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How to prepare for a presentation-case-interview?

Before the second round of my consulting interview (IT-Strategy big 4) i will receive a case, which i have to solve and then present in the interview. Is there material for this kind of presentation-cases here? And what powerpoint-slides/templates would you recommend for the presentation? 

And last but not least: Do you guys know any cases about IT-outsourcing, cloud strategy and it-strategy in general. It seems like there isn't anything available about this topic here

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Dennis
Coach
on Mar 14, 2024
Roland Berger|Project Manager and Recruiter|7+ years of consulting experience in USA and Europe

Hi there,

find below two example cases that could be used for the presentation-case interview format. Usually these types of cases will contain a lot of exhibits and data for you to sift through to extract relevant information. The below cases are not IT-specific but might provide you with a general gist.

https://www.preplounge.com/de/case-sammlung/candidate-led-ueblicher-stil/schwierig/business-strategy-home-delivery-solution-for-retailer-chain-332?lang=en

https://www.preplounge.com/de/case-sammlung/candidate-led-ueblicher-stil/anfaenger/options-evaluation-profitability-of-brewing-company-startup-327?lang=en

Regarding slide templates: Were you told that you have to prepare your presentation in PPT? I've seen it happen that candidates were just given a few flip charts in the interview room to “draw” their slides on paper. In case you need to indeed have to use PPT, because you have to prepare your presentation upfront at home or so, use something simple (action title plus body) since you typically won't be graded on your slide design at this stage. Or ask the recruiter if they would provide you with a company template.

I'm not an IT guy unfortunately so I'll leave it to others to address your last point.

Good luck

Anonymous A
on Mar 14, 2024
Thanks for the answer, yes i was told to prepare a presentation at home. Do you have any templates that you can recommend? I don't think that i will get the company template in time
Anonymous B
on Mar 17, 2024
Hi, I’ve recently completed a presentation case interview successfully. I would recommend using case coach and watching the video segment that they have on there. It really helped me with how to present my findings and provide some useful tips on being successful with it. Good luck!
Ian
Coach
on Mar 15, 2024
#1 BCG coach | MBB | Tier 2 | Digital, Tech, Platinion | 100% personal success rate (8/8) | 95% candidate success rate

Hi there,

===============WRITTEN CASES=============

I actually have 30+ written cases (including many from Big4). I also have a ton of ready-made powerpoint slides/templates for this.

Feel free to message for coaching support.

What I generally do with my candidates is, give them a few real written case x hours before our scheduled session. In session we then review + work through the cases (getting that mindset shift on how to optimally parse through all the info and create an optimal presentation)

===================WHAT TO EXPECT============

Scenario A: A Prompt with no additional info

Scenario B (most common): A Prompt with way too much information (20+ charts/exhibits)

Scenario C: A prompt with supporting excel sheet/data that you need to parse + create charts/exhibits with

Scenario D (least common): A prompt with the exact data/info/charts you need (every exhibit/chart matters)

=======HOW TO DO WELL========

While each scenario requires a different approach, the fundamentals are the same.

  1. Remember that most casing tips apply here (i.e. be very clear+focused on the objective, ruthlessly cut out information that doesn't help you meet this objective/question, get your story right, make sure to think + communicate in a structured way, etc. etc.)
  2. Practice/simulate this as much as possible beforehand...getting a coach to help you run through scenarios + how to react in inevitably challenging moments will do a world of good.

=================================================

=======================IT/TECH====================

Again, feel free to reach out. I have tech/IT background pre-BCG (4 years implementing IT solutions) AND worked extensively with BCG Platinion during my time at BCG.

Built a number of cases specifically on Tech/IT because of what you've said around lack of resources. Here they are, but, again, feel free to reach out for a ton more resources on IT/Tech!

BCG - YodaPhone | PrepLounge.com

McKinsey Digital / BCG Platinion: Oil & Gas Upstream Technology | PrepLounge.com

BCG Platinion/McK Digital/Monitor - Experienced Hire Tech Practice - Roma Solutions | PrepLounge.com

Hagen
Coach
on Apr 25, 2024
#1 recommended coach | >95% success rate | most experience in consulting, interviewing, and coaching

Hi there,

First of all, congratulations on the progress in the application process with the consulting firm thus far!

I would be happy to share my thoughts on your questions:

  • First of all, I would be more than happy to thoroughly prepare you for such written case interviews, which is something I have done numerous times for coachees in the past.
  • Moreover, in terms of slide templates, simplicity is your friend. Stick to a clean, professional template that doesn't distract from your content. Focus on clear visuals that complement your narrative, such as charts or diagrams, to explain complex information easily.

You can find more on this topic here: How to succeed in the final interview round.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare for your upcoming interviews, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

 

You can find the consulting salaries report 2024 here!

Pedro
Coach
on Mar 14, 2024
Bain | EY-Parthenon | Private Equity | Market Estimates | Fit Interview

This is not an IT type of work forum. This means that what your recruiters are looking for may be quite different from what is being discussed here. I can help candidates prepare with presentation interviews, but in your case, the functional / technical aspect of the interview is paramount, not just the communication and structuring skills.

Anonymous A
on Mar 14, 2024
I understand, but I am not looking for the typical IT job. It's more like a mix of both worlds (IT and Strategy Consulting = IT-Strategy). And what would you recommend for presentations?
Pedro
Coach
on Mar 14, 2024
Bain | EY-Parthenon | Private Equity | Market Estimates | Fit Interview
I have materials for presentation preparation, but it would have to be a coaching session. However, I am not trying to sell anything here - I don't think these materials would be the most appropriate for a session. Regarding what you need to be good at... it is a matter of understanding what are the 3-4 key issues that will allow to solve the case objective. And focusing on those and not on the details. And then looking for the information that can support / inform on those 3-4 key issues. 1 slide, 1 key point, only information that is relevant to support the point you are making.
Florian
Coach
on Mar 15, 2024
1400 5-star reviews across platforms | 500+ offers | Highest-rated case book on Amazon | Uni lecturer in US, Asia, EU

Hey there,

For the written case practice I'd recommend you to look at regular case interview samples (there is a ton here on PL) and then work through them on your own. 

Look at the prompt and core question you are trying to solve, then look at the data provided and work on your recommendation.

Follow these rules:

#1 Already have a plan when you go in for the written case

Since time is usually limited, you should have a plan on how long you want to spend on each task of the assignment beforehand. For practice, use 20 minutes for the analysis and 5 minutes for the recommendation communication. For the real case adapt accordingly based on the time budget provided.

#2 Focus – quickly separate crucial information from the noise

Written cases usually present you with an information overload that you need to sort out

#3 Graphs and charts – interpret and distill key insights from graphs and charts

Written cases bombard you with charts, graphs, tables, and other visual depictions of data that you should use to test your hypotheses. Learn how to quickly read and interpret them

#4 Math – quickly draft equations and conduct pen-and-paper math

Get into the habit of quickly setting up and simplifying calculations

#5 Storyline – draft a compelling storyline and tell it with visually appealing outputs

Create a top-down storyline of your recommendations. State your primary recommendation, then use supporting arguments to strengthen your position

#6 Presentation and defense – communicate and defend your recommendation top-down

If you have to present your findings at the end of the case, follow the top-down approach of your slide deck. Be confident and engaging when going through your recommendations and supporting arguments.

All the best!

Cheers,

Florian

on Mar 15, 2024
#1 rated MBB & McKinsey Coach

Hi there!

This sounds like a take-home case / written case. 

I can share a couple of examples if helpful. 

The biggest difference between this format and a regular live case is that they care more about the presentation. 

So I would run a few mock cases with friends who are in consulting or experts to get feedback on how you delivery comes across.

Best,
Cristian

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