CASE IN POINT

Case Question Workshop

Marc P. Cosentino
CaseQuestions.com
CQ Interactive
Case Question Workshop
• Purpose of Case Questions
• What Firms Look For
• Consulting Interviews
• Notes
• Types of Case Questions
• Key Guidelines
• Case Scenarios
• Irking the Interviewer
• Frameworks
• If You Do Nothing Else
• Trends in Case Interviews
• Skill Sets
 Candidates who receive offers
do so for five reasons:

1. Committed to ….
2. Success-oriented
3. Able to exhibit good analytical skills
when answering case questions.
4. Able to articulate their thoughts,
create a positive presence, and defend
themselves w/o being defensive.
5. Fit with industry and firm
 What Firms Look For
The objective is not to determine if
the candidate “gets the right answer,”
but rather to evaluate the process
the candidate employs to structure
a competent approach to derive
a solution.
Consulting Interviews
3 Parts
Airport Test

Maturity Test

Case Questions
 CASE NOTES

Case Notes Objective

In this section Write the answers to

write down all the the questions that you
information that asked about the case.
the interviewer
gives you Draw your structure
E(P=R-C)M
 CASE NOTES
• Graph paper, landscape
• One side of page, number each page
• Draw notes, graphs, arrows, boxes
• Lay them out in front of you
• Star most important points
• Constantly review 1st page
• Separate sheet for math
2 Rounds of Interviews
• 2– 45 minute back-to-back interviews
2 small verbal cases

• 3 – 60 minute back-to-back interviews

3 verbal cases with chart analysis
or 2 verbal and 1 written w/ chart design
 Types of Case Questions
There are five categories of case questions.
However, ninety percent of the case questions will be
of one type - Business Case.

• Situation Case
car/boss, kids/billboard
• Brain Teaser
manhole covers, bags of gold
• Guess the Number (population, household, individual, & ??)
disposable diapers
• Factor Questions
What factors would your consider …
• Business Case / Oral and Written
profitability, industry analysis, market
expansion, pricing & strategic planning
 Key Guidelines
1. Listen to the Problem
2. Take Notes
3. Backtranslate or Restate the Problem
4. Verify Objective
5. Ask Clarifying Questions
6. Think Big Picture First, Think Top Down
7. Identify the Type of Case
8. Structure the Problem
9. Organize Your Answer & Manage Your Time
10. Be Creative & Brainstorm Without
Commitment
11. Be Coachable - listen to the interviewer’s feedback
12. Think Out Loud (but think first)
13. Bring Closure & Summarize
14. Show Enthusiasm & a Positive Attitude
15. Have Fun
 IS THE CANDIDATE…
• relaxed & confident?
• a good listener?
• engaging & enthusiastic?
• asking insightful questions?
• organizing the information effectively &
developing a logical framework for analysis?
• stating assumptions clearly?
• comfortable discussing multifunctional aspects of
the case?
• trying to quantify their response at every
opportunity?
• displaying business sense?
• thinking creatively?
 12 Most Common
Case Scenarios
STRATEGY SCENARIOS OPERATIONS
• Entering a New Market • Increasing Sales
• Industry Analysis • Reducing Costs
• M&A • Improving Bottom Line
• Developing a New
Product • Turnarounds
• Pricing Strategies
• Growth Strategies
• Start a New Business
• Competitive Response
Irking the Interviewer
• Letterman/Leno Syndrome
• What Was That Question Again?
• Explosion of the Mouth
• Digression City
• Buzzword Bingo
• Asking Open-Ended Questions
• Using “cookie-cutter” frameworks
FRAMEWORKS
IVY CASE SYSTEM
PORTER’S FIVE FORCES
5 Cs
4Ps
7Ss
If You Do Nothing Else...

The First 4 Steps:

1. Summarize the Questions
2. Verify the Objectives
3. Ask Questions
4. Layout Your Structure
Identify & Label the Case
 The Things They Do
• A or B / Let me tell you why you're wrong
• Headings and bullets / When they cut you off
• End of case meeting with CFO
• The Final Slide
 The Final Slide

Product A Product B
Market Size
Breakeven
Profit
Other Concerns
Product Choice
 MATH SKILLS

Math – flying w/o a calculator

Percentages, Breakevens, Weighted Averages,
Net Present Value, Multi/Div with lots of zeros