Hi,
Yes, unless you have 50+ cases done with good partners I would recommend always taking a minute to prepare your conclusion. And even with 50+ cases it's not the bad idea to take some time.
While taking the minute, spend this time on:
The typical structure is the following:
Best
Hi Anonymous,
as mentioned in the other comments, you can always ask for time to structure your approach at the beginning; however, the interviewer may urge you to provide a conclusion on the spot, thus be ready to do so if required.
As a structure for the conclusion, I would recommend the following:
1) Repeat the objective. This will ensure you are indeed answering to what is relevant for the case. Forgetting to repeat the objective is one of the most common mistakes candidates do in the conclusion and can lead to answer to the wrong question. As an example:
2) Provide an answer-first solution. You don’t have to present everything you discovered in the case at this stage, only the main conclusion and its supporting factor. If the conclusion is not clear 100% as you have not analyzed all the elements of your structure to derive a definite yes or no, you can provide a preliminary answer based on the elements you have identified.
3) Provide risks/ next steps suggestions. You should always have next steps/ risks in your conclusion. For this part, you can refer to the elements present in your structure you did not have time to cover, elements not completely covered during the case or to risks emerged during the analysis.
Hope this helps,
Francesco
Short answer: YES! Always take a moment to pull together your answer to the precise client question and the insights which support that answer. A well crafted final recommendation, including next steps, will always be superior to a quick shot.
I really don’t know where this “you need to be quick quick quick” nonsense is coming from - but I see that many candidates fall victim to this myth.
Cheers, Sidi
Hi,
Yes, asking for some time to prepare your final answer is fine. You have to be structured and give a full response though it is possible that you will be asked to share it straight away, so be ready to do so as well.
Best,
Andre
I think you should always ask for a minute to gather your thoughts. Please understand that at BCG however, the answer will likley be "no sorry, your client is in your office right now. Drop your pen, look at me, and go!".