Initial reaction after receiving a chart?

Question

Dear Experts,

I would appreciate your suggestions regarding the initial steps after receiving a chart:

Should I directly ask for time to read, or should I start by reading out loud the title and axis labels to ensure there are no definition questions, and then ask for time?
I usually ask for time directly, but sometimes I end up asking definition questions while taking time.

When taking time to read the chart: if I notice I need to do a complicated math calculation to generate insight, should I do the calculation on the spot (which may extend the time needed), or should I go back to the interviewer, mention some key facts, and inform them I need more time to complete the calculation?

Thank you!

Answer 1

Hi there,

When you get the chart, slow down and digest it out loud. Make sure to discuss it briefly with the interviewer and ask clarification questions.

Once that is done, take a minute to think deeply about the chart, especially the insights and implications.

If you need to do math or not depends on the reason why you are looking at the chart. If you want to perform some calculations, I would definitely flag that to the interviewer, tell them what you want to calculate and why, and then provide your approach before crunching the numbers.

Cheers,

Florian