Wrong conclusion in a case interview - how to react?

Question

In my case interview, most parts went on well except the conclusion. I was conscious of the time so I proposed to the interviewer that I could give him the final recommendation. However, I did a math error and did not sanity check, which ends up that I had given the wrong conclusion (saying that the client should do an action as it will fulfill client's goal, while the correct answer is opposite).

My question is:

(1) Is “giving the wrong conclusion” always a detrimental factor in case interview? Assuming that I did well in other parts, is there still a chance to pass this round?

(2) What is the best way to react if you've given a conclusion and the interviewer points out that the conclusion is wrong?

Thank you!

Answer 1

Unfortunately, this is really not great. Let’s explore your two questions:

(1) It is always a detrimental factor, of course. The question is just “how” detrimental. If you give the “wrong“ conclusion based on the correct numbers, this could be interpreted as just having a different business instinct or risk appetite than the interviewer. No problem there. However, if you give the wrong conclusion based on a math error, as suggested by your example, this is a problem. There is still a theoretical chance for an interviewer to let you pass, depending on how he/she saw the situation. However, this is a major blunder.

(2) This may be your saving grace - if the interviewer gave you the right answer, then there’s a way to deal with it to save the day:

Stay cool and don’t get overly apologetic
Give a quick and reasonable explanation as to why and where you went wrong, if you can (finding your own mistake is a good thing and mistakes happen)
Make the new information your own and run with it confidently

Bottom line is that consultants do all sorts of errors in real life from time to time. However, the only time this is not easily forgiven is the interview. Really depends on the interviewer and I hope you had one who focuses more on all the good parts of your interview!

Best of luck!

Answer 2

Hi there,

The short answer is that this isn't good, but it also by no means indicates you are out of the running (this comes down to so many factors).

(1) Is “giving the wrong conclusion” always a detrimental factor in case interview? Assuming that I did well in other parts, is there still a chance to pass this round?

Of course it's detrimental! You gave the wrong advice. You're really asking if this is an eliminatory factor, which it is not. If you did well in other parts then yes you can still pass.

(2) What is the best way to react if you've given a conclusion and the interviewer points out that the conclusion is wrong?

The best way to react in any unexpected interaction (i.e. they correct you, change the info, test your thinking, etc.) is the same. Stay poised, acknowledge their point, re-assess, and re-articulate based on the new information (thanking them for their input).

Answer 3

In your example, the problem is not that you had the wrong conclusion, but the wrong supporting facts.

The case is not about “getting” the right answer, but about being structured, logical and yes, avoiding analytical mistakes.

So if you did a math mistake, but your logic was correct AFTER that, then the conclusion is not the problem. The problem is the math mistake, and how serious it is.

Now if the interviewer points out the mistake, you just have to keep you poise, accept the new facts, and see how it changes your recommendation. If you do it well, you show that you can keep your face when dealing with a client, and that you are coachable. So in this situation, you have to reevaluate the conclusion and provide the updated recommendation.