Potential case interviews & haven't done case prep

Hi,

Congratulations on the interview invite, time to make the most of the time you have, before your interview.

Sharing my perspective, based on 7 years of experience at McKinsey (most recently as an Associate Partner) --> Purely from a conceptual point of view, here are the five killer skills to sharpen:

1. Top-down communication: Speak like a consultant, that means layout the approach first, before going into the details. Give me the executive message first, before getting lost in the details. Partners don't have time, clients don't have time. Answer first!

2. Analytical skills: Get your math right. Nothing more reassuring to an interviewer than a candidate you can land the correct math answer to the case problem. It validates you and reassures the interviewer that you could be a safe bet. "Can I trust this Associate enough to leave him unattended at a client site?" is the question they are hoping to answer. Right math builds credibility like nothing else! Wrong math is not the end of the world, but right math makes you shine brighter.

3. Structuring: Can you structure a problem nicely - ultimately, consulting is a about being able to add structure to chaos. Everyday on the job you will be bombarded with data, inputs, wish lists, hypothesis etc. Key question is can you distill all the inputs to filter out the noise and arrive at a synthesis. Structuring a problem into bit sized MECE chunks that can then be broken down into workstreams for team members is bread and butter at consulting. Ace it! Make it second nature!

4. Synthesis: Can you summarize key insights into an executive level message with an easy to follow storyline / narrative. This is a super skill that differentiates the good from the great candidates! Consulting is as much story telling as it is problem solving. You need to be able to tell an easy-to-explain story to take your clients along, while ensuring there is the right mix of details to substantiate the narrative!

5. Business judgement: You don't need to be a topic expert, but you sure need to have a good intrinsic business sense. Have an intuition, have a grounded opinion, have a perspective. Consulting is as much about people, empathy and judgement as it is about data, analytics and problem solving. Have an opinion and voice it when needed!

Hope that helps. Happy to connect over a session if you'd like to practice real McKinsey cases as preparation!

All the best.

relax. You’re not late.

For a boutique consulting internship, they are not expecting perfect casing or fancy frameworks. They want to see how you think under pressure

1. Get the fundamentals right

• Always clarify the objective
• Take a short pause to structure before speaking
• Be clear and logical, not fast

2. Use one simple structure
Don’t overcomplicate it. For most cases:

• Objective
• Key drivers (revenue, costs, risks — adapt to the case)
• Analysis
• Recommendation

3. Practice out loud
Reading cases doesn’t help much.

• Do 2–3 cases live with someone
• Focus on explaining your thinking, not being perfect

4. What interviewers actually care about

• Clean, step-by-step thinking
• Basic math done carefully
• Calm communication when you don’t know something

5. Reality check
They replied in one day.

• They like your profile.
• They think you can learn fast.
• They are not looking for a finished consultant.

Aim to be structured, calm, and coachable.
That’s usually enough to pass a boutique screening.

Congrats on the fast turn-around; a day-later invite means they really liked your profile, which is a fantastic position to be in. It is completely natural to feel overwhelmed when the timeline collapses, especially when an opportunity drops in your lap unexpectedly. Since this is for an internship at a smaller boutique, the bar they are setting is less about achieving mathematical perfection and more about demonstrating structured thinking and enthusiasm.

Here is the strategic pivot for time-crunched preparation: you need to prioritize the core mechanics. For the immediate screening interview, focus heavily on your "Why Consulting/Why Us" story and prepare sharp, crisp answers for the standard behavioral questions, using the STAR method if possible. This stage is often purely a fit and drive assessment.

Once you get the green light for the actual case, you have to accept that you cannot become a seasoned caser overnight. Aim for the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) by mastering only three critical things: structure, hypothesis, and synthesis. Spend the bulk of your prep time understanding how to create a MECE (Mutually Exclusive, Collectively Exhaustive) issue tree immediately after hearing the prompt, and how to use that structure to formulate a testable hypothesis. Do 2-3 live practice cases (ideally with a partner), focusing exclusively on the opening (clarifying questions, hypothesis formation) and the closing (the synthesis and clear recommendation). Your existing academic experience confirms you can solve problems; the interview prep ensures you can present your thinking in the format they expect.

Hope it helps!

Congrats on getting the interview. Don't panic. You've got more time than you think, and boutique firms tend to be more relaxed than the big names like McKinsey or BCG.

You've already done cases at Uni and you know how to work through problems. That's a good starting point. Interviews feel different, but the core skills are the same.

Here's how I'd spend your time:

For the screening, just focus on the basics. Why consulting? Why this firm? Why you? Have clear answers ready. This round is mostly about whether they like you and can picture you on the team.

If you get to the case round, here's what matters:

Know the common case types. Profitability, market entry, growth, pricing, investment decisions. You don't need complicated frameworks. Just a simple, logical way to break down the problem.

Practice talking through cases out loud. This is the big difference from uni. In interviews, you have to think and speak at the same time. Try doing a few cases by yourself, just talking through your thoughts. It feels weird at first but it helps a lot.

Brush up on mental math. Percentages, multiplication, division. Nothing fancy. Just stay calm and get the numbers right.

Do 3-5 practice cases before the interview. Don't worry about doing tons. A few good ones are better than rushing through many.

Boutique firms usually keep things more conversational. Less rigid than MBB. So be flexible, listen carefully, and show you can actually think, not just follow a script.

A few small tips: take a second to organize your thoughts before answering. If you don't know something, just say so. Keep your answers simple. And be yourself.

You've got this. A few focused days of practice can really make a difference.

Good luck.

Hi!

First of all, congrats on getting the interview.

Given your context, here are some of my thoughts:

1) Do live mock cases - ASAP. This is the most important thing. Doing cases alone or watching videos is not the same as doing it live, because:

• The pressure with someone in front of you waiting for your response is real
• You have to structure and problem-solve on the spot
• You'll need to be comfortable articulating your thoughts as well

Try to do live mock cases with classmates or other candidates applying to consulting roles. If you want more targeted, faster improvement, working with a coach here can be very helpful

2) Focus on fundamentals, not perfection. Focus on:

• Clear structure
• Logical thinking
• Calm, concise top-down communication
  Interviewers don’t expect perfection; they want to see how you think.

3) Don’t put yourself down too early. I wouldn’t assume rejection from bigger firms or limiting yourself to boutiques. There are many ways to increase your chances to get interviews:

• Network with people at the firms you’re interested in
• Talk to friends, classmates, you’d be surprised how many “friends of friends” can get your connected
• Reach out to recruiters
• Get your CV reviewed (coaches here can help too)

You already have consulting exposure from uni, now you just need some mock case interview reps. Prioritize that, and you’ll feel much more in control very quickly.

All the best! Feel free to reach out if you need help

Hi there,

This situation is much more common than you think, especially with boutique firms that move fast. You don’t need to be “case perfect” to do well, particularly at the screening and early interview stages.

Given your limited time, the goal is not to master casing but to be clear, structured, and calm. Here’s the most time-efficient way to prepare:

What to focus on first:

• Structure over speed — how you break down the problem matters more than flawless math
• A simple case flow: clarify the objective, lay out a structure, prioritize one area, analyze, synthesize
• Practice talking through your thinking out loud

What to do in the next few days:

• Watch one or two short interviewer-led case examples to understand pacing
• Review a few common case types at a high level
• Practice building structures on paper without solving the full case
• Prepare a clean 30-second final recommendation

What not to do:

• Don’t try to cram many cases
• Don’t memorize frameworks
• Don’t aim for perfection

Smaller consultancies are often more conversational and forgiving than larger firms. Showing logic, curiosity, and clear communication already goes a long way.

If you make it to the second stage, even a short focused prep or mock case can significantly boost confidence. Happy to help you prep if useful.

Good luck — you’ve got this 🙂

Hi there,

Given the tight timeline, I highly suggest working with a coach to help guide you in the direction of where you need to improve most and focus on that.

Secondly, most HR are very understanding and accommodating if you politely ask for the interview to be organized 2-3 weeks later and explain why. You could definitely say it's because you believe you need the extra time to prepare and perform at your best.

Get a coach to tell you exactly what 2-3 things you can change so your performance improves dramatically.

You don't have the time now to gradually build your skills.

You need a diagnostic so you can understand what the biggest levers are and how to work with them.

If you need help, do reach out directly. 

Best,
Cristian

What you need right now - give the tight deadline and your specific questions - is coaching. And you probably already know that.
 

Feel free to reach out for a discounted rate.