For example, would a Business Analyst interview case be easier than a Consultant interview case, or are cases generally the same difficulty regardless of position?
Hi there,
Great question. The short answer is that the core structure and skills tested in case interviews are very similar across roles, but the difficulty and expectations can vary depending on the position and your level of experience.
For entry level roles like Business Analyst, the cases are often designed to be more straightforward in scope. You might get fewer layers of complexity, more guided prompts from the interviewer, and simpler math. However, the fundamentals such as breaking down a problem, structuring your approach, interpreting data, and communicating clearly are exactly the same as in higher level roles.
For Consultant or post MBA positions, interviewers tend to expect faster thinking, more independence, and a deeper ability to handle ambiguity. The math might be more complex or embedded in less obvious ways, and the qualitative analysis may require more creativity and business judgment.
That said, even a simpler case can feel tough if you are not well prepared, and a harder case can feel manageable if you have practiced the right skills. The goal of the firm is to assess how you think, not to trip you up with impossible problems. If you prepare to handle the more challenging cases confidently, you will be more than ready for the easier ones.
I am happy to walk you through example cases tailored to your target role and give feedback. I offer a free intro call if you would like to explore that.
Hi there,
From my experience, Frameworks, Reasoning, Structuring, and Quant are generally expected to be at a similar level across internship, BA, and Associate/Consultant interviews.
Where I’ve seen some difference is in business judgment during frameworks—MBAs are often expected to apply a bit more real-world thinking and industry understanding. Similarly, communication tends to be slightly more polished at MBA level, simply due to experience.
That said, even as a BA candidate, you should absolutely aim for the highest possible standard, especially in structuring, quant, and clear frameworks—since even interns/BAs are expected to work with senior clients from day one.
I can definitely recommend practicing extensive structuring drills (not the entire case, just the opening, clarification questions, structure and presentation thereof). Once you have a solid structure for most common cases, you can move more quickly initially and add more depth and business judgement during the rest of the case more easily.
Happy to discuss the best approaches to do that in a free intro call.
Kind regards
Kevin
Yes and no.
Yes, in the sense that case types depend on roles, because if you're applying for a specialist / industry-focused role, you will be given cases from within that industry which require specialised knowledge in order to be solved.
No, in the sense that if you are applying for generalist roles the case would be same when interviewing a BA or a Project Leader, but the expectations in terms of performance will be wildly different.
Best,
Cristian
