consulting business

How to conduct an interview with a case

By Lea Remini 23 July, 2023 2 mins read

Case interviews are a great way to improve your skills in case interviews and discover your weaknesses. There are two ways to practice case interviewing: with a partner and using a meeting board. Practice math with a partner or on a free board. Here are some tips for helping you prepare for your interview.

A partner is needed to conduct a case interview

A partner can help you practice case interviewing. This is a great way for improving your interviewing skills. Just like tennis, case interviewing is a skill that can be learned best through practice. It is crucial to practice with someone better than yourself, as they will help improve you faster. It is also helpful to set a specific time to practice with a partner. This will help you avoid procrastinating.

Practice case interviews should cover a variety of different case types. You should include cases that address investment decisions as well as new products and services. You will be prepared for any scenario by having experience with a range of cases.

Requesting a meeting board for a free case interview

Video conferencing may be an option if you are conducting a case interview. Zoom and Webex video conferencing services allow you to conduct case interviews via video. The interviewer can be seen and heard, and you can even take notes right on the spot using a document-camera. A document camera can be purchased for $100-$300, depending on the quality.

Many consulting firms use case interviewing in their hiring process. In these interviews, candidates are presented with real problems from a client. The interviewer gives them a thirty-minute time limit to solve the problem. You can make a car, or sell products online. It is up the candidate to decide if they are able to solve both problems in this amount of time.

Without a partner, schedule a case interview

There are many reasons to schedule a case meeting without a partner. The best partners are those who have quit the case interview rat race. They have an inner circle and only work with people they know well. They look out for each other's best interests. However, you cannot just find someone like that. You need to be a strong candidate, be able distinguish between the wheat and the chaff, as well as be able conduct a case interview.

An interactive online case format is available. This will give you an idea of the candidate-led case interview. BCG Interactive Case Library, for example, offers two case study cases. Contrary to this, unstructured cases can be used for practice with a partner.

FAQ

How is consulting different to freelancing

Freelancers can be self-employed people who provide their services to clients, without the involvement of employees. They usually charge an hourly rate based on how much time they spent on a project. Consultants often work for companies or agencies that employ them. Their salaries are often paid monthly, or annually.

Because they set their own hours and prices, freelancers are often more flexible than consultants. Consultants often offer better benefits such as vacation days and retirement plans, health insurance, and vacation days.

Is it possible to run a consultancy business from home?

Absolutely! In fact, many consultants already do exactly this.

Freelancers often work remotely through tools like Skype and Trello, Basecamp, Basecamp, Dropbox, and Slack. They often create their own office space so they don't miss out on company perks.

Freelancers might prefer to work in libraries or cafés, rather than traditional offices.

Some people choose to work from their home because they like being close to their children.

Working from home comes with its own pros and cons. If you love your job, working from home is definitely something worth looking at.

What's the difference between an advisor and a consultant?

An advisor provides information about a topic. Consultants offer solutions to problems.

To help clients achieve their goals, a consultant works directly with them. A consultant provides advice to clients through books and magazines, lectures, seminars, and other means.

Do I require legal advice?

Yes! Yes. Many consultants will create contracts for clients without seeking legal advice. However, this can lead to problems down the road. For example, what happens to the contract if the client terminates it before the consultant has completed? What happens if the consultant doesn’t meet the deadlines specified in the contract.

Avoid any legal issues by speaking with a lawyer.

Why do you need consultants?

There are many reasons you might need to hire a consultant.

You may have a problem or project that your organization needs to solve.
You would like to improve your skills or learn new things
It is important to work with an expert on a subject area
You have no other choice but to do the job.
Feel overwhelmed by all the information available and don't know where you should start
You cannot afford to pay someone fulltime

A word of mouth referral is the best way you can find a competent consultant. Ask around if anyone knows any reputable consultants. If you already know someone who works as a consultant, ask him/her for recommendations.

If you're interested in using online directories, such as LinkedIn, you can use the "Search People” feature to find consultants near your location.

Statistics

67% of consultants start their consulting businesses after quitting their jobs, while 33% start while they're still at their jobs. (consultingsuccess.com)
Over 50% of consultants get their first consulting client through a referral from their network. (consultingsuccess.com)
According to statistics from the ONS, the UK has around 300,000 consultants, of which around 63,000 professionals work as management consultants. (consultancy.uk)
"From there, I told them my rates were going up 25%, this is the new hourly rate, and every single one of them said 'done, fine.' (nerdwallet.com)
Over 62% of consultants were dissatisfied with their former jobs before starting their consulting business. (consultingsuccess.com)