Hi there, 

I think it depends on your business and consulting experience. Some candidates go just with peer practicing and it is enough for them, while others prefer professional coaches. 

From my experience, the best result is the combination of both. The greatest advantage of a session with a professional coach is:

• Explain to you how the consultants structure the problem (real experience, no guessing how it should be)
• Give you feedback on your performance (most of them had done consulting recruiting)
• Reply to all the questions, explain so many WHYs

This is something you won't get with a peer. 

If you would like to try a coach, feel free to reach out, I am awarded as the top BCG trainer, teaching newly hired consultants consulting skills, including problem structuring. I will be happy to support you on this journey. 

Lucie

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In terms of deciding whether case coach or craftingcases is best for you, note that both are great prep firms:

a) I generally recommend trying to find a coach who tailors their approach to you and give them a call if you are unsure and evaluate on that basis rather than only using other people's references

b) references are great but it helps if you have more input points. If you reach out by mail and ask for a call someone should be able to speak at least 10min and help you evaluate whether it is a good program for you. 

c) It is also a good sign for you to see how they respond, for example if you email specific questions between your coaching sessions, will they answer or not, or does everything cost extra - ask them.

(If you are still considering what to sign up for: I offer advice completely tailored to your situation and am happy to have a free conversation with you to explore whether it could be helpful to you. I also point candidates to free resources at the end of a call so they know how they can pratise on their own. )

Ian hit the nail on the head! Generally speaking though, there are 1000 different ways to start and all are somehow valid (some more efficient than others).

The key is to optimize the bit between starting and interviewing. If there's little time available and/or if you're unsure on how to set yourself up for success, I would advise to consult a professional coach.

Sometimes, all it takes is a couple of sessions with someone who truly knows what it takes to succeed and is able to benchmark your performance with an action plan to close any gaps. This approach can save you a lot of time, stress, money, and ultimately get you from 80% to 100% (which is what it takes).

Hope this helps! Feel free to reach out if there's anything specific you'd like to discuss.