Improving Confidence

Hello!
 

This is definitely a common issue, but fortunately one for which there is lots of great advice to overcoming it! Here are some of my best tips:

1. Practice makes perfect - I echo a lot of other experts here, but by far the best thing you can do to become more confident with cases is to practice, practice, practice. The more familiarity you get with doing cases, the more comfortable you will get, and it will feel more routine than stressful. Practicing with a coach might be extra helpful if you want to work on pacing, succinctness, and appearing confident.

2. Slow down, take pauses, breathe - almost everyone feels the need to speak more quickly and fill any gaps in an interview, when it is almost always better to take your time, slow down, and speak more slowly. Never feel like you have to rush through your sentences to get your point across - you can be just as convincing speaking in a more measured way. Get comfortable with taking pauses - it might feel awkward at first, but taking a few seconds to collect your thoughts is always a good idea in case interviews (unless you are directly being asked to brainstorm off the top of your head). You can let your interviewer know what's going on by saying “is it ok if I take a few seconds to think about this?”, or simply saying things like “hmm, let me think…”. Taking a few seconds will almost always help you make your point better. Finally, remember to breathe, especially if you are prone to rambling. 

3. Fake it till you make it - even if you don't feel confident, don't show it to the interviewer. Keep a neutral facial expression, keep your body relaxed, don't hunch or fidget, and speak in a slower, more assertive tone. Even if you are not 100% confident in what you are saying, use your tone to show that you still feel in control of the case, and state your thoughts calmly and confidently. If you're really unsure about something, it's ok to ask a clarifying question, or present your best guess by saying something like “I'm wondering whether this has to do with XYZ” and seeing where your interviewer will go with that.

Best of luck, and feel free to reach out if you'd like a coaching session to practice some of these techniques!

Hi there,

This is pretty common - I have a few pieces of advice here!

1. Practice, practice, practice. The more casing you do, the more comfortable you should feel
2. Be comfortable with the unknown. Recognize that not knowing things is part of casing and part of being a consultant! The point is that we identify what we don't know and ask questions to figure it out
3. The is the most important moment in your life…until the next one. How many intense situations have you had in your life? Lots. How many affect you to this day? None.
4. Worst case scenario - you bomb and find another job…it's not a big deal
5. The person in front of you is…another person. They will eventually be a boss/mentor that you work closely with and connect with. They're not the boogeyman!

All the answers below make very valid points. Everyone has their own brand of confidence, but I'll add my 2 cents of concrete actions/steps I take to (try to) convey confidence, maybe they can be of some help !

- talk slowly but assertively

- maintain eye contact and don't forget to keep your facial expressions neutral and to smile every now & then

- take a pause at relevant times to let your interviewer absorb whatever you just said and to emphasize the last point you made, also allows you to set the pace of the conversation

- be proactive in asking questions and make your interviewer talk, especially relevant at the beginning and end of interview when you're just “chatting” with them. This allows you again to be in control of the conversation

I think with practice and trial & error you'll find what works best for you :)

Very likely you are coming across as unsure/hesitant when you speak during the case. The tone of voice could be conveying this. 

Firstly, try and remove the pressure to perform. Enjoy it as much as you can. You will naturally feel relaxed and calm. It will reflect when you speak. Check out this thread for some tips on this: https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/managing-anxiety-before-interviews-11039

Secondly, with time & practice you will become more thorough and feel more confident in your approach, solution etc. Have to noticed your confidence on cases with topics/industries you are familiar with or like a lot?

Finally, there is a small element of faking it. Fake it a little as required while being careful :)

All the best.

Unfortunately it is difficult to give advice on such questions over text-based Q&A. A good coach can help you identify the right approach to improving your show of confidence.

That said - some of the proven ways to improve confidence are:

• Practice more - make the interview process almost muscle memory.
• Pretend to be confident - this might come as a surprise - but most people who “sound” confident are “trying” to sound confident. Very few people are actually confident.
• See for yourself - one of the best ways to assess yourself is to practice in front of a mirror or a camera. That ways you can see or yourself if and how you are not sounding confident.

Always best to get the recommendation from the people who have been giving you that feedback. If you are struggling with confidence during a practice case with a “friend” then to me its a matter of familiarity. Just like with most things in life, there is a learning curve you will need to go through. Personally, I think the important thing is to make sure you are asking for/aware of both your strengths and weaknesses - where you confidence will come from being more aware of your strengths and the progress you are making with your “weaknesses" or areas of development.

If the issue was more during actual interviews, then its likely a slightly different issue which is more about performance management and managing your nerves. 

Good luck!