I come from a scientific background and don't have so much experience with accounting terms (Like EVA, FCF). Is this something I should strengthen or it this case dedicated to more business background?
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Are we expected to have a good background in accounting?
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You absolutely do not need to have a background in account.
In fact, I've put together all the terms and formulas you need for case practice in this free guide:
The interview is a skill test, not a knowledge test.
Good luck!
Cristian
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Hello,
thank you for your question.
No, our cases are not designed to focus on finance and accounting. Of course, you should be able to do basic math and be good at mental calculation and have analytical skills. In our cases, we pay attention to the dimensions of approach and structure, judgement and synthesis.
And we like to see various study backgrounds at TKMC, although it is important to have economic reference.
Best,
Elisabeth
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Nope, not at all. I've never seen a real case interview where questions requiring EVA/FCF (which are financial terms, not accounting) were required.
We're hiring people for Strategy, not for Finance.
The terms you need to know (and more than you need to know) are shown in the Resources section of the Preplounge Website (Resources → Case Interview Basics → Common Terms of Business
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Hi there,
critical/strategic thinking, strucutred approach to a problem and general business understanding are the dimensions typically tested in case interviews. It is not the intent to test for subject matter expertise in any specific area (unless specified upfront because you might be applying for a specialized role).
In my experience, many cases even have in the interviewer notes that they are not supposed to turn into some form of cashflow evaluation - just to take one of your mentioned terms as an example.
So no, you don't have to have an accounting or financial services background if you are targeting strategy consulting as a career.
Best
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