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WhartonConsultingCasebook2007–2008EditionTableofContentsI.Introduction.................................................................................................................1II.WhatInterviewersWant.............................................................................................2III.TypesofCases............................................................................................................4IV.UsingaFramework.....................................................................................................6V.HowtoCracktheCase...............................................................................................9VI.PracticeCases...........................................................................................................12A.PracticeCase#1–BubbleGumManufacturer.................................................13B.PracticeCase#2–WidgetManufacturerinBrazil..........................................15C.PracticeCase#3–MarketGrowthStrategyinRetailBanking........................20D.PracticeCase#4–RetirementHomes..............................................................26E.PracticeCase#5–R&DPortfolio....................................................................28Page1I.IntroductionBeingabletoconfidentlyandconsistentlycrackcasesisanabsoluterequirementtogettingajobinconsulting.Youmaybeatthemostprestigiousbusinessschool,haveastellarrésumé,andbetheleadinFollies–butthatwillonlygetyoutheinterview.Onceyougettotheinterview,theabilitytohandleacaseinathoroughandlogicalmanneriswhatgetsyouthejob.Fortunately,caseinterviewingisaskillthatisfairlyeasytolearnwithsufficientpractice.Eventhosewithoutapriorbackgroundinbusinesscan,anddo,succeed.Itreallyjustcomesdowntofourkeyfactors:(1)approachingtheinterviewinaconfident,friendlyandconversationalmanner;(2)beingorganizedandmethodicalinyourapproachtosolvingtheproblem;(3)havingasolidcommandofaframeworkforprobingtheissuesofthecase;and(4)practicinguntilalloftheabovecomesnaturally,evenunderpressure.Whenyoufirststartdoingcases,theymayseemdauntingandslightlyoverwhelming.However,theoldadage“PracticemakesPerfect”arewordstolivebywhendevelopingthenecessaryskillsto“ace”thecaseinterview.Consistentpractice,andrealisticinterviewingsituations,willprepareyouforthatstressfulmomentwhentheinterviewersays,“SoIhavethisprojectI’mworkingon…”Thisguidewaswrittentogivenewcomerstotheinterviewprocessaprimeronwhattoexpectininterviews,waystoapproachcases,andhowtostudyforthem.ThecasesincludedintheSectionVIwereactualcasesgiventoWhartonstudentsduringthe2006-2007recruitingseason.Whileyouarenotlikelytogetoneofthesecaseswhenyouinterview,practicingthemwillgiveyouaverygoodideaofwhattoexpectwhenyougetintothatinterviewroom.Goodluckandhavefun!-WhartonConsultingClubPage2II.WhatInterviewersWantThebusinessofconsultingisallaboutchargingclientslargesumsofmoneytotellthemwhatyouthink.Forthemtovalueyourservicestheyneedtohaveconfidenceinwhatyouaretellingthemandtheyneedtolikeworkingwithyou.Consultingfirmsthereforearelookingforafewkeytraitsintheircandidates.Theyneedtoknowthatyouaresmart–butthisisprettymuchagivenforyoutogettothispoint.Sobeyondthis,theywanttoknowthatyouhavethemental“horsepower”tobeabletosolveclientproblemsquicklywithincompleteinformation.Thecaseisthereforedesignedtogiveyouabroad,open-endedproblemwithverylittleinformation,forcingyoutoprobeformoreinformationandmakerationalassumptionswhereinformationislacking.Theywillaskyoubothtocontemplateexpansiveconceptsthroughbrainstorming,aswellasdiveintodetailedanalysisunderpressure.Everycaseisdifferentandcaseformatsdifferbetweenfirms,butingeneraltheyarealltryingtoseehowwellyouthinkunderpressure.Havingmentalhorsepowerstillisn’tenough.Forthistobeofvaluetotheclient,youmustbeabletocommunicateyourideasclearlyandconvincingly.Sotheinterviewerwillalsobetakingcarefulnoteofhowyouapproachorganizingyourquestions,presentingandvalidatingyourideas,andformulatingaconclusion.Youmustbeconfidentinyourquestioningandpresentation,andyoumustproceedthroughthecasefollowinganorderlyplanandarrivingataconciseconclusion.ImaginethatyouhavebeenturnedlooseataclientonyourfirstdayandtheCEOjuststoppedbytoaskaboutwhatyouhaveconcludedsofar–theinterviewerwantstobeconfidentthatyoucouldhandlesucha(realisticallypossible)situation.Itisoftendifficulttogetrelevantinformationoutofaclient.Yourinterviewerlikewisewillnotspoonfeedyouanyoftheinformationthatyouneedtosolvethecase.Becauseofthis,itisimperativethatyouarealwaysdrivingthecase.Theinterviewerwillgiveyouaninitialproblemtosolve,butfromthenonitisyourshow.Shemayaskyouspecificquestionsorrequestacertainanalysisfromtimetotime,butdonotgetdistractedfromyourmission:Youaretosolvetheinitialquestionaskedandyouonlyhave20minutestodoso.Youmuststartthecasebyaskingquestionstodigfordata.Iftheinterviewerasksyoutoperformaspecificanalysis,doso,butalwaysreturnbacktothedriver’sseat;otherwiseyouwillfindyourselfattheendofthe20minuteswithoutaconclusion.ImaginetheinterviewislikeanEasteregghunt.Whenyoustart,youhavenoideawheretolookforthekeyinforma