How did you prepare for your case interview? How much time in advance should I start?

Thank you for your question. This part of the application process is quite intimidating for most applicants. However, it is the part for which you can prepare the best. If you receive an invitation for an interview at TKMC, our recruiting team will provide you with detailed guidance on how to prepare effectively.

Your preparation time depends on your familiarity with case studies. If you have previous knowledge of the concept, such as through your university studies, you may only need to refresh your knowledge and take a week or two to practice more challenging cases. On the other hand, if case studies are a new concept to you, or if you're struggling with structuring your approach in general or performing calculations, it's probably a good idea to spend at least two weeks preparing with 1-2 hours a day.

A valuable tip is to focus on understanding the different case types and how to structure the exercise. You can use existing frameworks to guide your approach. Also, take time to study the Preplounge materials and solve around 2-3 cases of each type to build confidence. And most important, do not be afraid of the case part. 

Agreed with Kristina that it depends on your knowledge and experience on case solving, but we would always suggest to give at least one week time to prepare. 

In the case interview, it is not the final result that counts, but rather to show a structural approach to solving a complex problem. Therefore we suggest that you familiarize yourself with basic business information (i.e. Balance Sheets, P&L and Costs) and sharpen your quantitative/mental math skills. 

It is also important to train on structuring your communication with the pyramid principle and the STAR framework.

For the candidates joining the Prokura interview, we always send a Case Booklet - a comprehensive guide with our advice and cases from real life interviews along with an exemplary answer, to assist you in the best possible way towards the upcoming case interview. 

PrepLounge is also a good source of inspiration for case training. This is recommended by our consultants.

Preparation time depends on your previous skills and available time, typically around 2 months. Be aware that the more you prepare, the calmer you might be when entering the interview. However, do not memorize cases; keep an open mind, as cases can come in different forms and colors.

Key is to train structuring, problem solving and communication.

• Structuring & Problem Solving can be trained by working through example cases (e.g. Preplounge) or during your day to day (e.g. How high is the electricity consumption of a restaurant per year?). Looking into frameworks like SWOT, PESTLE, BCG Matrix etc. might enable you to establish a structured problem solving approach. 
• Communication is best improved upon by doing mock interviews with friends and colleagues
• [Add on - Math skills : You might be asked to make basic calculations (e.g. plus/minus, multiplication, division etc.) if you refresh those skills it might be easier to do these calculations under the pressure of an interview]

Lastly, dont be afraid to ask clarifying questions during the interview. 

You can prepare very well for case interviews and should definitely take enough time for them before the interviews. I started practising cases about 1 month before my first interview and used different sources and approaches: PrepLounge sample cases, generic frameworks and especially simulated case interviews with friends who were also preparing for interviews. The last point is not to be underestimated - you will most likely be nervous in the interview situation and therefore it helps a lot to have been through a similar situation before.

This being said - you should also try not to worry too much about the case interview. We want to understand and see how you approach a complex problem and are not testing you on specific answers.. So always make sure you really understand the questions first - and do not try to “press” your answer into a generic framework. 

We usually don't have a classic case interview that you have to prepare for. Beyond that, you should of course prepare for each interview individually. In particular, it is important that you actively examine the position offered in advance and think about how you personally fit in. How much time you will need for this is very individual and also strongly dependent on how experienced you are with such interview situations.