Sample Case Interview Questions
In general terms, there are no “right” answers in case interview.
Companies use them because they are interested in how clearly you
define a problem, how logically you structure your analysis, and how
well you communicate your thoughts. Case interviews are used to assess
your analytical ability as well as your creativity. Following are some
samples of case interview questions:
The Brain Teaser
These questions are usually a warm-up or a cool-down.
- How many phone booths are in New York City?
This question tests your ability to structure and test hypotheses
quickly and be creative. It requires a logical thought process as
well as ease with numbers.
- Why are manhole covers round?
This question is considered a random fact analysis. It tests our
ability to be creative and analytical.
The Business Case
These are generally long answers. The case can provide you
with very little information, which allows you to probe for more
details, or can provide you with a wealth of information, and you have
to discern the important information from the not as relevant
information. The following is a case used as a sample on Accenture’s
website.
The client is a U.S. biotechnology company with one product on the
market ($500MM in sales). The product is used by dialysis patients, so
the target audience in nephrologists. In 6 to 12 months, the company
is planning on introducing a new product to the market. The new
product is for cancer patients, so the target audience is oncologists.
There is one major competitor for the current product and if new
product is introduced within a year, there will be no competition for
at least one year. The current sales force is comprised of 100 sales
representatives. Most reps joined the company to be in an
entrepreneurial environment and have been selling only one product for
the past 5 years. To successfully introduce the new product to the
oncology market, the company will need to invest money in expanding
its sales force.
Your task is to help the client think through the question, “Should
we invest money in expanding our sales force?”
This answer can obviously go many different ways. There is more
information needed to develop a well thought out answer.
To review some of the key issues involved in this case go to:
http://campusconnection.accenture.com/ad/ad_case_studies_bio.shtml
Many consulting company websites give sample cases as well as
practical advice on surviving their interview process. Remember the
two keys for succeeding in an interview: Research and Practice.
|
