Case Interviews
Certain employers-especially management consulting firms-use what is known as a "case interview" to determine how well suited you are to their type of work. Case interviews are used to measure your problem solving ability, your tolerance for ambiguity, and your communication skills along several dimensions. Firms want to know how well you identify, structure, and think through problems. They also want to see how well you listen, summarize and articulate your conclusions, and think on your feet. Consequently, your approach to a case is more important than the specific content of your answers. Thinking out loud as you attempt to "crack" a case is advisable because it allows the interviewer to evaluate your thought process.
In a case interview, you are introduced to a business dilemma facing a particular company (often drawn from the interviewer's professional experience). You are asked to analyze the situation, identify key business issues, and discuss how you would address the problems involved. The interviewer begins by giving you some basic facts and then asks you an open-ended or specific question. The interview proceeds as an open dialogue between you and the interviewer, with the interviewer guiding the discussion as you ask probing questions to uncover key information and move toward resolution.
Sample case: "You are called in by Pizza Hut to help them develop a strategy for entering the home delivery market in which Domino's has the dominant position. As lead consultant on this project, what would you do?"
Your first challenge is to identify the type of problem the case addresses and decide whether there is an appropriate framework (e.g., growth tree, value chain, 4 P's and 3 C's of marketing, financial statement, Porter's 5 Forces, etc.,) to structure your analysis. These frameworks are derived from a business curriculum. Begin by identifying the key business issues to show you understand the big picture. Then push deeper into each issue, starting with the most important first.
The above case is primarily a marketing case. The issues to raise include:
- the success factors in the business, and Pizza Hut's vs. Domino's relative strengths or weaknesses; based on that analysis should Pizza Hut enter the business?
- the customers Pizza Hut should target and the needs of those customers
- the product(s) Pizza Hut should sell and the prices they should charge
- how Domino's or other relevant competitors (are there any?) might respond
- what effects a new delivery business will have on Pizza Hut's existing business
- how the business should be structured to minimize costs.
As the discussion progresses, listen carefully and clarify anything you don't understand before proceeding. Follow the interviewer's lead. Each individual will have a unique personal interviewing style, and take you through the case in different ways depending on his or her priorities.
Last updated on Friday, November 04, 05 at 11:01:27 AM EST.
