Executive MBA Career Management

Consulting Cases
January /February 2016

Nina Lukin
Assoc. Director of Consulting Career Management, EMBA Programs

Who am I?
Nina Lukin
Education:
B.A., Brandeis University
MBA., Johnson at Cornell University, 2003

Work experience:
Deloitte Consulting (Experienced Hire)
M&T Bank
Consulting
Fisher-Price Strategy & Finance
Johnson Career Services

Personal:
Skiing, hiking, biking, swimming and reading
with my three sons
Novice knitter

Agenda
Successful Consultant Framework and
Attributes
What are case interviews and why are
they used?
Case approach
Case structuring tools
Sample cases
Practice
Giving Cases

Resources
Randy L. Allen 2015

Successful Consultant Framework

Successful
Consultant
Consulting
Attributes
which are
Foundation
Capabilities
Self
Personal
Attributes

People
Leadership
Attributes

Core
Capabilities

Functional
Knowledge

Industry
Knowledge

These form a Consultant

Capability Matrix
Randy L. Allen 2015

Consulting Attributes
Consulting Attributes
Self
Personal Attributes
Intrinsic Values

Consulting Capabilities
and Thought Leadership

Integrity
Issue Identification
Hypothesis Formation
Teamwork
Intensity/Drive/Ener and
Problem
Structuring
gy
Analytics
Reliability
Synthesis and
Professionalism
Creativity
Respects Diversity
Creativity/Innovatio Oral and written
communication
n
Attention to detail
Flexibility
Willingness to see it
Initiative
to the end
Seeks Personal
Growth
Perseverance
Randy L. Allen 2015

People
Leadership Attributes
Engagement
Management

Client Management

People
Relationship
Development
Management
People Leadership Advising Skills
Coaching/Feedback Business Culture
Sensitivity

.some less tangible, yet critical skills

equired
Initiative
Be proactive..all day/every day; Be creative; research client,
team, location, industry, service-line, annual reports, press
releases, etc.

Resourceful and Service-Oriented

Seek perspective anywhere/anyhow; I dont know, but I will find
out

Pragmatic, yet Idea-Driven

Consider source, analytic approach, audience; Be confident

Productive
Timelines/deadlines are critical; document and multi-task;
discipline; skill transfer

Teamwork
New team every 3, 7, 15 months; divide and conquer; team-based
6
problem solving

Consulting Attributes
Self
Personal Attributes
Consulting Capabilities
and Thought Leadership

Issue Identification
Hypothesis Formation
Problem Structuring
Analytics
Synthesis
Creativity
Oral and written communication
Attention to detail
Willingness to see it to the end

Randy L. Allen 2015

Key Takeaways
The consulting capabilities
and thought leadership are
being tested in case
interviews
You will7 likely not be a
successful consultant
without these attributes
Behavioral interviews,
covers letters, resumes and
networking test the rest

Case Overview:
What is a case?

Randy L. Allen 2015

Case Overview
What is a case interview
and why is it used?

A case interview includes a hypothetical business

situation that explores how candidates

identify key business issues,

analyze the circumstance,
structure their thoughts,
address the problem

Consulting firms value case interviews because

there is no perfect background for consulting
it requires
working in unfamiliar territories,
thinking on your feet, and
performing in situations where you never have enough
time
Randy L. Allen 2015

Case Overview

Consulting Interview Candidates are

Given information about the case,
Expected to ask the interviewer logical
questions that will help the applicant
understand the situation,
Probe deeper into relevant areas,
Gather pertinent information, and
Arrive at a solution or recommendation
for the question or situation at hand
10

Randy L. Allen 2015

Case Overview

Two general case interview types

Broad with little or no
data
Can you logically
structure a problem at
a high level and drill
across and down?
Can you deal with
ambiguity?
Are you creative and
do you have good
instincts?
Do you have good
business sense?
Randy L. Allen 2015

Well defined with data

and supplemental data
if asked.
Can you logically
structure?
Can you do analysis
including numbers?
Can you do basic
mathematical and
financial analysis?
Are you focused on
what is important and
key facts?
11

Overview
What are interviewers Case
looking
for?

Structured Thinking
Analytical Skills
Practicality
It is not about a 100% correct answer, but focusing
on relevant points and doing so in a logical manner.
Randy L. Allen 2015

12

Case Approach:
How do I solve a case?

13

Randy L. Allen 2015

Case Approach

Approach to getting through a

case interview
Structure
Receiving the
case
Structuring your
thinking
Develop a
hypothesis

Analysis
Collect data
Common
analysis/calculati
ons
Combining
quantitative and
qualitative

Conclusio
n
Presenting your
recommendation
Explaining your
problem solving
approach
Addressing
rebuttals/concern
s
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Randy L. Allen 2015

Case Approach

Approach: 5 steps
Structure

Define
the
problem
Interviewer
presents the
question

Structure
the
analysis
Break the
problem
into parts
create a
problem
tree/
pyramid

Conclusi
on

Analysis
Determin
e the key
issues
Eliminate
any non-key
issues that
you find
before diving
into details

Conduct
Analysis

Conclusio
n

Dive down into Use a pyramid

each area
or decision tree
Collect data, if
to synthesize
findings
available
Ask
Use your data
questions to
Make your
to
conduct
clarify if
recommendatio
analysis
Explain why
needed 1-3
ns

Make
Create your
questions
you are
Support with
assumptions
issues/subeliminating
Paraphrase
facts
Combine
issues
and
Focus on
to make sure
quantitative
Be confident
hypotheses
you have it
whats
and qualitative
Address
Talk through
right
important
information
rebuttals/concer
your
but make
Be hypothesis
Compose
ns
structure
sure you
and end
your
havent
product
Be sure you
thoughts
What
about Frameworks?
Frameworks
are
just
tools
to help analyze the problem.
missed
focused
(take
a frameworks
have and
an your structure to present the case to the interviewer
15
Combine
anything
minute
or
so) hypothesis
Randy L. Allen
2015

Case Approach

Structure: Receiving the case

Active listening and note

taking
Re-stating the case
Confirm objectives
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Randy L. Allen 2015

Case Approach

Structure: Structuring your

thinking

Set up structure
You can ask a few
high-level questions
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Randy L. Allen 2015

Case Approach

Structure: Develop hypothesis

State the hypothesis that

youre trying to prove or
disprove

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Randy L. Allen 2015

Case Approach

Analysis: Collect data

Progress through
structure
Show the interviewer
the data you would
like to know
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Randy L. Allen 2015

Case Approach

Analysis: Common analysis/ calculations

Write down data clearly, as

stated
Talk through the
calculations/analysis
Answer the question with
numbers
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Randy L. Allen 2015

Case Approach
Analysis: Combining quantitative and qualitative

Elaborate on the numbers

Add any qualitative input
you have to the numbers
21

Randy L. Allen 2015

Case Approach

Conclusion

Recap the problem

State the recommendation(s)
Include risks

22

Randy L. Allen 2015

Case Structuring Tools

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Randy L. Allen 2015

Case Structuring Tools

Tools use during a case

Minto Pyramid
Helps lay out the case approach structure

Frameworks
Help identify sub-issues in the case approach
structure

Math formulas

Help with calculations/analysis

24

Randy L. Allen 2015

Case Structuring Tools

The Pyramid Structure

The pyramid structure is NOT a framework
it facilitates problem solving through a logical and hierarchical
approach

Governing Thought
States the answer to the
question raised in the
readers mind
Key Line
Major points which,
taken together prove
the answer
Support
Data and facts
which support
lineThe Minto Pyramid Principle Logic in Writing, Thinking and Problem Solving (Minto International, Inc.,
Source:the
Minto,key
Barbara:
1996)

Randy L. Allen 2015

25

Case Structuring Tools

The Pyramid Structure: Applying Logic

In structuring the solution to a problem, logic should be
applied both vertically and horizontally
Governing Thought

Vertical Logic
Creates a question
and answer dialogue
that responds to the
governing thought

Key Line

Continues raising
and answering
questions until there
are no more logical
questions to ask

Support

Horizontal Logic
Relies on inductive and deductive logic to answer the questions at each level
Source: Minto, Barbara: The Minto Pyramid Principle Logic in Writing, Thinking and Problem Solving (Minto International, Inc.,
1996) Randy L. Allen 2015

26

Case Structuring Tools

The Problem Definition Map

Sub-Issues
Sub-Issue one?

Questions to answer
Question one?
Question two?

Sub-Issue two?

Situation

Problem

Question three?

Major Issues
Sub-Issue three?

Sub-Issue four?

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Randy L. Allen 2015

Case Structuring Tools

Why Use a Framework

Provide Structure and Logic

Eliminate Analytical Blind Spots
Save Time and Energy
Spur Creative Thought
Use frameworks to help you analyze a case.
Do not rely on them only!
Combine frameworks and the Minto pyramid
to present a case !

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Randy
L. Allen 2015

Case Structuring Tools

Frameworks
These are some of the frameworks that can help
structure thinking.

Profit Equation

Porters 5 Forces

Four Ps

Product Life Cycle

Four Cs

Value Chain Analysis

The 2x2 Matrix

Value Drivers (M&A) Framework

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Randy L. Allen 2015

Case Structuring Tools

Profit Equation
Profit

Revenue
Price

Quantity

Costs
Variable

Fixed

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Randy L. Allen 2015

Case Structuring Tools

Profit Equation: Revenues

Price
Target customer segments
Product mix and ability to
differentiate product
Prices of
substitutes/complements
Elasticity of demand (%Q/
% P)
If >1 implies elastic
If <1 implies inelastic
Competitors pricing
strategies and relative
market power
Randy L. Allen 2015

Quantity
Market size
Growth rate
Market share vs.
market demand
Capacity
constraints
Cannibalization
Seasonality of
product
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Case Structuring Tools

Profit Equation: Costs

Analyze main cost components as a % of
total costs and % of total sales:

Direct labor (union vs. non-union)

Direct material
Allocated Overhead
Distribution Costs
Financing Costs

Break down costs into variable and fixed

components
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Randy L. Allen 2015

Case Structuring Tools

Profit Equation: Costs

Variable Costs

SG&A
COGS
Taxes
Suppliers
(consolidate?)
Cost control
mechanisms
Incentives
Outsourcing
alternatives
Impact of
backward/forward

Randy L. Allen 2015

Fixed Costs
Capacity utilization
Avg output rate/Maximum
capacity
B/E Volume (& Price)
Fixed cost/unit contribution
Economies of scope and
scale
Marginal costs < Average
costs implies economies of
scale
Marginal costs = Average
costs implies constant
returns of scale
NPV of cost investment with
sensitivity analysis

33

Case Structuring Tools

Porters 5 Forces
Suppliers

Customers
Competitive

Potential
Entrants

Dynamics

Regulatory
Issues
Substitutes

Analyzes level of competition

Determines industry attractiveness
Shows three sources of horizontal competitive pressure:
substitutes, entrants, and current rivals
Shows two sources of vertical competitive pressure: bargaining
34
power of buyers and suppliers
Randy L. Allen 2015

Case Structuring Tools

5 Forces + Complementors
Govt.
Substitutors
(Rivalry, entry)

Macro
forces.

Buyers

Firm

Complementors

Suppliers

Value:
Creation
Capture
Prevent destruction

Analyzes level of competition, just like 5 forces

Is firm-centric- literally true too!

Allows you to see multiple roles that players might play

Complementors are critical in many industries

Value create/capture/preserve is important to remember

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Randy L. Allen 2015

Case Structuring Tools

Four Ps
Product

Product mix and features

Profit margins
Substitutes
Cross-elasticity
Price

Demand
Customer willingness to
pay
Fit with strategy
Competitor pricing
Randy L. Allen 2015

Promotion
Analyze segments
Estimate
potential/segment
Consider
advertising/promotions
issues
Place (Distribution)
Structure
Suitability given
objectives
Tradeoffs
eg JIT vs. Inventory
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Case Structuring Tools

Product Life Cycle Strategies

Revenue
or Profit

Stage of the Product Life Cycle

Introduction

Growth

Maturity

Decline

Total Industry
Revenues
+
0

Total Industry Profit

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Randy L. Allen 2015

Case Structuring Tools

Four Cs
Customers

Cost

Market segmentation
Purchase criteria

Economies of scale
Experience curve
Will increased production
lower cost?

Competition

Capabilities

Market share
Market position
Strategy
Cost position
Competitor market
advantages

Randy L. Allen 2015

Resources available
Organizational structure
Production system

38

Case Structuring Tools

Value Chain Analysis

Raw Materials
& Supplies

R&D/
Engineering

Manufacturing
& Assembly

Inventory
& QC

Sales &
Marketing

Distribution
& Service

Infrastructure, IT, Human Resources, Procurement

Compare value chain to that of competitors and identify sources of differentiation

Construct value chain for the firm and the customer and identify drivers of
uniqueness in each activity

Identify sources of differentiation and elaborate

Rate relative importance of each activity

Analyze cost drivers and cost interactions

Identify possible outsourcing or integration opportunities

Select attributes that promise high differentiation between cost and price premium

Break down each activity as a % (i.e., as % of every incoming dollar)

Locate linkages between value chain and customers

Randy L. Allen 2015

39

Case Structuring Tools

2x2 Matrix
Price high

My action
Price low

High price
= high margin?

Worst case
for me?

Best case
for me?

Price war

Price high

Price low

Competitor action
Used when 2 factors combine to yield different outcomes
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Randy L. Allen 2015

Case Structuring Tools

Value Drivers (M&A) Framework

3 Primary Value Drivers

Will volumes/prices increase or

decrease?

Will costs rise faster or slower

than sales?

What investments in plant and

working capital are required?

Randy L. Allen 2015

Revenues

Cost levels/
Margins

Future
Cash Flow

Investments

41

Value

Case Structuring Tools

Value Drivers
(M&A) Framework
cont.

Business
Unit Value
Cash Flow
from
Operations

Cash Profit

Revenues

Market size
Market
share
Sales mix

Randy L. Allen 2015

Getting
from cash to
value
Investment
Required

Operating
Margins

Taxes

Retail prices
Staffing
levels
Wage rates
Raw
material
prices

Effective tax
structure

Working
Capital

Debtors
Creditors
Contract
terms

Discount
Rate

Capital
Expenditure

Cost of
Capital

Plant life
Replacemen
t
equipment
Maintenanc
e
Scale of
operations
42

Cost of
equity
Cost of debt
Gearing

Case Structuring Tools

Where are they most helpful?

Firm Situation/Decision
Factors:

External Issues
5 forces + complementors to
understand landscape i.e
Customers, Suppliers, Substitutors
(entrants, subsitutes, rivals),
Complementors
4Ps (price, promotion, place,
product) if case is on reaching
customers/channel decisions
Product lifecycle to understand
landscape
Randy L. Allen 2015

Internal Issues
Valuechain to understand innards
and capabilities: sourcing, R&R, mfg,
inventory, sales/marketing,
distribution.
Note critically that the external is
connected to the internal. E.g.
Supplier power might affect cost of
sourcing
If youre changing pricing,
inventory will be affected
Early in the product lifecyle, you
might have fewer choices in
valuechain
43

Case Interviews Dos and

Donts

What to Do

Before practice, practice, practice

Read the papers
Know the industry, the firm and your story
Bring pencil and paper
Listen
Take a few minutes to compose your thoughts
Ask clarifying questions and think out loud
Structure and communicate it
Pick one branch to probe, develop hypotheses, ask for a few
relevant facts, defend/refine hypotheses based on new
information, probe further, and describe implications you see
Prioritize
Check your progress
Be careful how you answer
Randy L. Allen 2015

44

Case Interviews Dos and

Donts

What Not to
Play 20 questions
Do
Frameworks

Avoid simply throwing frameworks at problems!

Assume 1 framework fits all
Don't get bogged down by frameworks
A framework is a tool, much like a hammer is a tool, not the
solution...
A framework is not the answer in and of itself
Never explicitly state that you are using a framework

Cover one issue without mentioning and prioritizing all key

issues

Dig your heels in

Hide from the details (or the numbers)

Get frustrated

Conduct a postmortem in the interview

Randy L. Allen 2015

45

Practice

46

Randy L. Allen 2015

Case Practice

Call Center Case

Our call-center has limited capacity. Significant
volume will be added to the call center soon.
What should we do in order to assure the service
provided by our call center will not decrease in
terms of quality?

47

Randy L. Allen 2015

Case Practice

What questions would you

ask and what information do
you need?

48

Randy L. Allen 2015

Structure

Case Practice

How will we determine what

we need to do in order to
handle the additional volume
of calls

Randy L. Allen 2015

49

Structure

Case Practice

How will we determine what

we need to do in order to
handle the additional volume
of calls
Understand the
combined total call
volume and its
characteristics

Randy L. Allen 2015

Understand our
staffing and their
productivity

Understand the
drivers of calls and
can anything be done
to reduce the volume

50

Structure

Case Practice

How will we determine what

we need to do in order to
handle the additional volume
of calls
Understand the
combined total call
volume and its
characteristics
Total Call volume
Time of day and day of
week volume
Volume by call type
Projected changes in call
volume
Estimate call time by type
of call
Estimate non-call related
time
Call
type
consume
Randy
L. Allenwhich
2015

Understand our
staffing and their
productivity

Understand the
drivers of calls and
can anything be done
to reduce the volume

51

Structure

Case Practice

How will we determine what

we need to do in order to
handle the additional volume
of calls
Understand the
combined total call
volume and its
characteristics
Total Call volume
Time of day and day of
week volume
Volume by call type
Projected changes in call
volume
Estimate call time by type
of call
Estimate non-call related
time
Call
type
consume
Randy
L. Allenwhich
2015

Understand our
staffing and their
productivity
Shift schedule of call
handling staff
Level of automation in use
and the functions
performed
Match of staffing to time of
day call volume
Flexibility of the staff to
handle different types of
calls
Productivity distribution
and best practices
Incentives in place

Understand the
drivers of calls and
can anything be done
to reduce the volume

52

Structure

Case Practice

How will we determine what

we need to do in order to
handle the additional volume
of calls
Understand the
combined total call
volume and its
characteristics
Total Call volume
Time of day and day of
week volume
Volume by call type
Projected changes in call
volume
Estimate call time by type
of call
Estimate non-call related
time
Call
type
consume
Randy
L. Allenwhich
2015

Understand our
staffing and their
productivity
Shift schedule of call
handling staff
Level of automation in use
and the functions
performed
Match of staffing to time of
day call volume
Flexibility of the staff to
handle different types of
calls
Productivity distribution
and best practices
Incentives in place

Understand the
drivers of calls and
can anything be done
to reduce the volume

Cause of the top ten calls

Can those calls be reduced by
any changes to product, service,
documentation etc.
If changes can be made to
reduce volume how quickly
could they be made
53

Case Practice
Example:
You have 200,000 repair calls a year
You estimate with changes in software you
will save 5% of the calls in the first year
and an additional 2% in the second year.
Each call costs $200
How much will you save over two years?

54
Randy L. Allen 2015

Case Practice
Year One
5% of 200,000 = 10,000 fewer calls
Savings is $2 million

55
Randy L. Allen 2015

Case Practice
Year One
5% of 200,000 = 10,000 fewer calls
Savings is $2 million
Year Two
Additional savings is 2% of 190,000 = 3,800
fewer calls
Incremental savings is $760,000
Total year two savings = $2,760,000

56
Randy L. Allen 2015

Case Practice
Year One
5% of 200,000 = 10,000 fewer calls
Savings is $2 million
Year Two
Additional savings is 2% of 190,000 = 3,800
fewer calls
Incremental savings is $760,000
Total year two savings = $2,760,000
Total savings for two years is $4,760,000
57
Randy L. Allen 2015

Case Practice

Other Math Questions

What is 5 divided by 8? finance
How many gas stations are there in the
US?
If you received $10 a year for the rest of
your life, how much would you be willing to
accept today to no longer receive the
payment going forward?
58

Randy L. Allen 2015

Case Practice

Data Sheets

59

Randy L. Allen 2015

Case Practice

Data Sheets

Randy L. Allen 2015

60

Case Practice
Country Data1

US

England

Japan

313

63

126

0.96%
$14.7
2.7%
$47,400

0.56%
$2.2
1.6%
$35,100

-0.28%
$4.3
3.0%
$34,200

Population (MM)
Population Growth (%)
GDP ($Tr)
GDP Growth (%)
GDP per Capita (USD)

Data Sheets

Subway System Data

Buses Data

NYC

London

Tokyo

Daily Passengers (MM)

11.5

8.5

14.3

Daily Passengers (MM)

Annual Fare Collection ($B)

$12

$13

$45

Timing for new system

2012

2012

Probability of winning
contract 2

90%

70%

NYC

London

Tokyo

3.0

4.5

5.8

Annual Fare Collection ($B)

$2.8

$5.5

$4.4

2015

Timing for new system

2013

2013

2015

20%

Probability of winning
contract 2

90%

70%

20%

Notes:
1 Data from CIA World Factbook, extracted April 2011. GDP figures at purchasing power parity.
2 Probability of winning contract is based on estimates from the PayCo Business Development team, and can be used to determine the potential revenue
opportunity for PayCo

Randy L. Allen 2015

61

Giving Cases

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Randy L. Allen 2015

Preparing for the Interview

Proper preparation will help you deliver a
more effective case and improve your own
case prep
Read the Case

Write down your own

responses/questions

Note where your

questions differ from
those presented

Ensure that you are

familiar with any data
or charts in the case

Do the math- if your

own mental math
isnt quick, write out
the different possible
calculations so that
you know
immediately when
the candidate errs

Consider how
alternate frameworks
or structures could be
used to solve the
case
Think of a few outof-the-box solutions

2015 Jacob K. Lehman

Determine Your
Style

Review the Data

Identify the different

directions
calculations could be
done- decide which
are most

How long will you let

the interviewee think
before you ask for an
answer?

Will you make the

candidate ask for
data before you
share it?

How will you react to

a math error?

What guidance will

you give? When?

Will you push the

candidate to defend

Conducting the Interview

Keep in mind that the primary goal of the
recruiter is to see if the candidate can
succeed
Assess Aptitude

Does the candidates

structure make
sense?

Evaluate Presence

Did the answer

address the question
that was asked?

Does the candidate

articulate his/her
thought process?

Are answers tied

back to the broader
problem?

Did the candidate

creativity?
2015 Jacob show
K. Lehman

Test Engagement

What is the
candidates attitude?

Does the candidate

stay calm when
challenged?

Does the candidate

show energy?

How does the

candidate respond to
further questioning?

Does the candidate

rely on generic
frameworks?

Does the candidate

seem to care about
the clients problem?

Does the candidate

embrace hard
questions?

Is the candidate
professional and
poised?

Does the candidate

seem like someone
you would want on
your team?

Providing Feedback
Feedback should be concrete and include
both recognition of strengths and
weaknesses
Example Strengths
Structure and
Strategy

Quantitative
Skills

Presentation

2015 Jacob K. Lehman

Example Weaknesses

Structure was specific to

the problem asked
Solution was MECE
Recommendations
showed business sense

Interpreted charts
accurately
Tied numbers to problem
Showed facility with
numbers
Showed presence and
engagement
Kept cool under fire
Articulated rationale
clearly
Stayed focused on core
question

Relied on generic
frameworks
Did not adhere to
structure
Structure was not logical
Struggled with
calculations
Did not explain purpose
of calculations
Lost track of units
Showed nervousness
Did not articulate
reasons for asking for
data
Seemed arrogant or
disengaged

Resources

66

Randy L. Allen 2015

Resources

CaseInterview.com offers users a free 6-hour case interview video

tutorial. The website also has a large number of articles and Q&A
related to consulting.

The Vault Guide to Case Interviewing

Case in Point book

Math - Secrets of Mental Math, Benjamin and Shermer

Mental Math free app on Google Play

Student recommendation https://www.udemy.com/fastmath-case-interview $49 for it last

year. This course was thought by an ex-McKinsey and covers from
the basic topics (like important fractions to memorize and
techniques to not forget zeros in long divisions/multiplications) to
advanced case math (sensitivity and pipeline analysis)

Victor Cheng offers a free online tool that gives you random
questions and gives you a percentile report based on timing and
accuracy (https://www.caseinterview.com/math/home.php)

Each other

Randy L. Allen 2015

67

Cornell Resources
JConnect
Groups->Career Management Center-EMBA-Consulting
Resources->Career resources->Executive MBA-Consulting

Cases
Consulting Case Interview Guide
Big Red Case Book (CMC $60 plus shipping)

Career Coaching One-on-One

Schedule an appt with Nina Lukin
https://www.timetrade.com/book/YGX1R

LinkedIn Career Work Group

Unlisted private group to find a partner to practice cases
with
Cornell-Johnson Consulting/Strategic Planning
If you cant find it, connect with me on LinkedIn and I will
invite you to join

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FINAL REVIEW: Consulting Case

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Way for firms to test your analytic, logical, quantitative and
communication capabilities vital to being a consultant
Success:

Be logical, methodical and structured while demonstrating intellectual agility

Demonstrate the ability to think creatively about complex problems
Display a confident demeanor and likable personality

For you to be successful, you must.

Understand case interview flow: Case question, question paraphrasing,
clarification of objectives, moment to think, analysis, recommendations, wrap-up
Memorize financial statement and frameworks: 3Cs, Porters Five Forces, 4Ps,
Profit Equation, Value/Supply Chain
Be an expert on how/when to apply frameworks to different cases: Strategy,
Market Entry, Marketing, Profitability, Quantitative, M&A, Non-Standard
Be able to read charts and perform math equations quickly, correctly and
confidently, without a calculator

You should have both given and received 75 cases prior to an interview
Schedule case practice with faculty, alum, second year 2-yr MBAs and career
services after completing 20+ cases
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Questions
Nina Lukin
(716)345-0095
nel5@cornell.edu
Consulting Career Management, Part-Time
Remote Office in Western NY

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