Crack the Case

Workshop

AD&S Recruitment
November 2022
1. Kearney Overview
2. Interview structure overview
3. Pointers for behavioral part of the interview
4. Pointers for case part of the interview
5. Next steps and Q&A

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Kearney Overview

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 Click icon to add picture

We are Kearney
We represent consulting that is personal and
practical

We're big enough to have it covered, small

enough to really care

We believe in the power of apprenticeship

We're individual and inclusive at our core

Great opportunities for you to make it happen

and make your mark
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In the region Create What’s Next
we amplify
optimism and
ambition to… Transformation
for a Digital and
Fast-changing
Accelerating
World Developing
National Visions
Talent and
Localization
National digital agenda Capabilities
Tech economy
Food Security
Consumer of the future Health
National Security Education
…
Cities of the future NGOs
… Behavioral change
…

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Make your mark

Clients Capabilities Culture

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Aerospace,
Defence and Aerospace Defence Security
Security
practice covers Research, development, Actions undertaken by a Holistic well-being of a
and manufacture of system, entity, system, entity,
multiple military aircraft, missiles, organization or a state to organization or state
elements space, commercial
airliners, and general
mitigate damage from an
attack or possible attack,
through its ability to
defend itself, and/or deter
across its three aviation including cyber attacks military aggression
branches

Key impacted elements

Policy, Strategy and

Space People Security
Plans

Airplane Acquisition +
Assets Security
Manufacturers Logistics

People + Finance Cyber Security

Military Education
Ecosystem

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ICT + Digitization
Interview structure
overview

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Our interview
process is
designed to test
behavioral fit and
problem-solving
potential
Delivering consistent value
to our clients requires
strength in both behavioral
fit and problem solving, and
the ideal candidate shows
competency in both.
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Behavioral interviews
What: Discussion of your past behavior
and performance, based on the premise
that past behavior is the best indicator of
future behavior and performance.
Why: The goal is to obtain objective
information on your “can-do” and “will-do”
characteristics and try to predict what you
will do on the job.
Example questions:
– Walk me through your CV?
– Why Consulting?
– Tell me about a time you faced conflict
in the workplace or during studies?
Case interviews & presentations
What: A case interview is based on an
ambiguous business problem – often a
real problem faced by one of our clients
that we helped them solve.
Why: The goal is to see how you would
structure the problem-solving framework,
request data, and ultimately make
recommendations to the client on how to
solve their problem.
Example question:
– ABC Company has experienced a
decline in profits over the last 3 years.
They have brought you in to help them
understand how to increase profitability
to previous levels.
Pointers for behavioral
part of the interview

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An effective SCENARIO
What did you do?
approach for
outlining your – What situation were you
behavioral facing?
response can be – Why did you choose the
the Scenario- actions that you took?
Action-Outcome
(SAO) framework
Example
Q: Describe one of your
key strengths:
A: “One of my key strengths is
that I’m a team player. In my
current role as a Contact Centre
SAO helps communicate Representative, my Team Leader
specific talking points, to was asking us for ways to boost
provide a better the number of calls we take in a
comprehensive picture week, where the end goal was to
efficiently deal with more
customer inquiries, but
ultimately minimize the call
handling time.”
11 Source: Kearney
ACTION
How did you do it?
– What were the specific
actions taken?
– How did you achieve
those actions?
A:“I suggested to implement a
challenge through incentives
such as chocolates, free hot
beverage vouchers, and movie
tickets, which I actually provided.
I sent out a daily email every
morning to showcase their stats
and declared the winners from
the day before, giving positive
feedback to each team
member, and encouragement to
those who ‘lost’.”
OUTCOME
What was the result?
– What were outcomes or
results of your actions?
– What was the effect that
your behavior had on the
organization or others?
A: “By the end of the week, our
productivity rose from 30 to 60
calls daily with 5-6 mins of call
handling time on average, down
from 9-10 mins, a call rate that
we still maintain today. My
Team Leader specifically
thanked me in our team meeting
for my efforts in implementing the
strategy and motivating
everyone. I realized that just by
boosting the team’s morale
and providing that extra
encouragement, we were all
collectively able to hit our
goals.”
Behavioral Sample behavioral interview questions
interview
questions will Problem Describe a time when you saw some problem and took the initiative to
solving correct it rather than waiting for someone else to do it.
allow you to speak
about your
Talk about a time when you had to work closely with someone whose
professional and Teamwork
personality was very different from yours.
personal
experience
Leadership Describe a time you had to lead a team through a difficult challenge.

Describe a time when you were working on multiple tasks at the same
Multitasking
time. How did you keep from spreading yourself too thin?

Time Tell me about a time you struggled to meet a deadline. How did you
management manage your time to complete the assignment?

Conflict Tell me about a time when you had to deal with a difficult co-worker. What
resolution did you learn from the experience? What would you do differently?

Tell me about a successful presentation you gave and why you think it was
Communication
a hit.

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Pointers for case part
of the interview

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To work through a Understand Structure Analyze Synthesize
case well you
should develop – Ask questions – Divide the – Analyze the data – Present the
and apply a to gain problem into its to get answers overarching
understanding component parts to your main message and
structured – Identify the – Develop questions key findings
approach major focus hypotheses and – Calculate – Summarize the
question or the key efficiently and supporting
overarching underlying use rounding elements to
issue drivers of your – Sense-check strengthen your
analysis answers recommendation

Case structure

Maintain eye contact, engage1 in a dialogue and be coachable

1. In the event of in-person interview

14 Source: Kearney
Taking notes Why is notetaking important Case interviewing requires practice
during the
interview will help Demonstrates clarity of your thinking
you structure your – Helps both you and the interviewer trace – Get comfortable taking effective notes
quickly
thoughts and your logic flow
eloquently phrase – Visually display your analysis and – Don’t ignore the interviewer or forget to
recommendations communicate
your answers
Note Structure (Multi-page)

Keeps your thoughts organized

– Use diagrams such as fishbone, issue trees,
and causal loops to help organize your
train of thought and give structure to your
thinking Multi-page note taking allows the
– If you must retrace your steps due to the flow interviewee to remain organized:
of the interview, you will have documentation 1. Questions & objectives
right in front of you to help answer these
additional questions 2. Model
3. Notes (multiple pages)

15 Source: Kearney
Once presented Overarching Issue

with a problem, Issue analysis

use the issue tree
in structuring your Main Issue Main Issue Main Issue

analysis,
presenting your generation Hypothesis/ Hypothesis/ Hypothesis/ Hypothesis/ Hypothesis/
findings, Questions Questions Questions Questions Questions
Hypothesis and question

conclusions and
recommendations
Data gathering and analysis Data Data Data Data Data Data Data Data Data Data

Findings Findings Findings Findings Findings

The client context and
challenge
development
Findings and conclusions

Conclusions Conclusions Conclusions

formulation
Recommendations Recommen- Recommen- Recommen- Recommen- Recommen-
dations dations dations dations dations

16 Source: Kearney
The issue tree Mutually Exclusive Collectively Exhaustive
needs to be
Mutually Exclusive
No overlapping Taken together,
and Collectively parts all parts
Exhaustive represent the =
problem in total
(MECE)

17 Source: Kearney
The issue-based Profitability M&A
problem solving
approach can and Increase
prices Sell more to
Revenues

should be used for existing

customers Intrinsic
OPEX
Existing
different types of How to
markets Increase value Cost
CAPEX
volumes
cases grow
revenues?
Sell to new
customers
What is
company WACC
value?

Introduce new products Revenue

New
markets Synergies
Enter new countries
Cost

Decrease cost of goods sold

Issue-based problem Strategic Sourcing
solving examples OPEX Decrease indirect cost

Decrease waste
Decrease personnel cost
How to
reduce Decrease
cost? Redesign products
Increase life cycles volume
CAPEX How can
sourcing
Defer non-critical CAPEX spend Bundle volumes
Financing
be
reduced?
Tax Reduce prices Negotiate with existing suppliers
Decrease
prices
Competitive RFP
18 Source: Kearney
Make it easy for For the Audience to… You Must…
your audience to
understand
Adapt the complexity and details of your
conclusions, Easily understand you messages to the audience
recommendations
and the
supporting Support your conclusions and
evidence Believe you recommendations by presenting powerful,
logical and concrete proofs

Stay interested and attentive Make your story flow and support it with strong
and nice visuals

Put in what is important, leave out what is

Find your communication useful
irrelevant and always clarify the “So what”

19 Source: Kearney
Throughout the Understanding
the problem
Setting the
structure
Driving the case
(analyze)
Concluding &
summarizing
case solution (synthesize)
process we look
for specific
– Organize the – Take 1-2 – Push through – Be precise and

What desirable performance looks like

elements in your information minutes to the case with concise when
performance – Summarize structure an confidence, at a communicating
succinctly the approach that fast pace and conclusions:
information enables a focused on main – Be selective in
– Ask clarifying complete objective what to include
questions that solution on time – Demonstrate in answer
are relevant to – Confidently ability to conduct – Directly respond
solve the case present the precise to the key
structure and calculations question(s)
hypotheses, – Elaborate
starting on a selectively, after
Proven Case Approach high-level before giving a high-
going into details level (key)
Common sense, good – Revise structure conclusion(s)
communication, and if hinted to do so
structured, logical thinking
are your best tools

20 Source: Kearney
Final thoughts on
preparing for a
successful case
interview…
Remember: Engage in
dialogue, not monologue,
speak directly to objectives,
and send the right signals
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Do’s
– Listen
– Raise the multifunctional aspects of
the issue/recommendation
– Adopt a CEO/shareholder perspective
– Consider organizational and cultural
issues
– Challenge conventions
– Communicate clearly
– Be confident without being arrogant
– Remain poised and make eye contact
– Demonstrate good business acumen
and sound judgment
– Take the driver’s seat
Source: Kearney
Don’ts
– Force fit a standard framework
– Speak before thinking carefully
– Rely on finding a “Silver Bullet”
– Use buzz words
– Make leaps of faith/proceed with
assumptions you haven’t verified
– Don’t appear apprehensive/scared
– Make the interviewer repeat
information she has already given you
– Make recommendations that aren’t
grounded in common sense
Next steps and Q&A

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Application Step #1 Step #3
Submit your online Interview (1st Round)
next steps application
– Submit your 1-page CV and – Shortlisted candidates
transcripts through our will undergo 1st round
online application portal interviews, and successful
candidates will be invited to
2nd round interviews

Step #2
Case interview
workshop
– Shortlisted candidates will
be invited to a workshop
on case interview best
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Useful Kearney Website Case in Point

resources

https://www.kearney.com/working-here/
ace-the-interview/a-guide-to-your-intervi
ew

PrepLounge.com Case Interview Secrets

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Q&A

For future support:

Contact:
Nadja Kleissner
nadja.kleissner@kearney.com

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Thank you

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