Hi, I have observed that I am weak at structuring. May I know if there is an effective and efficient way for me to work on my strucuturing?
I have tried RocketBlocks, however, the suggested frameworks seem weak in comparison.
Once again, thank you for your time and answers.
Hey there,
I can answer from a McKinsey perspective.
At the core, McKinsey wants to see creative ideas communicated in a structured manner, the more exhaustive the better.
Your goal should be to come up with a tailored and creative answer that fits the question. The framework should - broadly speaking - follow these three characteristics:
At the lowest level, you need to go into detail and qualify your answer with practical examples.
You can take up to 6-8 minutes to present your structure, your qualification, and hypotheses. This is due to the interviewer-led format that McK employs. The interviewer will only ask 'what else' if you
The firm wants to see exhaustive and creative approaches to specific problems, which more often than not do not fit into the classic case interview frameworks that were en vogue 10 years ago...
Again, this only applies if everything you say
The difference in format and way of answering a question is the reason why I recommend preparing very differently for McK interviews vs. other consultancies.
How can you prepare for that?
Cheers,
Florian
Hi there,
Rocketblocks is great for math/charts/exhibits, but horrible for structuring/frameworking. Please stop using it for frameworks!
In terms of how to improve, I genuinely recommend coaching. Frameworking/structuring is the hardest part of casing and is really what training/coaching all comes down to (it's about 80% of what I work on with candidates).
Look, it's not easy, but think of it like tennis. You need to learn a new grip, practice practice practice, and keep fixing your grip until you can hit well.
Best way to do this to get a trainer and a practice buddy (coach and case partner) and iterate iterate iterate!
Struturing Mindset - How do I use frameworks in a case?
If there's anything to remember in this process, it's that cases don't exist just because. They have come about because of a real need to simulate the world you will be in when you are hopefully hired. As such, remember that they are a simplified version of what we do, and they test you in those areas.
As such, remember that a framework is a guide, not a mandate. In the real-world, we do not go into a client and say "right, we have a framework that says we need to look at x, y, and z and that's exactly what we're going to do". Rather, we come in with a view, a hypothesis, a plan of attack. The moment this view is created, it's wrong! Same with your framework. The point is that it gives us and you a starting point. We can say "right, part 1 of framework is around this. Let's dig around and see if it helps us get to the answer". If it does, great, we go further (but specific elements of it will certainly be wrong). If it doesn't, we move on.
(edited)
Use Rocketblocks 100%.
As many experts here have said, your best approach would be practice, practice, practice!
It's definitely not a bad idea to start by reviewing frameworks in case prep books (Case In Point, Case Interview Secrets, university case prep books, any other guides). But using cookie-cutter frameworks won't get you far. Get a good sense to understand which frameworks apply in what case, how to pick out elements that work given the context of each case, how to adapt the framework to something that works well for you.
Then, practice practice practice! If structuring is something in particular you know you want to work on, take a bunch of case prompts and create frameworks for them, but don't go any further. Just have some practice sessions focused on creating good frameworks. Make sure you're working on adapting the frameworks to the case and to your process each time.
Another key here will be getting feedback, since it is hard to improve if you don't know what isn't working well. You could use cases online that already have solutions - there is a large collection here on PrepLounge, for instance - and compare your framework to the solution. You could also solve cases with your peers, and compare frameworks or give each other feedback. To get really good at structuring, it is worthwhile to work with a coach, as experts can directly help pinpoint your strengths and areas of improvement.
Hope this helps, and feel free to reach out with any questions, or to book a coaching session focused on structuring! Since I remember how hard I initially found structuring as a candidate, I will happily throw in a 15% discount for a session if you would like to work with me :)
I would suggest 3 action items for you (in no particular order)
That said - I would also recommend the following 2 additional steps
Hi,
Very simply think of the case like this:
For tips on frameworks check out these threads:
I suggest practice cases on topics and/or industries you have a liking for. This way you will feel at ease, perform naturally and build confidence. Transition to advanced cases and/or unknown industries once you have gained some momentum.
All the best.
Hi Florian, thank you for the response. May I know what are some examples of case books that I can practice with? Thanks.
University case books. Send me a message and I am happy to point you in the right direction. :-)