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Written Case - How to present a 15 min long conclusion?

For normal case interviews, I usually spend 45 seconds to deliver a short and sweet conclusion. But for written case interviews, I need to present a “15 min recommendation”. Any tips on this? Should I still do a 1 min short conclusion (like normal case), and then spend the rest 14 minutes going into details? How should I spend this 15 minutes wisely instead of going into too much details? Thank you!

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Top answer
Moritz
Coach
on Feb 01, 2022
ex-McKinsey EM & Interviewer | 7/8 offer rate for 4+ sessions | High impact sessions + FREE materials & exercises

This is the beauty of top-down communication (pyramid principle), which this comes down to and which you have to master for any interview. 

In your 15 min example, you would start with the recommendation and key points, same as you would for a 45 sec recommendation, and then “keep going”. In other words, the difference between a 45 sec and 15 min recommendation is the amount of detail you enter into with regards to specific drivers, analyses, etc. within each of the buckets.

If appropriate/possible, spend a bit of time to organize your answer by organizing the key elements in a MECE fashion that lends itself for top-down communication.

Hope this helps! Best of luck!

Pedro
Coach
on Feb 01, 2022
Bain | EY-Parthenon | Former Principal | 1.5h session | 30% discount 1st session

You still need to present your ideas using “top-down” communication.

Since you haven't gone together through the case with the interviewer, you will need to backup your conclusions with data. So you will take some of the time to go to the specific slides/enhibits and highlight the insights that support your recommendations. And of course, answering specific questions.

You will present for 15 mins, but it won't be a 15 minute monologue, but a 15 minute conversation.

Ian
Coach
on Feb 02, 2022
Top US BCG / MBB Coach - 5,000 sessions |Tech, Platinion, Big 4 | 9/9 personal interviews passed | 95% candidate success

Hi there,

You need to present it just like you would any presentation!

Start with your main thesis/recommendation. Then, summarize the key supporting reasons (2-4). After that, dive into each key supporting reason and explain in detail.

Deleted user
on Feb 01, 2022

So, use the 15mins to summarise your recommendation (s), explain the story behind each recommendation i.e. your analysis & insights and highlight any risks. 

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Clara
Coach
on Feb 04, 2022
McKinsey | Awarded professor at Master in Management @ IE | MBA at MIT |+180 students coached | Integrated FIT Guide aut

Hello!

Yes, what you propose sounds about right. 

A conclusion of the conclusion as an exec. summary, and then the rest of the conclusion (tought 15 mins might be too much, depending on the context). 

Hope it helps!

Cheers, 

Clara

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