How to project confidence during a candidate-led case interview?

Hey there,

That’s really useful feedback (albeit a bit high level) to get before your Partner round.

When interviewers say “project more confidence,” it’s usually less about what you know and more about how you lead the conversation. A few things that you can try:

• Take control early. After clarifying the problem, outline your plan clearly. “Here’s how I’d like to approach this.” It immediately signals ownership
• Be decisive in your wording. Swap “maybe we could look at demand next” for “let’s look at demand drivers next.” Partners pick up on small language cues like that
• Use silence well. Taking a few seconds to think before answering shows calm control, not hesitation. You can always say, “Let me take a second to think this through"
• Treat pushback as collaboration. When a Partner challenges you, don’t get defensive. A simple “That’s a good point. Here’s how I’d adjust my view” goes a long way
• Synthesize with confidence. Always bring things together clearly: “So far, this points to X, which suggests we should focus on Y"

Ideally you can practices this with a coach. If not, record one of your sessions with peers and listen back to its afterwards. You’ll quickly spot filler words or rising intonation that make you sound unsure. 

Good luck! you’re clearly close!
Lukas

Hi there, 

that’s great feedback to get before the Partner round. Confidence in a candidate-led case isn’t about sounding certain all the time, but about showing control and composure as you lead the discussion. A few tips that work well:

1. After clarifying the problem, restate your plan clearly (“Here’s how I’d like to structure my approach…”). That simple transition signals ownership.
2. Say “I’ll start by looking at demand drivers” instead of “Maybe I could look at demand first.”
3. Taking a few seconds to think before answering shows control, not hesitation.
4. Partners test your reaction more than your math. Treat challenges as collaboration: “That’s a good point: here’s how I’d refine my view.”
5. Always synthesize confidently, even if unsure. Lead with your recommendation, then explain your logic.

Practicing out loud and recording yourself (memos on your phone or videos) can help you catch tentative phrasing (“maybe,” “I think,” “could be”); replacing those with confident, structured statements makes a huge difference.

Hope this helps!

Hi there!

To begin with, whenever you receive high level feedback like that, make sure you follow-up with them to get a better understanding of what they mean. Ask for specific examples of when they noticed that and why and what would it look like otherwise. That will make the feedback more actionable for you. 

Generally, confidence comes from multiple sources. A big one is experience. Meaning, having done lots of proper preparation gives you the confidence that you did your absolute best, and you can 'control' as much as the material as possible. So, accumulating more casing experience and seeking professional feedback on your performance is likely to improve this. 

There's also a performative element to it. You can convey more confidence by having a lower tone of voice and speaking slower. The interesting effect here is that as you do that you get more confidence, you project more confidence, which in the end makes you more confident. A 'positive' vicious cycle. 

Hope this helps!
Best,
Cristian

Projecting confidence could be content or communication related. 

Some thoughts below but happy to chat in more detail and practice cases. 

For content:

- While topics may be unfamiliar, showcasing structured thinking is key 

- Being hypothesis-driven: based on your personal experiences with that topic or industry, or your common sense thinking, share your ideas to let the interviewer know you are thinking practically about the problem at hand 

- Always thinking about the so what of the analysis you’re doing - in a candidate-led interview, this may guide where you propose to go next 

For communication:

- When probed or pushed, maintaining composure and professionalism 

- Keeping posture and tone of speaking one of surity  

- Engaging with the interviewer as if they are your client or project leader 

- Keeping thoughts easy to follow by organizing them into a clear list or order 

Hi,

This feedback could mean a couple of things. For me, there could be 3 potential weaknesses that this comment is referring to:

1. Not knowing how to drive the case, process wise
   1. Fix -> always be prepared to suggest the next step. Think of what else in your framework needs to be addressed next and be 80/20
2. Not being able to substantiate/backup your POV
   1. Fix -> always explain your logic and don't make assumptions without justification
3. You sound unsure or not confident when you are communicating your answer
   1. Fix -> present in a smooth, non-fluctuating tone. Remove any fillers like "errs" "uhms" "uhhs"

All the best!

The best way to assess that is within a live coaching session. The problem with that kind of feedback is that it points out to how the interviewer feels, but not to what is generating that feeling to the interviewer.

Common causes are speaking too softly (raise your tone of voice), double questioning everything or presenting insights as a question... (so instead of saying "maybe this means XYZ???" you should say "my understanding is that this means XYZ. Do you have any objections?").

The issue may also be within your FIT/PEI stories and how you are communicating them.

Usually the issue is non-verbal or non-content related, so the best is to have a diagnostic made on a live session. Happy to provide a half session if you want to have a conversation around this. 

Hey there :)

Confidence in a candidate-led case comes from structure and control. Start with a clear hypothesis early on (“My initial hypothesis is that…”), and then lead the interviewer logically through your approach. Keep your tone calm, concise, and decisive, avoid overexplaining or questioning yourself. Periodically summarize where you are and what you’ve learned (“So far, this suggests that…”). Finally, stay engaged, make eye contact, use pauses intentionally, and sound curious yet certain in your direction.

best, Alessa :)

Hi there, 

A few tips on communication and body language:

1) Be proactive in doing interim synthesis and/or stating the insights you get, don't wait for the interviewer to ask you for it. 

2) Ask for forgiveness, not permission. E.g., instead of saying "can I ..." / "would you mind if I ...", say "I propose to do ..."

3) Don't forget to look the interviewer in the eyes from time to time. 

4) Don't rush when speaking, keep a steady pace. 

Hope these are helpful. 

Best,

Emily

Hi there,

When it comes to projecting confidence, it’s often less about having the “perfect” answer and more about owning your thinking process:

• Don't hesitate to pause and frame your thoughts before jumping in as it shows control, not hesitation. If you need a moment, say something like “Let me take a moment to think this through” as it sounds composed and confident.
• State your hypotheses clearly, even if you’re not 100% sure.
• Keep your tone calm and steady, especially when challenged as partners often push just to see how you react.

Hope this helps!