Case Prep Timeline/Coaching Questions

1. Should I wait until I hopefully secure an interview to start preparing for the interview? I've already read case in point and case interview secrets for a general idea, but I haven't started the actual live prep. I am assuming I can push back the dates as needed, right?

Please don't! Start yesterday. Seriously. The longer the runway the better. You cannot count on being able to push back the dates (even if it's often possible).

I would start immediately with 1) Daily reading 2) Fast math 3) Casing

Here's some reading to get you ready for casing: https://www.preplounge.com/en/articles/how-to-shift-your-mindset-to-ace-the-case

And some reading to get you ready for the fit/behavioral portion:  https://www.preplounge.com/en/articles/tell-me-about-yourself-interview-question

2. I plan to find a coach via this site. Is it better to choose one that specializes at a specific firm (my top choice) or one that has a general approach to all firms?

Honestly, no. What's important is the coach's level of expertise, track record, and, honestly, how well you think they match you! Have a call with a few that you think could be good and see which one seems best for you.

3. When would be the best time to purchase a coaching package? I am wary of paying 1-2k and then possibly not getting an interview or making it to the actual case portion of an interview. 

Honestly, this is a personal preference. Getting coaching earlier pays dividends because they're preventing you from learning bad habits, minimizing the study time you'll have, etc. Earlier = better learning.

That said, there is also the risk of no interview, so you do have to weight this up. Remember though, coaches can also improve your odds of getting the interview (resume review, networking tips/advice, etc.)

Hello,

Great job on getting the partner calls set up! To answer your questions:

1. The earlier you start preparing for an interview, the better. Especially because, if you pass the resume screen and digital assessment (if applicable), the time between you being notified that you have been selected to interview and the interview itself could be just a few weeks. Firms can be flexible to some extent, but I wouldn't advise pushing the dates they give you by too much unless it's absolutely necessary (as they may hire other candidates in the meantime). If you are working/studying, you may have limited time to invest into interview prep on the daily, so starting earlier and getting more prep in greatly increases your chance of success. That being said, if these are just intro calls that will then hopefully lead to a referral, it sounds like you would still have quite a bit of time before your applications. My advice is generally to start prepping around 2-3 months before you expect to interview, but this will of course depend on your personal timetable, skills, and aptitudes.

2. My advice would be to go with someone who can prep you for all firms. There are more similarities than differences in the interview processes of different firms: if you are applying for generalist roles, you can always expect a mixture of case and behavioral questions, for instance, and the things firms look for in candidates are fairly consistent too. So coaches will come from different backgrounds, but a good coach should be able to prepare you for interviews across the board (e.g., practice McKinsey-style and interviewee-led cases with you). Alternatively, you could try out a few different coaches: try a session with someone who specializes in coaching for your top choice firm, try a session with someone who preps candidates for a variety of firms, and see what approach feels best for you.

3. This depends on your personal risk, preferences, and needs. Some candidates prefer to have a coach guiding them from day one, others prefer to do it themselves at first and then invest in a more intensive coaching schedule when they officially have an interview confirmation. You could try a coaching session early on in the process to get some feedback on your skills and preparations so far, and then work with a coach more closely as you get closer to the day. There's no one right way of doing this.

I hope this helps, and feel free to message me if you have any more questions!

Hi there,

1. Should I wait until I hopefully secure an interview to start preparing for the interview? I've already read case in point and case interview secrets for a general idea, but I haven't started the actual live prep. I am assuming I can push back the dates as needed?

I would start preparing now. If you managed to get referral calls with partners for all MBB you are definitely on the right track for interviews.

2. I plan to find a coach via this site. Is it better to choose one that specializes at a specific firm (my top choice) or one that has a general approach to all firms?

If you have interviews with all 3 firms, I would look for someone who can train for all but knows the difference between them (for MBB, you can find an overview here: How MBB Interviews are Different)

3. When would be the best time to purchase a coaching package? I am wary of paying 1-2k and then possibly not getting an interview or making it to the actual case portion of an interview. 

Given what you shared, I believe you should be able to secure an invitation. If you have doubts, you can wait to get invitations and then ask to postpone interviews if you need more time for the coaching. However, this works if interviews are not scheduled in pre-defined rounds (which is something country dependent).

As Ian said, a side benefit of starting early is that the coach can support you with the steps before interviews (you are probably fine with the application already but possibly that could be helpful in your case for the tests).

Good luck!

Francesco