The Case Commandments-

1. Listen to the Question

Listening is the most important skill a consultant has. The case isn’t about you or the
consultant; it’s about the client. What are they really asking for?
Pay particular attention to the last sentence — one word can change the entire case.

2. Take Notes
Taking notes during the case interview allows you to check back with the facts of the case.
As someone once said, “The palest ink is stronger than
the best memory.” If you blank out, all the information is right in front of you.
3. Summarize the Question
After you are given the question, take a moment to summarize the highlights out loud:
It shows the interviewer that you listened.
It allows you to hear the information a second time.
It keeps you from answering the wrong question.
It fills that otherwise awkward pause when you’re trying to think of something intelligent to
say.

4. Verify the Objectives

Professional consultants always ask their clients to verify their objectives. Even if the
objective seems obvious, there could be an additional,
underlying objective. When the objective seems apparent, phrase the question differently:
“One objective is to increase sales. Are there any other
objectives I should know about?”

5. Ask Clarifying Questions

You ask questions for three main reasons:
to get additional information that will help you identify and label the question
to demonstrate to the interviewer that you are not shy about asking probing questions under
difficult circumstances (something you’ll be doing
on a regular basis as a consultant)
to turn the question into a conversation (nothing turns off an interviewer more quickly than a
five-minute monologue)
In the beginning of the case, you have more latitude in your questioning. You should ask
basic questions about the company, the industry, the
competition, external market factors and the product. The further you get into the case, the
more your questions should switch from open-ended
questions to closed-ended questions.

6. Organize Your Answer

Identify and label your case, then lay out your structure. This is the hardest part of a case,
and the most crucial. It drives your case and is often the
major reason behind whether you get called back.

7. Hold That Thought for “One Alligator”

The interviewer wants you to think out loud, but also to think before you speak. If you make a
statement that is way off base in an interview, the
recruiter will wonder if he can trust you in front of a client. If he thinks he can’t trust you, the
interview is over.
8. Manage Your Time
Your answer should be as linear as possible. Don’t get bogged down in the details. Answer
from a macro level and move the answer forward. It’s
easy to lose your way by going off on a tangent. Stay focused on the original question
asked. Finally, don’t lose track of the question, the objective
or the framework. Go back to the original question and objectives during the case to make
sure you haven’t lost your way.

9. Work the Numbers

If possible, try to work numbers into the problem. Demonstrate that you think quantitatively
and that you are comfortable with numbers. When doing
calculations, explain what you are thinking and how you are going to do it. Take your time.
I’d rather have you get it right than rush and make a
careless mistake.

10. Be Coachable
Listen to the interviewer’s feedback. Is she trying to guide you back on track? Pay attention
to her body language. Are you boring her? Is she about
to nod off? Is she enthralled?
Being coachable also means asking for help when you need it. If you run into a wall, lose
your train of thought or are just in over your head, ask for
help. There is no shame in asking for help; it’s a sign of maturity. Look at it from the
interviewer’s point of view. If you were working on an actual
project and got stuck, she would much rather that you ask for help than waste time spinning
your wheels.

11. Be Creative and Brainstorm

Some of the best experiences you’ll have as a consultant will be brainstorming over Chinese
food at 10 o’clock at night. Brainstorming without
commitment, as consultants call it, allows you to toss out uninhibited suggestions without
being married to them. It gives you the opportunity to
review all the options and eliminate the inappropriate ones. Consulting firms like liberal arts
candidates with intellectual curiosity who can “think
outside the box” and offer up a new and interesting perspective.

12. Exude Enthusiasm and a Positive Attitude

Earlier we spoke about a “rip right through it” attitude. It’s not enough to do well on the case;
you have to thrive on the challenge of the case.
Recruiters want people who are excited by problem-solving and can carry that enthusiasm
throughout the entire interview.

13. Bring Closure and Summarize

If you have done all of the above and you’ve made it through the analysis, the final action is
to create a sense of closure by summarizing the case.
Review your findings, restate your suggestions and make a recommendation. You don’t
need to sum up the whole answer; pick two or three key
points and touch on those. Students are often afraid to make a recommendation, thinking
that their analysis was faulty, so therefore their answers
will be wrong. There are no wrong answers. Just make sure your answer makes good
business sense and common sense.