When preparing for a case interview, especially under time constraints, working with an experienced coach can significantly enhance your chances of success.
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What Are the Key Advantages of Practicing With a Coach?
Personalized Feedback
One of the primary benefits of working with a case coach is receiving tailored feedback. Unlike general preparation methods, a coach can pinpoint your specific weaknesses and provide actionable advice to improve. This personalized approach ensures that your preparation is efficient and targeted, addressing your unique needs and challenges.
Realistic Simulation
Practicing with a coach allows you to experience a realistic interview setting. Coaches who have conducted numerous case interviews can replicate the pressure and dynamics of a real interview, helping you become more comfortable and confident. This experience is invaluable, as it prepares you to handle the stress and spontaneity of actual interviews.
Insider Knowledge
Experienced coaches often come from prestigious consulting backgrounds themselves. Their insider knowledge about what top firms are looking for can give you a significant edge. They can share insights about the interview process, common pitfalls, and the specific attributes that firms value, ensuring that you are well-prepared to meet these expectations.
Structured Approach
A coach can help you develop a structured approach to solving case problems. This structured thinking is crucial in case interviews, where clear, logical, and well-organized answers are highly valued. Coaches can teach you frameworks and methodologies that streamline your problem-solving process, making your responses more coherent and compelling.
Time Efficiency
For candidates with limited preparation time, coaching is a highly efficient way to get ready. Coaches can quickly identify areas that need improvement, helping you focus your efforts where they are most needed. This targeted preparation can save you time and help you progress faster than you would on your own.
Confidence Boost
Confidence plays a crucial role in interview performance. Regular practice with a coach can boost your confidence by familiarizing you with the interview format and helping you refine your answers. Knowing that you have prepared thoroughly with expert guidance can significantly reduce anxiety and improve your overall performance.
How PrepLounge Optimally Supports You With a Wide Range of Coaching Options
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PrepLounge offers a variety of coaching options to fit your needs and preferences. You can choose from individual sessions, CV reviews, or comprehensive coaching packages that include multiple sessions or focus on specific topics. Additionally, there are programs available that combine a premium membership with coaching credits, providing a cost-effective way to access top-notch coaching services.
📅 Workshops and Online Events
PrepLounge also regularly hosts workshops and online events led by experienced coaches. These sessions cover a range of topics and provide opportunities for interactive learning and direct feedback. Participating in these events can further enhance your preparation and keep you updated on the latest trends and techniques in case interviews.
How to Find the Perfect Coach to Suit Your Needs
To find the perfect coach for your case interview preparation, you can proceed in three steps within the coach overview:
Filtering: Begin by filtering the coaches based on your most important criteria, such as price per coaching session, or employer.
Selection: Choose up to 10 coaches whose profiles, ratings, Q&A contributions, and PrepLounge awards you wish to explore further.
Contacting: Reach out to 2-3 coaches to address any potential questions or concerns about their coaching approach. Feel free to ask if they offer a free intro call.
What Makes a Good Coach?
Good coaches are characterized by the following features:
Customization: they tailor the coaching to your specific needs.
Good rapport: They make you feel comfortable and work well with them.
Transparency: They offer you full transparency about the coaching process on PrepLounge.
Final Thoughts on Working With a Coach
Practicing with a coach is a strategic investment in your case interview preparation. The personalized feedback, realistic simulation, insider knowledge, and confidence boost that coaches provide can make a significant difference in your performance. With the expert guidance available on PrepLounge, you can ensure that you are thoroughly prepared and ready to excel in your case interviews.
By leveraging the expertise of experienced case coaches and taking advantage of the diverse coaching options and events available on PrepLounge, you can maximize your preparation efficiency, build your confidence, and increase your chances of securing a position at a top consulting firm.
How Do I Ask Better Questions at the End of an Interview?
4 hrs
< 100
6
Best answer by
Alessandro
most candidates ask questions that signal they prepared, not that they think. The shift you need is from "questions I looked up" to "questions only I could ask in this specific conversation." The best end-of-interview questions either- they reference something specific from earlier in the conversation - they reveal how you think about the firm's future - they invite the interviewer to reflect personally rather then recite a company line good general questions you might use "Earlier you mentioned [specific thing they said about their practice/team/client...]. How has that shaped how you think about the work?" --> you are a good listener "What's a moment from your first year that you didn't expect would define how you work now?" --> allow them to elevate themselves "What's a tension the firm is navigating right now that you think doesn't get discussed enough in recruiting?" --> maturity "What do top performers here do differently in their first six months that most people only figure out later?" --> concrete ambition your questions should feel like they could only of come from you, in this conversation, with this interviewer. If you could've asked it in any interview at any firm, its not a strong question.
It’s a thin ice to walk on.
On the one hand, if you answer “dissent” you risk of coming off as stubborn and arrogant, the person who is pushing her opinion no matter what.
On the other hand, if you answer “consensus” you risk of coming off as a softy, the person who agrees to everything, so that people don’t get upset.
So, if asked that question in an interview I would go with a typical consulting answer of “it depends” :)
If you disagree with smbd and think that if your opinion is not taken into account, then the client interests are not served the best or your values are compromised, then “dissent”.
But if you disagree with smbd and your idea is just as good as anybody else’s at the table and it’s important to bring all the stakeholders on board to move things forward, then “consensus”.
I hope this helps!
Best,
Daniel
What would be the reason why you would have someone on or off a project?
6 hrs
5.6k
43
Best answer by
Daniel
It’s a tricky question because consultants need to balance between a) interests of their clients and b) interests of their people (keeping the talent happy and creating opportunities for growth).
For on the project:
If the client really wants the person and you feel like the person can contribute;
If the person’s professional profile fits your project and you feel like the person can contribute;
If the person is super motivated to join and you feel like, even though the person doesn’t have required experienced, by the sheer energy they will be able to create impact.
For off the project:
If the person doesn’t deliver and feedback discussions as well as mentoring didn’t help
If the person has an issue with the client – they cannot find a good way of working together and mediation didn’t help
If the person undermines team’s work – and again, your intervention didn’t help
Hope this helps!
Best,
Daniel
What is the way out? Have I ruined my career already?
9 hrs
< 100
6
Best answer by
Alessandro
You didn't ruin anything. Market access is where pharma actually makes or loses money post-launch, and companies pay heavily to get it right. Your exits are straightforward. The pharma clients you advise will recruit you into their commercial strategy teams. Healthcare VC funds need people who can evaluate reimbursement risk on a pipeline drug, that's not a scientist role. MBB hires experienced life sciences consultants because their generalists can't do what you'll be able to do after two years. The boutique name is irrelevant. Pfizer and Novartis on your deck is Pfizer and Novartis on your resume. You haven't even started yet. Give it eighteen months. (chill a sec)
Hi there, Do I include my contract and founding/advisory roles? - You include the roles that demonstrates transferrable skills Should my resume be one page or two page to highlight the experience? - One page I’ve also been promoted within a company multiple times - should I include all the roles or only the relevant ones? - If role has the same function and you've simply been promoted, you can state that you were promoted from XYZ role. If the role is a different function and you did something completely different, then it should be a separate section/row. Any advice on including certifications? - Include certifications that are relevant to the position.
Counsel out at BCG - how to negotiate transition period
9 hrs
< 100
2
Best answer by
Cristian
I'm sorry to hear. This must be tough. The process differs a bit from office to office. Some are more generous than others. I would recommend you ask around in your office among the consultants. Or reach out to people whom you know might've been counselled out previously. Typically, it's quite negotiable and they try to make it as soon as possible. Re staffing, no, in most cases they don't staff you, but they might ask you for help with internal work. Best,Cristian
Hi there, Genuinely, yes, you are allowed to use a blank sheet of paper. In fact, you should absolutely do so. In the Casey test, in a case interview, and in life on a consulting project... you should always be keeping track of what you're finding out and what your objective is. My advice is to take notes and keep an organized sheet of paper with you to track key insights and numbers as you go. This is critical because you'll need those numbers for the final recommendation at the end. Regarding your warm up, don't overthink it! A few quick math drills or a single structuring exercise is fine to get the brain moving, but don't burn yourself out right before the start. If you want to be truly ready, you need to practice with the real thing. I actually sell 10 real past BCG Casey tests with answer keys... if you want to get your hands on those to see exactly what to expect, just shoot me a message. If you find you are struggling with the overall case logic or how to parse the data quickly, you should look at my Ace the Case Interview Course. It’s the smartest way to build the fundamentals you need for both the chatbot and the live interviews. Good luck! Feel free to message me for support.
How does the BCG Casey Chatbot work, and what is the best free way to prepare for it?
12 hrs
< 100
1
Best answer by
Cristian
Hi there, I would start by asking the recruiter for more information. They should already give you a clear starting point. Then there are plenty of free and paid resources online, including some simulations. The more you practice, the better you'll do, so start early. Adding here a resource of the most common formulas and terms that pop in interviews: • • Cheatsheet: The Must-Know Consulting Terms for Interviews Best,Cristian
Questions about market size are frequently asked in case interviews in consulting because they require a blend of logic, mathematics, and common sense. They can be asked as standalone questions or as part of a larger case. Applicants who are familiar with market sizing questions can really perform here.
Market entry cases are one of the key issues in the consulting industry and present consultants and firms with unique challenges and opportunities. These cases require deep analysis and strategic planning to successfully enter new markets.
Brainteasers are a type of problem that focuses on a single issue rather than complex business cases. They require out-of-the-box thinking, logic or math skills and can take the form of riddles, word problems or visual puzzles. These tasks are designed to test your problem-solving skills, analytical thinking and ability to remain calm under pressure.Typical problems cover everyday life's topics and might even include unrealistic assumptions. All necessary information is usually included in the question so that further assumptions are not necessary. This article explains in more detail why brainteasers are useful in case interview preparation and how to solve them.