Jones

GraduateSchool

of

ManagementMastering

theCase

InterviewAgenda?

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2Why

Do

Firms

Conduct

Case

Interviews?Dissecting

the

Case

InterviewKey

Thoughts

to

RememberMock

InterviewsWhy

Do

FirmsConductCase

Interviews??

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3InterviewerCandidateOpportunity

to

learn

about:Experience“Do

I

want

to

sit

with

thisperson

on

an

airplane?”Opportunity

to

assess:Critical

thinking

skillsCommunication

skillsAptitude

for

consultingOpportunity

to

demonstrate:Communication

skillsFocusProblem-solving

skillsAnalytical

abilitiesPoise

under

pressureOpportunity

to

learn

about:Type

of

work

that

the

firm

doesPersonality

of

the

firmCase

interviews

provide

both

parties

with

information:Keys

to

the

Case

Interview?

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4PreparationEnthusiasmComfortPractice,

Practice,

Practice.Demonstrate

why

you

wanttheopportunity.Show

you

can

think

under

pressure.Practice,

Practice,

Practice.What

is

it?

An

opportunity

to

evaluate

five

key

skills:The

Case

InterviewProblemIdentification?

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5EffectiveCommunicationLogicalProcessDataAnalysisUse

of

aFrameworkThe

Case

Interview:Problem

Identification

Skills?

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6Make

sure

you

understand

the

problem

clearlybefore

starting

your

responseDetermine

and

focus

on

the

salient

issuesAsk

clarifying

and

penetrating

questionsDon’t

hesitate

to

take

a

few

minutes

(or

ask)

tocompose

your

thoughtsThe

Case

Interview:Logical

Process?

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7Determine

your

structure/framework

after

listening

to

the

case

–

one

method

does

not

fitall

casesBuild

a

sequence

to

get

the

facts

you

need(consider

asking

for

them)orDevelop

a

process

to

get

to

a

point

from

whichyou

can

workMake

sure

that

your

case

response

leads

to

aconclusionDemonstrating

the

consultative

process

is

moreimportant

than

getting

the

“right”

answerThe

Case

Interview:Data

Analysis?

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8Determine

what

facts

you

have

and

which

ones

youneedAddress

the

issues

you

have

identifiedPerform

the

appropriate

calculations

to

support

yourhypothesesConsider

external

perspectives:

customers,competitors,

suppliersConsider

the

implications/applications

of

technologyThe

Case

Interview:Effective

Communication?

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9Listen

carefullySpeak

clearly

and

conciselyDemonstrate

the

logic

to

your

analysisSupport

and

defend

your

pointsDon’t

lose

yourcoolAsk

for

feedback

at

the

endThe

Case

Interview:Use

of

a

Framework?

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10Cost/Benefit

AnalysisSupply

Chain/Value

ChainPorter’s

Five

ForcesFinancial

Statements3Cs

–

Customer,

Company,

and

Competition4Ps

–

Product,

Price,

Promotion,

PlaceThe

CaseInterview:PlanYourResponse?

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11Takenotes––bring

paperand

pencil/penCommunicate

your

approachto

theinterviewerSwitch

approach/frameworkduring

theresponseif

you

realizeitsnot

workingBe

cognizant

oftimeWrapit

up!–

Basedon

the

facts

you

have

gathered,drawaconclusionthatanswers

the

interviewer’squestion–

Be

prepared

t“ow“rapit

up”

even

ifyourun

outoftimeTherearedifferentkindsofCaseStudyQuestions...Calculation/MarketSizing–

Ex:WhatistheannualmarketsizeforgolfballsintheUnitedStates?BusinessStrategy/OperationsProblems–

Ex:Alargehealth-carecompanyhasbroughtinateamofconsultantstodetermineanappropriatestrategyforimprovingprofitabilitythroughgrowthinthesizeofitsoperations.Theyhopetoreachtheirprofitabilitygoalsoverthenextthreeyears.Asoneoftheconsultants,whatwouldThesetypesofqueysotiounrsewcillobemthmefoecnusdotfhtoadatyth’semyocdkoca?seinterviews?

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12KeyIdeastoRemember?

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13Askclarifyingquestions/thinkoutloudUseaframeworktoorganizeyourthoughtsDo’ntf’orgettolookattheforestwhilewalkingamongt

hetreesStructureismoreimportantthantheanswer(mostofthetime)REL