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Anonymous A
on Nov 12, 2021
Global
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Switching from candidate led to interviewer led style and losing case leadership

I have typically practiced candidate led style and recently started to practice interviewer led cases.

I'm concerned that if I practice both case format at the same tine, my ability to lead a case will be reduced. I sort of feel that once I have practiced interviewer led cases, I will naturally develop a habit of expecting interviewers to lead the case and guide me on specific topics they would want me to focus on. 

I'm worried that developing such a habit would impact my performance in a candidate led case interview. Any suggestions are appreciated. Should I avoid applying McKinsey and BCG/Bain at the same time, as it might be better to focus on one case format at a time?

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Top answer
Pedro
Coach
on Nov 12, 2021
Bain | EY-Parthenon | Former Principal | 1.5h session | 30% discount 1st session

I think you are overthinking this. You won't lose your ability to lead a case if sometimes you take an interviewer led case. Also please understand that being in an interviewer led case does not mean that you are passive through the case. It is still a conversation. 
 

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Ian
Coach
on Nov 12, 2021
Top US BCG / MBB Coach - 5,000 sessions |Tech, Platinion, Big 4 | 9/9 personal interviews passed | 95% candidate success

Hi there,

I agree with Pedro - you're overthinking this.

Regardless as to what case type you're doing, you need to know where you are in the case and why you're doing what you're doing.

If you have interviews coming up for both, index more heavily on candidate-led but also just familiarize yourself with interviewer-led.

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Andi
Coach
on Nov 13, 2021
BCG 1st & Final Round interviewer | Personalized prep with >95% success rate | 7yrs coaching | Experienced Hires

Agree with Ian and Pedro - don't overthink. 

The difference between the 2 types is smaller than most candidates think. People who nail one type are in most cases also strong at the other type - just takes a few mock cases to get used to the different style. So no need to worry.

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Every case interview has a certain structure. An important factor on how your case interview is going to proceed is if the interview is interviewer-led or candidate-led.We’d like to explain the two interview formats – candidate-led cases and interviewer-led cases – highlight their differences, and provide you with tips on how to excel in each of them.Interviewer-Led CasesInterviewer-led cases are most frequently used at McKinsey. As the title suggests, the interviewer guides you through the interview and leads the general process. This gives him or her a more direct opportunity to test specific skills that are expected and assess areas of weakness.The following are a few indicators that hint towards interviewer-led cases:A very specific case question is posed.Either a lot of data will be given to you along with an initial breakdown of sub-problems or a broad problem may be given to you, and you would need to structure the problem by being as specific as possible.After structuring, the interviewer will ask you a set of pre-determined questions irrespective of what your structure is (this could be an abrupt move, so do not get nervous when this happens!)The interviewer might induce sudden interruptions and turnarounds that do nit result from your analysis.You will be asked "What else" and “Please explain more in detail” types of questions.What's Important in Interviewer-Led Cases?Despite the name of this case class, you need to remain in the driver's seat and be the active leader of the overall case interview. Especially in interviewer-led cases, the largest fallacy is to become passive, unstructured, and driven by the interviewer. To lead the case, you need to be particularly structured. Be prepared for interruptions, and anticipate that they might disprove hypotheses or force you to develop a completely new framework.The following tips might be helpful:Keep the big picture in mind: Consider other problems or solutions if the interviewer suggests a hypothesis. These might be important later.Apply the MECE Principle: Structure your answers to be Mutually Exclusive and Collectively Exhaustive. This approach helps you be thorough and organized, avoiding random or unstructured ideas.Watch for curveball questions and stress tests: Be prepared for unexpected changes or time constraints. Stay calm and adapt as needed.👉 Would you like to try one of our interviewer-led cases right away? Here are two examples.
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