Discover proven strategies to tackle consulting case interviews with confidence. Learn how top candidates structure their approach to land offers at elite firms like McKinsey, Bain, and BCG.

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From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco

Lena: Hey everyone! Welcome to another episode of "Career Compass." I'm Lena, and I'm joined by my friend and co-host, the always insightful Miles.
Miles: Great to be here, Lena! Today we're tackling something that makes even the most confident job seekers break into a cold sweat—case interviews.
Lena: Oh my goodness, yes. You know what's shocking? McKinsey rejects over 90% of candidates during their case interviews. That's terrifying!
Miles: Exactly! And what makes case interviews particularly challenging is they're unlike any other interview format. You're essentially solving a business problem in real-time while someone watches your every move.
Lena: I've heard horror stories. People walk in thinking they're prepared because they've memorized frameworks, but then they get a curveball question about, I don't know, the beer market in Nebraska, and they completely freeze.
Miles: That's the thing—memorizing frameworks is actually one of the biggest mistakes candidates make. Interviewers can spot that approach from a mile away. They want to see how you think, not how well you can recite something you've memorized.
Lena: So what should people actually be doing to prepare? Because clearly there's a right and wrong way to approach these things.
Miles: It's fascinating how the most successful candidates approach this. They don't just practice cases—they master each component separately: the opening, structuring, analysis, and conclusion. It's like learning to play an instrument—you practice scales before attempting a concerto.
Lena: That makes so much sense. I think people underestimate how much preparation this takes. So let's dive into what a case interview actually looks like and break down the step-by-step approach that top candidates use to land offers at firms like McKinsey, Bain, and BCG.