When applying to top consulting firms, one of the most crucial stages of the interview process is the case interview. This format is designed to assess your analytical competencies, problem-solving skills, and ability to think strategically under pressure. Let's take a look at what to expect.
A case interview is a 30-minute simulation of a typical business project that consultants may have worked on. Cases provide a real example of an on-the-job experience and the assumption is that if a candidate is successfully able to tackle a case interview, he or she is also more likely to be a successful management consultant.
Case studies are the most important and usually the longest part of consulting interviews. In addition to the case study, the interview typically includes introductory small talk, a personal fit interview, and closing questions (see the illustration below).
Many companies review and standardize their consulting cases prior to a real interview to ensure that the case is neither too difficult nor too easy. Companies also ensure that a variety of skills are tested during the interviews.
The Typical Flow of a Case Interview
The case interview typically follows a structured flow to ensure that both the interviewer and the candidate cover all necessary aspects of the business problem. It involves the following phases:
1. Case Presentation and Problem Understanding
To start off, the interviewer will present a specific business problem or scenario. This could range from market entry considerations, to profitability issues, or organizational changes. The problem is usually based on real-world business issues that the consulting firm dealt with in the past.
You are expected to listen carefully, take notes, and clarify any points that are not clear to fully understand the scope and context of the problem.
👉 To get a better feeling for possible case prompts, check out the following beginner cases.
You have been hired to support the owner of a bike-shop as a business consultant. The bike-shop has suffered a significant revenue decline during the last year, and now the owner would like you to assess the situation and options for the way forward.They want to know last year’s profit, i.e. how it was affected by the revenue decline, and what the priority actions are to survive the next year. (short term)In addition they would like to understand the strategic competitive position of the shop better and how to increase revenues again mid- to long-term.
Our client (FastFood Co) is a fast-food company that has > 20 restaurants in the city. Recently, the business has encountered significant challenges, with net profit drops to negative.The client wants us to help them turn around the business. How would you help them?
Afterwards, you outline a structured approach or framework to tackle the problem. Common frameworks include the SWOT analysis, Porter’s Five Forces, or the 4P's, with which you can structure your information. This step demonstrates your ability to break down complex issues into manageable parts.
However, keep in mind that it is not enough to simply memorize the standard framework concepts. While standard frameworks are useful for a rudimentary outline of a case problem, they need to be optimized and adapted to the individual case. Don't worry, as this is a skill you can develop, but it definitely requires thorough preparation and practice.
Once you have crafted your structure, clearly explain your framework to the interviewer, ensuring he or she understands your thought process and logical flow.
3. Analysis and Problem Solving
Next, you dive into the analysis. During the interview, your interviewer may provide additional data, charts or exhibits. Analyze this information to support your framework and build your argument. Formulate hypotheses based on your analysis and test them against the data provided. If needed, adjust your approach based on your new findings.
During the quantitative analysis, perform the necessary calculations to support your findings. This could include market sizing estimations, profitability calculations or a cost analysis. Good mental math skills will definitely help in this phase.
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Once you have worked through your structure, provide clear, and actionable recommendations based on your analysis. Use the Pyramid Principle of communication, highlight your key findings and explain how they address the problem.
You should also be ready to justify your suggestions with evidence from your analysis (i. e. data) and discuss possible next steps or further areas of investigation that the client may wish to consider.
After all, the interviewer may question your conclusions or ask for further clarification. Be prepared to defend your recommendations and discuss alternative perspectives.
After, all the best way to prepare for your interview is practice. Explore our Case Library with real examples now!
Your client tk Commodity Trade (tk ComT) is a global materials trader - they buy and sell raw materials. tk ComT had stable EBITDA margins in recent years. They consider expanding their target market and entering the Lithium (electric vehicle battery grade) trade, due to the current high demand for electric cars and Lithium-ion batteries. The client is concerned about minimizing the cash spending and about improving the payback period for this market-entry campaign, due to corporate cash policy.As a consultant, you are expected to calculate the size of the Lithium market and to assess the payback periods for an organic market entry (with own resources) as well as for the acquisition of an established company. Finally, the client expects a proposal about the best market entry strategy and potential opportunities and risks.
Ein guter Freund von Dir hat seinen Job gekündigt, um seinen Lebensunterhalt nun mit dem Verkauf von Handyhüllen zu bestreiten. Du sollst ihm dabei helfen, sein Vorhaben zu bewerten.
FashionForward is a mid-sized, private-label fashion retailer headquartered in Europe with €600 million in annual revenue. Its product portfolio includes fast-fashion collections for men and women, sold in 220 stores across six countries, and online.The company currently sources approximately 85% of its total production volume from Bangladesh, heavily relying on just three key suppliers for over 70% of that volume. Their procurement strategy is highly cost-driven, and supplier relationships are transactional. FashionForward has now asked Inverto to develop a new sourcing strategy.Over the last 18 months, FashionForward has faced increasing procurement challenges:A drop in demand for trend-sensitive fashion categoriesLong lead times (up to 40 days), limiting reactivity to seasonal trendsRepeated shipping delays and FX volatility from BangladesOverstocking in basics and stockouts of fashion-forward itemsESG non-compliance flagged in two factories during an auditGrowing pressure from the board to increase agility and reduce dependency on Bangladesh
Your client is the Government of Indonesia, specifically a joint committee formed between a few key ministries including the Ministry of Marine Affairs & Fisheries, Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of Environment & Forestry. Indonesia is one of the largest developing countries in the world, with a population of about 285M people and an average monthly income of only USD 500. Located in Southeast Asia, Indonesia is actually a vast archipelago comprised of 17,000 islands, giving it one of the longest and most complex coastlines in the world. It is also part of the Coral Triangle, an area demarcated by scientists as the global epicenter of marine diversity. Your client tells you that Indonesia's once pristine coral reefs have seen a rapid decline over the past decade. They have come to you for help and want to figure out what is causing the problem.
Your client is a big bank that issues credit cards with a €100 annual fee. Recently, a supermarket entered the credit card business. The supermarket’s credit cards do NOT have an annual fee. Your client wants to know how they should react to this new competitor.
You are part of the Strategy & Operations team at Revolut.Revolut has had significant growth over the past couple of years, with customer base growing 20-30% per year. Our apps have also been highly rated in the various app stores - be it GooglePlay or on the Apple store.Revolut's current customer strategy is to segment customers based on their subscription tiers/plans. Standard: FreePlus: $3.99/mthPremium: $7.99/mthMetal: $14.99/mthUltra: Ultra $55/mthKey differentiation between the plans are in the pricing and features. Namely, the more expensive tiers like Metal and Ultra have additional features such as personalized and premium card design, free access to lifestyle apps (e.g. Financial Times, Class Pass etc), better FX rates and priority customer support.It's great that Revolut has been expanding rapidly, but we are starting to see some stresses on our existing operations and processes. One key area of concern is in customer service, our satisfaction scores have started to trend down and call center headcounts and costs have been increasing in recent years, but we are struggling to handle the load of incoming requests and tickets.You have been tasked to lead a project to solve this problem without ballooning costs.
Johnny Depp, now 56 years old, has started to feel that his acting career is about to get over. His net worth crossed over $650 million at the peak of his career but has since dwindled, amid lawsuits and lifestyle expenses. As such, he thinks that his current wealth might not be enough for his upcoming years. So, he’s hired you as a consultant to help him find ways to multiply his worth. What can you suggest?
Ihr Kunde ist in einem globalen Automobilkonzern dafür verantwortlich ein neues Produkt mit einem Volumen von 140.000 Fahrzeugen über den gesamten Produktionszeitraum auf den Markt zu bringen. Bedingt durch finanzielle Anspannung liegt ein besonderer Fokus auf den Kosten.
Your client is a leading retail coffee chain. They are present in several countries globally and are a popular brand in most of the markets that they operate in, with several thousands stores in operation.A key focus of the company currently is diversity & inclusion. In their biggest market which is the US, 1 in 4 people have some sort of disability. One realization the client has had is that their retail stores are not as inclusive to individuals with disabilities. McKinsey has been brought on to help them design more inclusive spaces in their retail stores.
TexGroup is a family-owned German heritage company, now in its third generation of leadership. Specializing in high-quality, Made-in-Germany textiles, the company operates across four distinct product segments: TexCasual, TexPremium, TexSport, and TexProfessional. TexGroup supplies its products to a diverse portfolio of fashion brands, with a strong focus on the European market.In recent years, TexGroup has faced increasing financial pressure, with steadily declining profit margins. The recently concluded 2024 fiscal year closed with a historically low EBIT margin of just 0.6%, raising serious concerns among management about a continued downward spiral that could push the company into financial losses.To stop this negative trend and secure long-term success, TexGroup is seeking an external consulting team to setup and implement a structured turnaround program. The primary target is to achieve 10% sustainable EBIT margin within two years. Note: During our assessment day, candidates could receive a laptop and an Excel file to analyze data and perform calculations. While this case can be solved without the Excel file, downloading it allows for a more pragmatic experience. Download the file here.
Kadara, a privately-held US retailer active in the Midwest with annual sales of approximately USD 3 bn, is trying to figure out a solution to last-mile home delivery. The company currently operates out of 100 brick-and-mortar stores selling primarily groceries and home essentials (e.g. paper towels, diapers, blenders). They also sell all non-perishable products offered in their stores through their website. Currently, all sales from their website are delivered via 3rd parties (e.g. FedEx, USPS), picking up products from regional distribution centers, and their minimum delivery time is next day. Kadara does not have out-of-store delivery options but they know that services such as Instacart and Postmates are being used by customers to arrange home delivery of groceries. Kadara's management believes that they are, at best, leaving money on the table due to their limited home delivery options and, at worst, at risk of being de-selected by customers as they move towards delivery options. Kadara’s future CEO, the granddaughter of the founder, has jumped on the chance to move the company into the future. To that end, she has developed a recommendation to Kadara's board to buy Dallas Drone Technologies (DDT). DDT designs, manufactures and operates small-to-midsize flying drones. Their initial models focused on aerial photography but they added goods movement capabilities about two years ago. The future CEO believes that drone delivery is key and that Kadara should buy DDT for USD 100 m to become a leader in the space. Kadara's current CEO would like your help specifically in evaluating the option to buy DDT and generally in how to think about home delivery and the future of their business.
We are a Canada bus transport service operating between major cities. We have been losing money for the past 5 years. Our new CEO thinks that we need to aggressively cut costs in order to return to profitability. We also suspect the over-operated routes as well as the new routes to be the cause of the loss. How do you suggest we should face this problem?
Your client is a D2C (direct to customer) online fashion business in a developing country. It is a new brand, launched about 2 years ago and founded by ex-investment bankers. Their brand focuses on trendy, edgy design that is less main-stream (versus big brands like H&M, Uniqlo, Zara etc) for adult men. While they have been growing fast, they want to understand how they can further improve their sales.
Die Global Plastics AG ist ein im M-DAX gelistetes Unternehmen mit weltweit 2.500 Mitarbeitenden und einer Gesamtleistung in Höhe von € 395,0 Mio. in 2021. Der Umsatz des Unternehmens ging 2020 nach dem Ausbruch der COVID-19-Pandemie stark zurück und soll im Jahr 2022 wieder an das Niveau vor COVID-19 anknüpfen.Neben Umsatzrückgängen hat die Global Plastics AG auch mit einer erhöhten Varianz in den OEM Call-Offs zu kämpfen, was zu Überkapazitäten in der Produktion führt. Zusätzlich befindet sich die Global Plastics AG in Kundenverhandlungen zu bestehenden und neuen Verträgen.Das Thema Nachhaltigkeit ist tief in der Unternehmensidentität verankert. Das Unternehmen investiert kontinuierlich in die Forschung und Entwicklung von neuen Technologien. Diese Investitionen dienen im Wesentlichen dazu ...... das bestehende Produktportfolio weiter zu verbessern und sich einen Wettbewerbsvorteil zu erarbeiten.... den zu erwartenden strengeren Vorschriften hinsichtlich CO2-Neutralität der Wert-schöpfungskette als auch einer steigenden Beimischungsquote von recyceltem Kunststoff und Alternativmaterialien in den nächsten Jahren gerecht zu werden.Das Unternehmen ist bei den Kunden für seine innovativen Technologien bekannt und für seine branchenweit Maßstäbe setzende, präzise und qualitativ hochwertige Fertigung geschätzt. Die Global Plastics AG produziert weltweit in fünf Werken (USA, BRA, HUN, CHN, DEU) Kunststoffbauteile für Fahrzeuginnenräume in den Anwendungsbereichen PKW (PT-Segment), LKW (CT-Segment) sowie Baumaschinen (CON-Segment). Global Plastics beliefert primär deutsche Premium-OEMs weltweit und gilt als Qualitätsführer im Interior-Markt. Der globale Interior-Markt ist zunehmend von einem durch asiatische Wettbewerber generierten Preisdruck geprägt, die den Qualitätsansprüchen europäischer Kunden immer besser entsprechen.Sie wurden durch den Vorstand der Global Plastics AG beauftragt, einen Transformationsplan zu entwickeln, der die langfristige Wettbewerbsfähigkeit des Unternehmens sicherstellt. Ziel Ihres Workstreams ist die Analyse des aktuellen Produktionsnetzwerks sowie die Erarbeitung neuer Hebel für Wachstum. Die Global Plastics AG hat Ihnen zur Analyse ihre GuV und Bilanz zur Verfügung gestellt. Dort sind die Ergebnisse der Geschäftsjahre 2019 bis 2021 sowie der Forecast für das Geschäftsjahr 2022 (drei Monate Ist + neun Monate Plan) enthalten. Bitte lösen Sie die beiden unten aufgeführten Aufgaben.
We have been hired by the CEO of Comfort Chairs, a company that manufactures complex powered wheelchairs. Comfort Chairs has headquarters in Sweden with manufacturing in Sweden and sales all over Europe. The company enjoys a strong market position and is known for being a pioneer in its industry. It was recently acquired by a leading global private equity firm that is interested in driving the international growth of Comfort Chairs. Especially, the US market looks very interesting.The CEO has hired you to help him with two things:1. Determine the size and the growth of the US market for complex powered wheelchairs.2. Analyze whether entering the US market is attractive.
We are a premium brand apparel retailer facing a consistent decrease in market share. We would like you to figure out why this is happening and provide recommendations to reverse this trend.
Your client is Well Being (WB), a private healthcare company based in Germany. Well Being operates 10 hospitals in Germany (in comparison to 1,000 public hospitals). These hospitals are normally half the size of the public ones and are not providing Accident and Emergency (ER).Revenue comes from patients claiming their own private insurance or paying by cash. In 2012 Well Being had revenues of €100 m (<1% share in the market) and an operating profit of €0.5 m.Their main competitor is the governmental national health care (NHC). NHC has asked to outsource some of their patients to WB and WB wants our advice on this offer.
A chemical producer is a major manufacturer of chemical products used to preserve foods in containers. The company has seen an increase in market share, but the company has also seen a decline in profits. Our client, the CEO is worried about this trend and hires you to investigate what is going on.
Your client is a German manufacturer of disguises for events and parties called KostümCo. They segment their products in two lines: round-the-year and seasonal products.Round-the-year products serve customers that celebrate birthdays and common parties during the whole year.Seasonal products aim at special occasions like the carnival or the beer festival in Munich and are only sold for some time before these events.KostümCo makes the design, manufacturing and resells the disguises to retailers in 5 different German cities.Recently, though, the largest retail customer complained that KostümCo’s prices are too high. After some internal analyses, the client found this to be due mainly to distribution costs. You have been asked to figure out how we can reduce distribution costs.
Mastering the case interview is a crucial step in securing a consulting job. To perform well, you need to demonstrate structured thinking, analytical skills, and clear communication while solving a real-world business problem.
The interview typically follows a structured flow, starting with an introduction and resume discussion, followed by the case presentation, where you clarify the problem and outline a logical framework. From there, you analyze data, test hypotheses, and apply quantitative skills to arrive at well-supported recommendations. Finally, you summarize your findings and engage in a discussion to defend your approach.
Success in case interviews comes down to practice. Familiarizing yourself with common frameworks is useful, but true preparation involves adapting them to different cases, improving your problem-solving speed, and refining your communication. By structuring your thoughts clearly, staying flexible in your approach, and confidently presenting your findings, you’ll increase your chances of impressing your interviewer and landing an offer at a top consulting firm. 🚀
Let's Move On With the Next Articles:
The Personal Fit Interview
Basics of Case Interviews
The personal fit interview is a crucial part of the selection process in consulting. It’s often underestimated by candidates who tend to focus on the challenging case interviews only. But the personal fit interview is just as important! It’s all about determining if you’ll fit well within the team and align with the company culture. Read this article to find out why the personal fit interview matters so much and how to prepare effectively.
Consulting interviews are not just about your skills and knowledge — companies also want to see how well you align with their culture and values, often called "personal fit". This part of the interview is your chance to show you’re a natural addition to the team.Here’s a look at three common personal fit questions and some tips on how to answer them confidently and thoughtfully.
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.
