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Every case interview has a certain structure. An important factor on how your case interview is going to proceed is if the interview is interviewer-led or candidate-led.We’d like to explain the two interview formats – candidate-led cases and interviewer-led cases – highlight their differences, and provide you with tips on how to excel in each of them.Interviewer-Led CasesInterviewer-led cases are most frequently used at McKinsey. As the title suggests, the interviewer guides you through the interview and leads the general process. This gives him or her a more direct opportunity to test specific skills that are expected and assess areas of weakness.The following are a few indicators that hint towards interviewer-led cases:A very specific case question is posed.Either a lot of data will be given to you along with an initial breakdown of sub-problems or a broad problem may be given to you, and you would need to structure the problem by being as specific as possible.After structuring, the interviewer will ask you a set of pre-determined questions irrespective of what your structure is (this could be an abrupt move, so do not get nervous when this happens!)The interviewer might induce sudden interruptions and turnarounds that do nit result from your analysis.You will be asked "What else" and “Please explain more in detail” types of questions.What's Important in Interviewer-Led Cases?Despite the name of this case class, you need to remain in the driver's seat and be the active leader of the overall case interview. Especially in interviewer-led cases, the largest fallacy is to become passive, unstructured, and driven by the interviewer. To lead the case, you need to be particularly structured. Be prepared for interruptions, and anticipate that they might disprove hypotheses or force you to develop a completely new framework.The following tips might be helpful:Keep the big picture in mind: Consider other problems or solutions if the interviewer suggests a hypothesis. These might be important later.Apply the MECE Principle: Structure your answers to be Mutually Exclusive and Collectively Exhaustive. This approach helps you be thorough and organized, avoiding random or unstructured ideas.Watch for curveball questions and stress tests: Be prepared for unexpected changes or time constraints. Stay calm and adapt as needed.👉 Would you like to try one of our interviewer-led cases right away? Here are two examples.

Are you facing a BCG case interview? We have the ultimate preparation guide for you!