. So,
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ultimately the 1 round became an eliminator.
So, they will take at least 3 rounds if they are interested. But if a straight yes or a straight no hasnt been
th
reached then they will take a 4 round just to reach a concrete decision. So, the guy from MDI was not called
rd
for a 3 round but 2 were called from FMS but both of them were rejected. So they will keep calling you unless
its a straight yes or no. So that is about the day of the process.
TS: What were resources that you referred to for your preparation?
Ans: How I prepared was that Case in Point is a basic resource that you do for other companies as well. So Case
in Point, I did. Apart from that there are a lot of BCG specific cases that are available from other case books
IIM Ahmadabad, Bangalore and ISB. So I practiced that and in addition to that the shortlisted people, we
formed groups of 2-3 and discussed the case by changing roles - one is supposed to administer the case, an
observer and the one solving. Then you should rotate. So basically a case you see a case form 3 dimensions.
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One as an interviewer, one as an interviewee and one as a 3 party neutral observer.
Practice case interviews because its important.
TS: What is your work experience background and do you think it has any bearing on the final selection?
Ans: No, so I think that till you get our shortlist your CV will help you. I think beyond that it is all about cracking
the cases. So beyond shortlist, I dont think the CV matters much since as it is they only shortlist a few CVs that

they really like. So I dont think that then there is a pecking order there. But in terms of getting a shortlist, I did
not get a shortlist in the summers I got one during the finals. So I basically 2 years of manufacturing work
experience at Reliance Industries Ltd. and a gold medalist in my engineering and I was not in the top 10 of the
batch. A lot of people who were shortlisted were in the top 10 of the batch. I was in the top 50.
TS: You mentioned not getting a shortlist in summers and one during finals. What changed?
Ans: What added between my summers and final is that I had a PPO from Deloitte USI and a PPI from KPMG
through the KICC competition. Apart from these two, just the PORs at MDI. I think it is the consulting
experience on my CV that may have got me a shortlist. I am not sure.
TS: What was total time taken for the process?
st st
Ans: So, the shortlist was out on the 1 of December and the process was on the 21 of December. So the day I
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had my shortlist, the next day I mailed my buddy and asked him for a time when I could call. So in the 1 week
post the shortlist I had my exams so could not make any calls apart from the informative call. After that in the
next 2 weeks, I had 3 case based calls. They see from one case call to other whether you have worked on the
feedback or not.
TS: Is consulting experience a requirement to get a shortlist?
Ans: Of the 6 of us from MDI, 4 had no consulting experience whatsoever. There was just one repeat from the
BCG summer shortlist though. Most of them are in the top 10 or top 20 of the batch. Also, doing an internship
in Marketing or Finance company isnt much of a hindrance as consulting is one domain where you can sell any
experience. Most consulting companies will make you solve a case and they will judge your case solving skills
then and there.

V. Sashank CV: Deloitte USI, Summer Placements 2015 & PPO
Process: includes 3 stages.

1st round: Was basically involving guesstimates. There were basic questions on your CV, followed by a
guesstimate. They look for the approach and not for exact answers. Focus on whether you are proceeding in
the right approach and manner. As I was a native from Mumbai, guesstimate was based on that aspect.
2nd round: It was a case interview. Case was already decided beforehand. Case round - data is provided and
you are expected to work out the answers on sheets of paper. Day to day simulation problems are possible to
be asked and data tables are provided. For a problem first explore reasons for the problem and request more
data as you keep solving.
In this round as well, normal CV and HR (PSP) related questions were asked.
3rd round: Partner round:
Senior people at the level of director will take the interview here.
Personality fit was tested
No structured set of questions in this round.
Profile: They dont generally have any preference as such. Even if they do, they dont reveal that people from
from varied backgrounds (industry and service line experience intersection helps here) get in. During my
internship, I had gotten a Health care + IT project in health care ( as I had relevant experience earlier).
CGPA: No criteria during the internship/ final offer
Preparation Material: Nothing specific. Case in Point helps. Practice guesstimates on your own. You need to
have a logical and structured approach. It is also important to know from people who have been through the
process.
Internship Experience: Daily call in the morning at 8:30. It was not that very hectic working hours, although it
depends on project. I was assigned an M&A Integration project for which the deal was signed.
PPO Conversion: Continuous observation, ownership of tasks is taken into account. Are u someone who takes
up work, have own opinions and meet deadlines? Here you are checked if you are someone who sets
expectations and are realistic. Your overall personality, networking skills, and rapport building is taken into
account.
End term review: Presentations made to the senior management. You will present to them - based on the
feedback and presentations, a call is taken on your PPO prospects.

VI. Anant Poddar Avalon Consulting, Summer Placements 2016
There was 1 GD and 2 rounds of interview.

There were 3 panelists in total: P1 was a VP, P2 was an AVP, and P3 was a consultant and MDI alum.
GD Round: P1 and P2
Topic was related to Swacch Bharat Abhiyaan, Indian economy and the policies of the govt. There were around
10 members in my panel and we were seated in more of a straight line than a semi-circle, which made
communicating with other members quite difficult. One of the guys started the GD but he fumbled mid-way
and I picked it up from there. I spoke assertively and glanced at all the members while speaking which gave the
impression that I was speaking to the entire group. I spoke for a minute and gave a direction to the discussion,
which the group picked up. One of the other guys spoke pretty decently and gave some very good points. The
two of us made it through to the next round from our panel.
I believe the panelists were looking for people with strong communication and analytical skills.
My communication skills and the ability to command the GD when I spoke helped me through to the next
round.
Interview 1: Guesstimate Round P2 and P3
They asked me to estimate the revenue of the Delhi Metro on a weekday. I started with the population of
Delhi and assumed a percentage of people, based on income, who use the metro to commute daily. Next I
broke this number down into people who use the metro for one trip and those who used twice. I took an
average distance travelled per trip. I didnt know the corresponding fare for this distance so they gave me that
number. I also mentioned about the revenue from bill-boards, advertisements, and shops within the metro
establishments and they seemed satisfied with it.
Then they asked me basic questions on finance and marketing like STP, marketing vs sales, fixed costs, variable
costs, sunk costs. They wanted to see whether I was sure of my answers or not. They asked me to identify the
fixed, variable, and sunk costs for MDI. Also, I was made to do a 4P analysis of MDI.
Then they asked me why I wanted to come into consulting. I replied something about consulting being one of
the fields where-in you get to work on real strategies that affect different companies. Then they asked me so
why not corporate strategy? I replied that corporate strategy is at an over-all company or group level while I
wanted to start at the lower decision making level and move up. They seemed satisfied with my answer.
They offered me a pizza and ended the interview. They told me that I would have another round of interview
with P1.
I smiled throughout the interview, and kept it more as a formal discussion than an interview. They focus a lot
on mannerism and observe your behaviour.
Interview 2: P1 (and P2 for half the time)
The VP seemed like a friendly person and he introduced himself as an alumnus of my engineering college. He
started with another guesstimate and asked me to estimate the daily consumption of milk in Delhi. Meanwhile
P2 walked in and informed him that theyve already tested me on a guesstimate. But P1 decided to go ahead
with this one. So, I started again with the population, broke it down into age-groups and income groups to

identify how many people needed to consume milk in high quantities versus how many could afford it. Then I
took an average consumption per day for all the different groups and came to a number. He seemed satisfied
with the approach although he pointed out that I had left some of the consumers out.
He then asked some more questions about what I was expecting out of this internship opportunity. He told me
what exactly would be my role and what kind of projects they would be able to offer me.
This was the end of the interview.

VII. Ayush Kumar KPMG FMAS, Summer Placements 2016
Team Strategist (TS): What was the process?

Ans: The process consisted of GD and 2 rounds of interviews. The GD topic was Is E-retail a bubble or is it
here to stay in its current form? Each student was given 2 minutes to speak turn wise in the beginning. Then
they gave 10 minutes for group discussion. Each student was also asked to conclude in the end. They gave 1-
1.5 minutes/student for that. Because everyone was given a chance, there was no disorder and confusion.
TS: How many students were there in the GD panel and how many were shortlisted?
Ans: There were 10 students in one GD panel and 1 student per panel was shortlisted.
TS: So what do you think he/she was actually looking for?

Ans: I felt my interviewer was looking for someone who used data to back up his/her stand in GD. Plus
someone who could include others viewpoint in final conclusion. Listening to others is a very important skill in
consulting and he was also looking for that.
TS: How was the interview?

st nd st
Ans: There were two rounds of interviews. 1 round was normal interview, 2 was HR interview. In 1
interview, he asked general questions like Tell me about yourself, Where are you from etc. Then he started
asking about general economic and financial situation of country. He then moved onto my Financial
Accounting Project. He asked industry related questions about it. My project was about Steel Industry. So, he
asked about Steel Industrys then current situation, the NPA problem of Steel Industry, how/why the NPA
problem started in the industry and what is being done to solve it. He also asked about the Chinese
overcapacity in Steel Industry and how Indian/global firms are being affected by it. What can Indian
government and Firms do about it. Basically he wanted to know about my general Economic and Financial
knowledge.
nd
The 2 round was HR interview and I was asked about my Strength and Weaknesses. What are my
expectations from KPMG? How do I rate myself in GD and how I can improve myself?
Both interviews were about 20 minutes each.
TS: Were they looking for something specific in the candidates?

Ans: I feel that they were looking for good general knowledge, communication as well as listening skills.
Because they ask you to conclude in the end, you must listen carefully to the important points raised by
others.
TS: What would be your suggestions for the prospective candidates?

Ans: Read business/financial newspapers every day for at least a month before the summers. Also be aware of
political scenario since government has a lot of influence over industry. So also read political newspapers. Your

financial accounting project will be very, very important so be aware of the companies and the industry you
have chosen. Other than that, be courteous to others in GD and listen to them. They did not select students
who cut others while they were speaking. Everyone was given time to speak. Respect that time of others. I was
not asked any guesstimate questions but it might/might not be asked this year. Be prepared for it anyhow.

VIII. Sarin Babu Deloitte USI, Summer Placements 2016
First round was a guesstimate round. Panel consisted of two senior consultants/managers. They wanted me to
walk them through my resume. I did that, highlighting my sales background and interest in aviation.
Interviewer: Interesting. You mentioned about aviation as the interest, Can you guesstimate the total no of
flights in a year from various pilots training academies in Delhi?
I took some time to scribble down the thoughts on to a paper. Once I was ready, I started fresh on another
paper, this time involving the panel as I wrote down my explanation. I started with factors like no. of
academies, no. of courses, no. of students, no. of flights, no. of training hours required etc. This discussion
went for another five minutes.
Interviewer: Good enough, But I guess I need more factors. I am sure you are missing a few ones.
I took some time and then tried to add few more factors like time of the day, seasons, runway etc.
Interviewer: I need to test you again. Can you attempt to guesstimate the total no of basketballs in city of
Gurgaon.
Guesstimate was taken from the mention of basketball in my resume. Anyway, went on to do the guesstimate.
This time guesstimate went better than the previous one.
Interview ended and I waited for the results.
Soon, I was called onto the case study round. Panel again consisted of two senior consultants/Managers. I
settled down and first few minutes went going over my resume and few discussions on college life etc.
Soon, case was provided to me. Problem statement was that, an Insurance company is facing issues with
profitability and needs our consultancy.
I went to factor in reason which may be leading to the profitability issues, like Top line decline or increase in
costs etc. I then went on to ask more about the company, its area of business, the industry, its competition etc.
Every factor I mentioned was cross questioned for its relevance. So be sure to have a reason for every factor
you mention.
Based on my responses, I was provided with the first set of data points. Data was simple enough, it clearly
showed sales to be growing more or less across the categories. However, costs seemed to be increasing more
than the expected proportion. Again, data was direct enough, however interviewer was more focussed on the
structure of my thought process. Its important to follow an MECE approach. Once I said, profitability was due
to the increase in costs and expenses, I was provided with the next data points.

Data was about expenses of various departments. I followed a similar process to explain my reasoning and
recommendation that IT costs of the business is high compared to industry standard and might be the reason
for profitability. I was then provided with few options or recommendations. I was asked to select a one and
present it to the client. I went on to select a strategy based on total savings expected and balancing it out with
its cost of implementation. Interviewers appreciated the fact that, I took a solution which was more expensive
to implement today but would provide a better top-line growth in a long term plan. I then summarised the
whole case as I would do at a client office.
Once case was done, they asked me if I wanted to ask them any questions. I asked about their US client office
experiences and life away from family and related questions.
Soon, I was called into the third round with a partner.
The whole third round revolved around to know me better. Questions were about my childhood, my interests
and likings etc. He went on to ask questions from every part of the resume. He wanted it to be an interactive
round. So, I asked him questions on anything and everything I wanted to know about Deloitte or Consulting in
general. I also asked him about his travel diaries etc. At one point, we were also discussing on various
conspiracy theories behind MH370 Flight. The whole round went for about 20 minutes.
As a summary, I would like to mention that, all across the three rounds, I felt a common thread that the
emphasis is on knowing you as a person and your fit into the Deloitte culture. You are expected to show
energy, to be pro-active and to present a structured thought process.

IX. Atonu Bhattacharya - Aon Hewitt, Summer Placements 2016 (HR)
Team Strategist (TS): What was the process for Aon Hewitt? (Profiles offered, Number of rounds, total people
selected)
Ans: Profiled Offered: Human Capital Consulting (Co. also offers marketing profiles once absorbed into the firm
as an intern) 4 Rounds: Psychometric Test, GD (40 Min), 2 Personal Interviews. 2 people selected from MDI
apart from 2 from XLRI, 3 from TISS and 2 from FMS.
TS: Please tell us about the interview experience (Duration of the interview, type of questions asked)
Ans: GD: 40 Minutes; might be based on Current affairs, might be Case Study based (changes every year),
logical entries and facts expected. Personal Interviews: Mostly CV driven, people with workex are asked in
depth about their work-ex. Some Guesstimates and logical puzzles might be asked. Academic Projects are
discussed in detail. Some panelists might take a real stress Interview. Some recent HR issues were discussed.
TS: How should one prepare for the summers interview? (What all to study, time to be devoted)
Ans: Be extremely well prepared with your CV, especially work-experience and Academic Projects. Prepare
answers which make business sense, quote industry examples. Be thorough with newspapers, have a
perspective around issues rather than just quoting facts. Be clear with Organizational Behaviour concepts and
basics of HR.
TS: Some dos and donts for the candidate
Ans: No Faff in GDs or interviews is needed, be clear and logical. Do not create a fish-market or make
unnecessary entries in the GD else the entire panel will be scrapped. Real life experiences from Work-Ex which
make business sense will be appreciated.
TS: How was the internship experience? (Working hours, work load, work culture)
Ans: Flexible timings, non-hierarchical culture, smart people at middle and senior management. They expect
high initiative taking and ownership, more you deliver the more support you get. Culture is chilled-out,
workload is moderate, however internship experiences vary greatly by assigned team.

X. Aniruddha Deshpande Stellium Consulting, Summer Placements 2016
Team Strategist (TS): What was the process?

Ans: It was basically GD followed by a PI. GD was long and lasted for 45 minutes. We were asked to devise a
strategy to increase the tax collection of the Indian Government using any innovative idea. The person
conducting the GD was encouraging us to be aggressive during the discussion.
TS: How many students were there in the GD panel and how many were shortlisted?
Ans: There were 12 of us in the panel and I was the only one shortlisted
TS: So what do you think he was actually looking for?

Ans: He was looking for some out-of-box ideas which at the same time were practical and implementable. I
think he liked my thinking and the way I present my point. This, I feel, was the most important part of the
process and I was able to make an impression there. Interview was more or less a formality after that or so I
feel.
TS: How was the interview?

Ans: It was about 10 15 minutes long. Interview was mostly based on my resume. They asked about me, my
resume, what all I have done till now, responsibilities of a consultant and my hobbies. They specially grilled me
on my hobbies and wanted to know more and more about them. They also gave me guesstimates to solve.
TS: What were they looking for something specific in the candidates?
Ans: They were definitely looking for work-ex. Thats the only important factor I felt was there
TS: What would be your suggestions for the prospective candidates?

Ans: I read Case-in-Point and some other books on guesstimates. Reading newspapers is a must and they are
very important.

XI. Abhinav Shrivastava PWC, Summer Placements 2016
First round was a GD. There were two panelists, one from HR and the other from the business side. The topic
was Should public utilities be privatized or not? Since our group was small (there were 4 of us), the
discussion went on quite smoothly with everyone getting a chance to speak. After the GD, the shortlisted
candidates were called for a personal interview with the panel.
The panel had only one interviewer and he was the Associate Director in the firm. I was greeted with a warm
smile and asked to sit. Firstly, he asked me to introduce myself. The subsequent questions were primarily
focussed on my work experience.
Inteviewer: I see from your CV that you executed a project related to abc. Please elaborate a bit about that
project
I explained to him the details about the project
Interviewer: Thats good. But how do you think the organization as a whole was going to benefit from this
project?
I explained to him how the outcome of my project was important with respect to the strategy that it had laid
out for itself. He seemed satisfied with my answer.
Interviewer: What are the various engineering systems installed at the airport (IGIA) and how are they
interconnected among each other? and many such work experience related questions.
Since some part of my previous job was related to their line of consulting i.e. energy efficiency, I was
scrutinized to significant detail in that respect. For instance, I was asked to describe in complete detail about a
project on energy efficiency. I explained the project right from the inception phase to the conclusion. He
seemed quite satisfied with my answer and started probing deeper by asking questions related to other
projects mentioned on my CV. The questions that followed were to test my technical knowledge w.r.t. energy
efficiency technologies, some major equipment etc.
He then moved on to my interests and asked a couple of questions related to them after which I was asked to
leave.

XII. Akanksha Sharma - Synergy Consulting Inc., Summer Placements 2016
Following are the questions asked by the recruiter and the responses.
Round1:
Interviewer: Are you aware of the concepts like NPV, IRR?
Yes, I elaborated upon each.
Interviewer: If you stop working today what money would you take from your employer so that you could
survive rest of the years of your life? Please state the factors you would consider and the process behind it ?
To calculate the present value of the future cash flows I would need to discount them and consider the
increasing needs over different stages of my life. Adult to family to old age, the cash flows will change.
Interviewer: Could you explain the various risks any business or project is exposed to?
Different types of risks include credit risk, market risk, country/economy risk. I elaborated upon each.
Interviewer: Please highlight the applications of IRR while making capital budgeting decisions
IRR is the internal rate of return and can be used to identify which project to take up depending on whether
the cost of capital is greater than the internal rate of return. A choice between two independent projects can
be made using the IRR or NPV approach.
Round2:
Mostly HR based questions. Why this company? What motivates you to work?
Q. Could you explain assets and liabilities on a typical balance sheet?
Q. What will be the impact on a company if the size of debt increases?
Round3: Telephonic Interview
Q. Tell us about your accounting project in the insurance sector? What kind of risks do insurers cover?
Apart from there were a lot many questions on excel; how to write macros, etc.

XIII. Mihir Upasani: Deloitte USI, Summer Placements 2016
First round was a guesstimate round. Panel consisted of two senior consultants/managers. They had a look at
my resume and asked me a few questions around my positions of responsibilities (PoR). They wanted to
understand what my role was and what I exactly did. Post this we moved on to the guesstimate round.
Interviewer: Can you guesstimate the total number of transactions on the NSE in one day?
This was not something I was prepared for and it took me by surprise. I did my graduation in Bachelor of
Financial and Investment Analysis, this is probably where they got the idea for this question.
I had a rough idea about the total number of companies listed on the NSE and that only an approximate
proportion of these were traded regularly. I mentioned this to the interviewer, but realized that I couldnt do
much with that information. So I took a breather and had a re-look and decided to take the population
approach. On a piece of paper, I started with the population of India and tried to arrive at the number of
people that would actually be trading. I did this by factoring in aspects such as the urban-poor divide and the
age bifurcation of the population. I took assumptions at each step and the interviewers seemed to be
comfortable with them. I further went on to make a rough assumption on the proportion of people that would
be trading regularly, and people who would trade as long term investments. Basis these factors I arrived at a
rough estimate.
Interviewer: Thats good, but is that all? Do you think you are missing something?
I took a few seconds and realised that I had focussed only on retail investors, and had completely left out
corporate investments, FIIs, Mutual Funds etc. I mentioned this to the interviewers and they seemed to be
happy with the answer. I volunteered to estimate the number of transactions for the non-retail investors, but
they were happy with my answer so far and felt it was not required.
Interview ended and I waited for the results.
Soon, I was called into the case study round. Panel again consisted of two senior consultants/Managers. I
settled down and first few minutes went going over my resume and some general discussion on technology.
Soon, the case was provided to me. Problem statement was that, a company is facing issues with profitability
and needs our help.
Using a pen and paper, I went on to explain how the decrease in profitability could be either due to an
increase in cost or a reduction in revenue. I then went on to ask more about the company, its area of business,
the industry, its competition etc. Every factor I mentioned was cross questioned for its relevance. So be sure to
have a reason for every factor you mention.

Based on my responses, I was provided with the first set of data points. Data was simple enough, it clearly
showed sales to be growing more or less across the categories. However, costs seemed to be increasing more
than the expected proportion. Again, data was direct enough, however interviewer was more focussed on the
structure of my thought process. Its important to follow a mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive
(MECE) approach. Once I said, profitability was due to the increase in costs, I was provided with the next data
points.
The data received was about expenses of various departments. I followed a similar process to explain my
reasoning and recommendation that IT costs of the business is high compared to industry standard and might
be the reason for profitability. I was then provided with few options or recommendations. I was asked to select
one and present it to the client. I went on to select a strategy based on total savings expected and balancing it
out with its cost of implementation. Interviewers appreciated the fact that, I took a solution which was more
expensive to implement today but would provide a better top-line growth in the long-term plan. I then
summarised the whole case as I would do at a client office.
Soon, I was called into the third round with a partner.
The whole third round was to see whether Id be a good fit with the firm. Questions were from different parts
of my CV. There were questions around how important marks are. We also discussed sports. The interview
ended by us discussing Deloitte USIs business and how theyre planning to grow.
Overall, you need to be proactive. They should see your excitement in wanting to work with them. They want
to see whether you are a good fit for the firm along with having a structured thought process.

XIV. Yashaswi Haramurali KPMG, HR Consulting, Summer Placements 2016 (HR)
Team Strategist (TS): Can you tell us about the initial process and shortlisting?
Ans: Yes, initially there was an OLT application and a Statement of Purpose that had to be written a few days in
advance. The process for HR candidates was separate and not mixed with the rest. Overall 20 people were
shortlisted into 2 separate panels and finally 3 people were selected into the next round.
TS: What was the process followed in the GD, was it a case discussion or a GD?
Ans: It was largely a group discussion amongst 10 persons the topic given in our group was How do we
assess evaluate a person based on ability or performance?
Even before we began the interview, we were informed by the panellists that the number of points do not
matter, rather the quality/content matters. In fact I had just made one entry in the course of the GD, but with
a valid and concrete point.
TS: After shortlisting from the GD round, what were the process for the interviews ?
Ans: The first interview was a panel interview with 2 persons, a manager and director, from the practice.
To begin with, I was asked, tell me something about yourself. Initially I was asked CV based questions, i.e IT
based workex (nearly 5 years with TCS), my learnings from my workex and details of a consulting live project I
had done. Specifically I was asked what my role in the consulting live project was.
There were no HR technical questions asked in the first round, rather questions were asked on why were I was
selected upto this point? This interview carried on for 30 min, my background, live projects, experience and
questions around other such details were asked. Most questions asked were CV based and content based
questions.
In the second interview, it was a HR centric interview, by a HR manager, the panellist asked me about being ok
with travelling, time flexibility, and work timing preferences. After that he asked me questions like why HR?,
why consulting. Again the tell me about yourself question was repeated. The rest of interview was mostly
PSP based questions. This went on for 15-20 minutes. Additionally, I was asked what my career ambitions
were, and what developments do you want to see in yourself through a consulting career?
TS: Any GD Tips that you would recommend?
Ans: I entered the GD only once. Honestly, the company people want to see your logic and justification of
points. Few instances in GD led to rejection of other candidates for example, a candidate cutting a girl mid-
sentence repeatedly, etc.
TS: Any specific material that you used for preparation?

Ans: HR technical questions provided from prep team as well as the HR compendium were immensely helpful.
Although as a non-fresher, these questions were not asked to me. However the Statement of Purpose(SoP)
used for the KPMG process is important, as I was asked questions on it in my interview rounds.
TS: Any inputs HR Consulting co.s in general ?
Ans: Significant amount of excel and ppt skills would be required. Compensation themed projects are common
in HR consulting roles, etc. If you go through basic consulting know-how, it will help you in demonstrating a fit
for the role
TS: Were there any situational based questions that were asked and does CGPA matter?
Ans: No situational based questions were asked as such. No impact of CGPA, and other considerations for
KPMG, as far as HR consulting roles go.
TS: Anything that particularly helped u in your application?

Ans: In my first round, due to significant workex, HR perspectives of my past organization were asked and my
solution to them. Time and effort were spent on the SoP, that paid off very well. HR recruiters generally are
very particular about the organizational values I included them in the SoP answers and showed how I was a
nd
fit against each value which definitely helped. These answers in fact, came up in the 2 interview. Since I
already had workex in IT consulting, I was asked questions on handling clients specifically.
TS: Any specific dos and donts for the KPMG HR profile interviews?
Ans: Dos company and managers are very particular about being honest, be cognizant of this.

XV. Dilip John KPMG Strategy & Operations, Summer Placements 2016
Team Strategist (TS): What was the process followed?
The process followed was one of initial application, followed by a SoP (Statement of Purpose) submission, and
finally the shortlisting.
The process followed was one of Case Discussion (GD), followed by a personal interview with a Senior
Manager/Associate Director, followed by a HR interview with a HR manager.
The case discussion involved about 8-10 candidates who were given a business scenario and asked to discuss
and form solutions around the core problem.
The topic given to the group was one of Current emission tests cheating by Volkswagen its impact and
implications on the companys businesses and also possible strategies to contain the damage. We were asked
to think from the perspective of the Volkswagen CFO and COO and provide key recommendations for
implementation. 10-12 minutes of discussion followed, after which each candidate was asked to summarise
and conclude from a CFO and COO perspective. I had made 3-4 entries throughout, wherein I could make
some concrete points and justify my stance. My conclusion in particular was well rationalized. In total 2
persons were shortlisted from this GD group. There might have been 3 GD groups in all.
Notably both FMAS (Financial Management and Advisory Services) and S&O (Strategy and Operations)
candidates were not segregated until the first interview stage.
TS: Please elaborate on details of the second round/first interview stage.
Ans: The second interview round was like a case interview round, although it was relatively unstructured. It
began with the usual tell me about yourself question, after which a few CV based questions on my
background and work experience were asked about. The case interview round at KPMG is usually modified as
per the interviewers discretion. After this point, the conversation steered toward some impromptu case based
questions one was dealing with operational efficiency of a logistics company, which was involved with inter-
city shipments. My logic and structure in detailing out and identifying potential stakeholders and solutions was
tested. Another case question was based on a past consulting client engagement, wherein an NBFC was
seeking to boost its growth opportunities. The interview revolved around case questions such as these and the
interviewer also proceeded to explain some of the work and nature of client engagements done at the
Strategy and Operations division at KPMG. My interest levels in these & responsiveness were checked.
TS: What followed after this round?
Ans: The last and final round was a HR round. There was a single interviewer who was a HR manager. It was a
fit round, although questions such as why consulting, name 3 weaknesses, fit for a consulting role, and

willingness to travel were tested. A couple more PSP questions and also few strengths that set me apart for a
consulting role, were asked. Like in the previous round, I was also asked, about my preference of verticals in
this round. I was also asked if I was open to work at any location. This round lasted maybe 15 minutes. This
round can be used to show your fit for the role at KPMG.
TS: Any preparation tips in particular?
Ans: Be well updated with the news and current happenings. A candidate who was not aware of the latest
happenings and news about the Volkswagen scandal was at a disadvantage. In the interview, it is ok to take
your time and frame your answer if need be. A thorough reading of Case in Point will help in answering typical
business case questions that are put to you. Be sure you know the firm and its values & divisions well.
Be prepared for an unconventional interview a fellow interviewee was taken out for a coffee by a senior
manager, until a room was available (similar to the airport test used by consultants in recruiting).

XVI. Abhay Mittal Deloitte USI, Summer Placements 2016
Team Strategist (TS): Can you give us a brief of the initial shortlisting and process followed.
Ans: Initially there will be an Introductory PPT by Deloitte, followed by an OLT and a Video CV application.
Based on the number of persons applied, usually 30-40 people are shortlisted, post which there is a workshop
Consulting 101 by Deloitte on campus.
Here people were divided into groups of 10, and run through a case under guidance by Deloitte. It was a ppt
based case, wherein in at each slide each group should ask questions. It is possible that questions asked in
workshop round would be revisited in final rounds. There was no solution pitching in this round. Goal is to
depict how a typical consulting environment would be. It is important to gauge the environment and processes
at this stage. The people selected for the workshop round are usually carried forward to the interview rounds.
The interview rounds happen some days after the Consulting 101 workshop.
TS: How many interview rounds were present after initial shortlisting?
Ans: There were 3 rounds a guesstimate round, case interview round, and partner round (usually a company
fit round). It is possible another round might happen for a dicey candidate. Each round was an elimination
round. The first 2 rounds were basically a test of capability and skill.
TS: Tell us more about the first round?
Ans: Initially it was an introductory chat, CV based questions were asked. Before you ask them specific
questions, they are quick to ask you, what u have been doing before MDI, why Deloitte, why consulting, what
are your hobbies, etc. Try and introspect your answers avoid clichd answers and standoff questions, play
safe (although it depends on dynamics of interview).
The guesstimate asked was Estimate the bottles of hair oil in Indian Market, yearly/monthly
Here I took the average age range of the individual as 0-80 years, it is important to tell the interviewer your
assumptions, validate it and proceed (the interviewer is likely to interject when you go haywire). Next I
segmented the age ranges, 0-20, 20-40 etc. and further subdivisions 0-5, etc., and assumed how much ml for
each individual, and also number of oiling sessions per week (5 or so), finally extrapolating it into a per day
figure. Simple multiplication yields the volume of hair oil per month per person. I assumed the current
population taken as 120 or 130 crores for simplicity.
This same logic was carried throughout the age groups, however number of oiling sessions were cut down for
older persons. Propensity for hair creams etc. between ages 20-40 was also accounted for, for the 40-60 age
group, due to hair fall etc, medicinal aspect of hair oil would lead to more hair oil per session. I was stopped
here, and the interviewer asked if it was the same logic for people in 60-80 yrs of age, to which I responded,

yes. A final number as an answer was provided also. Interviewer asked if you missed out on any
factors/assumptions. I replied that medicinal hair oil aspect overall for all age groups was missed. Interviewer
prodded about creative ideas u might have missed naturopathic treatments, Ayurveda, tourism, export etc,
were some of my answers. Usually expect some questions asked about what factors you missed - I actually
held back in my answers, some good factors, which I brought back strategically. Note that in this round, the
case was verbally conveyed. This interview round had only one interviewer in this panel the panelists are
mostly manager level and above.
TS: At the end of this interview did you follow up with any questions for the interviewer?
Ans: Yes, I was asked this question. It is possible that you can also ask for 1-2 min to think about it, also. I asked
something about the firm how do you align new interns to the job role. Ideally go prepared with 4-5
questions to ask asking questions at this stage is a good sign.
Based on your performance in the consulting 101 workshop round, the order of your interview rounds might
change.
TS: After your first round, can you elaborate on the second round details?
Ans: Yes, it happened on the same day, in fact it was a long ice breaking session, with 2 cases. The panel had 2
members, one was a senior consultant a specific hobby of mine were asked, about which he had an
understanding. My case interview was bit different from the others, I got 2 cases. My first case was related to
a company related to the pharma industry - it was facing great losses, the bottom line was not growing, and
costs were increasing eventually the root cause was a problem with an IT system and its recent
implementation. This case interview extended to 10-15 minutes.
The second case was basis a telecommunication sector company with capability in mobile communication and
satellite communication. The government directive to the company was to increase internet penetration. Here
the generic question was asked to me - how would you effect this?
How I went about it, was suggesting competitor and industry analysis, etc. This was not a per se market
expansion, as government subsidies are there, so I went about understanding what are the major service
profiles in the company, segments, how did competitors expand these were some questions I put to the
interviewer over the interview.
What I missed out asking the interviewer was on was some jargons in the Telecom sector, i.e GSM, CDMA etc.,
(knowledge of these might actually help) - since I already had engineering college level knowledge of it, hence I
did not ask details of it, which the interviewer found curious, and questioned me about it. RPS revenue per
user was a metric used in telecom sector, which I had to clarify. After this I went ahead with macro specific
questions about government subsidies etc.

Since the question was a simple statement which might get modified in between, this process took a fair
amount of time, say 25 minutes. After this time, the actual case sheets with case details were provided,
showing the approach and entire details of case, with data and exhibits. My approach matched the details of
the case brief given. I was asked to come up with a specific cost analysis for the market expansion, and Cost,
Revenue, Profit for each of the segments. By the time this phase was over, I had forgotten the problem
statement in the first place, i.e the initial question of cost analysis I had already answered the question in the
calculation on the sheets and I was reminded of that by the interviewer.
This entire interview round lasted for one hour 1 hour, 15 minutes. 2 interviewers were there in this second
session the second interviewer hardly spoke for 5 minutes throughout and just observed. So I actually posed
a question to the second interviewer. This round was also an elimination round
TS: What about the last and final round the partner round?
Ans: The partner round was a very candid discussion, basically it was a company fit interview by the partner.
Questions on engineering background and further career path were asked (The engineer and MBA
combination). It is necessary to maintain composure and think on your feet in this round. Since I had already
worked in Hyderabad I was asked questions based on that. Also, totally random, arbitrary questions are
possible here, I was asked, what was your first aim/ambition? The entire interview process was completed
within one day.
TS: Any tips for a prospective candidate?
Ans: Dont try and push for extra questions unless necessary. Be reasonable and coherent in your answers.
Importantly, dont say things just for the sake of saying things. Faff will get caught eventually. For Deloitte
refrain from using any framework explicitly, dont speak it out loud. For example, instead of SWOT, say I would
like to explore the upsides and downsides of the company. Avoid jargons as well.

XVII. Vikrant Wakhlu Cognizant Business Consulting, Summer Placements 2016
The initial shortlist was based on a video CV (answers to specific questions) and application submission.
Team Strategist (TS): Please run us through your interview and experience?
Ans: The first impressions when the interviewer had a look at my CV was my work-ex which was 33 months
he had some questions around this. Then he focussed on where I am from - Kashmir but born and brought up
in Ahmedabad, a couple of background based questions were asked. Then he asked how many dots were there
on his tie In that moment, I calculated the number of dots on the tie, assuming a rectangle and a triangle. A
couple more CV based questions were asked.
TS: Were there any technical questions asked after the initial questions?
Ans: Yes, I was put forward a business case by the interviewer which basically ran like I have a business, a
toy business whose sales have been flat for the past few years, few competitors have also entered the space,
how to increase market share?
The way I went about solving this question was initially asking questions to gain clarity on the company and
products offered, such as what kinds of products and markets the company is into, profit margins etc.
After some more questions, I progressed to suggest options the company might have merge, acquire,
diversify or venture into international operations. This was more or less the end of the first interview. It had
lasted for up to 20 minutes.
TS: Run us through the details of your second interview.
Ans: Well, the second interview was after elimination of candidates from the first round. I was first asked
about ecommerce models and cash burn in ecommerce majors. Basically, the interviewer wanted to know
about the entire ecommerce model how it works from clicking to paying, which I explained to him. Next, I
was asked to suggest a few points where the processes of an ecommerce major can be made operationally
efficient. I suggested improvements in logistics and delivery handling, etc.
A second case interview was conducted during this round; the case was a US bicycle manufacturer who
wants to venture into international markets. The company already has presence in Malaysia and few
countries, but has no prominent international presence till now. Some of the questions and thoughts, I started
asking the interviewer were as follows - What is your target market? Which countries do you export to? What
are your growth expectations and so on?
I was able to boil down to few broad factors that are to be considered such as which countries to shortlist,
how far are raw material stores, how efficient is the logistics, presence of strategic partners etc. I was

informed by the interviewer that I would be frequently getting such business scenarios within the company
where I would have to think out of the box.
TS: Did you ask any questions to the interviewer in the second round?
Ans: Yes, I had asked a question about end to end change implementation in IT systems such projects, and
how common it was in Cognizant Business Consulting. I was also asked which vertical I would like to work in, I
replied I was ok with anything. In total the second round lasted around 40 minutes.
TS: Tell us about the third and final round
Ans: The final round was a HR round. We were quizzed about work experience, and PSP based questions, such
Tell me about any challenging situations u have faced and how have you overcome it? Here, I mentioned a
few situations from my professional work experience.
I was also asked if I was comfortable working at any location. This round lasted around 10-15 minutes.
Each round was an elimination round.
TS: Anything specific material that you had followed for preparation?
Ans: I ensured I read Case in point thoroughly, and also I referred online for guesstimates. I browsed the
company website for quite a few hours I had gone through papers, reports and pdfs, and also details of
company verticals (i.e what work is being done and published, etc.).
TS: Anything specific that had worked for u or did not?
Ans: Being prepared for cases beforehand definitely helped me a lot. Also knowledge of the companys values,
verticals, focus areas etc. proved helpful.

XVIII. Rahul Kasera Synergy Consulting, Summer Placements 2016
There was one case based GD with 8 people of which 2 were selected for the interview rounds. The number of
interview rounds held was two in total.
Case Based GD: A situation was given wherein a constructor had been awarded the project. We had to consult
the government on the potential risks whose mitigation measures should have been a part of the contract.
Another GD panel group was given a caselet of highway contracts in India, and asked to discuss, why the
project proposal was a failure.
The GD went for about 20 min. However, at the 10 minute mark the panelists interrupted and asked to fine
tune our points since the GD was going off topic for a majority of the time.
Interview Round:
The first round was with one of the Directors of the company and the second was with an Associate Director
and a HR.
Round 1: Lasted for around 10-15 min.
Interviewer: Tell me something about yourself.
Ans: Answered accordingly.
Interviewer: Tell me what Financial Ratios are.
Ans: Told the interviewer about the 4-5 ratios that I could recollect at that point in time
Interviewer: Why are you appearing for CFA
Ans: Finance is something that I have always had an inclination towards especially the equities markets, since
my family business pertains to that very domain hence CFA was a logical & feasible option for me.
Interviewer: What is Project Financing and how does it differ from what a CFA knows?
Ans: I replied that Project Financing is all about arriving preparing bids so that our client can win the bid and
get the project. It includes legal aspects as well as debt syndication. The primary difference with CFA is that
CFAs are more of Analysts with overlap between the use of NPV, IRR etc. as far as project financing is
concerned.
Interviewer: What Is NPV, IRR?
Ans: Explained the concepts of NPV and IRR & the difference based on my understanding at that point in time

Interviewer: In case of NPV-IRR Conflict, which figure would you rely on and why?
Ans: Answered the question based on what I had prepared for CFA till then
Interviewer: What are the drawbacks of IRR?
Ans: Explained the drawbacks multiple IRRs etc. and suggested MIRR be used to overcome this drawback.
This answer really seemed to impress her post which she moved on to HR basic questions
The HR questions were from the PSP and I could sail through them easily!
Round 2: Lasted for 8-10 min.
Interviewer: What is current ratio?
Ans: Answered (Current Assets/Current liabilities)
Interviewer: What is Quick Ratio?
Ans: Answered but later realized that I had answered it incorrectly
Interviewer: If I give you to analyze a balance sheet, how would you go about doing it?
Ans: The same concepts were taught in MANAC-1 course and I took my time to answer this question having
realized that this was a great chance to showcase my basics.
Then the other panelist, a HR manager then asked 2 HR questions, both of which were again from the PSP set
of questions.
The interview ended at this point.

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Consulting Compendium

Vol-2: The Case Book

Strategist The Strategy & Consulting Club, MDI Gurgaon

Purpose behind Case Interviews .................................................................................................................................... 4

Interview Transcripts ...................................................................................................................................................... 5

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I. Piyush Bagdi KPMG IGS, Final Placements 2016

TS: Were there are any guesstimates?

TS: Was it a case interview?

TS: What was your GD topic?

TS: Did you have multiple rounds or just a single round?

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Estimate the number of garbage trucks in Patna.

He told me that he wanted to consider the bigger trucks only.

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The interview ended at this point in time.

Q: Was it a stress interview?

Q: Did he mention anything about the previous rounds?

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Q: Where do you feel you made an impact?

Q: Mode of preparation and any tips?

Q: What is the best way to prepare for consulting?

Q: Did you go for mock interviews?

Q: Any strong points in your CV that helped you?

Q: Any specific preparation tips that you would recommend?

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Case Interview Round

Interviewer: Which sectors do you like?

Candidate: Consumer durables and FMCG.

Candidate: Can I get 1 min to gather my thoughts?

Interviewer: Current market is near saturation.

Interviewer: Yes, that is a fair assumption.

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Note: The BCG process was a pooled campus process.

TS: So, its an elimination round?

TS: Can you take us through the final day?

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Practice case interviews because its important.

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TS: What was total time taken for the process?

TS: Is consulting experience a requirement to get a shortlist?

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Process: includes 3 stages.

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There was 1 GD and 2 rounds of interview.

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Team Strategist (TS): What was the process?

TS: So what do you think he/she was actually looking for?

TS: How was the interview?

TS: Were they looking for something specific in the candidates?

TS: What would be your suggestions for the prospective candidates?

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Interview ended and I waited for the results.

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