Yale Graduate Consulting SIG

Engagement Cases

These cases begin a lot like the CEO cases, but the interviewer is looking specifically at how you would structure the engagement, who you would interview, and what type of information you would gather.  They are not looking for you to drive to an answer, but instead to show how you would approach the problem.  It is good to talk in general terms about hypotheses and a framework for interpreting data.  Typically there will be very little detail or numbers, and the interviewer may become frustrated if you try to find them.  Don't be surprised, however, when the interviewer says, "OK, now you're on the engagement and you have this data...  What should you tell the CEO?"

Situational Cases

These cases put you on the scene at a client engagement, usually after something has gone wrong.  Your job is to deal with the team and/or the client to clean up the mess.  Interviewers are looking for your relationship-building and team-management skills.  The best approach is not to guess what the interviewer is looking for, but to really imagine yourself in that situation and have the right conversations.  Make sure you ask questions before making judgments, and always be honest with the client. 

Financial (ROA) Cases

A common case of this type involves a biologist who invents a better tomato seed -- who sells it to a farmer -- who produces tomatoes -- and sells them to a processor -- who makes better ketchup -- and sells that ketchup at a premium in grocery stores.  So who gets the financial benefit of the better seed?  Sometimes the case will be conceptual, and other times it will involve numbers for each player in this value chain.  Your job is to figure out what is the driver of this industry (usually ROA) and how that translates into incremental revenue at each stage. 

Market Sizing Cases

"How many pennies are there in the South Square Mall?"  These mini-cases come as ice-breakers or as a segment in a larger case.  The key is to segment the "market" and then come up with justified estimates for each part.  Make sure you explain all of your assumptions, but also round them to easy numbers.  When you add it all up and have an answer, make sure you test whether that is reasonable.  You'll usually miss something, and the interviewer may remind you to see how you react, or to make sure you move into the main part of the case with the right information.  In this case, cash registers are obvious, but don't forget about people's pockets, banks, fountains, etc. 

The Elevator Pitch

At the end of a case, the interviewer may say, "You've just stepped into the elevator with our client and she asks you for an update as we ride from the 30th floor to the lobby."  The challenge is to very quickly and clearly summarize the hypothesis, analysis, outstanding questions, and conclusions that you have discussed in the previous 29 minutes of the interview.  Take a breath to get your thoughts together, and then give three or four sentences that convey the most relevant information.  Don't waste time telling the executive anything they would already know, but also don't just jump right to the answer.   

Telephone Interviews

Sometimes firms will ask you to interview over the telephone.  This may happen as a first-round screening interview for firms that don't come to campus, as a late-stage staffing assessment, or just because of some scheduling glitch.  Holding an effective conversation over the phone is very challenging on both sides, so you'll have to work extra hard to convey your personality and skills.  Make sure you schedule the interview when you can be relaxed, in a quiet place (use the CSO if necessary).  Consider putting on your suit and opening  your portfolio just as you would for a regular interview, and don't use a cordless phone!

Ten Things to Remember About Case Interviewing

10: Never lose focus on the fact that the case interview is also an interpersonal interview. Consulting firms will still be judging the candidate on their: