Case Studies Interview.pdf

The Case Study What to expect How to prepare The Case Study Page 1 ? Careers and Employment, Swinburne University of Technology, 2007 Edition 1 May 2007 A ‘case study’ interview can form part of the selection process for a professional position, especially for consulting firms specialising in strategic work. They can also be used by any employer in the finance, banking, manufacturing or engineering industries looking for strong problem-solving competence. A ‘case’ is a scenario modelled after a real business or management problem. They are not designed to assess specific knowledge, but assess a candidate’s ability to think analytically about a typical situation or problem encountered in the workplace. These interviews offer candidates an opportunity to have a sense of the type of work that their consultants do, while allowing the employer to evaluate the competency levels of candidates. Usually, the interviewers dont have the right answers that you are expected to give. Rather, they are more interested in knowing what logic structures led you to the answers. Specific knowledge of the industry covered by the case question is a bonus but not necessary. The employer is looking to test a candidate’s abilities in some or all of the following areas: ? Listening skills ? Analytical and reasoning skills ? Structured thought ? Reasoning and logic ? Ability to organise and present information and hypotheses ? Quantitative skills ? Problem-solving skills ? Ability to manage ambiguity ? Professionalism ? Ability to perform under pressure ? Creativity ? Understanding of basic business and economic principles Note that there are no right or wrong answers. Rather, you are being assessed on your ability to structure your approach, break down the problem, your ability to think under pressure and explain your findings in a logical and convincing way. Case interviews can be very stressful for candidates and re