interview-casebook--ATK

People&IdeasStrategicimpact,tangibleresultsConsultingCaseBookandTipsforInterviewing1WelcometotheA.T.KearneyWayofConsultingFirstandforemost,wewouldliketocommendyouonyourinterestinstrategyconsulting.YouareabouttoembarkonanextraordinaryjourneyandweatA.T.Kearneywouldliketoprepareyouinthebestmannerpossible.Asyoubegintothinkabouttheupcomingrecruitingseason,wehopeyouwillconsiderexploringcareeropportunitieswithA.T.Kearney.Thisisaveryexcitingtimetobeapartofourfirm.InJanuary2006,A.T.Kearneyreturnedtobeingafullyindependent,consultant-ownedfirm.Asan“80-year-oldstart-up”wehavecombinedeightyyearsofdeliveringvaluetoourclientswithanentrepreneurialspiritandfreshperspective.Ourfirmhasenjoyedalotofsuccessindeliveringcuttingedgeworkacrossstrategy,operationsandotherfunctionsforindustry-leadingandbig-brandclients.AsyouexplorepossibilitiesatA.T.Kearney,weencourageyoutovisitourwebsiteandparticipateinouron-campusrecruitingevents.AtA.T.Kearneywearelookingforpeoplewholovetoreachout.Peoplewhowanttostretchtheirtalents.Peoplewhowillchallengethemselvestoachievemeaningful,measurableresultsfortheirclients,theirfirmandthemselves.PeoplewithIdeasThatLastYourinterestinaconsultingcareerwithussuggeststhatyoumaybeoneofthosepeople,andwehavedesignedourinterviewprocesssothatyouwillhaveeveryopportunitytoshowit.TheA.T.KearneyinterviewsequenceforMBAcandidatesseekinganAssociatepositionconsistsoftworounds.Thefirstincludestwo45-minuteinterviewsconductedback-to-backoncampusorinanotherconvenientlocation.Thesecond,whichnormallytakesplaceatournearestoffice,involvesmeetingswithA.T.Kearney’sseniorconsultants.Ifyouareinvitedtocompletethefullsequence,youcanexpectthatbothroundsofinterviewswillbeacombinationofcaseandfitinterviews.Thismeansthatinadditiontodiscussingourfirmandyourfuturewithit,theA.T.Kearneyconsultantsyoumeetwillalsopresentyouwithreal-worldbusinessproblemsandaskyoutodevelopsolutions.2ForAssociatecandidatesinthesecondrounds,astandardizedcasepresentationwillalsobeincludedintheprocess,inadditiontoregularcaseandfitinterviews.Candidateswillreceiveawrittencase,alongwithothernecessarymaterials,andwillbeprovidedwith60minutesofindividualpreparationtimetoreadandanalyzethecase,determinekeyissuesandrecommendationsandprepareslidesforpresentation.Candidateswillthenmakea20-minutepresentationtoA.T.Kearneyconsultants,followedbya10-minuteQ&Asession.Experienceshowsthattheapplicantswhoarethemostsuccessfulinacaseinterviewarethosewhoenteritwiththerightframeofmindandthebestpreparation.Thefollowinginformationisdesignedtohelpyouachieveboth.WhytheCaseFormat?Whilewelookformanyqualitiesinanapplicant,themostimportantishisorherabilitytothinkandcommunicateaswebelieveasuccessfulconsultantshould.Acaseinterviewoffersyoutheopportunitytodemonstrateyourconsultingpotential.Thecaseformatisasimulationinwhichyourinterviewer,intheroleofclient,presentsyouwithacomplexbusinessproblemandseeksyourinitialrecommendationsforsolvingit.Intheprocessofdevelopingandconveyingyourideas,youwillhavethechancetodisplaymanyofthecharacteristicsthatmakeforsuccessfulconsulting.Theseincludeyourabilitytogatherandsynthesizeinformation,topostulatealternatesolutions,toformulatetheonewiththegreatestimpactandtocommunicateitwithpowerandpoise.Ultimately,bothyouandwewillcomeoutofthecaseinterviewwithabettersenseofyour“fit”withtheconsultingprofessioningeneralandwithA.T.Kearneyinparticular.WhattoExpectThecaseformatpresentschallengesdifferentfromthoseofamoreconventionalinterview.Here,youwillnotonlydiscussyourqualificationsbutalsodemonstratethem.ThecasesyouencounterwillbebasedinpartonactualA.T.Kearneyengagementsorprojects.Theywillfocusonareassuchasthefollowing:•IndustryAnalysis•ProfitImprovement•Investments3•MarketExpansion•PricingAlternativesHowtoSucceedDuringYourCaseInterviewIngeneral,thebestwaytoapproachproblemslikethoselistedaboveistoentertheinterviewasaconsultantwouldenteraclient’sofficeorboardroom—readytouseyourimagination,gatherandanalyzeinformation,arriveatsolidconclusionsandcommunicatethempersuasively.WeaskedfortheadviceofA.T.Kearneyconsultantswhohaveconductedcaseinterviewsandtheyofferedthefollowing:1.ApproachtheCaseLogically.Themostimportantthingistorelyonwhatyoureducationhastrainedyoutodo:useyourlogicandknowledgetoidentifytheessenceofaproblemandshapeasolutionthatwillproducetangible,measurableresults•ListenandClarify.Theinterviewer,likearealclient,willofferyouaninitialsetoffacts.Becertainyouunderstandthemcompletely.Becertain,also,thatyouhelptheclientclearlyexpresstheobjectiveshisorherhypotheticalcompanyexpectstoaccomplishasaresultofyourrecommendations.Intheinterview,asinarealconsultingsituation,theclientmaynotprovidealltheinformationyouneedwithoutsomeprobingonyourpart.Bepreparedtoaskthoughtfulquestionsthatwillilluminateandfillthegaps.•Think“TopDown.”Asyouanalyzetheinformationyoureceive,beginwiththe“bigpicture.”Understandtheoverridingissuesandusethemtoprioritizeandorganizethoseoflesserconsequence.•Hypothesize.Whileyoulistenandquestion,begindevelopingalternativesolutions.Continuequestioninguntilyouareconfidentastowhichwil