Question:
A job seeker asked, “Just what do employers look for in candidates during case interviews?”
Initial Response:
For those of you who may not be familiar with them. Case, or case study interviews, as we sometimes call them are interviews during which the interviewers share a narrative or business case scenario with the job candidate. They then ask the candidate to develop and recommend a strategy to resolve the challenge or problem that the case presents.
While hiring managers assess many competencies during interviews, they consistently focus on four during case interviews.
Competencies Defined:
So, lets look at these four areas of interest in a bit more detail.
They include 1) Analytical Skills; 2) Problem Identification; 3) Problem Resolution; and 4) Sound Judgement.
Analytical Skills:
How well are you able to dissect the information that is provided and identify the key players and characteristics of the case. Also, are you able to effectively determine the part that they each play, or how they contribute to the existing challenge or problem that needs to be resolved.
Problem Identification:
Next, number two is your problem identification skills. Are you able to effectively and accurately able to focus on the true problem as opposed to symptoms of the problem.
Problem Resolution:
Number three, which is very important to the employer, is your ability to resolve problems. The employer is looking to assess if you are able to develop an effective strategy to resolve or address the problem that you have identified.
Sound Judgement/Decision-Making Skills:
Finally, number 4 is your ability to reason or utilize sound judgement and decision-making skills in your analysis. The employer needs to feel confident that they can allow you to represent them in real-life business cases. So, you need to effectively exhibit skill in using sound judgement to come up with your strategy and demonstrate that you can articulate your thought process that led to your recommended strategy.
In Conclusion:
In closing, I will share with you what M Consulting Prep (www.mconsultingprep.com), a foremost authority on this topic, shared in one of their videos. They state that there is often not one best solution. The employer is looking for the candidate to exhibit the four competencies described above in a confident, authoritative way that is capable of obtaining stakeholder by-in as you navigate a business scenario.
I hope that the information that I’ve shared with you today is helpful to those of you who are preparing to participate in a case interview. I also hope that it will help those of you who may be invited to participate in a case interview sometime during your job search journey.
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So, until next time, and as always…
Career Search Success to You! Go Get Your New Job!
