Hi R,

There are 7 primary case interview formats that the major consulting firms use to evaluate
candidates.

You should DEFINITELY be familiar with each of the formats so you don't do poorly in an
interview just because you did not know what to expect.

Here are descriptions and examples of all 7 interview formats:

------
Format #1: Traditional Candidate-Led Case
-------

In this kind of interview, the interview (aka the person pretending to be "the client") asks
you an incredibly ambiguous question (Should we enter the Latin American market? We're
losing money, how do we fix it?) and you need to solve the whole case from that starting
point.

BUT, this is just ONE of MANY case interview formats.

Before I describe the various formats and how they are different, it is useful to point out
how the different formats are SIMILAR.

All the formats test your ability to:

1) "De-construct" a very ambiguous problem into smaller sub-problems that are easier to
solve

2) Logically analyze each sub-problem

3) Do math while analyzing these problems (both precise math and estimation math)

4) Develop a hypothesis that explains why a client's problem exists and how to fix it

5) Determine what data is needed to prove or disprove a hypothesis

6) Communicate your conclusion in a CEO-friendly style

In the Case Interview Secrets demonstrations, you go through all 6 skill areas in a single
continuous case -- very naturally flowing from one skill area to the next as the skills listed
above also tend to appear chronologically in that order in a case.

For more on this case type, see the video tutorials available in the members-only section:
CaseInterview.com Login
-------
Format #2: Interviewer-Led Case (Stop & Go Style)
-------

A variation of the traditional format is what I call an interviewer-led case. This format is
the one that McKinsey tends to use.

It has two distinguishing features.

1) The INTERVIEWER (not you) determines which parts of the case are important, tells
you to tackle a specific issue at a specific time, and asks you specific question where you
are expected to give specific answers.

In contrast in the more traditional candidate-led interview, you are deciding which
questions are worth asking AND determining the answers. (For the interviewer-led cases,
the interviewer decides which questions are worth asking, asks you those questions, and
expects you to answer them)

2) The flow of the case is very ABRUPT. If a case has 4 key areas, in a traditional case
you would determine which of the 4 areas is most important, analyze the 1st area, move on
to the 2nd most important area, determine your conclusion and present it.

In the interviewer-led case, the interviewer might ask you which of the 4 areas you think is
most important and why... and then regardless of how you answer, the interviewer will say,
"Let's tackle Area #4," (even if you thought that was least important).

So in an interviewer-led case, you JUMP AROUND a lot.

Now in an interviewer-led case, you will still be tested on all 6 skill areas. BUT, it happens
in a little more of an abrupt and artificial way... not always in a naturally evolving
sequence.

Here's additional information on this interview format:

Interviewer-Led Case Interview
McKinsey Interview Format

------
Format #3: The Written Case Interview
------

In a written case interview, you are given a lot of data in the form of charts and powerpoint
slides (think: 20 - 40 slides).

You are given 2 hours to review all the information and then you are asked to take a test
about the client company.
Bain has used this format on certain occasions in some European offices.

Again, the written test will typically test all 6 skill areas -- but in a written format.

For more on the written case format, look here:

Monitor's Written Case Interview
Bain Written Case Interview Format and Prep

----
Format #4: The Group Case Interview
----

Monitor is known for using a group case interview. In this format, you and typically 3
other candidates are presented with a case and are expected to work together as a team to
solve the case. (NOTE: Monitor was acquired by Deloitte, and time will tell if Deloitte
adopts Monitor's interview approach or
drops it entirely.)

This format ALSO tests all 6 skill areas + 1 more... your ability to work in a team in a
respectful, collaborative manner.

(Tip you do well in this case by helping your "competitors" (other candidates) do well, not
by shooting them down)

Here are two articles on this type of interview format:

Group Case Interview
Monitor Group Interview

----
Format #5: The Presentation-Only Case
----

BCG in certain interview rounds in certain offices will use what I call a Presentation-Only
case. In some countries, I am hearing early signs that Bain is doing this too.

If you recall the 6 key skill areas that all firms test:

1) "De-construct" a very ambiguous problem into smaller sub-problems that are easier to
solve

2) Logically analyze each sub-problem

3) Do math while analyze these problems (both precise math and estimation math)

4) Develop a hypothesis that explains why a client's problem exists and how to fix it
5) Determine what data is needed to prove or disprove a hypothesis

6) Communicate your conclusion in a CEO-friendly style

In this format, the first 50% of the case is written in that you are presented with a stack of
charts or powerpoint slides that describe the client situation.

Then you are given some time to analyze the case (without an interviewer in the room), and
asked to prepare a 6 - 10 page presentation to present your conclusions.

You are asked to both write the presentation and then actually deliver it.

The philosophy in this case format is it is impossible to do skill area #6 well (communicate
your conclusions) unless you did skill areas 1 - 5 well on your own.

When you present your conclusions, the interviewer(s) will challenge you on everything
you say. WHY did you conclude that? Did you consider X factor? What facts do you use to
support your statement?

They are basically asking these challenging questions to see if you actually did do steps 1 -
5 well when you were working on your own.

Here's a structure I recommend when creating slides for a presentation in a case interview:
Creating Slides

----
Format #6: The Estimation Question
----

The next format of case is an estimation question. This type of case ONLY tests skill area
#3 -- your ability to do math.

If you add up all the interviews and evaluations you have with an employer, you can expect
approximately 1/6th of that time to be spent on testing your math skills.

The estimation question is one way this is done.

In this type of question, you are asked to numerically estimate some number -- typically the
size of a market (e.g., how many of X product is sold in your country? How many rubber
tires are sold in your country in a year? How many gallons or liters of gasoline/petrol does
a typical filling station pump on a Saturday?)

Of course it is impossible to provide a precise answer to such a question. Instead, you are
expected to estimate the answer using two things: a) making a few assumptions, b) doing
math.
By the way, this is NOT just some exercise invented to torture candidates like you. These
are questions CLIENTS routinely ask us consultants (or the topic comes up in conversation
where you're just trying to figure out if an opportunity is "big" or "small"... and generally if
small, it's often not worth the effort to try to get a more precise answer).

Here's one example of an actual McKinsey estimation question:

Estimation Question

----
Format #7: The Problem Solving Test
----

This final type of candidate evaluation tool is not really a case. Instead, it is just a math test
that tests general math skills, critical reasoning skills (involving numbers) and data
interpretation skills.

McKinsey is most famous for using this type of testing tool. Their test is called the
McKinsey Problem Solving Test (also know as the McK PST).

BCG in one country in Europe (as far as I can tell so far) has just started using something
similar -- the BCG "Potential" Test.

The types of questions on this test are:

a) computation problems (If prices are raised by 15% and costs go up 20%, units sold
increase by 15%, what is the company's profit after these changes)... basically it's a word
problem.

b) data sufficiency / interpretation problems (Based on Chart Exhibit 1, which conclusions

are factually supported... conclusion A, B, C or D ?)

Here's my guide on the McKinsey PST:The Definitive Guide to the McKinsey PST

Here's my guide on the BCG's version of the same:BCG Potential Test

Also to practice the math that is commonly on this test, you will want to use my case
interview math practice tool.

This tool is basically a timed flash card test of common types of arithmetic problems seen
on problem solving tests and in live cases.

Whereas the word problems test your ability to translate words into equations, this tool
helps you improve both your speed and accuracy at the equations themselves.

It also allows you to compare your performance to those of other members and to my own
test scores.
CaseInterviewMath.com

--- How to Prepare ---

So these are the 7 major case types. Now the obvious next question is how to best prepare.

There are two schools of thought on this.

Approach #1: "Teach to the Test"

Approach #2: Master the 6 skill areas

Let me explain what each one means.

***
Approach #1: "Teach to the Test"
***

In the United States, there is a phrase often used to criticize the US education system for
children between the ages of 5 - 18 years old.

This phrase is "teach to the test". The idea (or criticism, depending on your point of view)
is to structure what is taught to children so that all they learn is how to TAKE THE TEST.

For example, rather than teaching children how to think mathematically, the teacher focuses
on teaching the child how to do well on the math test at the end of the year.

The teacher focuses on things like familiarizing the student with time (length) of the test,
the multiple choice format of the questions, the scoring algorithm (whether or not it is
advantageous to guess when you don't know the answer), and of course at some point,
teaches the actual math concepts that
will be tested.

***
Approach #2: Master the 6 Skill Areas
***

The other approach is to just get really, really GOOD at the 6 skill areas.

So rather than just teach the student how to take the math test, the teacher just teaches the
student how to do math... thinking that a student that really knows math should be able to
handle any kind of math test regardless of format.
As you might have guessed, I lean heavily towards the second approach of mastering the 6
skill areas.

Here's why.

The consulting firms, especially in the last 3 years, have been making a LOT of changes to
their recruiting process. Within the SAME firm, offices in certain countries are
experimenting with different formats.

I get hundreds of emails each month from my community members giving me the latest
real-time updates of which firms are using which formats in which countries... and in which
offices in those countries.

It is just exhausting to keep up with all the variations.

At the moment, I am seeing Bain and BCG revamping many of their recruiting processes.
For the time being, McKinsey (interviewer-led), LEK (candidate led), Oliver Wyman
(candidate led) seem to have the most stable recruiting processes. But that could change in
any given year. (I had Monitor in this list last year and they have since been acquired by
Deloitte.)

And while my global network of case interview students spans over 100 countries and I
probably find out about any change FIRST before anyone else, it is STILL hard to keep up.

So my personal recommendation is to spend 80% of your efforts mastering the 6 skill areas,
and 20% specifically familiarizing yourself with, preparing for, and to the extent feasible
practicing the specific case interview format you anticipate seeing given the specific firms
you have interviews with.

This provides a good balance that allows you to be prepared for ANY case interview type
format or question you might receive.

If you're in a hurry and want to learn more in less time, I've written a book on how to get
multiple offers in consulting. To find out more and get purchase options, see:
Case Interview Secrets book

Thanks,
-Victor Cheng

Author, Case Interview Secrets

www.CaseInterviewSecrets.com

P.S. Pass this email along to any really good friends who are also interested in doing well in
the case interview process.

******
To subscribe directly to this email newsletter on Case Interviews:
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To subscribe to my email newsletter on how to succeed as a New Consultant, visit:

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******
(c) Victor Cheng, All Rights Reserved

A Victor Cheng (tm) Production

A Look Over My Shoulder (r) Learning Guide

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Hi Joao,
I wanted to welcome you to the CaseInterview.com community and to explain how to make
the most of the MANY resources available to you.

CaseInterview.com contains over 450 articles, 6 hours of video tutorials, numerous

handouts, and more... all of which are free. In short, there's a lot of stuff!

What I thought I'd do is give you an orientation of what information exists, where it is
located, and most importantly, where to start.

There are 3 types of resources you should be aware of:

1) Case Interview Training Videos

The first section of the site is the free 6 hours video training tutorial on case interviews.
These are the videos the site is most known for.

If you are totally new to case interviews and are looking for a very detailed education on
how to do well in case interviews, start with the video tutorials.

The videos and the accompanying slides, notes, and handouts on case interview
frameworks are all available in the members-only section of the site.

To access the members-only area, login here:

CaseInterview.com Login

(Alternatively, you can always login by clicking on the "Login" link on the home page
ofwww.caseinterview.com )

As a reminder, here's your login info:

Username: joao701010@gmail.com
Password: (hidden)

2) Frequently Ask Questions

The second section of the website consists of approximately 450 articles related to
"frequently asked questions" that members of my case interview prep community have
asked me.

Who knew people had so many questions!

All of these questions and my answers are accessible by

visiting http://www.caseinterview.com and clicking on the links at the top.

Currently, these articles are located here:

http://www.caseinterview.com/category/articles
http://www.caseinterview.com/category/success-stories

The latter are "field reports" from other community members like you who have reported in
on their actual case interview experiences.

They include what happened, what they expected, what was surprising, what they learned
that others should be aware of.

You will find that members of this community are very generous in sharing their
experiences.

I do hope that when you get your job offers that you'll share with me how you did it--so that
I can pass along your tips to others.

3) Case Interview Tips eMail Newsletter

The final resource to be aware of is my email newsletter.

I send out regular email tips on various aspects of the case you should be mastering, what
certain firms are doing in specific rounds of their interview process, and other information
from the front lines (as reported back by other community members).

Many members who have gotten multiple job offers specifically cite the usefulness of these
email tips to help them better appreciate some of the more subtle (yet still important) case
interview skills.

If for any reason, now or in the future, you'd rather not receive these email tips, just click
the "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of any email I send.

----

Finally, if you STILL have a question that you did not get answered from the videos or by
searching my 450 articles at http://www.caseinterview.com/search then feel free to email
me your questions.

My email address is victor@caseinterview.com

Since I get thousands of email questions, here are a few guidelines to follow that will
maximize your chances of my answering your question.

a) If I already answered your question on my website, then I most likely won't reply to your
email.

Tip: Go to www.caseinterview.com and use the search feature to see if your question has
already been asked and answered by someone else.

b) Be concise. If I have to scroll to read your entire "life story" email, then I save those
emails to read last (which unfortunately often seems to end up being never).

This is a very important skill in a case interview, so you might as well start practicing the
skill.

c) Ask questions that others would be interested in knowing the answer.

These tend to be more general questions, "In X situation what should one do, etc..." (which
many people care about) as opposed to "Here is my GPA, can you read my resume, etc.."
(which nobody else but you cares about).

Here's the deal with respect to my answering your questions.

If you write in and I write you back, you give me permission to publish our entire email
conversation (excluding your name, identity, etc...) in my newsletter and on my website.

This allows me to serve the tens of thousands of people from 100+ countries who visit my
website and read my newsletter -- while still being able to help people individually.

Feel free to specify which pieces of information you do not want shared and I will do my
best to remove it.

On that note, best wishes in your recruiting process and don't forget to start with the video
tutorials:
http://www.caseinterview.com/login

Thanks,
-Victor Cheng

Author, Case Interview Secrets

www.CaseInterviewSecrets.com

P.S. Pass this email along to any really good friends who are also interested in doing well in
the case interview process.

******

To subscribe directly to this email newsletter on Case Interviews:

http://www.caseinterview.com

To subscribe to my email newsletter on how to succeed as a New Consultant, visit:

http://www.caseinterview.com/new-consultant

Search my blog and email archives:

http://www.caseinterview.com/search
******
(c) Victor Cheng, All Rights Reserved

A Victor Cheng (tm) Production

A Look Over My Shoulder (r) Learning Guide

The information provided in this email is for educational purposes only. It is provided on an
"as is" basis with no warranties expressed or implied. The information is believed to be
accurate, but is not guaranteed to be so. By reading this content, you agree to waive the
author and the company Fast Forward Media, Inc of any liability from the action you may
take as a result of reading the information within. To see our privacy policy:
http://www.caseinterview.com/privacy

This email may contain links to third parties. These links often involve us receiving
financial compensation if you buy something after clicking the link. We only reference 3rd
party resources we strongly recommend.
*****

For customer service or technical support inquiries email:

support@caseinterview.com

Fast Forward Media, Inc. 93 S. Jackson St, #75551 Seattle, Washington 98104 United
States (206) 701-0250

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