If you consider communication “form”, then it is equally important to content. The main job of a consultant is communicate clearly and simply recommendations based on complex analyses. The inability to do so makes consultants ineffective in their jobs. Also communication comes in place when establishing trust with client, asking questions in a fruitful way and discussing differing points of view.

Some guidelines on communication that can be used as thought starters:

-be personable and genuine

-tell interviewer what you are going to do, what you are doing and what you have done throughout the case

-always refer back to framework you set up at beginning of the case

-always explain how what you are doing is helping you to get to answer the questions of the case, it will keep you on track

-communicate always the answer first, then the explanation behind it

-communicate simply, to the level that an average high-schooler should understand you

-never talk for more than 2’minutes straight without can interjection, comment, interruption, verbal sign of interest from interviewer

-and finally, breathe and take pauses

hope it helps,

andrea

Hey anonymous,

Let me be very straighforward: it is not more important, but it is as important as!

And this happens because it's also what's expected from consultants in their day-to-day life. I still remember my first days at McKinsey where I thought I was giving amazing ideas and contributions for the team on a topic that I knew a lot about (and has worked before on it in the industry, so probably had even more knowledge than some of the senior people in the team), but I kept hearing: we are not here to hear about your laundry list of suggestions, be structured in approaching and communicating them if you want us to hear it pls! It was a big lesson, and you should follow the same reasoning in the interviews (especially if it's with McKinsey, very well know for paying crazy attention to structure)

Best

Bruno

Hi Anonymous,

I generally agree with the previous comments, communication in the case is as important as the structure. The reason is, if the communication is not good, even an appropriate structure would be not be perceived as actually good.

As for the communication, I would recommend to proceed in the following way during the case:

• STEP 1: mention first the macro areas of your framework. “In order to help our client, I would like to focus on three main areas. Number 1 we may work on [FIRST TOPIC], Number 2 on [SECOND TOPIC], Number 3 on [THIRD TOPIC]. If this is fine for you, let me go deeper in each of them”
• STEP 2: provide details for each macro point. “In area Number 1, this is what I would analyse. First, I would like to cover [FIRST STEP OF FIRST TOPIC]; second, I would like to focus on [SECOND STEP OF FIRST TOPIC]; next, I would like to work on [THIRD STEP OF FIRST TOPIC]. In area Number 2, this is what I would analyse. First,(…)”

As Andrea mentioned, explaining why you are doing such analysis is also very important.

Best,

Francesco