Expereinced hire - case interviews

MBB
New answer on Jun 02, 2021
6 Answers
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Anonymous A asked on Jun 01, 2021

Hello,

Does the case interview gets tough if one is giving the interview as an experienced hire?

Do the criteria remain the same as a graduate hire?

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Francesco
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replied on Jun 02, 2021
#1 Coach for Sessions (4.500+) | 1.500+ 5-Star Reviews | Proven Success (➡ interviewoffers.com) | Ex BCG | 10Y+ Coaching

Hi there,

It depends on what you mean by experienced hire.

There is no difference in the interview structure for undergrad or MBAs – you will still have a structure as:

  • Fit
  • Case
  • Your questions

There are different expectations though. If you have work experience, the interviewer will expect examples of leadership, impact, drive, etc., and possibly business acumen, reflecting your previous years of experience.

Interviews for experienced hires for manager levels and above are different, as:

  • The process may involve questions on a specific sector and industry knowledge
  • You may get questions on how to manage real projects and teams, as your responsibilities will involve that (initial data requested, number of people, allocation of people on workstreams, length of the different parts of the project).

Hope this helps,

Francesco

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Adi
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replied on Jun 01, 2021
Accenture, Deloitte | Precision Case Prep | Experienced Interviewer & Career Coach | 15 years professional experience

Not really, the evaluation criteria remains the same whether or not you are an experienced hire. So make sure your preparation is holistic with no gaps.

If you are very senior (Senior Manager/Director & above) then the case interview could be flexed to become more like a discussion/dialogue. But this will vary from firm to firm.

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Pedro
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updated an answer on Jun 01, 2021
30% off in April 2024 | Bain | EY-Parthenon | Roland Berger | Market Sizing | DARDEN MBA

It depends. The case interview gets tougher if you are recruiting for a higher rank, but within the same rank, difficulty level is the same regardless of experience level. The only exception may be for entry level, as one would expect a candidate with relevant experience to bring a bit more experience to the table when answering.

The situation is different for FIT interviews. I expect higher maturity, better structured answers and more conviction for more experienced candidates.

(edited)

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Antonello
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replied on Jun 01, 2021
McKinsey | NASA | top 10 FT MBA professor for consulting interviews | 6+ years of coaching

Hi, I confirm the criteria be the same, but more relevant performance in terms of communication, business sense and structured problem solving will be required.

Best,
Antonello

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Ian
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replied on Jun 01, 2021
#1 BCG coach | MBB | Tier 2 | Digital, Tech, Platinion | 100% personal success rate (8/8) | 95% candidate success rate

Hi there,

All of the criteria are the same. That said, the higher up you are and the more experienced, the higher expectations are (especially when it comes to content/industry knowedge).

Additionally, if you're applying at Director/Principal and above, the interview is generally much more "brainstorm" focused, which can be quite tough.

Ultimately, no matter what level you're applying at, you should be striving for the follow "optimal candidate" state:

"Someone who can approach a complicated problem and think + communicate in a structured way in the right context+objective of the case, while being personable, adaptable, and coachable, so that, ultimately, the interviewer can see themselves working with this individual and putting them in front of a client."

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Florian
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replied on Jun 02, 2021
Highest-rated McKinsey coach (ratings, offers, sessions) | 500+ offers | Author of The 1% & Consulting Career Secrets

Hey there,

Usually depends on the firm and role. In general, however, there is no difference in the difficulty of cases and the evaluation criteria.

The main differences come from the personal fit part, where you are expected

  • to show relevant domain experience for the role
  • present more impactful leadership and impact stories compared to a recent graduates
  • highlight a network of industry professionals (this is more important the higher up the ladder you go)

Cheers,

Florian

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Francesco gave the best answer

Francesco

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