Practicing Cases - no success

acceleration of preparation approaching a case MBB
New answer on Dec 31, 2020
8 Answers
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Anonymous A asked on Nov 20, 2020

Hello,

i bought 3 books about how to solve cases and worked through them. In addition, I have done over 30 cases and spent 4 hours with a coach. Nevertheless, I am not getting any further in my learning success. I am a bit frustrated and do not know how to approach the whole thing. Somehow it is never perfect, or I struggle with small details. That's why I'm asking myself, how do you become advanced or very good in casing? Does anyone has some recommendations?

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Gaurav
Expert
Content Creator
replied on Nov 21, 2020
Ex-Mckinsey|Certified Career Coach |Placed 500+ candidates at MBB & other consultancies

Hi Anonymous,

Before giving you a piece of advice, I would like to point out that getting stuck isn't always bad.

  • Sometimes it can be a sign that means you need some break.

If you're preparing without proper resting, it can be stressful and you may find yourself out of resources. Take a break, do some physical activity, let yourself have a couple of days longer sleep.

  • Another reason could be the lost focus.

When you're too overthinking the problem, you become less confident and get distracted by unimportant things instead of concentrating on the key points.

  • Could it be that you're missing out on something?

Considering you've spent 4 hours with a coach, it seems really odd to me that you didn't improve. Try to access the situation objectively: Why were these sessions not helpful? Maybe you need to have a try with one of the top coaches here?

You see, the reasons can be quite different, so I would recommend you have this weekend off, refresh, and get back on track.

Do you need any further help?

GB

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Francesco
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replied on Nov 21, 2020
#1 Coach for Sessions (4.000+) | 1.500+ 5-Star Reviews | Proven Success (➡ InterviewOffers.com) | Ex BCG | 10Y+ Coaching

Hi there,

I agree with Indy, first of all you have to understand where the problem is. Expressions like “Don’t know how to approach things” or “Become advanced in casing” are generic and don’t allow to provide clear suggestions.

Where do you see exactly the problem? Possible options are:

  • Initial structure
  • Communication
  • Graph Analysis
  • Math
  • Conclusions
  • ...

Once you have identified where the problem is, you can define a plan of action for it. You could start posting a question here on that particular area and work through that.

Hope this helps,
Francesco

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Ian
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Content Creator
replied on Nov 21, 2020
#1 BCG coach | MBB | Tier 2 | Digital, Tech, Platinion | 100% personal success rate (8/8) | 95% candidate success rate

Hi there,

There are 3 possibilities:

  1. You problem
  2. Coaching problem
  3. Approach problem

It's possible you don't have what it takes. It's possible you didn't hire a good coach (did you go cheap?). It's possible you have the wrong approach (reading 3 books on casing is honestly a waste of time...1 should be sufficient and the rest of your work should be doing...happy to provide tips on exactly what this looks like!)

In terms of whether it's 1, 2, or 3, it's hard for you to self-determine that, and it's hard for us here to determine that via a Q&A.

I highly recommend you try one of the top tier coaches! Have 1 session and see what they say about your innate capabilities and preparation approach.

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Adi
Expert
Content Creator
replied on Nov 21, 2020
Accenture, Deloitte | Precision Case Prep | Experienced Interviewer & Career Coach | 15 years professional experience

Hey,

Hang in there. This is a common frustration for many people. Most often the problem is two-fold:

  • Your own impatience to become an expert quickly
  • Thinking-Feeling loop: I am not good enough, I get stuck...etc etc

Step away from this for a day or two and reflect to understand your blockage. I suggest dont invest in any more books/material or coaches until you genuinly know your problem. Start again and practice. You must enjoy the process otherwise you are doing it for the wrong reasons and consuting is not for you. Give your best and right things will happen.

I previously advised people to start solving cases related to subjects they are passionate about to see whether it comes naturally and they enjoy it. Why not try this & build from there.

Good luck!

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Vlad
Expert
replied on Nov 21, 2020
McKinsey / Accenture Alum / Got all BIG3 offers / Harvard Business School

Hi,

That's simply not enough. You should do at least 50 cases with experienced partners who can give you a qualified feedback. 4 hours with a coach cen help if there is a structured program you can go through, not just the random cases. Pls check my profile for an example of the program. You can also check yourself to find the gaps

Best

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Anonymous B replied on Nov 21, 2020

I would ask that coach for your money back if you found that 4 hours with them was not sufficient to get clear recommendations and for you make any meaningful progress!

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Indy (80+ only)
Skilled
replied on Nov 21, 2020
Actively preparing for McKinsey Final Round. Have gone through Bain final round. Shoot me a message if you want to prep a case!

I find it hard to believe 4 hours with a professional coach didn't yield any improvement. Maybe you should reflect upon yourself to see which areas you're particularly weak at. For example, when I was starting out, I noticed my framework/structure was the main problem, so I specifcally worked on improving that.

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Anonymous A on Nov 21, 2020

How did you do that?

Indy (80+ only) on Nov 21, 2020

In live cases, I would tell my partner that I'm focusing on improving my framework to let them know where they should critique on. I would also just read the prompts on casebooks and then do a structure from scratch on my own; I didn't complete the rest of the case. Of course, the second option is more difficult since you can't ask questions to your own self. But the most important thing was that I KNEW I had to improve on my framework/structure. You should find that for yourself too.

Antonello
Expert
Content Creator
replied on Dec 31, 2020
McKinsey | NASA | top 10 FT MBA professor for consulting interviews | 6+ years of coaching

hi,

it is more a matter of quality than quantity. Feel free to text me to know how I generally set up a preparation plan with my candidates

Best

Antonello

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Gaurav gave the best answer

Gaurav

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Ex-Mckinsey|Certified Career Coach |Placed 500+ candidates at MBB & other consultancies
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