How to crack a consulting case study interview

Consulting is a popular sector for job-hunting graduates. As it’s so attractive, it's no surprise that consulting firms have demanding screening processes. Succeeding in consulting interviews and assessment centres can be tough, especially as many focus on case studies.

In a case study interview, your interviewer(s) will give you a simplified business situation (normally fictional, but modelled on a real case) and assess how well you deal with it. Sound OK to you? Good, but they’re tricky to practise. That’s why we’ve put together hints to help you impress.

To crack that case (study), you’ve got to:

• Make the most of the information you’re given – and question it
• Share your thought process
• Be creative but credible

The person or people interviewing you will explain the exercise and give you any information you’ll need. If there’s anything you don't understand or would like clarified, query it. Don’t struggle on. If you need more information, ask for it. In the real world, you’ll need to do this, so show that you know how to speak up.

As you go through the exercise, take up each issue and interrogate any unclear information as it comes up. However, make sure you’ve read any materials you’ve been given before you start asking questions. You don’t want to ask for something that’s in front of you.

Don't shut your interviewer(s) out as you go through the exercise. Silence isn’t always golden, so talk them through every stage and show them how you work. It’s OK – and it’s good – to think before you speak but keep them updated as you work through the case study.

Remember in GCSE or A-level Maths when you had to show your workings to get full credit for an exam answer? It's like that here: how you approach the problem is key. Sometimes, there won’t be a right answer, just a sensible range of responses that require logical thinking to get there.

Communication is a vital business skill, especially on client projects. During a case study interview, your potential employer is seeing if you’ve got this ability. Case study interviews are a way of testing how you’ll fare if you're put in front of a client. Once you've gained consulting experience, you'll take on client-facing responsibilities, so use the case study to show your assessor you’ve got the potential to be a credit to their firm. Make it clear that you’re good at communicating your reasoning by sharing your thought process.

Organisations use consultants to help them find solutions to problems they can't solve, so you'll need to think creatively – but also back up your ideas with data. Suggesting a new strategy without having the evidence to justify it won’t impress. Even though there won’t always be a right answer to a case study interview question, keep your suggestions credible and in line with the data and information provided.

Finally, sum up your creative thinking and credible analysis with a strong conclusion. When the interview is ending, wrap everything up by emphasising the next steps for the client to act upon.

So, there you have it: a few tips for acing one of the more challenging tasks you’ll face during a recruitment process. Whether you're looking to start a graduate career or are hoping to move sectors into consulting, we hope this guide makes case study interviews a less scary prospect.

See if you can find case study interview examples related to your sector and put our advice into action. Although case study interviews are hard to practise (because every problem is unique), our top tips will improve your chances of success.

In the consulting sector, you'll constantly be pushed into unchartered territory, helping your clients solve their problems – including cash flows, expansion and structure changes. If you nail the case study interview, you’ll prove you’re a great fit for the industry.