Hello!

There is only one thing that I want to add to this topic: please forget about it!

It only gets interviewees suuuuper confused and goes against their performance.

A case is a business problem that you need to solve, the best that you can, and the quickest. Period! That is all you need to think about.

Hope it helps!

Cheers,

Clara

No! Just solve cases! Don't worry about this difference.

Fundamentally, every case is candidate-led. That's because, even if the interviewer is "leading" the case, you're still driving it! No matter the case type you need to:

• Understand the objective/question
• Have a framework and approach for solving the problem
• Know why you need an exhibit/data when you receive it
• Whether you decide you want to solve for x, or you get solve to solve for x, you need to understand if x is big, small, good, bad...how it affects the answer!

So, just solve cases and make sure you learn to drive them yourself!

Think of it like a bike. Candidate-led is without training wheels. Interviewer-led is with training wheels. Regardless, you need to peddle and aim the bike where you want to go! And, regardless, you may as well learn without training wheels.

Note: McKinsey "training wheels" don't make it any easier :P

Having successfully gone through both processes as a candidate, I can say that the actual interview experience does not feel so different. There are certain logical steps that the interviewer will take a bit more control of during the discussion, but it is still a natural conversation that you need to nail.

Generally, if you prepare for candidate-led cases, you're fine. You'll lean how to plan and execute the case and drive it independently. This sets up up for the interviewer-led structure just as well.

The other way around would be a bit more tricky, as you suddenly have to drive your analysis from one topic to the next and manage time a bit more proactively.

Bottom line: Practice the candidate-led interview and you're set up for success in both models.

Hi A,

I totally agree with Robert here that the differentiation between interviewer-led and interviewee-led cases is much too overestimated, and you should prepare for solving cases itself in the first place.

The point here is that if you start preparing for a specific situation it will be hard for you to quickly adapt if things go another way than you were planning.

The best solution would be preparing for case solving, then for interviewee-led cases. If you are prepared for these ones, you should not have any difficulties with interviewer-led cases.

Do you need any further help?

GB