贝恩系列介绍-4
作者：佚名 来源：不详 发布时间：2007-5-7 15:41:00
Case interview with Bain
We value the case interview process as a means for us to get to know each othe
r better. It is a chance for you to show us how you think through a real busin
ess problem and for us to give you an example of the kinds of work we see ever
yday. For this reason, our interviewers prepare their interviews based on real
cases and tend not to rely on brainteasers or theoretical problems.
What are they typically like?
A good case interview should be an enjoyable and thoughtful discussion of busi
ness issues and problem-solving techniques. We are not looking for a "right an
swer" or asking you to spit back memorized business terms, current events or w
ell-known frameworks. Rather, we hope to see a good dose of problem-solving sk
ills, creativity and common sense. A good interview will be fun and full of en
ergy!
How do you ace the case?
Your answer should reflect structured thinking in which you:
·Break the problem down
·Focus by prioritizing which areas to investigate
·Demonstrate clear analytic evidence based on assumptions, math and logic
·Make an actual recommendation
At Bain, we look for recommendations that are actions designed to generate res
ults, not merely academic answers.
To learn more about case interview, please take a look at the attached materia
l or visit http://www.bain.com/bainweb/Join_Bain/case_interviews.asp
We look forward to seeing you at our on-campus presentation on Sunday!
Attachment:
Bain & Company
“How to Ace the Case Interview”
UP FRONT PLANNING
The case interview is only one dimension of the recruiting process, but it is
typically the part that raises the most anxiety. We hope this guide will help
you to prepare for the case so that you can be confident and enjoy the interv
iew.
You must have the ability to:
·break a complex problem into its components parts
·apply business judgment to identify value
·generate a creative range of solutions to a problem’s component parts
·identify the most likely/attractive solutions through logical reasoning
·generate thoughtful questions and ask for clarification of case data, as ne
cessary
·translate analysis into actionable recommendations
·effectively communicate solutions in a concise and persuasive manner
Preparation:
A case study consists of a business problem taken from a real-life business si
tuation, or an example drawn from your resume. It focuses on your analytic ap
proach to the problem, rather than specific business knowledge.
First and foremost, you can succeed in a case interview without specific indus
try experience. Don’t panic if the case you are given is based on an industr
y with which you are unfamiliar. Remember, we are interested in how you analy
ze the problem, not how much you know about the industry.
Practicing for the case interview is helpful. Practice by constructing exampl
es from your resume and walking through steps 1-5. Finally, the answers menti
oned demonstrate only one way to respond to the case, there is not one standar
d best answer.
THE CASE INTERVIEW
The objective of the interviewer is to take the candidate through a series of
steps and see how (s)he can tackle the various levels. The steps can range fr
om identifying a critical issue, to breaking a problem into component parts, t
o finally identifying one or more solutions.
STEP 1: BIG PICTURE THINKING
The interviewer lays out the facts and asks the candidate to articulate the cr
itical issues facing the business. “Big Picture Thinking” requires a focus
on the key issues and not a ‘laundry list’ of every problem facing the busin
ess. The interviewer then asks why the candidate chose the answer (s)he did.
Question:
You have just been promoted to be the President of the University you are curr
ently attending. What do you think the biggest challenge facing you might be?
A good answer:
The University has several powerful constituencies – undergraduates, graduate
students, professors, alumni, government and community. However, the Univers
ity doesn’t have unlimited resources and therefore it must prioritize where i
t spends its dollars. Long term success for the University is driven by figur
ing out what the most important areas are, and at the same time ensuring that
all constituents feel they are being treated fairly.
STEP 2: PROBLEM SOLVING LOGIC
The interviewer asks the candidate to lay out all the elements of the problem:
What factors should be considered?
Question:
How should you prioritize your limited resources?
A good answer:
Think about what drives the University’s success – reputation, economics, qu
ality of students, quality of research. Understand what “focusing resources”
really gets you. Each factor has a different set of implications/impact.
STEP 3: FOCUS ON VALUE
The interviewer lets the candidate then choose which avenues to pursue, leavin
g the discussion open-ended: without suggesting focus, the interviewer determ
ines if the candidate is instinctive about which path to choose and then asks
why the candidate selected this path.
Question:
Which opportunity do you think will have the biggest impact?
A good answer:
Reputation. If you have a good reputation it can influence other areas. Repu
tation can be a long-term asset. Also, it is probably the hardest to fix once
it is broken.
STEP 4: DEPTH AND BREADTH – BUSINESS INTUITION
After getting the recruit to focus on a key area, the interviewer asks the can
didate some probing questions about how (s)he would analyze that area.
Question:
Okay, so how would you improve the University’s reputation?
A good answer:
I would focus on improvement in two areas:
·promote activities that build reputation
·eliminate factors that negatively impact reputation (discussion then contin
ues down both of these paths with specific improvement ideas)
STEP 5: RESULTS ORIENTATION
The interviewer returns to a key area of discussion, asking the candidate how
(s)he would implement his/her solution. The interviewer could pose a tricky o
r hostile client situation and ask how the candidate would get results in a di
fficult environment.
Question:
Well, those seem like pretty sound strategies. How exactly would you implemen
t those ideas?
A good answer:
We will need to start with a PR blitz, so I would encourage several articles t
o be written about “The New University” in popular press. Also, I would hei
ghten the pressure on professors to publish articles…(the answer continues wi
th other implementation ideas).
“We’re looking for logical, creative people who can think on their feet. Th
e whole interview process is designed to locate those people.”
-Tom Tierney, Worldwide Managing Director
“I’m not necessarily expecting the ‘right’ answer. In practice, there oft
en isn’t just one solution. I’m most interested in hearing how the candidat
es think; whether they are logical in their approach to breaking down a proble
m. I look for eagerness to understand the issues and to focus on value.”
-Ann Bonaparte, Manager
“I find that a lot of the people that I interview use the ‘fire hose’ appro
ach: they shoot a million facts and ideas at me without any organization or p
rioritization. A good candidate makes a few key points, but makes them very w
ell.”
-Mark Howorth, Manager
INTERVIEW TIPS
·Don’t get thrown by the interviewer’s questions. The interviewer is your
ally and uses questions to get a better understanding of your thought process
– not to stump you.
·Be concise. If asked for the top two issues, confine your response to two
items.
·Provide logical back-up for your answers. Be sure to explain what case fac
ts led you to a conclusion, and how you reasoned from those facts to your conc
lusion.
·Don’t be afraid to ask clarifying questions. If you don’t understand the
case facts, it will be tough to ace the interview.
·Relax and have fun. You should learn a lot about yourself through the case
interview process.
·Good Luck!
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