Case study including a PowerPoint presentation, followed by a pitch

Hi Louis,

For this kind of case, the setup is of course different from a typical consulting interview case. Some elements remain the same, while others are very specific to the PowerPoint presentation format.

1) What remains the same
You will still need to demonstrate the core consulting skills:

• Structuring a problem
• Working in a hypothesis-driven way
• Strong problem-solving skills
• Solid math skills
• Strong communication skills

2) What is specific to this format
Here, you are not just thinking through the problem in a conversation with the interviewer, but presenting your solution in PowerPoint. The most important thing is to communicate in a top-down way:

• Start with your recommendation
• Break it down into 3–4 supporting arguments
• Back up each argument with data points or insights from the case materials

3) Suggested storyline

• (Optional) A short introduction & recap of the problem
• Recommendation page: your conclusion upfront, with 3 key supporting pillars
• Supporting slides: one slide per pillar, each backed by data/analysis
• Next steps page: closing with pragmatic actions to move forward

This way, your presentation mirrors the flow of a live case interview, but translated into slides. Of course, this can vary depending on the content of the case and potentially on the interviewers' instructions.

4) Additional skills to train

• Building clean PowerPoint pages under time pressure
• Writing action-oriented titles that clearly highlight insights
• Ensuring your storyline flows logically from start to finish

Please feel free to reach out to me via DM to discuss how we can work together to prepare. All the best!

Cheers,
Kevin

Hi Louis,

For this type of case, the key is that you’ll need to both solve the case and communicate it in a structured, visual way in PowerPoint. The 45 minutes are usually split like this: ~25–30 minutes to structure, analyze, and decide on your recommendation, and ~15–20 minutes to translate your thinking into 3–4 clean slides.

A few points to prepare:

1. Frameworks still help – You can use the same MECE (mutually exclusive, collectively exhaustive) logic as in “normal” cases. Start with a clear structure (e.g., market/competitors/financials/risks, or whichever is most relevant) to guide your analysis. What’s different is that you won’t “think out loud” with the interviewer – you’ll be doing most of it solo, so your structure must be sharp from the start
2. Slide-building – Practice making concise slides fast. Typical structure:
   • Slide 1: Executive summary / recommendation
   • Slide 2: Supporting analysis (market/financials/customer insights)
   • Slide 3: Risks / alternatives / implementation
   • Optional: One deep dive slide (e.g., numbers or benchmark
3. The pitch – In the 15 minutes, don’t read your slides. Instead, walk through them as if you’re advising a client: lead with the recommendation, then explain the evidence, then close with implications.
4. Preparation tips
   • Practice timed 45-min solo cases from online sources or books.
   • Take 1–2 example cases and actually make slides in PowerPoint under time pressure.
   • Get comfortable with very simple charts (bar, waterfall, table) and clean titles that state the “so what.”

Use a normal case framework, but tailor it to be output-driven. Your end goal isn’t just the right answer – it’s a recommendation packaged into a professional mini-deck and delivered clearly.

Happy to help you prep – feel free to reach out.

Best,

Evelina