The Significance of Case Study Interviews in Consultancy Recruitment Processes

In a case study interview, consultancies simulate a client engagement by presenting a business problem that a client has likely faced. The interview typically lasts 20 to 30 minutes, during which candidates are briefed on a strategic decision, and asked to analyze the situation, interact with the interviewer, and devise a solution. Candidates may also be required to prepare and present a PowerPoint presentation.

Most case study interviews are conducted in-person, allowing ample interaction between the interviewer and candidate. However, some interviews are less structured, with candidates driving the discussion. In some cases, interviews are conducted remotely using video-conferencing technology, with the interviewer absent for most of the time.

Consultancies favor case study interviews for several reasons. Firstly, they provide an authentic work sample of the challenging work of business strategy and the tasks consultants face every day. These tasks include gathering and analyzing information, prioritizing findings, creating structures, putting results into context, understanding trade-offs, creating blueprints for implementation, and delivering presentations.

How candidates interact with the interviewer provides insight into their communication abilities and potential for building trusting business relationships with senior managers paying for consultancy services.

Case study interviews are also used to predict future job performance, and standardized cases allow for comparisons between multiple candidates.

Finally, case studies are a useful tool for differentiating the best candidates among a pool of top-performing applicants who typically have high grades from top schools and impressive work experience.