47 case interview examples (from McKinsey, BCG, Bain, etc.)

Case interview examples - McKinsey, BCG, Bain, etc.

One of the best ways to prepare for   case interviews  at firms like McKinsey, BCG, or Bain, is by studying case interview examples. 

There are a lot of free sample cases out there, but it's really hard to know where to start. So in this article, we have listed all the best free case examples available, in one place.

The below list of resources includes interactive case interview samples provided by consulting firms, video case interview demonstrations, case books, and materials developed by the team here at IGotAnOffer. Let's continue to the list.

  • McKinsey examples
  • BCG examples
  • Bain examples
  • Deloitte examples
  • Other firms' examples
  • Case books from consulting clubs
  • Case interview preparation

Click here to practise 1-on-1 with MBB ex-interviewers

1. mckinsey case interview examples.

  • Beautify case interview (McKinsey website)
  • Diconsa case interview (McKinsey website)
  • Electro-light case interview (McKinsey website)
  • GlobaPharm case interview (McKinsey website)
  • National Education case interview (McKinsey website)
  • Talbot Trucks case interview (McKinsey website)
  • Shops Corporation case interview (McKinsey website)
  • Conservation Forever case interview (McKinsey website)
  • McKinsey case interview guide (by IGotAnOffer)
  • McKinsey live case interview extract (by IGotAnOffer) - See below

2. BCG case interview examples

  • Foods Inc and GenCo case samples  (BCG website)
  • Chateau Boomerang written case interview  (BCG website)
  • BCG case interview guide (by IGotAnOffer)
  • Written cases guide (by IGotAnOffer)
  • BCG live case interview with notes (by IGotAnOffer)
  • BCG mock case interview with ex-BCG associate director - Public sector case (by IGotAnOffer)
  • BCG mock case interview: Revenue problem case (by IGotAnOffer) - See below

3. Bain case interview examples

  • CoffeeCo practice case (Bain website)
  • FashionCo practice case (Bain website)
  • Associate Consultant mock interview video (Bain website)
  • Consultant mock interview video (Bain website)
  • Written case interview tips (Bain website)
  • Bain case interview guide   (by IGotAnOffer)
  • Digital transformation case with ex-Bain consultant
  • Bain case mock interview with ex-Bain manager (below)

4. Deloitte case interview examples

  • Engagement Strategy practice case (Deloitte website)
  • Recreation Unlimited practice case (Deloitte website)
  • Strategic Vision practice case (Deloitte website)
  • Retail Strategy practice case  (Deloitte website)
  • Finance Strategy practice case  (Deloitte website)
  • Talent Management practice case (Deloitte website)
  • Enterprise Resource Management practice case (Deloitte website)
  • Footloose written case  (by Deloitte)
  • Deloitte case interview guide (by IGotAnOffer)

5. Accenture case interview examples

  • Case interview workbook (by Accenture)
  • Accenture case interview guide (by IGotAnOffer)

6. OC&C case interview examples

  • Leisure Club case example (by OC&C)
  • Imported Spirits case example (by OC&C)

7. Oliver Wyman case interview examples

  • Wumbleworld case sample (Oliver Wyman website)
  • Aqualine case sample (Oliver Wyman website)
  • Oliver Wyman case interview guide (by IGotAnOffer)

8. A.T. Kearney case interview examples

  • Promotion planning case question (A.T. Kearney website)
  • Consulting case book and examples (by A.T. Kearney)
  • AT Kearney case interview guide (by IGotAnOffer)

9. Strategy& / PWC case interview examples

  • Presentation overview with sample questions (by Strategy& / PWC)
  • Strategy& / PWC case interview guide (by IGotAnOffer)

10. L.E.K. Consulting case interview examples

  • Case interview example video walkthrough   (L.E.K. website)
  • Market sizing case example video walkthrough  (L.E.K. website)

11. Roland Berger case interview examples

  • Transit oriented development case webinar part 1  (Roland Berger website)
  • Transit oriented development case webinar part 2   (Roland Berger website)
  • 3D printed hip implants case webinar part 1   (Roland Berger website)
  • 3D printed hip implants case webinar part 2   (Roland Berger website)
  • Roland Berger case interview guide   (by IGotAnOffer)

12. Capital One case interview examples

  • Case interview example video walkthrough  (Capital One website)
  • Capital One case interview guide (by IGotAnOffer)

13. Consulting clubs case interview examples

  • Berkeley case book (2006)
  • Columbia case book (2006)
  • Darden case book (2012)
  • Darden case book (2018)
  • Duke case book (2010)
  • Duke case book (2014)
  • ESADE case book (2011)
  • Goizueta case book (2006)
  • Illinois case book (2015)
  • LBS case book (2006)
  • MIT case book (2001)
  • Notre Dame case book (2017)
  • Ross case book (2010)
  • Wharton case book (2010)

Practice with experts

Using case interview examples is a key part of your interview preparation, but it isn’t enough.

At some point you’ll want to practise with friends or family who can give some useful feedback. However, if you really want the best possible preparation for your case interview, you'll also want to work with ex-consultants who have experience running interviews at McKinsey, Bain, BCG, etc.

If you know anyone who fits that description, fantastic! But for most of us, it's tough to find the right connections to make this happen. And it might also be difficult to practice multiple hours with that person unless you know them really well.

Here's the good news. We've already made the connections for you. We’ve created a coaching service where you can do mock case interviews 1-on-1 with ex-interviewers from MBB firms . Start scheduling sessions today!

The IGotAnOffer team

Interview coach and candidate conduct a video call

35 Case Interviews Examples from MBB / Big Four Firms

Studying case interview examples is one of the first steps in preparing for the  management consulting  recruitment process. If you don’t want to spend hours searching the web, this article presents a comprehensive and convenient list for you – with 35 example cases, 16 case books, along with a case video accompanied by detailed feedback on tips and techniques.

A clear understanding of “what is a case interview” is essential for effective use of these examples. I suggest reading our  Case Interview 101  guide, if you haven’t done so.

McKinsey case interview examples

Mckinsey practice cases.

  • Diconsa Case
  • Electro-Light Case
  • GlobaPharm Case
  • National Education Case

What should I know about McKinsey Case interviews?

At McKinsey, case interviews often follow the interviewer-led format , where the interviewer asks you multiple questions for you to answer with short pitches.

How do you nail these cases? Since the questions can be grouped into predictable types, an efficient approach is to master each question type. However, do that after you’ve mastered the case interview fundamentals!

For a detailed guide on interviewer-led cases, check out our article on McKinsey Case Interview .

BCG & Bain case interview examples

Bcg practice cases.

  • BCG – Written Case – Chateau Boomerang

Bain practice cases

  • Bain – Coffee Shop Co.
  • Bain – Fashion Co.
  • Bain – Mock Interview – Associate Consultant
  • Bain – Mock Interview – Consultant

What should I know about BCG & Bain case interviews?

Unlike McKinsey, BCG and Bain case interviews typically follow the candidate-led format – which is the opposite of interviewer-led, with the candidate driving the case progress by actively breaking down problems in their own way.

The key to acing candidate-led cases is to master the case interview fundamental concepts as well as the frameworks.

Some BCG and Bain offices also utilize written case interviews – you have to go through a pile of data slides, select the most relevant ones to answer a set of interviewer questions, then deliver those answers in a presentation.

For a detailed guide on candidate-led cases, check out our article on BCG & Bain Case Interview .

Deloitte case interview examples

Deloitte practice cases.

Undergrad Cases

  • Human Capital – Technology Institute
  • Human Capital – Agency V
  • Strategy – Federal Benefits Provider
  • Strategy – Extreme Athletes
  • Technology – Green Apron
  • Technology – Big Bucks Bank
  • Technology – Top Engine
  • Technology – Finance Agency

Advanced Cases

  • Human Capital – Civil Cargo Bureau
  • Human Capital – Capital Airlines
  • Strategy – Club Co
  • Strategy – Health Agency
  • Technology – Waste Management
  • Technology – Bank of Zurich
  • Technology – Galaxy Fitness

What should I know about Deloitte case interviews?

Case interviews at Deloitte also lean towards the candidate-led format like BCG and Bain.

The Deloitte consultant recruitment process also features group case interviews , which not only test analytical skills but also place a great deal on interpersonal handling.

Accenture case interview examples

Accenture divides its cases into three types with very cool-sounding names.

Sorted in descending order of popularity, they are:

These are similar to candidate-led cases at Bain and BCG. albeit shorter – the key is to develop a suitable framework and ask the right questions to extract data from the interviewer.

These are similar to the market-sizing and guesstimate questions asked in interviewer-led cases – demonstrate your calculations in structured, clear-cut, logical steps and you’ll nail the case.

These cases have you sort through a deluge of data to draw solutions; however, this type of case is rare.

Capital One case interview examples

Capital One is the odd one on this list – it is a bank-holding company. Nonetheless, this being one of the biggest banks in America, it’s interesting to see how its cases differ from the consulting ones.

Having gone through Capital One’s guide to its cases, I can’t help but notice the less-MECE structure of the sample answers. Additionally, there seems to be a greater focus on the numbers.

Nonetheless, having a solid knowledge of the basics of case interviews will not hurt you – if anything, your presentation will be much more in-depth, comprehensive, and understandable!

See Capital One Business Analyst Case Interview for an example case and answers.

Other firms case interview examples

Besides the leading ones, we have some examples from other major consulting firms as well.

  • Oliver Wyman – Wumbleworld
  • Oliver Wyman – Aqualine
  • LEK – Cinema
  • LEK – Market Sizing
  • Kearney – Promotional Planning
  • OC&C – Imported Spirits
  • OC&C – Leisure Clubs

Consulting clubs case books

In addition to official cases, here are a few case books you can use as learning materials.

Do keep in mind: don’t base your study on frameworks and individual case types, but master the fundamentals so you can tackle any kind of case.

  • Wharton Consulting Club Case Book
  • Tuck Consulting Club Case Book
  • MIT Sloan Consulting Club Case Book
  • LBS Consulting Club Case Book
  • Kellogg Consulting Club Case Book
  • INSEAD Consulting Club Case Book
  • Harvard Consulting Club Case Book
  • ESADE Consulting Club Case Book
  • Darden Consulting Club Case Book
  • Berkeley Consulting Club Case Book
  • Notre-Dame Consulting Club Case Book
  • Illinois Consulting Club Case Book
  • Columbia Consulting Club Case Book
  • Duke Consulting Club Case Book
  • Ross Consulting Club Case Book
  • Kearney Case Book

case study in interview examples

Case interview example – Case video

The limitation of most official case interview examples is that they are either too short and vague, or in text format, or both.

To solve that problem for you, we’ve extracted a 30-minute-long, feedback-rich case sample from our Case Interview End-to-End Secrets Program .

This is a candidate-led, profitability case on an internet music broadcasting company called Pandora.

In 30 minutes, this candidate demonstrates the exact kind of shortcoming that most candidates suffer during real case interviews – they come in with sharp business senses, then hurt their own chances with inadequate techniques.

Here are seven notable areas where the candidate (and you) can improve:

Thanking Throughout the case, as especially in the opening, he should have shown more appreciation for the time the interviewer spent with him.

Structured opening The candidate’s opening of the case feels unstructured. He could have improved it by not mixing the playback and clarification parts. You can learn to nail the case in a 3-minute start through this video on How to Open Any Case Perfectly .

Explicitness A lot of the candidate’s thought process remains in his head; in a case interview, it’s better to be as explicit as possible – draw your issue tree out and point to it as you speak; state your hypothesis when you move into a branch; when you receive data, acknowledge it out loud.

Avoiding silence The silence in his case performance is too long, including his timeout and various gaps in his speech; either ask for timeout (and keep it as short as possible) or think out loud to fill those gaps.

Proactivity The candidate relies too much on the interviewer (e.g: asking for data when it can easily be calculated); you don’t want to appear lazy before your interviewer, so avoid this.

Avoiding repeating mistakes Making one mistake twice is a big no-no in consulting interviews; one key part of the consulting skill set is the ability to learn, and repeating your mistakes (especially if the interviewer has pointed it out) makes you look like someone who doesn’t learn.

Note-taking Given the mistakes this candidate makes, he’s probably not taking his notes well. I can show you how to get it right if you watch this video on Case Interview Note-Taking .

Nonetheless, there are three good points you can learn from the candidate:

The candidate sums up what he’s covered and announces his upcoming approach at the start and at key points in the case – this is a very good habit that gives you a sense of direction and shows that you’re an organized person.

The candidate performs a “reality check” on whether his actions match the issue tree; in a case interview it’s easy to lose track of what you’re doing, so remember to do this every once in a while.

The candidate prompts the interviewer to give out more data than he asked for; if anything, this actually matches a habit of real consultants, and if you’re lucky, your interviewer may actually give out important pieces you haven’t thought of.

These are only part of the “ninja tips” taught In our Case Interview E2E Secrets Program – besides the math and business intuition for long-term development, a key feature is the instant-result tips and techniques for case interviews.

Once you’ve mastered them, you can nail any case they throw at you!

For more “quality” practice, let’s have a mock case interview with former consultants from McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Oliver Wyman, Strategy& and many other consulting firms. They will help you identify your problem areas and give you actionable feedback, making your preparation much easier and faster.

Hi! This is Kim and welcome to another performance in the Tips & Techniques part of our amazing End-to-end program. You are about to hear a really interesting performance.

There is a common Myth that Profitability cases are easier. Well, for beginners, that’s may make sense, but I would argue that Profitability cases can be really tricky and candidates without good foundation will make about the same level of mistakes regardless of type of cases given.

The profitability case we are about to watch will show that. It’s a very unconventional

Profitability. It started out like a typical one but getting more and more tricky toward the end.

The candidate is fairly good in term of business intuition, but the Tips & Techniques aspect needs a lot of fine tune! Now let’s go ahead and get started! 

It’s actually a little better to playback the case information and ask clarifications. The candidate does not distinguish between the two and do both at a same time. Also, the candidate was asking these clarifications in an unorganized and unstructured fashion. This is not something terrible, but could have been better, especially when this is the very first part of the case, where the crucial first impression is being formed.

My pitch would sound like this:

“That’s a very interesting problem and I am happy to get the chance to solve it. First of all let me tell you my understanding of the case context and key objectives. Then I would like to ask a few clarifying questions regarding a few terminology and concepts. Both of these are to make sure that I will be solving the right problem.

So here is my understanding of the case: The client is ABC. Here are some DEF facts about the situation we just talked about. And the key case question is XYZ.

Does that correctly and adequately summarize the case?”

Once the interviewer confirms, I would move to the clarification part as follows: “Now I would like to ask a few clarification questions. There are three of them: No 1, … No 2, … and No 3, …”

You may see above pitch as obvious but that’s a perfect example of how you should open any cases. Every details matters. We will point out those details in just a second. But before we do that, it’s actually very helpful if you can go back, listen carefully to the above pitch, and try to point out the great components yourselves. Only after that, go back to this point and learn it all together.

Alright, let’s break down the perfect opening.

First of all, you hear me say: “That’s a very interesting problem and I am happy to get a chance to solve it”. This seems trivial but very beneficial in multiple ways:

1. I bought myself a couple of seconds to calm down and get focused. 2. By nature, we as human unconsciously like those who give us compliments. Nothing better than opening the case with a modest compliment to the interviewer.

And (c) I showed my great attitude towards the case, which the interviewer would assume is the same for real future consulting business problems.

You should do that in your interviews too. Say it and accompany it with the best smile you can give. It shows that you are not afraid of any problems. In fact, you love them and you are always ready for them.

Secondly, I did what I refer to as the “map habit”, which is to always say what you are about to do and then do it. Just like somebody in the car showing the drivers the route before cruising on the road. The driver would love it. This is where I said: “Let me tell you my understanding of the case context and key objectives. Then ABC…”.

Third, right at the beginning of the case, I try to be crystal clear and easy to follow. I don’t let the interviewer confused between playing the case vs. asking clarification questions. I distinguish between the two really carefully. This habit probably doesn’t change the outcome of how the case goes that much, but it certainly significantly changes the impression the interviewer has of me.

Fourth, in playing back the case, each person would have a different way to re-phrase. But there are three buckets to always include:

1. Who is the client 2. The facts regarding the client and the situation and (c) The key question and the objective of the case.

Fifth, after playing the case context and objectives, I pause for a second and ALIGN with the interviewer: “Does it correctly and adequately summarize the case?”. This is a habit that every consulting manager loves for young consultants to do. Nobody wants first-year folks to spend weeks of passion and hard-work building an excel model that the team can’t use. This habit is extensively taught at McKinsey, Bain and BCG, so therefore interviewers would love somebody that exhibits this habit often in case interview.

Lastly, when asking clarification questions, you hear me number them very carefully to create the strong impression that I am very organized and structured. I said I have three clarifying questions. Then I number them as I go through each. No.1, No.2, and No.3.

Sometimes, during interviews it’s hard to know exactly how many items you are going to get. One way is to take timeout often to carefully plan your pitch. If this is not possible in certain situations, you may skip telling how many items you have; but you should definitely still number your question: No.1, No.2; and so on. 

Just a moment ago, the candidate actually exhibited a good habit. After going through his clarification questions, the candidate ended by asking the “is there anything else” question. In this case, I actually give out an important piece of data.

Though this is not very common as not every interviewer is that generous in giving out data. But this is a habit management consultants have to have every day when talking to experts, clients, or key stakeholders. The key is to get the most data and insights out of every interview and this is the type of open-ended question every consultant asks several times a day.

To show of this habit in a case interview is very good!

There are three things I would like you to pay attention to:

First, it took the candidate up to 72 seconds to “gather his thoughts”. This is a little too long in a case interview. I intentionally leave the 72 seconds of silence in the recording so you get an idea of how long that is in real situations. But it’s worth-noting here is not only that. While in some very complicated and weird cases, it’s ok to take that long to really think and gather ideas. In this case, the approach as proposed by the candidate is very simple. For this very approach, I think no more than 15 to 20 seconds should be used.

No.2, with that said, I have told I really like the fact that this candidate exhibits the “map” habit. Before going straight to the approach he draws the overall approach first.

No.3. You also see here that the candidate tried to align the approach with me by asking my thoughts on it. As I just said on the previous comment, this is a great habit to have. Not only does it help reduce chance of going into the wrong direction in case interviews, but it also creates a good impression. Consulting interviewers love people doing it often!

Here we see a not-really-bad response that for sure could be much better. The candidate was going into the first branch of the analysis which is Revenue. I would fix this in 3 aspects:

First, even though we just talked about the overall approach, it’s still better to briefly set up the issue tree first then clearly note that you are going into one branch.

Second, this is not a must, but I always try to make my hypothesis as explicitly clear as possible. Here the candidate just implicitly made a hypothesis that the problem is on the revenue side. The best way to show our hypothesis-driven mindset is to explicitly say it.

Third, you hear this a ton of times in our End-to-End program but I am going to repeat it again and again. It is better to show the habit of aligning here too. Don’t just go into revenue, before doing that, give the interviewer a chance to agree or to actually guide you to Cost.

So, summarizing the above insights, my pitch would sound something like this:

“So as we just discussed, a profit problem is either caused by revenue or by cost. Unless you would like to go into cost first, let’s hypothesize that the problem is on revenue side. I would like to look deeper into Revenue. Do we have any data on the revenue?”

And while saying this, you should literally draw an issue tree and point to each as you speak.

There is an interesting case interview tip I want to point out here. Notice how the candidate responds after receiving two data points from me. He went straight into the next question without at least acknowledging the data received and also without briefly analyzing it.

I am glad that the candidate makes this mistakes… well, not glad for him but for the greater audience of this program. I would like to introduce to you the perfect habit of what you should react and do every time you have any piece of data during case interviews. So three things you need to do:

Step 1: Say … that’s an interesting piece of data. This helps the interviewer acknowledge that you have received and understand the data. This also buys you a little time. And furthermore, it’s always a good thing to give out modest compliments to the interviewer.

Step 2: Describe the data, how it looks, is there any special noteworthy trend? In this case, we should point out that revenue actually grew by more than 50%.

Also notice here that I immediately quantified the difference in specific quantitative measurement (in this case, percentage). Saying revenue went up is good, but it’s great to be able to say revenue went up by more than 50%.

Step 3: Link the trend identified back to the original case question and the hypothesis you have. Does it prove, disprove, or open up new investigation to really test the hypothesis? In this case, this data piece actually opened up new investigating areas to test the hypothesis that the bottleneck is within revenue.

My sample pitch for this step 3 would sound like this: “It’s interesting that revenue went up quite a bit. However, to be able to fully reject our hypothesis on the revenue, I would like to compare our revenue to that of the competitors as well.”

Then only at this point, after going through 3 steps above, I ask for the competitors’ revenue like the candidate did.

Notice here that I ended up asking the same question the candidate did. This shows that the candidate does have a good intuition and thought process. It’s just that he did all of these implicitly on his head.

In consulting case interview, it’s always good to do everything as explicitly as possible. Not only is it easier to follow but it helps show your great thought process.

… the rest of the transcript is available in our End To End Case Interview

Learn the Secrets to Case Interview!

Join countless other successful candidates around the world with our Case Interview End-to-End Secrets Program ! 10 example cases with 100+ real-time feedbacks on tips and techniques, 50+ exercises on business intuition and 1300+ questions for math practice!

Scoring in the McKinsey PSG/Digital Assessment

The scoring mechanism in the McKinsey Digital Assessment

Related product

Thumbnail of Case Interview End-to-End Secrets Program

Case Interview End-to-End Secrets Program

Elevate your case interview skills with a well-rounded preparation package

Preparing for case interviews is a hard task when you only have 1 week, so the first part you need to learn during this time is fundamentals of case interview

Case interview in consulting is difficult with the passing rate is around 10%. This is because big consulting firms keep an extremely high recruitment standard

A case interview is where candidates is asked to solve a business problem. They are used by consulting firms to evaluate problem-solving skill & soft skills

Career in Consulting

case study in interview examples

280 Free Case Interview Examples

Do you want to get access to over 280 free case interview examples (with answers)?

If you have interviews planned at McKinsey ,  The Boston Consulting Group , or any other consulting firm, you are probably looking for case interview examples.

So, to help you prepare, I have compiled a list of 280 free case interview examples:

  • Over 30 free case interview examples (+ interview prep tips) from the websites of top consulting firms
  • More than 250 free case interview examples from top business school case books

Moreover, you’ll get  my take on which case studies you will likely have in interviews.

In short, the resources listed hereafter will be very helpful if you are starting out or have already made good progress in preparing for your case interviews.

One last word : check out this free case-cracking course to learn how to crack the most recent types of case questions consulting firms use in actual interviews.

Let’s get started!

Table of Contents

Get the latest data about salaries in consulting, mckinsey: tips and case interview examples.

McKinsey & Company’s website is definitely one of my favorites.

Because this gives so much insightful information about the role of a consultant and what the hiring process looks like.

Therefore, I highly recommend spending time on their website, even if you are not targeting McKinsey.

In the meantime, here are 8 McKinsey case interview examples

  • Electro-light
  • GlobaPharma
  • National Education
  • Talbot trucks
  • Shops corporation
  • Conservation forever

McKinsey hub

Check out the McKinsey Hub : A library of 20+ free resources that cover everything you need to secure a job offer at McKinsey.

Besides, here is another McKinsey case interview example.

This case interview question has been recently asked in a real interview:

𝘦𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘊𝘰, 𝘢 𝘑𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘶𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘷𝘦𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘴, 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘨𝘨𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘉2𝘉 𝘴𝘦𝘨𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘦𝘯𝘫𝘰𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘉2𝘊 𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦, 𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘩 𝘥𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘵. 𝘏𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳, 𝘦𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘊𝘰’𝘴 𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘶𝘮 𝘴𝘪𝘻𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘢𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘌𝘖 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘰𝘶𝘵.

How would you approach this business problem?

When ready, check this video below where I present how to approach this problem.

BCG: Tips And Case Interview Examples

The Boston Consulting Group website  states something very important: the goal of the hiring process is to get to know you better, which means, in the context of Consulting interviews, understanding how you solve problems .

Remember this: in case interviews,  to show how you think is MUCH MORE IMPORTANT than to find an answer to the case .

As a result, you will have case study questions to showcase your problem-solving skills. Likewise, fit interviews have the same purpose: to show what problems you faced and how you resolved them.

  • BCG interview prep tips
  • BCG’s interactive case tool
  • BCG case interview example: climate change challenge
  • BCG case interview example: GenCo
  • BCG case interview example: FoodCo

case study in interview examples

Check out the BCG Hub : A library of 20+ free resources that cover everything you need to secure a job offer at BCG.

Bain: Tips And Case Interview Examples

Bain & Company’s website highlights something very important: successful applicants manage to turn a case interview into a conversation between two consultants .

In other words, you don’t want to appear as a candidate but as a consultant !

To do this, you need to master the main problem-solving techniques that consulting firms want to see.

  • Bain interview prep tips here and here
  • Bain case interview examples: coffee , fashioco
  • Bain case interview sample videos: a first video , a second video

case study in interview examples

Check out the Bain Hub : A library of 20+ free resources that cover everything you need to secure a job offer at Bain & Company.

Deloitte: Tips And Case Interview Examples

As for the BCG’s section above, the Deloitte website clearly states that in case interviews , it is much more important to show how you think and interact with your interviewer than to find the right answer to the case.

  • Deloitte interview prep tips
  • Deloitte case interview examples: here (more than 15 case interview examples)
  • Deloitte case interview example: Federal Agency
  • Deloitte case interview example: Recreation Unlimited
  • Deloitte case interview example: Federal benefits Provider
  • Deloitte case interview example: Federal Civil Cargo protection Bureau

Get 4 Complete Case Interview Courses For Free

case study in interview examples

You need 4 skills to be successful in all case interviews: Case Structuring, Case Leadership, Case Analytics, and Communication. Join this free training and learn how to ace ANY case questions.

Oliver Wyman: Tips And Case Interview Examples

Like the Deloitte website, Oliver Wyman’s website points out that, above all,  you must demonstrate your ability to think in a structured, analytical, and creative way.

In other words, there are no right or wrong answers, but only showing how you solve problems matters.

  • Oliver Wyman interview prep tips
  • Oliver Wyman case interview examples: here (Aqualine) and here (Wumbleworld)

Kearney: Tips And Case Interview Examples

Now it’s time to tell you something you could have heard a hundred times.

Yet too many candidates do it.

Do NOT force your solution to adapt to a standard framework . As a result, this will only take you to a place you don’t want to go: the pool of rejected candidates .

To learn more about this, check the “What Not To Do” section on the AT Kearney website .

  • Kearney interview prep tips
  • Kearney case interview examples: here and here
  • Kearney case book: here

Strategy&: Interview Prep Tips

Strategy& doesn’t provide case study examples on its website, but it shares insights on career progression, which I recommend reading when you prepare for your fit interviews.

  • Strategy& interview prep tips

Roland Berger: Tips And Case Interview Examples

I like the examples of case studies presented on the Roland Berger website .

Because the two examples of case studies are very detailed and illustrate the kind of solutions your interviewers expect during case discussions.

  • Roland Berger interview prep tips
  • A first Roland Berger case interview example: part 1 and part 2
  • A second Roland Berger case interview example: part 1 and part 2

Alix Partners: Interview Prep Tips

Like Strategy&, Alix Partners doesn’t provide case study examples on its website.

However, they give an overview of what they are looking for: they want entrepreneurial, self-starter, and analytical candidates, which are skills that all consulting firms highly appreciate .

  • Alix Partners interview prep tips

OC&C: Interview Prep Tips

Here are two case study examples from OC&C:

  • Imported spirit
  • Leisure clubs

253 Case Studies From Business School Case Books

Most of these 253 case study examples are based on case interviews used by consulting firms in real job interviews .

As a result, you can have a good idea of the case study questions you can have when interviewing at these firms .

The Full List Of 253 Free Case Study Examples

  • Chicago business school
  • Australian Graduate School of Management
  • Columbia business school
  • Harvard business school
  • Wharton business school (2009)
  • Wharton busines school (2017)
  • Darden business school

Do you want to practice a specific type of case study? Now you can…

I have sorted this list of 253 case studies by type:  profitability, market expansion, industry analysis, pricing, investment or acquisition,  and guesstimates (also known as market sizing questions).

Full list of case study examples sorted by type

Bonus #1: Know The Types Of Cases You Are Likely To have During Your Interviews

  • Profitability cases (29% of cases from that list)
  • Investment cases (19% of cases from that list)
  • Market sizing questions (15% of cases from that list)

As a result, assuming you’ll have 6 interviews (and therefore 6 case interviews) during the recruitment process:

  • “Profitability cases are 29%”  means that chances to have 2 profitability case studies during your recruitment process are very high
  • “Investment cases are 19%”  means that chances to have 1 investment case study during your recruitment process are very high.
  • “ Guesstimates are 15%”  means that chances of having  1 market sizing question during your recruitment process are high.

Bonus #2: The 10 Cases I Recommend You Doing Now

Over 250 examples of case interviews are a great list, and you may not know where to start.

So, I’ve compiled a list of my 10 favorite case studies.

The 5 case studies I recommend doing if you are a BEGINNER

1. stern case book: drinks gone flat (starting at page 24).

This is a good introduction to a common type of case (declining sales here). I liked the solution presented for this case, particularly how it started by isolating declining sales (what range of products? Volumes or prices, or both?).

2. Stern case book: Sport bar (starting at page 46)

This is an investment case (should you invest in a new bar). Even if the solution presented in this case book is not MECE , it covers the most common quantitative questions you might have in such a case. I recommend doing this case.

3. Stern case book: MJ Wineries (starting at page 85)

This is a profitability case. I liked the solution presented in this case because it illustrates how specific good candidates should be. The case concerns wine, so a good candidate should mention the quality of lands and grapes as important factors.

4. AGSM case book: Piano tuners (starting at page 57)

This is a typical market sizing question. How to answer this type of question is a must-know before going to your interviews.

5. Darden case book: National Logistics (starting at page 49)

Again, this is a very common case (how to reduce costs). I liked the broad range of questions asked in this case, covering key skills assessed by consulting firms during case interviews: brainstorming skills (or creativity), quantitative skills, and business sense.

The 5 case studies I recommend if you are more ADVANCED in your preparation

1. stern: the pricing games (starting at page 55).

This case study asks you to help your client assess different business models. I liked this case because the range of issues to tackle is quite broad.

2. Wharton 2017: Engineer attrition at SLS Oil & Gas Services (starting at page 55)

I liked this case study because the case prompt is uncommon: your client has been facing a very high attrition rate among its population of Engineers. As a result, it’s very unlikely that your solution fits a well-known framework, and you’ll have to demonstrate your problem-solving skills by developing a specific solution.

3. Wharton 2017: Pharma Company Goes International, Outsources Benefits, Integrates New Technology (starting at page 95)

This case is about a client considering outsourcing a part of their activity. Even though I don’t know if this type of case study is very common, I had many case studies like this when I passed my interviews a few years ago. And I always found them difficult!

4. Insead: Gas retail case (starting at page 73)

The question in the problem statement is very broad, making this case difficult. So, only good candidates can have a structured case discussion here.

5. Darden: Fire Proof (starting at page 84)

This is a market entry case. Try to solve it by developing a structure as MECE as possible.

CareerInConsulting.com's Free Resources

Access my exclusive free training to help you prepare for your case interviews .

Besides, you can learn my step-by-step guide to answering market sizing questions .

You’ll get my formula to solve all market sizing questions.

Moreover, if you are a beginner, you can read my article on how to solve business cases (+ a 4-week prep plan to get case interview ready).

Also, check these 11 must-know frameworks to ace your case interviews.

Finally, you can read the articles in the blog section of my website.

That’s quite a list.

To complete this list, check this free case interview course , where you’ll find case questions recently asked in actual interviews.

Now, I’d like to hear from you.

Which key insights were new to you?

Or maybe I have missed something.

Either way, let me know by leaving a comment below.

SHARE THIS POST

3 thoughts on “280 Free Case Interview Examples”

Pingback: Market sizing questions: the definite guide (2020) - Career in Consulting

Pingback: Case interview prep: a guide for beginners - Career in Consulting

Pingback: What Does A Management Consultant Do? - Career in Consulting

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You need 4 skills to be successful in all case interviews: Case Structuring, Case Leadership, Case Analytics, and Communication. Enroll in our 4 free courses and discover the proven systems +300 candidates used to learn these 4 skills and land offers in consulting.

  • Skip to main content

Crafting Cases

Case Interview Examples: The 9 Best in 2024 (McKinsey, Bain, BCG, etc.)

February 7, 2024 By Julio Tarraf

Today I’m gonna show you a curated list of the 9 VERY BEST Case Interview Example videos from all around the web.

So you don’t have to go through the same pains I did back when I was preparing:

  • I watched TONS of videos on YouTube, but most of my time was WASTED because many weren’t helpful at all.
  • I couldn’t tell which cases were realistic and which were unrealistic, or which were hard and which were easy.
  • I couldn’t even tell whether each answer by the candidates was good enough to pass the interview or not (my best proxy was their confidence, which I later found was NOT a good proxy).

So that brings us to this article.

What's in for you:

Every hour you spend on the examples in this article is the equivalent of spending 3-5 hours browsing YouTube on your own, reading Case in Point, or going through piles of casebooks.

This article is the result of...

24 of those videos didn’t make it to the list: they were  a mix of poorly recorded, unrealistic and even   misleading .

I curated just the best so you wouldn’t have to waste your own 20+ hours to find them.

Table of contents:

  • #1. Playworks market entry  [Best for beginners]
  • #2. Agricultural chemicals product launch [Advanced candidates only]
  • #3. A+ Airlines’ reaction to competitor’s change
  • #4. Auto manufacturer profitability decrease  [Best profitability case]

#5. Swift fox population decrease

  • #6. Bed and Bath e-commerce acquisition  [Best for solo practice]

#7. FlashFash acquires LaMode

#8. medical supplies manufacturer demand decrease.

  • #9. Pepsi’s LA bottling plant
  • #10. 1930’s gangster growth strategy

#1. Playworks market entry

  • Easy case, with one Estimation, one Quantitative Analysis, and one Chart Interpretation questions within. Overall, good to practice and to get a feel for case interview dynamics
  • You can’t see the Exhibit the candidate is shown, but you can find it in this link provided by Yale SOM Consulting Club  (go to page 9)

CANDIDATE’S PERFORMANCE

  • Stellar framework, touching on all relevant issues and showing a plan to solve the problem from beginning to end
  • Great job performing a spontaneous reality check to his estimation
  • I would expect more reasoning behind some of the key assumptions (# of high schools and colleges in the US). He was, however, close to the real values – his background as a teacher could have played a role, but as an interviewer I would still have needed to see his reasoning behind those numbers
  • Big mistake inadvertently converting square yards to square feet (~10x difference in final answer) combined with math confusion within the Estimation and inefficiencies in Analysis: his analytical skills would have to be tested more thoroughly in a third interview or in a next round

The next case is mostly useful for its framework question.

It’s a high-quality, nuanced case question, similar to the ones you’ll get in McKinsey, Bain and BCG interviews.

The problem with this case is…

It requires either a well-structured answer or a ton of business sense, and the candidate solving it had neither.

As a result, he missed so many great insights, which made the video poor where it could have been rich for those who are practicing: business insight.

To spice up your practice, I’ll list those insights after the video under a spoiler alert, so you can add them to your own business sense library.

Given all of this, I would recommend this video for advanced candidates only .

(To understand what elements a perfect answer would need and how to create one for any case, check out our free course, Case Interview Fundamentals.)

#2. Agricultural chemicals product launch

Product launch

Candidate-led

  • Tough case. Full of nuance, and suitable for an MBB first-round (perhaps even for a final-round).
  • The analysis at  26:15  is a tough one, great practice for advanced students looking to improve their quantitative skills. Don’t forget that  you need to provide an insight after getting to the numerical answer.
  • Right from the start, you can see that you’d need to (1) size the financial benefits orchards would get from using your product and (2) run viability and pricing analyses. The candidate fails to see this until the interviewer suggests it.
  • The candidate missed several other important insights which would have been impressive. Can you spot any? Read them below, under the spoiler alert.

As I said, I’ll quickly go over the insights this candidate missed, as I think they could greatly add to your business sense library.

1) The one and most important is the pricing and viability analysis.

  • One of the first questions that need to be answered when solving this case is, “what’s the size of the financial benefits of this product to the buyer, how much can we capture of it, and does it covers the manufacturing and distribution costs?”.
  • The reason is simple: this analysis can be run entirely on data we most likely have (from research while developing the product), and it will quickly tell us if the product isn’t viable or if we need a strategy pivot.
  • When guided, the candidate eventually runs this analysis, but the fact that this isn’t even explicit in his initial structure is still a red flag.
  • Here’s what I would expect from a top-2% candidate. This analysis should have been outlined in the initial structure, along with a quick brainstorming of how this product might bring increased profits for the buyer.

2) There are several other potential sources of increased ROI that the launch of this product could yield that he didn’t even consider:

  • Cross-selling opportunities to these same clients, once we’re selling Mango Maker to them.
  • The possibility of selling this product in several other countries (thus potentially decreasing the costs of production with scale gains.)
  • The possibility of selling this product to producers of other tropical fruits (to his credit, he did mention this when pressed, by the end of the video).
  • The possibility of acting towards increasing the patent duration.
  • The possibility of having some cash flow from the product after the patent expires.

The key to getting to those insights would have been to build a more robust initial framework. More business sense would help for sure, but  structuring techniques  are more feasible to practice and develop.

Lastly: the interviewer says, by the end of the video, that the interviewer would pass his first-round MBB interview with this performance. I do not agree with her.

While it is possible that his interviewers would pass him and let partners decide whether or not he’s suitable for the firm, the risk is just too high.

Some interviewers might pass him, but many others definitely would not.

Before we move on…

Did you know there are ONLY 6 types of questions an interviewer will ask you in a case?

Join our FREE 7-day case interview course to…

  • Learn what these six types of questions are…
  • Get step-by-step approaches to answering them…
  • And get several in-depth examples taylored for solo practice.

Now to the next video…

Yale SOM Consulting Club and Elaine Dang deserve congratulations on the two videos they made.

It’s super high quality work. 

Both of their video examples are similar to real case interviews in format and content, and they’re even superior to some made by case interview prep websites.

#3. A+ Airlines' reaction to competitor's change

  • Questions and difficulty realistic for McKinsey, Bain, or BCG
  • A real case might have more Brainstorming questions within the case
  • Negative: you can’t se the exhibits the candidate is shown
  • Great: all of her answers were backed by at least one layer of structure
  • Insights provided after calculating every new number, which is super important  (learn more)
  • She did a good job keeping the interviewer on board by doing her math out loud at all times
  • One thing she could’ve done better was to not constantly come back to the “cash tied up in the cash box” idea – she should’ve tested it once and definitively as to whether that is relevant or not (it isn’t) – a partner would have certainly challenged her on that

Featuring next: me reviewing my own video from a neutral point of view.

Yes, I know that can’t possibly be unbiased.

But here’s why I think this video will get you ahead of other candidates and why you should ABSOLUTELY NOT miss out on this :

  • The case comes nearly straight from my own Bain final round.
  • My question in the end is difficult (even for McKinsey, Bain or BCG’s standards), and Bruno’s answer is impressive.
  • Bruno’s solution is not perfect, and this gives us both an opportunity to openly discuss how it could’ve been better by the end.

#4. Auto manufacturer profitability decrease

  • Average-difficulty profitability case in the first half, and a difficult question at 15:44
  • Full realistic drill-down to find the real root cause of the problem, which is a common thing in case interviews that you’ll only find in this video
  • Bruno should have presented his answer as a plan before diving into the profit tree , which is an advanced skill that makes you sound more like a consultant and less like a candidate
  • Efficient and organized drill-down in the profit tree, a must-master habit for all candidates
  • Super insightful answer to the second question because it shows second-order level thinking

If you’re mainly looking to improve your performance in profitability cases, there are two pieces of content worth checking out:

  • This video: 5 Tactics To Stand Out In Your Profitability Case Interviews
  • And this article, the state-of-the-art in profitability trees: Profitability Trees: The Complete Guide

What I love about the next case is that the first question is on diagnosing a client’s issue, but it’s not a profitability case.

It’s actually a public sector case!

Most beginners think you only use issue trees and drill-down analysis when solving a profit problem, but as you’ll see in this case, this is not true at all.

The candidate’s answer is good, so you can compare your own answer to his.

  • This is a difficult, realistic diagnostics case, great for advanced candidates to step up their practice with hard cases
  • You are not shown a critical exhibit the candidate gets in the middle of the case, making it unsuitable for practice from then on
  • The candidate’s initial structure is insightful because it breaks down the population problem into its key drivers
  • The insights the candidate provided on the exhibits are spot-on, but I would expect next-steps after the conclusions (e.g. after 10:33 , he could have said  “And to figure out whether this really is the cause of the population decrease, the next thing I would do is…” )
  • But he doesn’t make the same mistake twice – at 23:20 , he gets to a number the interviewer asked and, this time, he leads the case perfectly: he comes up with a conclusion (the insight), and then proactively leads the case with next steps

The next video is THE SINGLE BEST in this list for solo practice.

You will see Bruno’s reaction to challenges most people only face in their actual interviews. Mock interviews hardly prepare you for this at all:

  • How should you react when an interviewer asks you for more ideas after you’ve given everything you have?
  • What do you do when your interviewer asks for a recommendation having given you nearly no data?

Go ahead and see for yourself.

(And how would a real candidate do in this case? I interviewed a candidate with this very same case and recorded it so you could see for yourself. )

#6. Bed and Bath e-commerce acquisition

  • Pay special attention to how I made spontaneous challenges to Bruno after his answers. Most mock interviews, even with consultants, don’t have that. So candidates end up getting surprised by them in their actual interviews. You might even want to show this to your peers so they’ll do more realistic mock interviews with you
  • In 9:00 I challenge Bruno to see if he’s sure whether customer loyalty was good (higher customer lifetime value) or bad (harder to increase market share) for the acquisition
  • In 16:22 I challenge Bruno to find even more ideas other than the ones he had already given
  • Due to being interviewer-led AND having great benchmark answers, this is the best video in this list for solo practice
  • Super structured brainstorming, which showed me he would not leave any important area behind and helped him give me a ton of creative, insightful ideas
  • Insightful framework answer (e.g., 99% of candidates would not talk about whether running this business would be attractive to the friend, much less in depth like he did)

The next case is one of the unmissable videos in this list for two main reasons.

Number one, the candidate’s answers are great, good enough to be benchmarks to your own.

Number two, it’s a difficult M&A case (which is not as exciting as watching the last Avengers movie, I get, but still…).

  • Realistic, challenging interviewer-led case for McKinsey, Bain and even BCG (as some interviewers there have been doing this type of case recently)
  • Quality answers make it great for solo practice
  • Insightful, well-built framework, definitely a benchmark
  • Notice how the candidate shows his structure for the quantitative analysis before diving into the math – that’s a great habit you definitely want to copy

I chose this next video mostly due to the quality of the initial case question. Here’s why.

Most profitability cases in casebooks are simple: “industry Y, profits fell. Why?”

But the truth is, in real MBB interviews, the case question almost always has more nuance than that.

That’s what this next video’s initial case question shows.

Just a quick heads up: I would not pass this candidate, as I wasn’t a fan of his initial structure nor of his business sense in general. Your initial structure should be more robust than his.

Profitability

Below average

  • The nuances of the case question make it a realistic one for MBB first-round interviews.
  • This case could be way more interesting and insightful if the candidate had followed a different path, like finding different sources of revenue, different segments they could cater to at a higher price point, or new markets they could enter with the resources they have.
  • Your answers to the initial case question and to all the other brainstormings in the case could (and should, if you’re aiming for the moon) be 5X more robust than this candidate’s. Don’t base your answers off his.  (Learn how to create robust brainstorming structures here.)  
  • The analysis he performs is good, structure and communication-wise.
  • Great insight that buyers’ price sensitivity would be driven by the switching costs if there were any ( 19:30 ) 

The next video shows an operations case example.

It’s a wonderful use of process structures to diagnose an issue on production line.

I don’t really like its style for practicing for two main reasons.

First, it just doesn’t have the right tempo for you to pause and practice and then compare answers. 

Second, the comments in the middle break the flow.

Nothing wrong with those comments. They’re actually helpful.

The problem is they make this video good for learning a few new concepts, watching a good structure put to use, but not really to practice by yourself.

If you’re an advanced candidate and your practice is up to date and you’re  just looking to learn something new, jump right in.

#9. Pepsi's LA bottling plant

  • Only one person playing the interviewer’s and the candidate’s roles, which doesn’t give you an idea of how the case would flow
  • Difficult case, great case for advanced candidates to increase their experience/library
  • Not really tailored for you to pause and solve at each moment, doesn’t have a good tempo for that
  • “Candidate’s” structure at 5:34 is a great example of a process structure put to use in diagnostics cases
  • Super insightful brainstorming at 14:50 , with at least one idea you most likely wouldn’t think of

Want to learn to solve cases like the best interviewees in these videos?

Here’s the deal: you can watch as many of these great videos as you want, but they will only help you up to a point.

They’ll help you understand what a case interview is like…

And if you try to answer the questions as you watch them, these videos will even help you get some practice…

But examples of case interviews will never teach you HOW to do cases well.

And if you want to be outstanding at solving cases so that firms like McKinsey, Bain, or BCG are begging you to accept their offers, we have something for you!

We’ve created a free course that will teach you EXACTLY HOW to answer the 6 (and only six!) types of questions you will find in ANY case interview.

(You can even go back to ALL the questions asked within the 9 examples of this article… You’ll see that each of them can be answered using one of the six techniques.)

Just click the button below to get exclusive access:

Join the FREE course now!

Now, you might be asking yourself: is this even worth my time?

I get that! There’s so much content out there, and so little time to practice.

Well, here’s the kind of e-mail we get from candidates all the time… It speaks for itself:

case study in interview examples

Bonus video!

In the beginning of this article, I told you there’d be a video by the end that didn’t make it to the list.

It’s  not that good to make it to a “best of” list. 

Still, I want to add it as a bonus, as it will add value to you in its own way.

#10. 1930's gangster growth strategy

But first, a word of warning... .

This video has a comment that could be misleading. Do NOT watch it without reading the comments.

Sometimes the greatest lessons come from mistakes. This is one of those times.

There’s a comment in the video in which the interviewer suggests that a necessary step in every case is “getting to” a chart.

This gives candidates two false impressions:

False Impression #1) There is a chart in every case, and your goal as a candidate it to “get to it”.

False Impression #2) If your interviewer has given you all the charts they had, you’ve done a good job!

Your goal as a consultant is to find the relevant hypotheses to solve the problem in a structured way and to test them with data.

If you do that, you will have done a great job, and your interviewer may or may not have given you a chart along the way.

This is true for interviews and the consulting job alike!

  • Interesting case, as it’s a growth strategy in an unusual “industry”
  • It is one of the few cases available online that let you practice Chart Interpretation questions, a common type at McKinsey, Bain and BCG
  • Unfortunately, it gives the impression that “getting to all the charts” is the overarching goal of solving a case
  • In the first Chart Interpretation question, the candidate missed a critical insight: that they already have 100% market share in all markets.  While the interviewer downplays it , it was a big foul that would be hard to recover from in a real interview
  • The candidate provided insight after reading each exhibit – good job. However, he’d never proactively give clear next steps, which is what a well-prepared candidate would do
  • If you’re practicing by yourself, remember not to use this candidate’s answers as a quality benchmark

I hope this article was helpful to you 🙂

If it was, I think you’ll also enjoy our free course.  Check it out for yourself by clicking here .

28 Case Interview Examples for Consulting Interview Prep (2024)

  • Last Updated January, 2024

Rebecca Smith-Allen

Former McKinsey Engagement Manager

How to Use Case Interview Examples

Video Case Interview Example: Questions & Answers

Tips for Acing Your Case

Free Case Interview Examples (Consulting Firms)

Free Case Interview Examples (Consulting Clubs)

Practice is the key to passing your consulting interviews. To practice, you’ll need some examples of case interview questions and answers to work with.

We’ve got links to loads of them below.

In addition, we have:

  • Tips on how to use case interview examples to prepare for your consulting interviews,
  • A video case interview example with My Consulting Offer founder Davis Nguyen, and
  • Insight into the difference between average and exceptional answers to case interview questions.

Get ready to dive deep into structuring your analysis of business problems, identifying the key issues, and recommending solutions!

Keep reading to find out how to use case interview examples to ace your case.

How to Use Case Interview Examples to Ace Your Case

1. start your case interview preparation early..

You’ll need to practice dozens of case interview examples to get good enough to receive an offer from one of the top consulting firms. This is not something you can cram the night before an interview.

Start as soon as possible.

2. Don’t Read Straight through Sample Case Interview Examples or Passively Watch Videos.

Some people think that the best way to improve their chances of passing a case interview is by reading as many cases interview examples as they can.

This is like reading about how to play tennis but never picking up a racket. To get better at tennis, for example, you need to actually pick up a ball and be active. The same applies to your interview preparation.

Stop and think at each step in the case interview question. Come up with your own answer and say it out loud. Practice driving each part of the case interview example yourself.

  • How would you structure your analysis of the problem?
  • What questions would you ask the interviewer?
  • How would you set up the case math problem?
  • What recommendation would you make to the client?

After you’ve developed your answer, compare it to the suggested answer for the case.

What did you get right?

How did your answer and the case interview example answer differ?

Are there things you miss consistently across multiple case interview examples?

The answers to these  case interview examples can look simple when you just read through them, but it’s not easy to come up with all the key aspects of the solution on your own.

Nail the case & fit interview with strategies from former MBB Interviewers that have helped 89.6% of our clients pass the case interview.

3. Find Partners to Practice Case Interviews with.

Teamwork is an important part of consulting work, so get ready for it now. Find a case interview practice partner, preferably someone else who’s applying to jobs in the management consulting industry because they’ll know more about what recruiters are looking for.

Practicing cases with a partner provides the opportunity to get feedback from someone else on what you’re doing well and what you need to improve. Additionally, you’ll learn a lot by watching how your partner solves sample case studies.

Look for aspects of their approach that are effective as well as what they could do better. Working with a partner will make your consulting interview practice feel more real.

Similar to how you need a tennis partner to feel what is like to play tennis, you need a case partner to experience what a case interview is like.

4. Master the 4 Parts of the Case Interview.

In our article on Case Interview Prep , we discussed the 4 parts of the case interview: the opening, structure, analysis, and conclusion. As you practice with consulting case interview examples, practice each of these 4 parts to ensure you’re strong at them all.

5. Avoid Case Burnout.

A case zombie is someone who’s grown tired of casing from doing too much of it. Their answers feel rehearsed, not conversational. 

They may seem bored, not engaged in solving the problem. They’ll be less creative in their solutions. They certainly won’t pass the airport test!

Avoid becoming a case zombie by practicing smarter, not harder.

Video: Case Interview Examples – Questions & Answers

In the following case interview example, Davis Nguyen, founder of My Consulting Offer solves McKinsey’s SuperSoda case.  The video is broken into 4 parts of the case interview.

Remember, don’t just watch the video. Stop the video and provide your own answer before listening to Davis’s  answer to the case question.

Step 1: Case Interview Example Opening – Ensure you understand the client and the problem you’ll be solving in the case.

Step 2: case interview example structure – break the problem down into smaller parts. make sure you cover all key case issues., step 3: case interview example analysis – ask questions, gathering information from graphs and charts provided by the interviewer, do case math, and provide insight into the client’s business problem based on what you learn., step 4: case interview example recommendation – develop a rational recommendation for the client based on all you’ve learned throughout the case interview., tips for acing your consulting case interviews – the difference between average & exceptional, case interview opening.

The opening is a great point to ask “dumb” questions because, at this point, you’re not expected to know much about the client and their business. 

Here your goal is to understand the client, their business, and what a successful project will look like.

Don’t shy away from asking for clarification on things that will help you better understand the business problem and solve it. For example, if you don’t know how life insurance works and the case is about life insurance, then ask.

After ensuring you understand the client and their problem, the next thing to ask about is key metrics of success. 

For example, the client may want to find new avenues for growth. Are they looking for a 5% increase in revenue or to double their business?

Finding out what success looks like in the client’s eyes will ensure you work to deliver a solution that meets their expectations, not one that’s underwhelming.

After you find out what success looks like, ask further probing questions to better understand the client, their business, and any constraints on solving the case.

Examples of Relevant Questions to ask Your Interviewer 

Examples of relevant questions about the client might include the geography they operate in or the sector of their industry they are strongest in. 

Examples of relevant questions about their business might include what products or services are most profitable or most important to their customers. 

Examples of relevant questions about the problem might include whether there are any costs that can’t be cut or what the maximum amount the client is able to invest in developing a new product. 

Asking these types of questions up front will give you a better context for solving the client’s problem and make it more likely that you will solve the case interview.

Case Interview Structure

You’ll need a framework to make sure your analysis covers all key aspects of the consulting case. 

You can use one of the many standard Case Interview Frameworks we’ve outlined , but top interviewees develop their own framework for analyzing the case interview question. 

Their frameworks may include pieces of one or more of the standard frameworks but are tailored to the particular business problem they’re discussing. 

Good frameworks are hypothesis-driven, that is to say they can be tested similar to the science experiment, so that the answer is either a “yes” or “no.” For example, examining your bank account to see, “if I have $400 for a ticket” is an example.

Second, good frameworks cover all topics relevant to the answer. For example, if the client is opening up a new hotel in a foreign country, checking out the existing competition should be part of the framework.

As you study more about interactive case interviews and practice them you’ll develop a sense for what factors are relevant or not relevant to the case at hand.

Finally, a good structure will be  MECE  or mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive.

This means the framework will break down the market or population being analyzed into segments that include every part of the whole (collectively exhaustive), and each segment of the market or member of the population will show up in one and only one category without overlap (mutually exclusive). 

For example, if you divide the target market for a retail product into segments by age, these segments would be MECE:

  •  10-19,
  • 40-49, etc.

The categories 15-25, 20-30, 27-35 would not be MECE because people could be counted twice. 

Case Interview Analysis

In the analysis phase of your case interview example, you’ll ask questions to get the information you need to solve the client’s business problem. Your questions will likely lead you to one of the 4 types of analysis that are common in consulting interviews: market sizing, brainstorming, quantitative reasoning (case math), or reading exhibits. 

No matter which of these types of analysis comes up, there’s a 4-step method that ensures you can crack the case. 

This 4-step method is:

  • Ask for data,
  •  Interpret the data,
  •  Provide insight, and 
  • Outline next steps. 

The data you ask for will depend on the case interview question you’re solving. For example, if the question is about profitability, you’ll need to know about the client’s finances: dig into revenues and costs. 

For example, if you find that the client’s revenues are flat while their costs have been rising, you’ll know that the problem is in the cost structure and that you’ll need to examine costs more closely.

Next, provide insight. As you examine costs further, you’ll find out why they’ve grown faster than revenues. 

This insight will naturally lead to the next steps. What does the client need to do to get costs under control and fix their profitability problem? 

You may need to go through this 4-step method a couple of times, focusing on different aspects of the client’s business problem. 

Once you’ve examined and developed insight into all key aspects of the problem, your next step will be to conclude the interview with a recommendation for the client.

Case Interview Conclusion

At this point, you’ve hopefully cracked the case and are ready to present your recommendations to the client (your interviewer). 

The best way to do this is to use the 5R approach:

  • Recap – restate the business problem you’ve analyzed. In consulting this is done because a CEO might have hired 5 McKinsey teams and can’t remember which one you are on. 
  • Recommendations – Provide the solution your analysis led to. We lead with the recommendation because it is the most important piece of information. Stating it first and clearly puts everyone on the same page.
  • Reasons – Summarize the key facts and insights that lead you to your recommendations. 
  • Risks – Outline any risks the client should be aware of as they implement your recommendations. No recommendation has a 100% probability of success. Clients need to be aware of business risks in the same way patients need to understand the side effects of drugs.
  • Retaining the client – Provide next steps for how you can help the client ensure success. As consultants, we are paid for helping our clients. If there is a natural extension of the work as the client implements the team’s recommendations, we should tell them how we can provide further assistance (and ultimately make money for your firm). 

While most candidates will address their recommendations and possibly the reasons for their recommendations, few will hit all these points. 

In particular, outlining risks and further ways you can help the client will differentiate you from other candidates and help you to advance  to the second round of interviews or get the offer.

Free Online Case Interview Examples from 7 Top Consulting Firms

Now that you’re familiar with how you should use case interview examples and what differentiates an average answer from an exceptional one, you need sample questions to practice with.

Below, we provide links to dozens to help you hone your business problem-solving skills.

1. McKinsey Case Interview Examples

Disconsa – Help a not-for-profit develop better financial-service offerings for remote Mexican communities.

Electro-Light – Help a beverage manufacturer prepare for a new product launch.

GlobalPharm – Help a pharmaceutical industry client manage with its merger and acquisitions strategy.

Transforming a National Education System – Help a country’s education ministry develop a new strategy for educating the country’s children. 

2. BCG Case Interview Examples

Climate Challenge – Help a global consumer goods company reduce its environmental impact.

Driving Revenue Growth at a Healthcare Company – Help a medical devices and services company to increase revenues following an acquisition. (The same one that is highlighted above in our example)

3. Bain Case Interview Examples

Coffee Shop Co. – Help a friend decide whether they should open a coffee shop.

F ashionCo. – Help a fashion company understand why its revenues have been going down.

Private Equitas – Help a private equity company maximize its investment in a portfolio company.

4. Deloitte Case Interview Examples

Footloose  – Help a footwear company improve their market share in the boots category.

Recreation Unlimited – Help a global apparel and sportswear company improve its digital customer experience and its revenue.

Agency V – Help a large federal agency recover from a front-page scandal that sparked investigations and congressional hearings.

Federal Benefits Provider – Help a federal agency that provides benefits to millions of U.S. citizens prepare for a major expansion of its mandate.

5. AT Kearney Case Interview Examples

Promotion Planning – Help a national grocery and drug store chain improve its product promotion strategy.

6. PWC Case Interview Examples

Modernizing a Hotel’s Loyalty Platform – Help simplify and modernize the platform, providing customers with immediate access to their data.

Green Energy – Help an energy company transition to net zero greenhouse gas emissions.

Nonprofit Impact – Help a community organization respond to client needs during the pandemic.

Love at First Byte – Help a data management client comply with new regulations.

Prioritizing Ethics and Integrity – Help a software company leverage data analytics to comply with regulations.

7. Accenture Case Interview Examples

Sustainability – Help drive sustainability for an auto manufacturer.

IT integration strategy – Driving merger integration by linking technology systems.

We have more on how to Accenture Case Interviews in our article.

8. Capital One Case Interview Examples

Ice Cream Corporation – Help the president of Ice Cream Corporation grow profits.

9. Oliver Wyman Case Interview Examples

Wumbleworld – Help a China-based theme park operator identify the reasons for declining profits and develop options for reversing the trend.

Aqualine – Help a manufacturer of small power boats determine why its sales growth has slowed and identify opportunities to boost sales.

10. LEK Case Interview Examples

Theater chain – Help a large theater chain identify revenue growth opportunities.

Free Online Case Interview Examples from Consulting Clubs

Need more case interview examples? Here are links to MBA case books compiled by INSEAD, Harvard, Wharton, Darden, and several other business schools.

Recent Consulting Case Interview Examples

  • Darden School Of Business 2021-2022 Casebook
  • NYU Stern MCA 2020-2021 Casebook
  • The Duke MBA Consulting Club Casebook 2021-2022
  • Notre Dame Casebook 2022
  • Kellogg Consulting Club 2020 Casebook
  • FMS Consulting Casebook 2021-22
  • INSEAD Consulting Club Casebook 2021
  • IIMC Consulting Casebook 2021-22
  • UCLA Case Book 2019 – 2020
  • Columbia Business School 2021 Casebook
  • IIM Lucknow Casebook 2022
  • Cornell MBA Johnson Consulting Club Casebook 2020-2021
  • Darden School Of Business 2020-2021 Casebook

Older Consulting Case Interview Examples

  • 2019 Berkeley Haas School of Business Consulting Club Interview Preparation Guide and Case Interview Examples
  • The Duke MBA Consulting Club Casebook 2018-2019
  • 2017-2018 McCombs University of Texas at Austin Consulting Case Interview Examples
  • Columbia Business School Management Consulting Association Case Interview Examples 2017
  • Duke Fuqua School of Business MBA Consulting Case Interview Examples 2016-2017
  • NYU Stern MBA MCA Case Interview Examples: 2017
  • UCLA Anderson School of Management Consulting Association Case Interview Examples 2015-2015
  • Darden Consulting Club Case Interview Examples: 2014-2015
  • Yale Life Sciences Consulting Case Interview Examples 2014
  • ESADE MBA Consulting Club Case Interview Examples 2014
  • Darden Consulting Case Interview Examples: 2012-2013 Edition
  • Kellogg Consulting Club Case Interview Examples and Interview Guide: 2012 Edition

Even More Consulting Case Interview Examples

  • The Cornell Consulting Club Interview Interview Examples
  • Harvard Business School Management Consulting Club Case Interview Examples
  • The MIT Sloan School of Management Consulting Club Case Interview Examples and Interview Guide – October 2001
  • The Berkeley MBA Haas Consulting Club 2006 Case Interview Examples
  • London Business School – The 2006 Consulting Club Case Interview Examples 
  • Columbia Business School Management Consulting Association Case Interview Examples – 2006
  • Torch the Case – The NYU Stern Consulting Case Interview Examples – 2007 edition 
  • Michigan – the Ross School of Business Consulting Club 2010 Case Interview Examples
  • Wharton Case Interview Examples by the Wharton Consulting Club – December 2010
  • The Duke MBA Consulting Club Case Interview Examples – 2010-2011
  • Case Interview Examples by the ESADE MBA Consulting Club 2011  
  • INSEAD Consulting Club Handbook and Case Interview Examples – 2011

Still have questions?

If you still have questions on case interview examples, leave them in the comments below. We’ll ask our My Consulting Offer coaches and get back to you with answers.

We have tons of other articles to help you get an offer from one of the top consulting firms. Check out our pages on:

  • Case Interview Math
  • Case Interview Types
  • Case Interview Formulas
  • Market Sizing Questions

Help with Case Study Interview Preparation

Thanks for turning to My Consulting Offer for advice on case study interview prep. My Consulting Offer has helped almost 89.6% of the people we’ve worked with get a job with top management consulting like Bain, BCG and McKinsey .  For example, here is how Conor was able to get his BCG offer after previously failing.

If you want a step-by-step solution to land more offers from consulting firms, then  grab the free video training series below.  It’s been created by former Bain, BCG, and McKinsey Consultants, Managers and Recruiters.

It contains the EXACT solution used by over 700 of our clients to land offers.

The best part?

It’s absolutely free. Just put your name and email address in and you’ll have instant access to the training series.

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

© My CONSULTING Offer

3 Top Strategies to Master the Case Interview in Under a Week

We are sharing our powerful strategies to pass the case interview even if you have no business background, zero casing experience, or only have a week to prepare.

No thanks, I don't want free strategies to get into consulting.

We are excited to invite you to the online event., where should we send you the calendar invite and login information.

case study in interview examples

The Ultimate Guide to the Consulting Case Interview – With Examples

This guide, written by a former McKinsey consultant and Wharton MBA, breaks down the management consulting case interview into comprehensible parts with relevant, realistic examples at every turn.

Tracy V.

By  Tracy V.

Posted March 12, 2024

case study in interview examples

Table of Contents

While the consulting case study interview may seem daunting at first, most cases follow a typical song-and-dance. Once you get a hang of it, prepping feels much more manageable. The first part of this guide will give a broad overview of the case interview. The second part will break out the typical structure of an interviewee-led case. The last part will dive into each component, with tips and suggestions for preparing. Note that some firms may have their own specific case interview style. Be sure to familiarize yourself with your target firms’ interview processes before the time comes to recruit.

Case interviews involve tackling a business issue or problem faced by a company (the client). These interviews allow consulting firms to gauge candidates’ ability to perform the job. Specifically, firms are testing whether candidates can:

  • Think in a structured and creative way
  • Analyze and interpret new information
  • Communicate persuasively and succinctly

Most firms conduct interviewee-led cases, as outlined in the guide below. In these cases, the candidate is expected to drive the case forward by asking the interviewer for data or information relevant to forming the recommendation. A few firms, most notably McKinsey, are interviewer-led, meaning that the interviewer will be the one guiding the discussion.

Below are a few common types of cases that you can expect to receive. Some cases can be several types all in one (lucky you!):

  • Profitability - Determine cause for profit decline and / or ideas for increasing profit; you will rarely get a standalone profitability case – It will usually be rolled up in another case type
  • Growth - consider strategies for company growth; could be through sales or market share
  • Market Entry / New Business - Assess attractiveness of entering new geography / business / sector and method for entering
  • Due Diligence / M&A - Assess attractiveness of purchasing / acquiring a company or business; client can be another company or a financial sponsor
  • Competitive Response - Address a competitor’s recent action (e.g., new acquisition, change in pricing strategy)
  • Non-Traditional - Similar to the other cases but the client (non-profit, NGO, education-focused entity) has different objectives than a typical corporate company

Case Interview Components

  • Prompt: Interviewer reads aloud the case while the interviewee takes notes
  • Recap: Interviewee provides a high-level summary of the case and confirms accuracy of information written
  • Clarifying Questions: Interviewee asks 2-3 high-level questions
  • Structuring (<2 minutes): Interviewee takes a few minutes create a roadmap for approaching the case
  • Framework Presentation (2-3 minutes): Interviewee reviews the structure with the interviewer, who may have follow-up questions. Interviewee then moves the case forward by asking for additional information
  • Brainstorming: Interviewee is expected to list out several solutions or ideas (e.g., cost drivers for an industry, ways to increase sales)
  • Exhibits: Interviewee will be given data in forms such as graphs or charts and expected to provide high-level insights
  • Math: Interviewee will be asked to perform a calculation with the new information or using data from the exhibits. Oftentimes, interviewee is not given enough information and must ask for the relevant data
  • Synthesis and Recommendation (2-3 minutes) : Interviewee provides the answer first, then supporting facts from the case, and finally risks and next steps

Setup (2-3 minutes)

Prompt : The interviewer may be giving you A LOT of information - don’t write down everything verbatim. Jot down facts and figures, the client name, and the objective(s). If you miss something or don’t remember what a number means, you can ask after your recap.

  • Prep: Have a friend read you several different case interview prompts and practice taking down notes. Create your own shorthand and learn how to recognize extraneous pieces of information

Recap : I always reference the client by name and start my recap with the objective(s) first, since this is the most important part of the case. The recap should be summarized, not verbatim, and you should be checking that the figures you wrote down are correct.

  • Prep: Practice summarizing your notes out loud instead of repeating the case verbatim. Time yourself to make sure it’s <1 minute.

Clarifying Questions : Very detailed questions should be saved for the case. Clarifying questions are meant to help you with your structure or alleviate any confusion. Keep these at 2-3 questions. I usually ask questions pertaining to:

  • Language/terminology - The interviewer won’t expect you to know the nuances of every industry or practice area. It is better you start off the case on the right footing by asking for clarifying definitions
  • Goals/objectives - I always ask if there are other goals the company has in mind and, if relevant, specific financial targets or timeframe. Sometimes, the objective given is vague, so I will ask the interviewer to be more specific.
  • Business model or geography - Very helpful for cases in niche industries; understanding geography can also prompt you to think about factors like labor cost or global competition
  • Scope - To save you time from considering every possibility, you can ask whether the company is leaning towards one option or excluding a set of options completely
  • Prep: Have a friend read you case prompts and then practice asking 2-3 clarifying questions on the fly. Try to think of them as you’re taking down notes and giving the recap. Are they helping you with your structuring or are you asking the first thing that pops into your head? Are they broad enough or overly detailed? Are there types of questions you should be asking but keep forgetting?

case study in interview examples

Framework (4-5 minutes)

Structuring (<2 minutes) : Do not use the word “framework” during the interview. I ask if I could have time to “gather my thoughts” when I am structuring. In your structure, you should have at least three but no more than five “buckets.” These are areas that you want to explore in order to solve the case. In each bucket, there should be at least three sub-bullets. Make sure there is no overlap between the buckets.

  • Prep: Time yourself structuring your roadmaps. Be comfortable with recalling the different buckets you should be considering for each type of case and brainstorming sub-bullets for those buckets. It’s okay to go over two minutes when you first start, but as you get comfortable, make sure you are becoming more efficient. For example, as you become more familiar with the buckets, you don’t need to write down every example for the sub-bullets, they will become muscle memory as you recite them out loud. Review the suggested frameworks for the case and take note of whether there are vital topics you keep forgetting or whether there are unnecessary buckets you keep adding. There is no one “right” answer, but your roadmap should enable you to uncover the necessary information to make your recommendation.

Presenting: Introduce the high-level buckets first before diving into each one. You will want to “customize” your framework to the specific case you’re working on. This does not mean creating a custom framework for every single case. You can use the same topics for similar types of cases (but ensure that those topics are relevant - some cases sneakily rule out an entire topic to see if you are paying attention), but you need to make sure that you are using case-specific language and examples when you present. This shows that you are thinking about the specific problem, not just recycling a generic framework. After going through the structure, pause and ask if the interviewer has any questions. Then, give your hypothesis and state which bucket you want to start with by asking for data pertaining to that bucket and why you want it.

  • Prep: Present your structures out loud and note whether you are rambling or being case-specific in your language. If you find that your presentation is too long, consider cutting down on the examples or explanations. Be succinct and say enough to get your point across. Don’t just move on to the next case if your presentation falls short. Keep practicing until you feel satisfied and make mental notes for the next case.

case study in interview examples

Interview “Questions” (10-20 minutes)

For each type of question, you are going to be doing the same things: answering the question, providing insights, conveying how it impacts your recommendation, and driving the case forward. Every time you have “answered” a question, you want to be thinking, “ What else do I need? What’s the logical path forward ?” The only way you can prepare for this is to run through entire cases! Remember, your framework is your friend. Refer back to it often if you don’t know where to go next.

Brainstorming : You will want to structure your ideas into MECE buckets. They can be fairly simple (financials vs. non-financials, external vs. internal, etc.). Similar to your framework, you will give a preview of the buckets first before going into the details of each and you will need to ensure that it is “custom” for your case. If a structure doesn’t naturally come to you, you can create a pseudo-structure by organizing how you will present your brainstorm. For example, you can state how many ideas you have from the onset or say that you will first go through the ideas first and then the associated risks.

This is a highly debated practice, but I always ask for a few seconds so I can think of a structure (they may say no). Don’t take more than 30 seconds because you can add to your buckets as you are presenting.

For non-technical brainstorms, be creative! For example, when interviewers asked about how to increase sales for a consumer-facing retail company, I would bring up TikTok campaigns and celebrity endorsements as a few ideas. Have fun with it!

Occasionally, interviewers will prod you with, “What else?” This does not always mean you didn’t give enough ideas. Sometimes it’s the opposite – they are looking to challenge you or see how you will react. Just roll with it - if you don’t have anything else, say so.

  • Prep: Practice brainstorming for different types of prompts. Collect a bank of general ideas and solutions that can be customized for use across industries. Try to think of as many ideas as you can (four to six at the very least) and exercise that creative muscle. To help you with structuring, have a list of “easy” MECE buckets that you can pull out on the fly.

Exhibits : First, give an overview of the exhibit. As an example, for graphs say what the axes represent, tie it back to the case, and give your interpretation of those axes. This gives the interviewer a chance to course-correct if you misinterpreted the exhibit. Give some insight, even if it is low-hanging fruit, and tie it back to the case. There are three levels of insights for both exhibits and math:

  • What the numbers say, patterns/trends (X is smaller than anticipated, Y is the largest driver)
  • What the client should do (enter the market, cancel plans, plan for launch)
  • What we should do next (reconsider something specific, research more data on X, move on to Y)

Oftentimes, exhibits will tie into a calculation. If you are given an exhibit with data that can be used to calculate more insightful information, tell the interviewer that you would like to make those calculations. The interviewer will lead you down that path regardless but it is more impressive if you call it out.

  • Prep: Run through different types of exhibits and see how many insights from each level you can pull out. Practice anticipating what type of data you need next in order to move ahead in the case or whether you can/should calculate anything from the data given. Don’t be too insightful though – you only have a limited amount of time to run through the case.

Math : Before you start calculating anything, it is critical for you to confirm what you are solving for and that the information you wrote down is correct. SUPER IMPORTANT – answer the question that is being asked !!  If the interviewer is asking for the incremental profit from a certain strategy, you don’t want to calculate the total profit from the strategy. Active listening is so important!

As you know by now, structure is everything. Again, I always ask for a few seconds to organize my thoughts (the worst thing they can say is no). Set up the problem before you start calculating. This allows you to identify whether there is data missing. Walk the interviewer through your method and ask for missing data. You may need to make your own assumptions or estimates – be sure you can justify them.

If your method is off, the interviewer will usually guide you back to the right path. This saves you from wasting time calculating the incorrect answer. Be sure to pay attention when the interviewer is trying to coach you.

As you are solving the problem, walk the interviewer through each calculation and use math shortcuts as much as possible. Again, if you make a math error, the interviewer can stop you before you go down the entire path. Save time by only calculating what is important for the case and understanding what you can skip.

  • Prep: Practice setting up the problem, walking the interviewer through your proposed method, and verbalizing the calculations out loud. On paper, make sure your calculations are being done neatly and not all over the place. Look for different math shortcuts and try them out. Not all of them will fit your style, but you might find new tricks. Track whether you are answering the right questions. Once again, active listening is critical to your candidacy. Once you have correctly solved the problem, make sure you are thinking about the, “So what?” Determine how that number impacts your recommendation and where you should go next.

case study in interview examples

Synthesis and Recommendation (2-3 minutes)

Again, I always ask for a few seconds to collect your thoughts (<30 secs). If the “CEO is already in the elevator,” they may say no. Have a definitive stance – start with your recommendation and then provide two to three supporting facts using data from the case.

Address risks and next steps (i.e., what is the required analysis/gameplan – this is like real life where the firm is trying to sell additional projects). Your recommendation should be <2 minutes. Frankly, the interviewer has most likely made a decision on your candidacy. Don’t ramble and try to finish strong.

The hardest part of this is pulling out the supporting data in a succinct way. Throughout the case, you should be jotting down notes. I tend to circle what I believe to be relevant supporting data. When you present it, don’t be too specific or granular. You want your recommendation to be punchy.

  • Prep: Run through whole cases where you are tracking the relevant supporting data along the way. Time your recommendation and practice verbalizing the information concisely. Don’t forget the risks and next steps. I usually have a list of generic risks (e.g., competitor response, regulation, inaccurate projections) that I can “customize” on the off-chance I’m scrambling to think of some. Your next steps can be collecting additional data to support your recommendation or ways to address those risks.

Free trial!

undefined's profile

From 109 top coaches

Access a library of videos, templates, and examples curated by Leland’s top coaches.

Example resumes.

Example Resumes Image

Example Cases

Example Cases Image

Casing Drills

Casing Drills Image

Mock Interviews

Mock Interviews Image

Final Thoughts

  • Your approach is more important than the solution – The interviewer is trying to understand how you think. Some cases have data that support recommendations in either direction. The key piece is that you are able to back your stance using the facts and data uncovered during the interview.
  • Deadends are okay – There will be times when you make multiple requests for data and the interviewer does not have it. That’s perfectly fine! You can’t read the interviewer’s mind and the case could go in so many directions. Just look back at your framework to see where else you can proceed.
  • Be coachable – It’s not the end of the world if your method is wrong or if you misinterpreted an exhibit. The interviewer wants to see that you are actively listening and can take feedback and improve. Don’t freak out! Stay calm! Listen to what the interviewer is trying to tell you.

This guide only scratches the surface of case interviews. The best way to prepare for case interviews is to get your reps in with entire cases. That way, you can identify your areas of weakness and be more precise with the drills. I can give you feedback and additional tips and tricks so that you are performing at your best on interview day. Book a free intro call with me on my Leland profile to discuss how we can personalize your case prep plan!

Preparing for consulting recruiting and/or case interviews? Here are some additional resources to help:

  • Top 3 Tactics to Ace Your Case Interview
  • A Comprehensive Guide to McKinsey & Co., Bain & Co., and Boston Consulting Group
  • From No Offers to Multiple Offers - How to Take Your Casing to the Next Level
  • How a Disneyland Churro Helped Me Land a Job at Bain (and 5 Pitfalls to Avoid in Market Sizing Problems)
  • Five Tips to Break Into Management Consulting

Browse hundreds of expert coaches

Leland coaches have helped thousands of people achieve their goals. A dedicated mentor can make all the difference.

Browse Related Articles

case study in interview examples

May 18, 2023

McKinsey Bonus Structure: Understanding the Reward System

Discover how the McKinsey bonus structure works and gain a deeper understanding of the reward system in this comprehensive guide.

case study in interview examples

Victor Cheng LOMS: Is It the Ultimate Guide to Case Interviews?

Discover the ultimate guide to acing case interviews with Victor Cheng's LOMS program.

case study in interview examples

June 8, 2023

A Comprehensive Guide to McKinsey Case Interview Preparation

Looking to ace your McKinsey case interview? Our comprehensive guide has got you covered! From understanding the interview process to mastering case frameworks, we provide expert tips and strategies to help you prepare and succeed.

case study in interview examples

January 2, 2024

The Ultimate Guide to the EY Parthenon Case Interview Process

Are you preparing for the EY Parthenon case interview process? Look no further than our ultimate guide, packed with insider tips and strategies to help you ace the interview and land your dream job.

case study in interview examples

May 11, 2023

How to Prepare for McKinsey Management Consulting Behavioral Interviews?

If you're preparing for a McKinsey management consulting behavioral interview, this article is a must-read.

case study in interview examples

How to Prepare for McKinsey Management Consulting Networking Calls?

Learn how to ace your McKinsey management consulting networking calls with these expert tips and strategies.

case study in interview examples

McKinsey First Year Salary: What to Expect and How to Negotiate

Are you curious about what your first year salary at McKinsey might be? This article provides insights on what to expect and tips on how to negotiate your salary.

case study in interview examples

Mckinsey Consulting Salary: A Comprehensive Overview

Discover everything you need to know about McKinsey consulting salaries in this comprehensive overview.

case study in interview examples

Business Analyst McKinsey: A Comprehensive Career Guide

Discover the ins and outs of a career as a Business Analyst at McKinsey with our comprehensive guide.

case study in interview examples

IQVIA Interview Process: A Comprehensive Guide for Success

Looking to ace your IQVIA interview? Our comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know to succeed, from the application process to common interview questions and tips for impressing your interviewer.

case study in interview examples

Navigating the Shift from Energy Sector to Management Consulting: An Insider's Guide

Are you considering a career shift from the energy sector to management consulting? Look no further than our insider's guide, filled with tips and insights to help you navigate this exciting transition.

case study in interview examples

Transportation to Management Consulting: An In-depth Look at How to Make the Transition

Are you considering a career change from transportation to management consulting? Look no further! Our in-depth article provides valuable insights and practical tips on how to successfully make the transition.

Practice a case

Case interviews represent real client engagements giving you insight into our approach and the work we do. It also gives you an opportunity to demonstrate clear thinking, practical judgment, and a professional demeanor, while helping us assess your thought process, creativity, and comfort with ambiguity.

How to use this tool:.

You will be presented with an example of a real-life business situation, along with a series of questions.

Answer each question to the best of your ability, then check your work.

At any time, you can access the business situation in the upper right corner.

Please note: This is not an assessment and we do not track your responses or results. You can practice as often as you'd like.

Completion time: 15/20 min

Practice a case interview

Please note that cases may differ in format and level of detail depending on the duration of the interview, but remember in the actual interview, we will be looking at your ability to think through a problem versus any specific technical skill or subject matter knowledge.

Tell us a little about yourself.

I am an advanced degree student, i am an undergraduate  student, i am an undergraduate student, choose your intended area in order to access cases related to it, strategy  cases, finance strategy: federal health agency, leadauto: market expansion, talent management: federal civil cargo protection bureau,   previous, business technology solution cases, strategy cases, architecture strategy: federal finance agency, medx: the smart pill bottle, business technology solution cases , engagement strategy: federal agency v, recreation unlimited, strategic vision: federal benefits provider.

Case interview tips

Cases can help us assess a candidate across multiple dimensions, and your answers should project clear thinking, practical judgment, and a professional demeanor. Apply this five-step approach while working through the case interview:

For more guidance on what we look for:

Explore consulting careers for undergrad and graduate students.

case study in interview examples

Don't just work somewhere.

Work everywhere—right here at deloitte. work with people from every industry, every discipline, and every corner of the world, follow life at deloitte.

100 Best Case Study Questions for Your Next Customer Spotlight

Brittany Fuller

Published: November 29, 2022

Case studies and testimonials are helpful to have in your arsenal. But to build an effective library, you need to ask the right case study questions. You also need to know how to write a case study .

marketing team coming up with case study questions

Case studies are customers' stories that your sales team can use to share relevant content with prospects . Not only that, but case studies help you earn a prospect's trust, show them what life would be like as your customer, and validate that your product or service works for your clients.

Before you start building your library of case studies, check out our list of 100 case study questions to ask your clients. With this helpful guide, you'll have the know-how to build your narrative using the " Problem-Agitate-Solve " Method.

Download Now: 3 Free Case Study Templates

What makes a good case study questionnaire?

The ultimate list of case study questions, how to ask your customer for a case study, creating an effective case study.

Certain key elements make up a good case study questionnaire.

A questionnaire should never feel like an interrogation. Instead, aim to structure your case study questions like a conversation. Some of the essential things that your questionnaire should cover include:

  • The problem faced by the client before choosing your organization.
  • Why they chose your company.
  • How your product solved the problem clients faced.
  • The measurable results of the service provided.
  • Data and metrics that prove the success of your service or product, if possible.

You can adapt these considerations based on how your customers use your product and the specific answers or quotes that you want to receive.

What makes a good case study question?

A good case study question delivers a powerful message to leads in the decision stage of your prospective buyer's journey.

Since your client has agreed to participate in a case study, they're likely enthusiastic about the service you provide. Thus, a good case study question hands the reins over to the client and opens a conversation.

Try asking open-ended questions to encourage your client to talk about the excellent service or product you provide.

Free Case Study Templates

Tell us about yourself to access the templates..

case-study-questions_3

Categories for the Best Case Study Questions

  • Case study questions about the customer's business
  • Case study questions about the environment before the purchase
  • Case study questions about the decision process
  • Case study questions about the customer's business case
  • Case study questions about the buying team and internal advocates
  • Case study questions about customer success
  • Case study questions about product feedback
  • Case study questions about willingness to make referrals
  • Case study question to prompt quote-worthy feedback
  • Case study questions about the customers' future goals

case study in interview examples

Showcase your company's success using these three free case study templates.

  • Data-Driven Case Study Template
  • Product-Specific Case Study Template
  • General Case Study Template

You're all set!

Click this link to access this resource at any time.

Case Study Interview Questions About the Customer's Business

Knowing the customer's business is an excellent way of setting the tone for a case study.

Use these questions to get some background information about the company and its business goals. This information can be used to introduce the business at the beginning of the case study — plus, future prospects might resonate with their stories and become leads for you.

  • Would you give me a quick overview of [company]? This is an opportunity for the client to describe their business in their own words. You'll get useful background information and it's an easy prompt to get the client talking.
  • Can you describe your role? This will give you a better idea of the responsibilities they are subject to.
  • How do your role and team fit into the company and its goals? Knowing how the team functions to achieve company goals will help you formulate how your solution involves all stakeholders.
  • How long has your company been in business? Getting this information will help the reader gauge if pain points are specific to a startup or new company vs. a veteran company.
  • How many employees do you have? Another great descriptor for readers to have. They can compare the featured company size with their own.
  • Is your company revenue available? If so, what is it? This will give your readers background information on the featured company's gross sales.
  • Who is your target customer? Knowing who the target audience is will help you provide a better overview of their market for your case study readers.
  • How does our product help your team or company achieve its objectives? This is one of the most important questions because it is the basis of the case study. Get specifics on how your product provided a solution for your client. You want to be able to say "X company implemented our solution and achieved Y. "
  • How are our companies aligned (mission, strategy, culture, etc.)? If any attributes of your company's mission or culture appealed to the client, call it out.

How many people are on your team? What are their roles? This will help describe key players within the organization and their impact on the implementation of your solution.

case-study-questions_5

Case Study Interview Questions About the Environment Before the Purchase

A good case study is designed to build trust. Ask clients to describe the tools and processes they used before your product or service. These kinds of case study questions will highlight the business' need they had to fulfill and appeal to future clients.

  • What was your team's process prior to using our product? This will give the reader a baseline to compare the results for your company's product.
  • Were there any costs associated with the process prior to using our product? Was it more expensive? Was it worth the cost? How did the product affect the client's bottom line? This will be a useful metric to disclose if your company saved the client money or was more cost-efficient.
  • What were the major pain points of your process prior to using our product? Describe these obstacles in detail. You want the reader to get as much information on the problem as possible as it sets up the reasoning for why your company's solution was implemented.
  • Did our product replace a similar tool or is this the first time your team is using a product like this? Were they using a similar product? If so, having this information may give readers a reason to choose your brand over the competition.
  • What other challenges were you and your team experiencing prior to using our product? The more details you can give readers regarding the client's struggles, the better. You want to paint a full picture of the challenges the client faced and how your company resolved them.
  • Were there any concerns about how your customers would be impacted by using our product? Getting answers to this question will illustrate to readers the client's concerns about switching to your service. Your readers may have similar concerns and reading how your client worked through this process will be helpful.
  • Why didn't you buy our product or a similar product earlier? Have the client describe any hesitations they had using your product. Their concerns may be relatable to potential leads.
  • Were there any "dealbreakers" involved in your decision to become a customer? Describing how your company was able to provide a solution that worked within those parameters demonstrates how accommodating your brand is and how you put the customer first. It's also great to illustrate any unique challenges the client had. This better explains their situation to the reader.
  • Did you have to make any changes you weren't anticipating once you became a customer? Readers of your case study can learn how switching to your product came with some unexpected changes (good or bad) and how they navigated them. If you helped your client with troubleshooting, ask them to explain that here.

How has your perception of the product changed since you've become a customer? Get the interviewee to describe how your product changed how they do business. This includes how your product accomplished what they previously thought was impossible.

case-study-questions_7

Case Study Interview Questions About the Decision Process

Readers of the case study will be interested in which factors influenced the decision-making process for the client. If they can relate to that process, there's a bigger chance they'll buy your product.

The answers to these questions will help potential customers through their decision-making process.

  • How did you hear about our product? If the client chose to work with you based on a recommendation or another positive case study, include that. It will demonstrate that you are a trusted brand with an established reputation for delivering results.
  • How long had you been looking for a solution to this problem? This will add to the reader's understanding of how these particular challenges impacted the company before choosing your product.
  • Were you comparing alternative solutions? Which ones? This will demonstrate to readers that the client explored other options before choosing your company.
  • Would you describe a few of the reasons you decided to buy our product? Ask the interviewee to describe why they chose your product over the competition and any benefits your company offered that made you stand out.
  • What were the criteria you used when deciding to buy our product? This will give readers more background insight into the factors that impacted their decision-making process.
  • Were there any high-level initiatives or goals that prompted the decision to buy? For example, was this decision motivated by a company-wide vision? Prompt your clients to discuss what lead to the decision to work with you and how you're the obvious choice.
  • What was the buying process like? Did you notice anything exceptional or any points of friction? This is an opportunity for the client to comment on how seamless and easy you make the buying process. Get them to describe what went well from start to finish.
  • How would you have changed the buying process, if at all? This is an opportunity for you to fine-tune your process to accommodate future buyers.
  • Who on your team was involved in the buying process? This will give readers more background on the key players involved from executives to project managers. With this information, readers can see who they may potentially need to involve in the decision-making process on their teams.

case-study-questions_10

Case Study Interview Questions About the Customer's Business Case

Your case study questions should ask about your product or solution's impact on the customer's employees, teams, metrics, and goals. These questions allow the client to praise the value of your service and tell others exactly what benefits they derived from it.

When readers review your product or service's impact on the client, it enforces the belief that the case study is credible.

  • How long have you been using our product? This will help readers gauge how long it took to see results and your overall satisfaction with the product or service.
  • How many different people at your company use our product? This will help readers gauge how they can adapt the product to their teams if similar in size.
  • Are there multiple departments or teams using our product? This will demonstrate how great of an impact your product has made across departments.
  • How do you and your team currently use the product? What types of goals or tasks are you using the product to accomplish? Get specifics on how the product actively helps the client achieve their goals.
  • If other teams or departments are using our product, do you know how they're using it? With this information, leads can picture how they can use your product across their teams and how it may improve their workflow and metrics.
  • What was the most obvious advantage you felt our product offered during the sales process? The interviewee should explain the benefits they've gained from using your product or service. This is important for convincing other leads you are better than the competition.
  • Were there any other advantages you discovered after using the product more regularly? Your interviewee may have experienced some additional benefits from using your product. Have them describe in detail what these advantages are and how they've helped the company improve.
  • Are there any metrics or KPIs you track with our product? What are they? The more numbers and data the client can provide, the better.
  • Were you tracking any metrics prior to using our product? What were they? This will allow readers to get a clear, before-and-after comparison of using your product.
  • How has our product impacted your core metrics? This is an opportunity for your clients to drive home how your product assisted them in hitting their metrics and goals.

case-study-questions_1

Case Study Interview Questions About the Buying Team and Internal Advocates

See if there are any individuals at the customer's company who are advocates for your product.

  • Are there any additional team members you consider to be advocates for our product? For example, does anyone stick out as a "power user" or product expert on your team? You may want to interview and include these power users in your case study as well. Consider asking them for tips on using your service or product.
  • Is there anyone else on your team you think we should talk to? Again, the more people can share their experience using your product, the better.
  • Are there any team members who you think might not be the biggest fans of our product or who might need more training? Providing extra support to those struggling with your product may improve their user experience and turn into an opportunity to not only learn about their obstacles but turn them into a product fan
  • Would you share some details about how your team implemented our product? Get as much information as possible about the rollout. Hopefully, they'll gush about how seamless the process was.
  • Who from your company was involved in implementing our product? This will give readers more insight into who needs to be involved for a successful rollout of their own.
  • Were there any internal risks or additional costs involved with implementing our product? If so, how did you address them? This will give insight into the client's process and rollout and this case study question will likely provide tips on what potential leads should be on the lookout for.
  • Is there a training process in place for your team's use of our product? If so, what does it look like? If your company provided support and training to the client, have them describe that experience.
  • About how long does it take a new team member to get up to speed with our product? This will help leads determine how much time it will take to onboard an employee to your using your product. If a new user can quickly get started seamlessly, it bodes well for you.
  • What was your main concern about rolling this product out to your company? Describing their challenges in detail will provide readers with useful insight.

case-study-questions_8

Case Study Interview Questions About Customer Success

Has the customer found success with your product? Ask these questions to learn more.

  • By using our product can you measure any reduced costs? If it has, you'll want to emphasize those savings in your case study.
  • By using our product can you measure any improvements in productivity or time savings? Any metrics or specific stories your interviewee can provide will help demonstrate the value of your product.
  • By using our product can you measure any increases in revenue or growth? Again, say it with numbers and data whenever possible.
  • Are you likely to recommend our product to a friend or colleague? Recommendations from existing customers are some of the best marketing you can get.
  • How has our product impacted your success? Your team's success? Getting the interviewee to describe how your product played an integral role in solving their challenges will show leads that they can also have success using your product.
  • In the beginning, you had XYZ concerns; how do you feel about them now? Let them explain how working with your company eliminated those concerns.
  • I noticed your team is currently doing XYZ with our product. Tell me more about how that helps your business. Illustrate to your readers how current customers are using your product to solve additional challenges. It will convey how versatile your product is.
  • Have you thought about using our product for a new use case with your team or at your company? The more examples of use cases the client can provide, the better.
  • How do you measure the value our product provides? Have the interviewee illustrate what metrics they use to gauge the product's success and how. Data is helpful, but you should go beyond the numbers. Maybe your product improved company morale and how teams work together.

case-study-questions_6

Case Study Interview Questions About Product Feedback

Ask the customer if they'd recommend your product to others. A strong recommendation will help potential clients be more open to purchasing your product.

  • How do other companies in this industry solve the problems you had before you purchased our product? This will give you insight into how other companies may be functioning without your product and how you can assist them.
  • Have you ever talked about our product to any of your clients or peers? What did you say? This can provide you with more leads and a chance to get a referral.
  • Why would you recommend our product to a friend or client? Be sure they pinpoint which features they would highlight in a recommendation.
  • Can you think of any use cases your customers might have for our product? Similar industries may have similar issues that need solutions. Your interviewee may be able to provide a use case you haven't come up with.
  • What is your advice for other teams or companies who are tackling problems similar to those you had before you purchased our product? This is another opportunity for your client to talk up your product or service.
  • Do you know someone in X industry who has similar problems to the ones you had prior to using our product? The client can make an introduction so you can interview them about their experience as well.
  • I noticed you work with Company Y. Do you know if they are having any pain points with these processes? This will help you learn how your product has impacted your client's customers and gain insight into what can be improved.
  • Does your company participate in any partner or referral programs? Having a strong referral program will help you increase leads and improve customer retention.
  • Can I send you a referral kit as a thank-you for making a referral and give you the tools to refer someone to us? This is a great strategy to request a referral while rewarding your existing customers.
  • Are you interested in working with us to produce additional marketing content? The more opportunities you can showcase happy customers, the better.

case-study-questions_11

Case Study Interview Questions About Willingness to Make Referrals

  • How likely are you to recommend our product to a friend or client? Ideally, they would definitely refer your product to someone they know.
  • Can you think of any use cases your customers might have for our product? Again, your interviewee is a great source for more leads. Similar industries may have similar issues that need solutions. They may be able to provide a use case you haven't come up with.
  • I noticed you work with Company Y; do you know if they are having any pain points with these processes? This will help you learn how your product has impacted your client's customers and gain insight into what can be improved.

case-study-questions_4

Case Study Interview Questions to Prompt Quote-Worthy Feedback

Enhance your case study with quotable soundbites from the customer. By asking these questions, prospects have more insight into other clients and their success with your product — which helps build trust.

  • How would you describe your process in one sentence prior to using our product? Ideally, this sentence would quickly and descriptively sum up the most prominent pain point or challenge with the previous process.
  • What is your advice to others who might be considering our product? Readers can learn from your customer's experience.
  • What would your team's workflow or process be like without our product? This will drive home the value your product provides and how essential it is to their business.
  • Do you think the investment in our product was worthwhile? Why? Have your customer make the case for the value you provide.
  • What would you say if we told you our product would soon be unavailable? What would this mean to you? Again, this illustrates how integral your product is to their business.
  • How would you describe our product if you were explaining it to a friend? Your customers can often distill the value of your product to their friends better than you can.
  • What do you love about your job? Your company? This gives the reader more background on your customer and their industry.
  • What was the worst part of your process before you started using our product? Ideally, they'd reiterate how your product helped solve this challenge.
  • What do you love about our product? Another great way to get the customer's opinion about what makes your product worth it.
  • Why do you do business with us? Hopefully, your interviewee will share how wonderful your business relationship is.

case-study-questions_0

Case Study Interview Questions About the Customers' Future Goals

Ask the customer about their goals, challenges, and plans for the future. This will provide insight into how a business can grow with your product.

  • What are the biggest challenges on the horizon for your industry? Chances are potential leads within the same industry will have similar challenges.
  • What are your goals for the next three months? Knowing their short-term goals will enable your company to get some quick wins for the client.
  • How would you like to use our product to meet those challenges and goals? This will help potential leads understand that your product can help their business as they scale and grow.
  • Is there anything we can do to help you and your team meet your goals? If you haven't covered it already, this will allow your interviewee to express how you can better assist them.
  • Do you think you will buy more, less, or about the same amount of our product next year? This can help you gauge how your product is used and why.
  • What are the growth plans for your company this year? Your team? This will help you gain insight into how your product can help them achieve future goals.
  • How can we help you meet your long-term goals? Getting specifics on the needs of your clients will help you create a unique solution designed for their needs.
  • What is the long-term impact of using our product? Get their feedback on how your product has created a lasting impact.
  • Are there any initiatives that you personally would like to achieve that our product or team can help with? Again, you want to continue to provide products that help your customers excel.
  • What will you need from us in the future? This will help you anticipate the customer's business needs.
  • Is there anything we can do to improve our product or process for working together in the future? The more feedback you can get about what is and isn't working, the better.

case-study-questions_2

Before you can start putting together your case study, you need to ask your customer's permission.

If you have a customer who's seen success with your product, reach out to them. Use this template to get started:

Thank you & quick request

Hi [customer name],

Thanks again for your business — working with you to [solve X, launch Y, take advantage of Z opportunity] has been extremely rewarding, and I'm looking forward to more collaboration in the future.

[Name of your company] is building a library of case studies to include on our site. We're looking for successful companies using [product] to solve interesting challenges, and your team immediately came to mind. Are you open to [customer company name] being featured?

It should be a lightweight process — [I, a product marketer] will ask you roughly [10, 15, 20] questions via email or phone about your experience and results. This case study will include a blurb about your company and a link to your homepage (which hopefully will make your SEO team happy!)

In any case, thank you again for the chance to work with you, and I hope you have a great week.

[Your name]

case study in interview examples

If one of your customers has recently passed along some praise (to you, their account manager, your boss; on an online forum; to another potential customer; etc.), then send them a version of this email:

Hey [customer name],

Thanks for the great feedback — I'm really glad to hear [product] is working well for you and that [customer company name] is getting the results you're looking for.

My team is actually in the process of building out our library of case studies, and I'd love to include your story. Happy to provide more details if you're potentially interested.

Either way, thank you again, and I look forward to getting more updates on your progress.

case study in interview examples

You can also find potential case study customers by usage or product data. For instance, maybe you see a company you sold to 10 months ago just bought eight more seats or upgraded to a new tier. Clearly, they're happy with the solution. Try this template:

I saw you just [invested in our X product; added Y more users; achieved Z product milestone]. Congratulations! I'd love to share your story using [product] with the world -- I think it's a great example of how our product + a dedicated team and a good strategy can achieve awesome results.

Are you open to being featured? If so, I'll send along more details.

case study in interview examples

Case Study Benefits

  • Case studies are a form of customer advocacy.
  • Case studies provide a joint-promotion opportunity.
  • Case studies are easily sharable.
  • Case studies build rapport with your customers.
  • Case studies are less opinionated than customer reviews.

1. Case studies are a form of customer advocacy.

If you haven't noticed, customers aren't always quick to trust a brand's advertisements and sales strategies.

With every other brand claiming to be the best in the business, it's hard to sort exaggeration from reality.

This is the most important reason why case studies are effective. They are testimonials from your customers of your service. If someone is considering your business, a case study is a much more convincing piece of marketing or sales material than traditional advertising.

2. Case studies provide a joint-promotion opportunity.

Your business isn't the only one that benefits from a case study. Customers participating in case studies benefit, too.

Think about it. Case studies are free advertisements for your customers, not to mention the SEO factor, too. While they're not promoting their products or services, they're still getting the word out about their business. And, the case study highlights how successful their business is — showing interested leads that they're on the up and up.

3. Case studies are easily sharable.

No matter your role on the sales team, case studies are great to have on hand. You can easily share them with leads, prospects, and clients.

Whether you embed them on your website or save them as a PDF, you can simply send a link to share your case study with others. They can share that link with their peers and colleagues, and so on.

Case studies can also be useful during a sales pitch. In sales, timing is everything. If a customer is explaining a problem that was solved and discussed in your case study, you can quickly find the document and share it with them.

4. Case studies build rapport with your customers.

While case studies are very useful, they do require some back and forth with your customers to obtain the exact feedback you're looking for.

Even though time is involved, the good news is this builds rapport with your most loyal customers. You get to know them on a personal level, and they'll become more than just your most valuable clients.

And, the better the rapport you have with them, the more likely they'll be to recommend your business, products, or services to others.

5. Case studies are less opinionated than customer reviews.

Data is the difference between a case study and a review. Customer reviews are typically based on the customer's opinion of your brand. While they might write a glowing review, it's completely subjective and there's rarely empirical evidence supporting their claim.

Case studies, on the other hand, are more data-driven. While they'll still talk about how great your brand is, they support this claim with quantitative data that's relevant to the reader. It's hard to argue with data.

An effective case study must be genuine and credible. Your case study should explain why certain customers are the right fit for your business and how your company can help meet their specific needs. That way, someone in a similar situation can use your case study as a testimonial for why they should choose your business.

Use the case study questions above to create an ideal customer case study questionnaire. By asking your customers the right questions, you can obtain valuable feedback that can be shared with potential leads and convert them into loyal customers.

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in June 2021 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

case-study-questions_12

Don't forget to share this post!

Related articles.

ACV: What It Means & How to Calculate It

ACV: What It Means & How to Calculate It

What Is An Account Development Manager? (And How to Become One)

What Is An Account Development Manager? (And How to Become One)

Strategic Account Managers, Here's How to Amplify Your Efforts

Strategic Account Managers, Here's How to Amplify Your Efforts

3 Questions that Ensure Key Account Success

3 Questions that Ensure Key Account Success

Account Management vs. Sales: What's the Difference? [FAQ]

Account Management vs. Sales: What's the Difference? [FAQ]

Showcase your company's success using these free case study templates.

Powerful and easy-to-use sales software that drives productivity, enables customer connection, and supports growing sales orgs

A panoramic banner image featuring a hand holding a photograph against a blurred, abstract blue background. Inside the photograph, two professionals, Hojin and Sobitha, are engaged in a discussion across a table in a well-lit office setting overlooking the cityscape of Seoul. Both are dressed in business attire, and a laptop is visible between them, indicating a work-related meeting.

Case Interview Preparation

Perform at your best during your case interview., bcgers share their case study interview tips., follow these dos and don ’ ts to ace your case prep:, test your case interview skills with these interactive quizzes., set out a climate strategy for a client., restore client satisfaction at a digital bank..

Getting ready for your interviews

Interviewing is a two-way process—it helps us learn about you as a potential colleague, and helps you learn about McKinsey and what you could do here. Overall, we look for personal impact, entrepreneurial drive, inclusive leadership, and problem solving, and we recognize there are many ways to acquire those skills.

If you are interested in McKinsey careers beyond consulting, you can learn more about the assessment process for our internal roles here .

At McKinsey, we strive to create an unrivalled environment for exceptional people. During many of our interviews, you will learn more about what this value  means in practice at McKinsey. Your assessor  may share details of how McKinsey is a non-hierarchical, diverse, inclusive meritocracy. They may touch on our formal and informal apprenticeship and mentor programs. Or they may share examples of how we use the obligation to dissent.

After hearing from your assessor on what people related value means the most to them, you may be asked to share an experience that speaks to the McKinsey people value that is most meaningful to you.

Your recruiter will inform you on what questions you will be asked so you can best prepare. We want you to succeed and feel confident entering our process.

Practice cases

Beautify

Electro-Light

National Education

Transforming a national education system

Talbot Trucks

Talbot Trucks

Shops Corp

Shops Corporation

Conservation Forever

Conservation Forever

Testing your skills.

Interviewing with McKinsey & Co.

Test your skills

Solve - gamified assessment, coding skills tests.

Interviewing - We want you to succeed

We want you to succeed

More resources.

Interviewing with McKinsey & Co.

Virtual Interview Zoom Guide

Interviewing with McKinsey & Co.

Important fraud alert

McKinsey has become aware of scams involving false offers of McKinsey employment. The scams and false offers use imposter websites, email addresses, and text messages. None of these offers are legitimate, and McKinsey’s recruiting process never involves interviewing via instant message, nor requires candidates to purchase products or services, or process payments on our behalf.

Hacking The Case Interview

Hacking the Case Interview

Human Resources case interview

Have an upcoming Human Resources case interview and don’t know how to prepare? Don’t worry because we have you covered!

In this article, we’ll cover:

  • What is a Human Resources case interview?
  • How to solve any Human Resources case interview
  • Essential Human Resources case interview frameworks
  • Human Resources case interview example

If you’re looking for a step-by-step shortcut to learn case interviews quickly, enroll in our case interview course . These insider strategies from a former Bain interviewer helped 30,000+ land consulting offers while saving hundreds of hours of prep time.

What is a Human Resources Case Interview?

A Human Resources case interview is a type of interview used in the hiring process for HR consulting-related roles, where candidates are presented with hypothetical or real-world HR scenarios and are asked to analyze, solve, and provide recommendations for the given situations.

The purpose of a HR case interview is to assess the candidate's problem-solving skills, analytical thinking, HR knowledge, and ability to apply HR principles in practical situations.

During a HR case interview, candidates are typically given a description of a specific HR challenge, issue, or scenario.

They are then expected to discuss their thought process, ask clarifying questions, identify the underlying problems, propose possible solutions, and explain the rationale behind their recommendations.

The interviewers are looking for candidates who can demonstrate their ability to think critically, understand the complexities of HR issues, and offer strategic and practical solutions.

The scenarios presented in HR case interviews can cover a wide range of topics within the HR field, including:

  • Talent Acquisition and Recruitment : Candidates might be asked to devise a strategy for attracting and selecting the best candidates for a specific position or organization
  • Employee Development and Training : The interview scenario could involve designing a training program to improve employee skills and performance
  • Performance Management : Candidates might need to address issues related to employee performance evaluation, feedback, and improvement
  • Compensation and Benefits : Scenarios may revolve around designing competitive compensation packages or benefits programs
  • Diversity and Inclusion : Candidates could be asked to develop initiatives to promote diversity and inclusion within the workplace
  • Employee Relations and Conflict Resolution : The case might involve managing interpersonal conflicts or addressing employee grievances
  • Organizational Change and Restructuring : Candidates could be presented with scenarios related to managing organizational changes, such as mergers, acquisitions, or restructurings
  • HR Strategy and Planning : The case could require candidates to develop long-term HR strategies aligned with the organization's goals

The key to performing well in a HR case interview is to demonstrate a structured approach to problem-solving, a solid understanding of HR principles and best practices, clear communication skills, and the ability to think strategically.

Candidates should break down the problem, consider multiple perspectives, and provide practical and actionable recommendations.

It's important to note that the format and structure of HR case interviews can vary between companies. Some companies might provide candidates with written case materials to review in advance, while others might present the case during the interview itself.

As with any interview, thorough preparation, practice, and research on the company's HR practices and industry trends are essential for success in a HR case interview.

How to Solve a Human Resources Case Interview

There are seven steps to solve a Human Resources case interview.

1. Understand the case

Understanding the case scenario is the foundation of effective problem-solving. Read or listen to the scenario carefully, absorbing the context, key stakeholders, and central issues. 

For example, if the case presents a situation involving declining employee morale and engagement, you'd want to grasp the factors contributing to this decline and the potential consequences for the organization.

2. Ask clarifying questions

Asking thoughtful clarifying questions demonstrates your ability to extract crucial details and gain a comprehensive understanding of the situation. 

For instance, if the case revolves around a sudden increase in turnover, you might inquire about specific departments or roles affected, reasons employees cite for leaving, and any recent organizational changes that could be relevant.

3. Develop a structured approach

Structuring your analysis provides a roadmap for addressing the case logically. A structured framework ensures you cover all necessary aspects and maintains a clear flow of your analysis.

The next section of this article covers essential frameworks you should be familiar with in detail.

4. Gather information 

After understanding the case and asking clarifying questions, use the information you've gathered to delve deeper into the issues. Collect data from the case materials and consider applying relevant HR concepts.

For instance, if the case involves a performance issue among a certain team, you'd want to assess the team dynamics, individual competencies, and possible external factors influencing performance.

5. Propose solutions

Based on your analysis, propose concrete and actionable solutions for each identified issue. These solutions should align with HR best practices and the organization's values. 

If the case highlights a challenge related to attracting top talent, your solutions could range from improving employer branding to enhancing the interview process to increase candidate quality.

6. Evaluate trade-offs

Weighing the pros and cons of each solution demonstrates your critical thinking. Discuss the potential benefits, drawbacks, and implications of implementing your proposed solutions. This showcases your ability to consider multiple perspectives. 

For example, when addressing an employee retention problem, you'd need to assess the costs of implementing retention programs versus the costs of continued turnover.

7. Develop a recommendation

Culminate your analysis by crafting a well-founded recommendation that considers the organization's goals, HR best practices, and the context of the case. Your recommendation should offer a clear path forward. 

If the case centers on improving diversity and inclusion, your recommendation might encompass strategies such as unconscious bias training, diverse recruitment initiatives, and mentoring programs.

In addition to Human Resources case interviews, we also have additional step-by-step guides to: market entry case interviews , growth strategy case interviews , M&A case interviews , pricing case interviews , operations case interviews , and marketing case interviews .

Essential Human Resources Case Interview Frameworks

There are a few Human Resources case interview frameworks you should be familiar with. These are helpful ways of organizing your thoughts and ideas into a structured and systematic approach.

However, we do not recommend using these frameworks word-for-word. You should demonstrate to the interviewer that you can think critically for yourself instead of relying on memorized frameworks.

You should instead be creating your own unique and tailored framework for each Human Resources case interview scenario.

Therefore, your framework may include parts and pieces of the frameworks below, but you should not just copy them.

The PPT Framework

The PPT framework stands for People, Processes, and Technologies, and it's a valuable approach for analyzing and solving Human Resources (HR) challenges in case interviews. This framework focuses on three key dimensions that are often interconnected in HR scenarios. Let's delve into each component:

In this dimension, you'll consider the human aspects of the HR challenge presented in the case. This involves assessing how employees, managers, and stakeholders are affected by the issue and how they contribute to potential solutions.

Some points to address include:

  • Employee Engagement and Morale : Examine how the challenge impacts employee satisfaction and motivation
  • Leadership and Management : Evaluate how managers' actions and behaviors contribute to or alleviate the challenge
  • Communication and Collaboration : Analyze how effective communication and collaboration among employees can influence the situation
  • Training and Development : Consider how training and development initiatives can address skill gaps related to the challenge
  • Organizational Culture : Explore how the existing culture supports or hinders the resolution of the challenge

2. Processes

This dimension focuses on HR processes, policies, and practices that are relevant to the case. You'll assess how these existing processes might contribute to the challenge and propose adjustments or new processes to address it.

Some aspects to consider are:

  • Recruitment and Onboarding : Evaluate how the recruitment process might be impacting the issue and suggest improvements
  • Performance Management : Examine how performance evaluation and feedback processes relate to the challenge
  • Employee Development : Analyze training, mentoring, and career advancement processes as they pertain to the issue
  • Compensation and Benefits : Consider whether compensation structures contribute to or mitigate the challenge
  • Conflict Resolution : Address how existing conflict resolution processes can be used to address any interpersonal challenges

3. Technologies

This dimension focuses on the technological tools and systems that can support HR processes and solutions. Modern technologies can greatly impact HR practices and provide innovative ways to solve challenges.

Consider the following:

  • HR Information Systems (HRIS) : Explore how HRIS can streamline processes and provide data for decision-making
  • Performance Tracking Tools : Assess how tools for monitoring employee performance can aid in addressing the challenge
  • Learning Management Systems (LMS) : Examine how an LMS could be used for training and development initiatives
  • Recruitment Platforms : Analyze how technology can optimize recruitment efforts and attract suitable candidates
  • Employee Feedback Platforms : Consider tools that facilitate employee feedback and engagement measurement

The PESTEL Framework

The PESTEL framework is a strategic analysis tool that helps examine various external factors affecting a business or organization. It stands for Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental, and Legal factors.

When applied to Human Resources (HR) case interviews, the PESTEL framework allows you to consider the broader context that impacts HR challenges and solutions.

Here's how you can use each dimension of the framework in the context of HR cases:

1. Political Factors

Political factors encompass the impact of government policies, regulations, and political stability on HR challenges. In the context of HR case interviews, consider how political factors influence:

  • Labor Laws and Regulations: Analyze how labor laws and regulations affect HR practices, such as employment contracts, working hours, and employee rights.
  • Immigration Policies: Examine how immigration policies impact talent acquisition and workforce diversity.
  • Health and Safety Regulations: Consider how workplace safety regulations influence HR strategies for employee well-being.

2. Economic Factors

Economic factors relate to the broader economic environment, including inflation, economic growth, and market conditions. In HR case interviews, consider how economic factors affect:

  • Labor Market Conditions : Evaluate how economic cycles impact talent availability, hiring, and compensation negotiations
  • Compensation and Benefits : Examine how economic conditions influence decisions about employee compensation and benefits packages
  • Budget Constraints : Analyze how economic fluctuations can affect HR budgets for training, development, and recruitment

3. Social Factors

Social factors encompass cultural trends, demographic shifts, and societal attitudes that impact HR challenges. In HR case interviews, think about how social factors influence:

  • Diversity and Inclusion : Consider how societal attitudes towards diversity impact HR initiatives for inclusion and representation
  • Work-Life Balance : Examine how changing societal expectations affect employee preferences for work-life balance and flexible arrangements
  • Generational Differences : Analyze how different generations' values and expectations influence HR strategies for employee engagement and motivation

4. Technological Factors

Technological factors refer to advancements that impact HR practices and solutions. In HR case interviews, consider how technological factors influence:

  • HR Information Systems (HRIS) : Examine how technology can enhance HR processes, such as data management, recruitment, and performance evaluation
  • Remote Work Technology : Analyze how technology enables remote work and its implications for HR policies and practices
  • Learning Platforms : Consider how technology supports employee learning and development through online training platforms

5. Environmental Factors

Environmental factors pertain to sustainability, ecological concerns, and corporate social responsibility. In HR case interviews, consider how environmental factors influence:

  • Sustainability Initiatives : Examine how an organization's commitment to environmental sustainability impacts HR strategies, such as commuting policies and eco-friendly practices
  • Employee Well-being : Analyze how a healthy and sustainable work environment contributes to employee well-being and job satisfaction

6. Legal Factors

Legal factors encompass laws and regulations that affect HR practices and employment relationships. In HR case interviews, consider how legal factors influence:

  • Employment Contracts : Examine how legal requirements for employment contracts and agreements shape HR policies
  • Discrimination and Harassment Laws : Analyze how legal regulations on discrimination and harassment impact HR initiatives for diversity and inclusion
  • Data Privacy Regulations : Consider how data privacy laws influence the collection and management of employee data

Human Resources Case Interview Examples

Example #1 : A company's employee engagement has been declining. Develop an HR strategy to address this issue.

To solve this case, you would start by understanding the current engagement levels, analyzing potential causes, and identifying specific areas for improvement. Then, propose initiatives that focus on aspects like recognition programs, career development opportunities, and fostering a positive work culture. Consider how each initiative aligns with the organization's values and goals, and provide an implementation plan detailing roles, timelines, and metrics for success.

Example #2 : A retail company is experiencing high turnover rates among its sales team. How would you address this issue?

Begin by assessing the reasons behind the turnover, considering factors such as compensation, work environment, and career growth. Propose solutions such as conducting exit interviews to gather feedback, adjusting compensation packages, implementing mentorship programs, and providing clear paths for career advancement. Highlight the importance of retaining talented employees and outline the steps needed to execute your recommendations.

Example #3 : A tech company wants to enhance diversity and inclusion in its workforce. Develop strategies to achieve this goal.

Start by understanding the company's current demographics and analyzing potential barriers to diversity. Propose initiatives such as unconscious bias training for hiring managers, targeted recruitment efforts to attract underrepresented groups, and affinity groups to foster a sense of belonging. Emphasize the value of diversity in driving innovation and ensuring a representative workforce, and provide methods to measure the impact of your strategies.

Example #4 : An organization's performance management process is outdated. How would you redesign it?

Begin by evaluating the existing performance management process and identifying its weaknesses. Propose solutions such as implementing continuous feedback mechanisms, setting clear performance goals aligned with company objectives, and utilizing technology for real-time performance tracking. Emphasize the importance of employee development and aligning individual goals with overall organizational success.

Example #5 : A multinational company wants to create a leadership development program. How would you design and implement it?

Start by identifying the leadership skills and competencies required for the company's future success. Develop a comprehensive program that includes leadership training workshops, mentorship opportunities, and experiential learning projects. Consider how to measure the program's effectiveness and tailor the content to different leadership levels within the organization.

Example #6 : A company wants to establish a remote work policy post-pandemic. How would you design and implement this policy?

Begin by analyzing the organization's needs, considering roles suitable for remote work, and potential challenges. Develop a policy that outlines expectations, communication protocols, performance measurement methods, and technology requirements. Address concerns about productivity and collaboration and provide guidelines for maintaining work-life balance while working remotely.

Example #7 : Two companies are merging, leading to cultural clashes and resistance among employees. How would you manage this change?

Begin by understanding the unique cultures of both companies and identifying areas of alignment and divergence. Develop a change management plan that includes clear communication, involving key stakeholders in decision-making, and addressing concerns through town hall meetings and Q&A sessions. Emphasize the benefits of the merger and outline how employees' roles and responsibilities will be impacted positively.

For more practice, check out our article on 23 MBA consulting casebooks with 700+ free practice cases .

Recommended HR Case Interview Resources

Here are the resources we recommend to learn the most robust, effective case interview strategies in the least time-consuming way:

  • Comprehensive Case Interview Course (our #1 recommendation): The only resource you need. Whether you have no business background, rusty math skills, or are short on time, this step-by-step course will transform you into a top 1% caser that lands multiple consulting offers.
  • Hacking the Case Interview Book   (available on Amazon): Perfect for beginners that are short on time. Transform yourself from a stressed-out case interview newbie to a confident intermediate in under a week. Some readers finish this book in a day and can already tackle tough cases.
  • The Ultimate Case Interview Workbook (available on Amazon): Perfect for intermediates struggling with frameworks, case math, or generating business insights. No need to find a case partner – these drills, practice problems, and full-length cases can all be done by yourself.
  • Case Interview Coaching : Personalized, one-on-one coaching with former consulting interviewers
  • Behavioral & Fit Interview Course : Be prepared for 98% of behavioral and fit questions in just a few hours. We'll teach you exactly how to draft answers that will impress your interviewer
  • Resume Review & Editing : Transform your resume into one that will get you multiple interviews

Land Multiple Consulting Offers

Complete, step-by-step case interview course. 30,000+ happy customers.

  • Resume Writing
  • Resume Examples
  • Cover Letter
  • Remote Work
  • Famous Resumes
  • Try Kickresume

30 Situational Interview Questions & How to Answer Them (+ Sample Responses)

  • Julia Mlcuchova , 
  • Updated May 16, 2024 12 min read

Situational interview questions can be pretty tricky to answer, since you're expected to think on your feet and think fast.

These questions often throw candidates into hypothetical scenarios that require quick thinking and creative problem-solving.

Moreover, they are designed to peel back the layers of rehearsed answers, revealing how you handle challenges and unexpected situations . 

Feeling the stress-levels rising already? That's understandable, but unnecessary!

While it might seem impossible to prepare for such unpredictable questions, there is a tried-and-true method that can help you deliver your answers with confidence.

Piqued your interest? If so, keep on reading and discover: 

  • What are situational interview questions;
  • 30 situational interview questions examples ;
  • How to answer situational interview questions;
  • And 3 detailed sample responses .

Table of Contents

Click on a section to skip

What is a situational interview

What are situational interview questions, 30 situational interview questions examples, how to answer situational interview questions, tips on how to prepare for situational interview questions, how not to answer situational interview questions, key takeaways: situational interview questions.

In short, during a situational interview, the job candidate is asked to explain how s/he would deal with specific work scenarios . This type of interview helps recruiters figure out how a candidate might perform on the job by seeing how they think through problems and deal with challenges in real time. 

But what makes the situational interview such a hot commodity? 

Basically,  it's popular among recruiters because it goes beyond what's written on your resume . 

Let us explain: Your resume is succinct and concise, which means that you need to be very selective about the information you include. While you have enough space to showcase all your proudest achievements and results, you don't really get the chance to go into much detail on how exactly you got there. And this means that the recruiters can’t see how you approach problems and what attitude you have when faced with challenges. 

And asking situational interview questions allows them to see just that!

In other words, a situational interview is like a test run to see how you might perform in the real world , focusing on practical skills and real-life problem solving rather than just what you say you can do.

Situational interview vs. behavioral interview

One can’t simply talk about the situational interview without mentioning its twin – the behavioral interview . 

These two job interview methods are quite similar, so much so that people sometimes use the terms interchangeably. 

But while both of these interview styles force you to demonstrate your skills and know-how on specific work scenarios, there is one key difference : 

  • Behavioral interview: This approach focuses on your real past experiences. Behavioral questions prompt you to demonstrate your skills by presenting situations you've actually dealt with in real life. For example, a question probing your conflict resolution skills can look like this: “Tell me about a time you had an interpersonal conflict at work.”
  • Situational interview: The situational approach examines how you would act in hypothetical future scenarios. For instance, our conflict resolution question could go something like this: “How would you deal with an interpersonal conflict at work?”

On a superficial level the difference between the two might seem too little to matter. But if you're a career changer or a fresh graduate , you'd quickly see why the situational interview questions are a much better alternative. 

Well, you can hardly talk about the experiences you don't have, right? But what you can do is discuss future hypothetical scenarios based on your intuition, skills, and logic. 

Heading to a job interview?

Practice answering the most common interview questions for your job position using AI.

Well, when we talk about job interviews, there are certain questions everybody expects to hear, such as “ Why are you interested in this position? ” , “ Where do you see yourself in 5 years? ” or “ Why are you looking for a new job? ”  

And while your answers to these questions reveal your enthusiasm for the role, your career goals, and your motivation respectively, they don't provide much insight into what's going on in your head when faced with problems in the workplace.

That's why the formulation of situational questions typically revolves around “what if” scenarios that could actually happen to you in your new role. 

For example, the interviewer might ask, “What steps would you take if you were given a project with a very tight deadline?" or “How would you communicate negative feedback to your team?”

Apart from specific industry knowledge , suítuational questions can shine light on your soft skills :

  • Ability to think on your feet. Do you have the right approach for handling the pressures and responsibilities of the job? 
  • Your problem solving skills . How good are you at analyzing, prioritizing, and decision-making? 
  • Your creativity and adaptability. And, how quickly can you come up with a potential solution to an unusual problem?

Below, you'll find 30 examples of situational interview questions (You can't accuse us of being stingy!) that might come your way during the job interview rounds.

Additionally, you'll find the specific skill each question probes in the brackets.

Please, keep in mind that the precise wording of these questions may differ from company to company. 

  • What would you do if a client made a complaint about your work? (Feedback Reception Question)
  • How would you react if halfway through a major project, the core objectives were changed by management? (Adaptability Question)
  • If you were leading a team that seemed demotivated, what strategies would you use to boost morale? (Leadership Question)
  • If you had to choose between meeting a project deadline with a compromised product or delaying delivery to ensure quality, what would you do? (Decision-making Question) 
  • How would you handle a situation where you need to communicate a last-minute change in project direction to a team that is not on-site? (Communication Skills Question)
  • How would you manage a scenario where an important client demands a service or product adjustment that is not currently feasible? (Customer Service Question)
  • How would you lead a project with team members who are more experienced than you in the subject matter? (Leadership Question) 
  • How would you prioritize your tasks if you find yourself with multiple high-priority assignments due on the same day? (Time Management Question)
  • A new employee has joined your team. What do you do to make them feel welcome? (Leadership Question)
  •  Imagine you have conflicting deadlines for two equally important projects. How would you decide which to prioritize? (Decision-making Question)
  • Imagine you're leading a critical project that is running behind schedule. How would you handle the pressure? (Stress Management Question)
  • Imagine you need to explain a new, complex software tool to a team that isn't tech-savvy. How would you go about it? (Communication Skills Question)
  • If you found yourself in a disagreement with a colleague about a project approach, how would you handle it? (Conflict Resolution Question) 
  •  How would you organize your time if you're having a busy week? (Time Management Question)
  • How would you approach a situation where you have to work closely with someone whose work ethic is vastly different from yours? (Communication Skills Question)
  • Walk me through how you solve a prevailing issue with your manager. (Communication Skills Question)  
  • Imagine you must choose between investing in new technology or upgrading existing systems with a limited budget. How would you make your decision? (Decision-making Question)
  • What would you do if you discovered a critical flaw in a product that's about to launch? (Problem-solving Question)
  • How would you react if you discovered that one of your colleagues acts against the company values? (Communication Question)
  • How would you ensure smooth cooperation between different departments? (Teamwork Question)
  • Imagine that you discovered an opportunity for improvement in a process that's not within your direct responsibility? (Initiative Question)
  •  What would you do if your team members constantly ignored your input? (Communication Question)
  • How would you respond to a customer complaint you believe is unwarranted? (Customer Service Question)
  • How would you handle a situation where you need to mediate a conflict between two key team members who are crucial for the project's success? (Conflict Resolution Question) 
  • Imagine you're leading a project and your team expresses doubts about the plan. How would you address their concerns? (Leadership Question)
  • Suppose during a project review, you notice data that suggests a potential problem no one else has seen. How would you handle this situation? (Critical Thinking Question)
  • You're presented with two competing proposals for a new project. Both have potential but also significant risks. How would you evaluate and decide which proposal to go with? (Critical Thinking Question) 
  • Imagine that you'd be asked to do something you've never done before. How would you handle that? (Adaptability Question)
  • If you noticed a team member feeling excluded and their contributions diminishing as a result, what steps would you take to involve them more into the team dynamic? (Teamwork Question)
  • Imagine you're taking over a team that has been underperforming. What initial steps would you take to assess the situation and begin turning around the team's performance? (Leadership Question )

Because workplaces and job roles are so diverse, employers can craft countless unique scenarios to test your problem-solving skills, adaptability, teamwork, leadership, and other crucial competencies. 

Still, there's a way to deliver your answer clearly and persuasively no matter the question – by following the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result). 

Let us walk you through the S-T-A-R method step by step: 

Firstly, start by setting the scene. If the situational interview question was quite vague, you've got a chance to fill in the blanks! Mention where this hypothetical situation is happening and the circumstances from which this situation arose.

Secondly, you should explain what exactly is the problem you're dealing with. Talk about what responsibilities would be on your shoulders and what would be the general expectations from you. And, of course, make sure to mention skills and duties that directly relate to the job position you're trying to fill . 

Thirdly, you talk about the concrete actions you'd take to fix the problem. Remember that this part is the heart of your answer! And the recruiters want to see the thought processes that lead to your actions.

And lastly, finish your response by talking about the outcomes your actions would bring. Think about how the company would benefit from your solution. Focus on showcasing how your actions lead to success in this hypothetical scenario.

With that being said, we’ll have a look at how you can put the theory into practice!

Example #1: Leadership question

Situational interview question: Imagine you're taking over a team that has been underperforming. What initial steps would you take to assess the situation and begin turning around the team's performance?

Sample answer:

“ [Situation] Well, let’s say that the team’s low performance has been impacting project delivery times for quite some time. [Task] In that case, my main task would be to assess the underlying issues that are causing the poor performance and plan out steps to eliminate them. [Action] I would begin by holding individual meetings with each team member to understand their challenges and motivations. Then, I’d organize a team workshop so we can all be involved and establish clear and achievable milestones. I would also introduce ongoing feedback loops that would encourage open communication. [Result] As a result, I’d expect to see improvements in team morale and engagement within the first few months. And then, an increase in productivity and quality of work should follow suit.”

Example #2: Feedback Reception Question

Situational interview question: What would you do if a client made a complaint about your work? 

“ [Situation] Let’s say that we’ve recently completed a project and everything seemed fine. But then the client tells me they’re not happy with some parts of it. [Task] As a project manager, my responsibility is to listen to the client’s concerns and fix the problem to keep a good relationship with them. [Action] First, I’d let the client know I heard their complaint and that I take it seriously. After our talk, I’d meet with my team to see if we can make the changes the client wants. All this time I’d keep the client updated about what we’re doing to fix things. [Result] By handling the problem this way, I’d show the client that we care about doing things right and keeping them happy. This could help fix any issues with our relationship. And we’d make sure that they’ll want to work with us again.”

Example #3: Decision-making question

Situational interview question: Imagine you have conflicting deadlines for two equally important projects. How would you decide which to prioritize?  

“ [Situation] Right, let’s say I’m in a situation where I’m responsible for two big projects at the same time, and both are due soon. [Task] In that case, I need to figure out which project to focus on first and not let the other one fall behind. [Action] First, I would look at both projects to see if there are any parts that absolutely must be done right away. I’d also talk to the people I’m working with and the clients to see if there’s any flexibility with the deadlines. Then, I’d check which project might have a bigger impact on our company if it’s delayed. After gathering all this information, I’d make a plan to work efficiently on both projects. [Result] As a result, I’d manage both projects without letting either of them slip through the cracks.”

You can't know exactly which situational interview questions you'll be asked.

Which is why you should never underestimate the power of good preparation. 

Once you've received your job interview invitation, you can start doing these 4 things:

  • Review the job posting. Although you don't know for certain what the questions will be, you can take an educated guess. Hint: The requirements outlined in the job ad are a dead giveaway of what the employer cares about. 
  • Look for examples of situational interview questions. Basically, you're doing it right now. Do as much research as possible! Because going into job interviews blindly is simply nonsensical. 
  • Revisit pivotal moments and challenges of your career. While it's true that situational questions usually involve hypothetical scenarios, that doesn't mean you can't talk about the things you've already achieved! For example, you can preface your response by mentioning that your answer is informed by real-life experience. 
  • Rehearse your answer out loud. No, no, don't raise your eyebrows just yet! Going over your answers in your mind in one thing. But spending an extensive period of time talking out loud can be more exhausting than you'd think. Especially in a nerve-inducing setting like a job interview. And practice is key!

Don't get intimidated by the unknown! Instead, get familiar with it by diligent research and practice. 

A well-rounded job interview preparation isn't just about knowing what to say, but also about knowing what NOT to say. We advise you to avoid the following: 

  • Don't say “I don't know.” You might as well just throw in the towel! These questions are meant to test your adaptability and attitude towards challenges. Keep that in mind.
  • Don't be vague. Instead, go into detail on the steps you take in each scenario. The more specific, the better!
  • Don't be hasty with your answer. It's OK to give yourself some time to think. It's better to take a few seconds to check in with yourself instead of blurting out something that doesn't make sense. But that doesn't mean that you should sit there in silence for 5 torturous minutes. 
  • Don't panic. Yes, we know that it's difficult to stay cool, calm, and collected in a situation where you don't hold the wheel. But just take a deep breath and focus! Plus, practicing can make you feel more prepared and in control.

To sum it all up, situational interview questions are meant to probe how you would deal with workplace problems in real life. 

Situational interviews focus on hypothetical scenarios to assess how a candidate might perform on the job, giving insight into their problem-solving and decision-making skills.

Though these questions can be difficult to predict, following the STAR method allows you to give your answers the structure and clarity they need to impress the hiring manager. 

Here is a simple how-to: 

  • Firstly, make sure you understand the question.
  • Provide context of the Situation.  
  • Continue by defining the Task ahead.
  • Outline what Action you'd take to solve the issue.
  • Finally, round up your answer by mentioning the desirable Results.
Julia has recently joined Kickresume as a career writer. From helping people with their English to get admitted to the uni of their dreams to advising them on how to succeed in the job market. It would seem that her career is on a steadfast trajectory. Julia holds a degree in Anglophone studies from Metropolitan University in Prague, where she also resides. Apart from creative writing and languages, she takes a keen interest in literature and theatre.

Related Posts

10 good weaknesses for a job interview that aren’t “i work too hard”(+ sample answers).

  • 11 min read

100+ Common Job Interview Questions and How To Answer Them

  • 13 min read

Share this article

Join our newsletter.

Every month, we’ll send you resume advice, job search tips, career hacks and more in pithy, bite-sized chunks. Sounds good?

In the tech world and beyond, new 5G applications are being discovered every day. From driverless cars to smarter cities, farms, and even shopping experiences, the latest standard in wireless networks is poised to transform the way we interact with information, devices and each other. What better time to take a closer look at how humans are putting 5G to use to transform their world.

What is 5G?

5G (fifth-generation mobile technology  is the newest standard for cellular networks. Like its predecessors, 3G, 4G and 4G LTE, 5G technology uses radio waves for data transmission. However, due to significant improvements in latency, throughput and bandwidth, 5G is capable of faster download and upload speeds than previous networks.

Since its release in 2019, 5G broadband technology has been hailed as a breakthrough technology with significant implications for both consumers and businesses. Primarily, this is due to its ability to handle large volumes of data that is generated by complex devices that use its networks.

As mobile technology has expanded over the years, the number of data users generate every day has increased exponentially. Currently, other transformational technologies like  artificial intelligence (AI),  the  Internet of Things (IoT ) and  machine learning (ML)  require faster speeds to function than 3G and 4G networks offer. Enter 5G, with its lightning-fast data transfer capabilities that allow newer technologies to function in the way they were designed to.

Here are some of the biggest differences between 5G and previous wireless networks.

  • Physical footprint : The transmitters that are used in 5G technology are smaller than in predecessors’ networks, allowing for discrete placement in out-of-the-way places. Furthermore, “cells”—geographical areas that all wireless networks require for connectivity—in 5G networks are smaller and require less power to run than in previous generations.
  • Error rates : 5G’s adaptive Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS), a schematic that wifi devices use to transmit data, is more powerful than ones in 3G and 4G networks. This makes 5G’s Block Error Rate (BER)—a metric of error frequency—much lower. 
  • Bandwidth : By using a broader spectrum of radio frequencies than previous wireless networks, 5G networks can transmit on a wider range of bandwidths. This increases the number of devices that they can support at any given time.
  • Lower latency : 5G’s low  latency , a measurement of the time it takes data to travel from one location to another, is a significant upgrade over previous generations. This means that routine activities like downloading a file or working in the cloud is going to be faster with a 5G connection than a connection on a different network.

Like all wireless networks, 5G networks are separated into geographical areas that are known as cells. Within each cell, wireless devices—such as smartphones, PCs, and IoT devices—connect to the internet via radio waves that are transmitted between an antenna and a base station. The technology that underpins 5G is essentially the same as in 3G and 4G networks. But due to its lower latency, 5G networks are capable of delivering faster download speeds—in some cases as high as 10 gigabits per second (Gbps).

As more and more devices are built for 5G speeds, demand for 5G connectivity is growing. Today, many popular Internet Service Providers (ISPs), such as Verizon, Google and AT&T, offer 5G networks to homes and businesses. According to Statista,  more than 200 million homes  and businesses have already purchased it with that number expected to at least double by 2028 (link resides outside ibm.com).

Let’s take a look at three areas of technological improvement that have made 5G so unique.

New telecom specifications

The 5G NR (New Radio) standard for cellular networks defines a new radio access technology (RAT) specification for all 5G mobile networks. The 5G rollout began in 2018 with a global initiative known as the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3FPP). The initiative defined a new set of standards to steer the design of devices and applications for use on 5G networks.

The initiative was a success, and 5G networks grew swiftly in the ensuing years. Today, 45% of networks worldwide are 5G compatible, with that number forecasted to rise to 85% by the end of the decade according to  a recent report by Ericsson  (link resides outside ibm.com).

Independent virtual networks (network slicing)

On 5G networks, network operators can offer multiple independent virtual networks (in addition to public ones) on the same infrastructure. Unlike previous wireless networks, this new capability allows users to do more things remotely with greater security than ever before. For example, on a 5G network, enterprises can create use cases or business models and assign them their own independent virtual network. This dramatically improves the user experience for their employees by adding greater customizability and security.

Private networks

In addition to network slicing, creating a 5G private network can also enhance personalization and security features over those available on previous generations of wireless networks. Global businesses seeking more control and mobility for their employees increasingly turn to private 5G network architectures rather than public networks they’ve used in the past.

Now that we better understand how 5G technology works, let’s take a closer look at some of the exciting applications it’s enabling.

Autonomous vehicles

From taxi cabs to drones and beyond, 5G technology underpins most of the next-generation capabilities in autonomous vehicles. Until the 5G cellular standard came along, fully autonomous vehicles were a bit of a pipe dream due to the data transmission limitations of 3G and 4G technology. Now, 5G’s lightning-fast connection speeds have made transport systems for cars, trains and more, faster than previous generations, transforming the way systems and devices connect, communicate and collaborate.

Smart factories

5G, along with AI and ML, is poised to help factories become not only smarter but more automated, efficient, and resilient. Today, many mundane but necessary tasks that are associated with equipment repair and optimization are being turned over to machines thanks to 5G connectivity paired with AI and ML capabilities. This is one area where 5G is expected to be highly disruptive, impacting everything from fuel economy to the design of equipment lifecycles and how goods arrive at our homes.

For example, on a busy factory floor, drones and cameras that are connected to smart devices that use the IoT can help locate and transport something more efficiently than in the past and prevent theft. Not only is this better for the environment and consumers, but it also frees up employees to dedicate their time and energy to tasks that are more suited to their skill sets.

Smart cities

The idea of a hyper-connected urban environment that uses 5G network speeds to spur innovation in areas like law enforcement, waste disposal and disaster mitigation is fast becoming a reality. Some cities already use 5G-enabled sensors to track traffic patterns in real time and adjust signals, helping guide the flow of traffic, minimize congestion, and improve air quality.

In another example, 5G power grids monitor supply and demand across heavily populated areas and deploy AI and ML applications to “learn” what times energy is in high or low demand. This process has been shown to significantly impact energy conservation and waste, potentially reducing carbon emissions and helping cities reach sustainability goals.

Smart healthcare

Hospitals, doctors, and the healthcare industry as a whole already benefit from the speed and reliability of 5G networks every day. One example is the area of remote surgery that uses robotics and a high-definition live stream that is connected to the internet via a 5G network. Another is the field of mobile health, where 5G gives medical workers in the field quick access to patient data and medical history. This enables them to make smarter decisions, faster, and potentially save lives.

Lastly, as we saw during the pandemic, contact tracing and the mapping of outbreaks are critical to keeping populations safe. 5G’s ability to deliver of volumes of data swiftly and securely allows experts to make more informed decisions that have ramifications for everyone.

5G paired with new technological capabilities won’t just result in the automation of employee tasks, it will dramatically improve them and the overall  employee experience . Take virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), for example. VR (digital environments that shut out the real world) and AR (digital content that augments the real world) are already used by stockroom employees, transportation drivers and many others. These employees rely on wearables that are connected to a 5G network capable of high-speed data transfer rates that improve several key capabilities, including the following:

  • Live views : 5G connectivity provides live, real-time views of equipment, events, and even people. One way in which this feature is being used in professional sports is to allow broadcasters to remotely call a sporting event from outside the stadium where the event is taking place.
  • Digital overlays : IoT applications in a warehouse or industrial setting allow workers that are equipped with smart glasses (or even just a smartphone) to obtain real-time insights from an application. This includes repair instructions or the name and location of a spare part.
  • Drone inspections : Right now, one of the leading causes of employee injury is inspection of equipment or project sites in remote and potentially dangerous areas. Drones, which are connected via 5G networks, can safely monitor equipment and project sites and even take readings from hard-to-reach gauges.

Edge computing , a computing framework that allows computations to be done closer to data sources, is fast becoming the standard for enterprises. According to  this Gartner white paper  (link resides outside ibm.com), by 2025, 75% of enterprise data will be processed at the edge (compared to only 10% today). This shift saves businesses time and money and enables better control over large volumes of data. It would be impossible without the new speed standards that are generated by 5G technology. 

Ultra-reliable edge computing and 5G enable the enterprise to achieve faster transmission speeds, increased control and greater security over massive volumes of data. Together, these twin technologies will help reduce latency while increasing speed, reliability and bandwidth, resulting in faster, more comprehensive data analysis and insights for businesses everywhere.

5G solutions with IBM Cloud Satellite  

5G presents significant opportunities for the enterprise, but first, you need a platform that can handle its speed. IBM Cloud Satellite® lets you deploy and run apps consistently across on-premises, edge computing and public cloud environments on a 5G network. And it’s all enabled by secure and auditable communications within the IBM Cloud®.

Get the latest tech insights and expert thought leadership in your inbox.

Get our newsletters and topic updates that deliver the latest thought leadership and insights on emerging trends.

  • My View My View
  • Following Following
  • Saved Saved

Wegovy users keep weight off for four years, Novo Nordisk study says

  • Medium Text

Boxes of Wegovy made by Novo Nordisk are seen at a pharmacy in London

HEART BENEFITS

Sign up here.

Reporting by Maggie Fick Editing by Bill Berkrot and Louise Heavens

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. New Tab , opens new tab

case study in interview examples

Thomson Reuters

Maggie is a Britain-based reporter covering the European pharmaceuticals industry with a global perspective. In 2023, Maggie's coverage of Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk and its race to increase production of its new weight-loss drug helped the Health & Pharma team win a Reuters Journalists of the Year award in the Beat Coverage of the Year category. Since November 2023, she has also been participating in Reuters coverage related to the Israel-Hamas war. Previously based in Nairobi and Cairo for Reuters and in Lagos for the Financial Times, Maggie got her start in journalism in 2010 as a freelancer for The Associated Press in South Sudan.

Signage is seen outside of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) headquarters in White Oak, Maryland, U.S.

Business Chevron

U.S. one dollar banknotes are seen in front of displayed stock graph

Dollar set for weekly gain as rate cut bets ebb

The dollar headed for its largest weekly rise in a month and a half on Friday, helped by surprisingly strong U.S. economic indicators and a hawkish tone in Federal Reserve minutes.

A tug boat pushes an oil barge through New York Harbor

U.S. flag

A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

A lock ( ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

  • About Adverse Childhood Experiences
  • Risk and Protective Factors
  • Program: Essentials for Childhood: Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences through Data to Action
  • Adverse childhood experiences can have long-term impacts on health, opportunity and well-being.
  • Adverse childhood experiences are common and some groups experience them more than others.

diverse group of children lying on each other in a park

What are adverse childhood experiences?

Adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs, are potentially traumatic events that occur in childhood (0-17 years). Examples include: 1

  • Experiencing violence, abuse, or neglect.
  • Witnessing violence in the home or community.
  • Having a family member attempt or die by suicide.

Also included are aspects of the child’s environment that can undermine their sense of safety, stability, and bonding. Examples can include growing up in a household with: 1

  • Substance use problems.
  • Mental health problems.
  • Instability due to parental separation.
  • Instability due to household members being in jail or prison.

The examples above are not a complete list of adverse experiences. Many other traumatic experiences could impact health and well-being. This can include not having enough food to eat, experiencing homelessness or unstable housing, or experiencing discrimination. 2 3 4 5 6

Quick facts and stats

ACEs are common. About 64% of adults in the United States reported they had experienced at least one type of ACE before age 18. Nearly one in six (17.3%) adults reported they had experienced four or more types of ACEs. 7

Preventing ACEs could potentially reduce many health conditions. Estimates show up to 1.9 million heart disease cases and 21 million depression cases potentially could have been avoided by preventing ACEs. 1

Some people are at greater risk of experiencing one or more ACEs than others. While all children are at risk of ACEs, numerous studies show inequities in such experiences. These inequalities are linked to the historical, social, and economic environments in which some families live. 5 6 ACEs were highest among females, non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native adults, and adults who are unemployed or unable to work. 7

ACEs are costly. ACEs-related health consequences cost an estimated economic burden of $748 billion annually in Bermuda, Canada, and the United States. 8

ACEs can have lasting effects on health and well-being in childhood and life opportunities well into adulthood. 9 Life opportunities include things like education and job potential. These experiences can increase the risks of injury, sexually transmitted infections, and involvement in sex trafficking. They can also increase risks for maternal and child health problems including teen pregnancy, pregnancy complications, and fetal death. Also included are a range of chronic diseases and leading causes of death, such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and suicide. 1 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

ACEs and associated social determinants of health, such as living in under-resourced or racially segregated neighborhoods, can cause toxic stress. Toxic stress, or extended or prolonged stress, from ACEs can negatively affect children’s brain development, immune systems, and stress-response systems. These changes can affect children’s attention, decision-making, and learning. 18

Children growing up with toxic stress may have difficulty forming healthy and stable relationships. They may also have unstable work histories as adults and struggle with finances, jobs, and depression throughout life. 18 These effects can also be passed on to their own children. 19 20 21 Some children may face further exposure to toxic stress from historical and ongoing traumas. These historical and ongoing traumas refer to experiences of racial discrimination or the impacts of poverty resulting from limited educational and economic opportunities. 1 6

Adverse childhood experiences can be prevented. Certain factors may increase or decrease the risk of experiencing adverse childhood experiences.

Preventing adverse childhood experiences requires understanding and addressing the factors that put people at risk for or protect them from violence.

Creating safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments for all children can prevent ACEs and help all children reach their full potential. We all have a role to play.

  • Merrick MT, Ford DC, Ports KA, et al. Vital Signs: Estimated Proportion of Adult Health Problems Attributable to Adverse Childhood Experiences and Implications for Prevention — 25 States, 2015–2017. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2019;68:999-1005. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6844e1 .
  • Cain KS, Meyer SC, Cummer E, Patel KK, Casacchia NJ, Montez K, Palakshappa D, Brown CL. Association of Food Insecurity with Mental Health Outcomes in Parents and Children. Science Direct. 2022; 22:7; 1105-1114. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acap.2022.04.010 .
  • Smith-Grant J, Kilmer G, Brener N, Robin L, Underwood M. Risk Behaviors and Experiences Among Youth Experiencing Homelessness—Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 23 U.S. States and 11 Local School Districts. Journal of Community Health. 2022; 47: 324-333.
  • Experiencing discrimination: Early Childhood Adversity, Toxic Stress, and the Impacts of Racism on the Foundations of Health | Annual Review of Public Health https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-publhealth-090419-101940 .
  • Sedlak A, Mettenburg J, Basena M, et al. Fourth national incidence study of child abuse and neglect (NIS-4): Report to Congress. Executive Summary. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health an Human Services, Administration for Children and Families.; 2010.
  • Font S, Maguire-Jack K. Pathways from childhood abuse and other adversities to adult health risks: The role of adult socioeconomic conditions. Child Abuse Negl. 2016;51:390-399.
  • Swedo EA, Aslam MV, Dahlberg LL, et al. Prevalence of Adverse Childhood Experiences Among U.S. Adults — Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2011–2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2023;72:707–715. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7226a2 .
  • Bellis, MA, et al. Life Course Health Consequences and Associated Annual Costs of Adverse Childhood Experiences Across Europe and North America: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Lancet Public Health 2019.
  • Adverse Childhood Experiences During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Associations with Poor Mental Health and Suicidal Behaviors Among High School Students — Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey, United States, January–June 2021 | MMWR
  • Hillis SD, Anda RF, Dube SR, Felitti VJ, Marchbanks PA, Marks JS. The association between adverse childhood experiences and adolescent pregnancy, long-term psychosocial consequences, and fetal death. Pediatrics. 2004 Feb;113(2):320-7.
  • Miller ES, Fleming O, Ekpe EE, Grobman WA, Heard-Garris N. Association Between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes. Obstetrics & Gynecology . 2021;138(5):770-776. https://doi.org/10.1097/AOG.0000000000004570 .
  • Sulaiman S, Premji SS, Tavangar F, et al. Total Adverse Childhood Experiences and Preterm Birth: A Systematic Review. Matern Child Health J . 2021;25(10):1581-1594. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-021-03176-6 .
  • Ciciolla L, Shreffler KM, Tiemeyer S. Maternal Childhood Adversity as a Risk for Perinatal Complications and NICU Hospitalization. Journal of Pediatric Psychology . 2021;46(7):801-813. https://doi.org/10.1093/jpepsy/jsab027 .
  • Mersky JP, Lee CP. Adverse childhood experiences and poor birth outcomes in a diverse, low-income sample. BMC pregnancy and childbirth. 2019;19(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-019-2560-8 .
  • Reid JA, Baglivio MT, Piquero AR, Greenwald MA, Epps N. No youth left behind to human trafficking: Exploring profiles of risk. American journal of orthopsychiatry. 2019;89(6):704.
  • Diamond-Welch B, Kosloski AE. Adverse childhood experiences and propensity to participate in the commercialized sex market. Child Abuse & Neglect. 2020 Jun 1;104:104468.
  • Shonkoff, J. P., Garner, A. S., Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health, Committee on Early Childhood, Adoption, and Dependent Care, & Section on Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics (2012). The lifelong effects of early childhood adversity and toxic stress. Pediatrics, 129(1), e232–e246. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2011-2663
  • Narayan AJ, Kalstabakken AW, Labella MH, Nerenberg LS, Monn AR, Masten AS. Intergenerational continuity of adverse childhood experiences in homeless families: unpacking exposure to maltreatment versus family dysfunction. Am J Orthopsych. 2017;87(1):3. https://doi.org/10.1037/ort0000133 .
  • Schofield TJ, Donnellan MB, Merrick MT, Ports KA, Klevens J, Leeb R. Intergenerational continuity in adverse childhood experiences and rural community environments. Am J Public Health. 2018;108(9):1148-1152. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2018.304598 .
  • Schofield TJ, Lee RD, Merrick MT. Safe, stable, nurturing relationships as a moderator of intergenerational continuity of child maltreatment: a meta-analysis. J Adolesc Health. 2013;53(4 Suppl):S32-38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2013.05.004 .

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

ACEs can have a tremendous impact on lifelong health and opportunity. CDC works to understand ACEs and prevent them.

IMAGES

  1. Case Interview Frameworks: The Ultimate Guide (2022)

    case study in interview examples

  2. Interview Case Study

    case study in interview examples

  3. A Guide for Case Study Interview Presentations for Beginners

    case study in interview examples

  4. Case Interview EXPLAINED with EXAMPLES

    case study in interview examples

  5. Case study interview examples: questions and answers

    case study in interview examples

  6. How To Prepare A Case Study For An Interview

    case study in interview examples

VIDEO

  1. Epic Charter School Case Study Math Interventionist Interview Lori Newell

  2. G-Gillette Business Case Study Live. #shorts #businesscasestudy #brandstrategy #gillette

  3. CASE STUDY 2 LIVE: Meta Insider Strategy That SLASHED Grant Cardone's Ad Costs by Jaw-Dropping 70%+!

  4. Case Study Interview by Buchi Podcast

  5. Case interview examples

  6. Case Interview Example

COMMENTS

  1. 47 case interview examples (from McKinsey, BCG, Bain, etc.)

    Using case interview examples is a key part of your interview preparation, but it isn't enough. At some point you'll want to practise with friends or family who can give some useful feedback. However, if you really want the best possible preparation for your case interview, you'll also want to work with ex-consultants who have experience ...

  2. 100+ Case Interview Examples for the Best Practice (2024)

    Walk the interviewer through your ideas and opinions. Deliver a recommendation out loud: Just as you would do in a real case interview, ask for a brief moment to collect your thoughts and review your notes. Once you have decided on a recommendation, present your recommendation to the interviewer. 3.

  3. 35 Case Interviews Examples from MBB / Big Four Firms

    10 example cases with 100+ real-time feedbacks on tips and techniques, 50+ exercises on business intuition and 1300+ questions for math practice! Learning 35 case interview examples, 16 casebooks, and a feedback-rich case video help you to best preparing for the management consulting recruitment process.

  4. 280 Free Case Interview Examples

    Over 280 case interview examples and sample answers from all the top consulting firms such as McKinsey, The BCG, Bain & Company, Roland Berger, or Deloitte. ... Most of these 253 case study examples are based on case interviews used by consulting firms in real job interviews.

  5. Cracking Case Study Interviews: Examples and Expert Tips

    Case study interview examples A case interview is a form of an interview in which the hiring manager gives the candidate a business problem and asks them to suggest a solution to deal with it. Hiring managers typically utilise case studies for interviews in investment banking or management consulting. The purpose of these interviews is to ...

  6. Case Interview Prep Guide

    Mental Math for Case Interviews - You were probably better at mental math in 7th grade than you are now. Brush up on your skills to ensure you can ace the interview. Case Interview Examples - See what real consulting applicants experienced during the case interview process. Case Interview Prep - Ordered steps to prepare for your ...

  7. Case Interview Examples: The 9 Best in 2024 (McKinsey, Bain, BCG, etc.)

    Medical supplies manufacturer demand decrease. #9. Pepsi's LA bottling plant. (And here's a bonus case that wasn't good enough to make it to the list, but still had something special that might be interesting to you.) #10. 1930's gangster growth strategy. #1. Playworks market entry.

  8. 48 Case Interview Examples: Master List (2024)

    48 Case Interview Examples: Master List (2024) Updated March 12, 2024. The case interview is the biggest challenge consulting candidates must overcome to receive an offer. Most aspiring consultants are coveting an offer from the likes of McKinsey, Bain, BCG, and Deloitte. Though some are blessed with the innate talent to crack cases, for the ...

  9. How To Succeed in a Case Study Interview

    Confidence. Logical and actionable thinking process. Intuition. Clear communication. Analytic mind. Related: Job Specification vs. Job Description Explained. 3. Review questions an interviewer may ask. To be successful during a case study interview, be mindful of potential questions an interviewer may ask.

  10. 28 Consulting Case Interview Examples from 10 Top Firms [2024]

    Agency V - Help a large federal agency recover from a front-page scandal that sparked investigations and congressional hearings. Federal Benefits Provider - Help a federal agency that provides benefits to millions of U.S. citizens prepare for a major expansion of its mandate. 5. AT Kearney Case Interview Examples.

  11. All-Inclusive Guide to Case Study Interviews + Examples

    Remember, case study interviews will put all your skills to the test. From the analytical and logical ones to your communication skills. The best way to prepare is to research the case study frameworks the company you ambition to work for uses. Prepare answers for different case study questions they might ask and rehearse your interview skills.

  12. The Ultimate Guide to the Consulting Case Interview

    This guide, written by a former McKinsey consultant and Wharton MBA, breaks down the management consulting case interview into comprehensible parts with relevant, realistic examples at every turn. While the consulting case study interview may seem daunting at first, most cases follow a typical song-and-dance. Once you get a hang of it, prepping ...

  13. Practice a case interview

    interview. Case interviews represent real client engagements giving you insight into our approach and the work we do. It also gives you an opportunity to demonstrate clear thinking, practical judgment, and a professional demeanor, while helping us assess your thought process, creativity, and comfort with ambiguity.

  14. How to Prep for a Case Study Interview

    Case Study Interview Example Questions. Unlike other common interview questions, it's not as easy to prepare an answer to case study interview questions. Even though you know it's a case study interview, you don't necessarily know the specifics of the case or what problems you'll be asked to solve.

  15. How to Impress at a Case Study Interview: What to Expect and ...

    5. Complete a sample case analysis. Use example business scenarios to create a mock case study interview. Search for case study interview prompts and sample business cases in your industry, then look for trends, make estimations and summarise your findings. After completing a practice case study, review your work and identify areas for improvement.

  16. Case Studies for interviews (Sample Questions and Answers)

    How to prepare for a case study interview. Follow these steps to prepare for case study interviews: 1. Conduct research on frameworks for case study interviews. Interviewers commonly present case studies as a brief containing the business scenario. The interviewer expects you to use certain materials and frameworks to analyze and deliver your ...

  17. Case Library

    If you're an aspiring consultant who wants to make the most of this resource, click here to learn about accessing the case library through our community. Insure Me! A case library of 600+ case study examples to get you ready for your case interview! McKinsey, BCG, Bain & 20+ other firm styles represented!

  18. 100 Case Study Interview Questions [Updated for 2020]

    100 Case Study Interview Questions [Updated for 2020] Brittany Fuller. Published: November 29, 2022. Case studies and testimonials are helpful to have in your arsenal. But to build an effective library, you need to ask the right case study questions. You also need to know how to write a case study. Case studies are customers' stories that your ...

  19. Case Interview Prep

    An important step in the interview process for client-facing roles, case interviews are designed to simulate real-world problems faced by client teams, so you'll be able to experience the type of work we do, show off your ability to problem-solve, and demonstrate any technical or specialized skills related to the role for which you're applying.

  20. 10 Case Interview Question Examples (Plus Answers)

    The following are 10 examples of case interview questions. You can use these examples to get a better understanding of how case interview questions will be presented and the topics that they may cover. 1. A client of a company is a hotel located in New York City, New York. Their primary customer base is made up of mostly foreign tourists.

  21. Getting ready for your interviews

    At McKinsey, we strive to create an unrivalled environment for exceptional people. During many of our interviews, you will learn more about what this value means in practice at McKinsey. Your assessor may share details of how McKinsey is a non-hierarchical, diverse, inclusive meritocracy. They may touch on our formal and informal apprenticeship and mentor programs.

  22. Human Resources Case Interview: Step-By-Step Guide

    How to Solve a Human Resources Case Interview. There are seven steps to solve a Human Resources case interview. 1. Understand the case. Understanding the case scenario is the foundation of effective problem-solving. Read or listen to the scenario carefully, absorbing the context, key stakeholders, and central issues.

  23. What is a Case Study? Definition & Examples

    For example, consider a case study in a business setting where a startup struggles to scale. Researchers might examine the startup's strategies, market conditions, management decisions, and competition. Interviews with the CEO, employees, and customers, alongside an analysis of financial data, could offer insights into the challenges and ...

  24. 30 Situational Interview Questions & How to Answer Them

    30 Situational interview questions examples. Below, you'll find 30 examples of situational interview questions (You can't accuse us of being stingy!) that might come your way during the job interview rounds. Additionally, you'll find the specific skill each question probes in the brackets.

  25. Interview Question: What Are You Passionate About?

    Talking effectively about your passions will set you apart in an interview. getty. Interviewing is stressful, and one of the most challenging questions to answer is "What are you passionate ...

  26. 5G Examples, Applications & Use Cases

    One example is the area of remote surgery that uses robotics and a high-definition live stream that is connected to the internet via a 5G network. Another is the field of mobile health, where 5G gives medical workers in the field quick access to patient data and medical history. This enables them to make smarter decisions, faster, and ...

  27. ERIC

    This study was guided by Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) and the Partnership for 21st Century Skills. Sixteen participants provided in-depth responses to open ended interview questions related to the study's two research questions. The first research question was; how do K-2 teachers describe their use of technology resources?

  28. "Taking part in the project has really changed our experience as a

    This exploratory study aimed to examine the experiences of a small sample of parents participating in an active case ascertainment prevalence study screening for FASD in Greater Manchester, UK (ADD-GM study). Interviews were conducted with six parents, whose children aged 8-10 years, underwent screening (including three cases of FASD).

  29. Wegovy users keep weight off for four years, Novo Nordisk study says

    Patients taking Novo Nordisk's Wegovy obesity treatment maintained an average of 10% weight loss after four years, potentially boosting the drugmaker's case to insurers and governments to cover ...

  30. About Adverse Childhood Experiences

    Examples can include growing up in a household with: 1. Substance use problems. Mental health problems. Instability due to parental separation. Instability due to household members being in jail or prison. The examples above are not a complete list of adverse experiences. Many other traumatic experiences could impact health and well-being.