The 5 phases of a case interview
Every consulting case — McKinsey, BCG, Bain or boutique — follows a recognisable arc. Click any step to expand it and see how to approach it, what to do, what to avoid, and an example of a strong response.
How to approach
- Listen carefully
- Take structured notes
- Summarize the problem back to the interviewer
Do's
- Clarify the objective
- Capture key numbers
- Structure notes
Don'ts
- Jump into solving immediately
- Miss important details
Example — strong candidate response
“Just to confirm, the client is facing declining profits and wants to understand the drivers, correct?”
Practice drills
Train with realistic case moments. Respond like you would in an interview.
Declining airline profits
Our client is a regional European airline operating short-haul routes. Over the past three years, their operating margin has declined from 12% to 4%, while revenue has remained broadly flat. The CEO has asked us to understand what is driving the decline and what they should do about it.
Retail market entry into the US
Our client is a large European fashion retailer that currently operates in five Western European countries. The board is considering entering the United States market, either by opening physical stores or by launching online-only. They want our help deciding whether to enter, and if so, how.
Sizing food delivery in a capital city
Our client is a global food delivery platform considering whether to launch in a major Western European capital city of about 3 million inhabitants. Before deciding, they want us to estimate the annual addressable revenue from restaurant food delivery in that city.
FMCG margin decline with mixed signals
Our client is a global consumer goods company selling personal care products. Over the past two years, total revenue has been flat, but operating margins have declined from 18% to 11%. North America and Western Europe are under pressure, while emerging markets continue to grow. The board wants to understand what is causing the margin pressure and what to do about it.
Industrial M&A — electric drivetrain target
Our client is a large industrial equipment manufacturer evaluating the acquisition of a smaller competitor that specialises in electric drivetrains. The target is profitable but growing slowly. The CEO of our client wants our recommendation on whether to proceed with the acquisition, at what price, and under what conditions.
Ready to put it into practice?
Pick a case and apply the flow and frameworks you just learned.