咨询公司面试案例分析指南咨询面试系列如何应付案例分析面试(终审稿)

六个策略帮助你应对面试中的案例分析问题面试是求职过程中的一项重要环节，而案例分析问题常常是面试中的重点。

面试官通过案例分析问题，评估面试者的思维能力、问题解决能力和沟通能力。

在应对面试中的案例分析问题时，以下六个策略能够帮助你取得更好的效果。

策略一：理解问题在回答案例分析问题之前，首先要确保自己充分理解问题。

仔细阅读问题陈述，明确问题所涉及的关键信息和背景，确保自己对问题的理解准确无误。

如果有不清楚的地方，可以主动向面试官提问，以便更好地理解问题。

策略二：分析问题在理解问题的基础上，进行问题分析是非常重要的。

将问题拆解为更小的子问题，找出问题中的关键要素和关系，进行逻辑推理和分析。

通过对问题进行深入思考和分析，可以帮助我们更好地理清思路，并找到解决问题的有效途径。

策略三：建立框架在面对复杂的案例分析问题时，建立一个框架会帮助我们更有条理地解答问题。

框架是问题解决过程中的一个结构，可以帮助我们整理思路、提供清晰的逻辑结构，并使回答更加系统化和有条不紊。

在建立框架时，可以根据问题的特点，选择合适的框架模型，如SWOT分析、五力模型等。

策略四：寻找关键信息在回答案例分析问题时，面试官通常会提供大量的信息，而其中只有一部分是关键信息。

我们需要从众多信息中筛选出关键信息，避免陷入信息过载。

关键信息通常是问题解决的核心，通过识别和利用关键信息，可以更快地找到问题的解决方案。

策略五：提出假设和解决方案案例分析问题往往没有唯一的正确答案，我们需要根据问题的要求和限制条件，提出合理的假设和解决方案。

在提出假设和解决方案时，需要考虑问题的多个方面，权衡利弊，做出合理的判断。

同时，要清晰地陈述自己的假设和解决思路，并给出相应的理由和支持数据。

策略六：沟通与展示在回答案例分析问题时，清晰的沟通和良好的表达能力尤为重要。

面试官更加关注我们的思考过程和沟通能力，而不仅仅是最终的答案。

因此，在回答问题时，要始终保持清晰的思路，用简洁明了的语言表达自己的观点，注重逻辑的连贯性和语言的准确性。

咨询公司面试案例分析指南咨询面试系列a 集团标准化办公室：[VV986T-J682P28-JP266L8-68PNN]Firm: A.T. KearneyCase Number:Case setup (facts offered by interviewer):Your client is a manufacturer of bicyclesThey have been in business for 25 yearsThey manufacturer and sell three categories of bicycles:Racing bikes: High end, high performance bikes for sophisticated cyclists Mainstream bikes: Durable, but not overly complicated bikes for everyday ridersChildren’s bikes: Small er, simpler versions of their mainstream bikes for childrenProfits at your client have decreased over the past five yearsQuestion:What is driving the decline in overall profits?What recommendations might correct the situation?Suggested solutions:The first question is to determine what has caused overall profits to decrease. To accomplish this the candidate must first understand what has transpired in each of the three product categories over the past five years during which profitability has slipped. The following are questions and answers that would be provided in an interview scenario.What are the client’s margins for a bicycle in each of the threesegments?Racing: Cost = $600/unit, Profit=$300/unitMainstream: Cost = $250/unit, Profit = $75/unitChildren’s: Cost = $ 200/unit, Profit = $50/unitWhat has happened to the market size of each of the three segments over the past five years?Racing: Has remained constant at its present size of $300MMMainstream: Has increased at 2% growth rate per year to its present size of $1.0BChildren’s: Has increased at 3% growth rate per year to its present size of $400MMWhat has happened to our client’s market share in each of these segments?Racing: Market share has decreased from 60% to 30%Mainstream: Market share has increased from 0% to 5%Children’s: Market share has increased from 0% to 3%Who are the client’s major competitor’s in each market segment What has happened to their market share in each segment over the past five yearsRacing: There is one main competitor and a host of small firms. Your main competitor has increased market share from 30% to 50%Mainstream: There exist many, large competitors, none of which holds more than 10% of the marketChildren’s: As in the mainstream segment, there are m any competitors, none with more than 10% of the marketThe above information provides enough information to put together a picture of why profits have decreased over the past five years : Your client, with a commanding position in a flat market segment (ra cing), expanded into new segments (mainstream and children’s). As this occurred, market share decreased dramatically in the most lucrative segment (racing), creating an unfavorable mix.The extent to which profits have decreased can be deduced from some quick math : profits have slipped from $60MM five years ago (=60% x $300MM x 33% racing margin) to $44MM today ( = (30% x $300MM x 33% racing margin) + (5% x $1B x 23% mainstream margin) + (3% x $400MMx 20% children’s margin)).The dramatic decrease in market share in the racing segment is at this point still unexplained. Questions that would help formulate an explanation include:Have there been any major changes in product quality in your client’s racing product Or in its main competitor’s racing productNoHave there been any major price changes in your client’s racing product Or in its main competitor’s racing productNoHave there been any major changes in distribution outlets for your client’s racingproduct Or for its main competitor’s racing productYes. Previously your client and its main competitor in the racing segment soldexclusively through small, specialty dealers. This remains unchanged for the competition.Your client, however, began to sell its racing bikes through mass distributors anddiscount stores (the distribution outlets for mainstream and children’s bikes) as it entered the mainstream and children’s segment.How do the mass distributors and discount stores price the racing bikes relative to the specialty stores?Prices at these stores tend to be 15 to 20% less.What percent of your client’s racing sales occur in mass distributors and discountstores?Effectively none. This attempt to sell through these distributors has failedHow has the decision to sell through mass distribut or’s and discount stores affected the image of the client’s racing product?No studies have been done.How has the decision to sell through mass distributor’s and discount stores affected your client’s relationship with the specialty outlets?Again, no formal analysis has been performed.Although some analysis and/or survey should be performed to answer more conclusively thelast two questions, a possible story can be put together. There has been no appreciablechange in either quality or price (or any oth er tangible factor) of your client’s racing product relative to its competition. It is not the product that is the problem, but rather its image. As your client came out with lower end, mainstream and children’s products and began to push their racing segment through mass distributors and discount outlets, their reputation was compromised. Additionally, the presence of the racing products in the discount outlets has put your historic racing distributor (the specialty shops) in a precarious position. The specialty shops must now lower price to compete, thereby cutting their own profits. Instead, they are likely to push the competition’s product. Remember, your client has no direct salesforce at the retail outlets. The specialty shops essentially serve as your client’s sales force.The above analysis offers an explanation of what has affected the top side of the profitability problem. Still to be examined is the cost, or bottom side, of theprofitability issue. Questions to uncover cost issues would include:How does the client account for its costs?The client has a single manufacturing and assembly plant. They have separate lines in this facility to produce racing, mainstream and children’s products. They divide their costs into the following categories: labor, material and overhead. Overall costs have been increasing at a fairly hefty rate of 10% per year.What is the current breakdown of costs along these categories for each product segment?Racing: Labor = 30%, Material = 40%, Overhead = 30%Mainstream: Labor = 25%, Material = 40%, Overhead = 35%Children’s: Labor = 25%, Material = 40%, Overhead = 35%How has this mix of expenses changed over the past five years?In all segments, labor is an increasing percentage of the costs.Does the basic approach to manufacturing (i.e. the mix of labor and technology) reflect that of its competition?Your client tells you that there is a continuing movement to automate and utilizetechnology to improve efficiency throughout the industry, but it is his/her opinion that the ir approach, maintaining the “human touch”, is what differentiates them from the competition. (Unfortunately, he’s right!!)Is the workforce unionized?YesWhat is the average age of the workforce?52 and climbing. There is very little turnover in the workforce.What is the present throughput rating How has it changed over the past five yearsPresently the plant is producing at about 80% of capacity. This has been decreasing steadily over the last several years.What is the typical reason for equipment shutdown?Emergency repairDescribe the preventive maintenance program in effect at the client’s facility?Preventive maintenance is performed informally based on the knowledge of seniortechnicians.How often has equipment been replaced Is this consistent with the original equipment manufacturer’s recommendationsThe client feels that most OEM recommendations are very conservative. They have followeda philosophy of maximizing the life of their equipment and have generally doubled OEMrecommendations.The above information is sufficient to add some understanding to the cost side of the equation. Your client has an aging workforce and plant that is behind the times in terms of technology and innovation. This has contributed to excessive breakdowns, decreased throughput, increased labor rates (wages increase with seniority) and greater labor hours (overtime to fix broken machines).In proposing recommendations to improve the client’s situation, there is no single correct approach. There are a number of approaches that might be explored and recommended. The following are some possibilities:Abandon the mainstream and children’s segment to recover leadership in the racingsegmentIssues to consider in this approach:How much of the racing segment is “recoverable”What are the expected growth rates of each segment?How badly damaged is the relationship with the specialty outlets?Are there alternative outlets to the specialty shops such as internet sales?How will this move affect overall utilization of the operating facilities?Maintain the mainstream and children’s segment, but sell under a different nameIssues to consider in this approach:Is there demand among the mass and discount distributors for bicycles under their name?What additional advertising and promotions costs might be incurred?What are the expected growth rates of each segment?What is driving the buying habits of the mainstream and children’smarket?Reduce costs through automation and innovationIssues to be considered:What technological improvements are to be made?What are the required investmentsWhat are the expected returns on those investments?How will these investments affect throughput?To which lines are these investments appropriateAre the mainstream and children’s segments potentially “over-engineered”What impact will this have on the required workforce levels?If layoffs are required to achieve the benefits, what impact will this have on labor relations?Reduce costs through establishing a formal preventive maintenance programIssues to be considered:What organizational changes will be required?What analysis will be performed to determine the appropriate amount of PM?What training is required of the workforce?What technical or system changes are required?How will the unionized workforce respond?Key takeaways:This case can prove to be lengthy and very involved. It is not expected that a candidate would cover all of the above topics, but rather work through selected topics in a logical fashion. It is important that the candidate pursue a solution that considers both revenue and cost issues to impact profit. Additionally, a conadidate’s ability to work comfortably with the quantitative side of this case is important. The above recommendations for improving profitability are just a few among many. The candidate may come with their own ideas.。

如何应付案例分析面试在准备工作面试时，案例分析面试是一个很常见的形式。

这种面试考察的是求职者的逻辑思维能力、解决问题的能力和沟通能力。

下面我将分享一些关于如何应对案例分析面试的技巧。

1. 了解公司和行业背景在开始准备案例分析面试前，需要先了解来自被面试公司及其所在行业背景。

做这项准备的目的是让自己对公司和行业有一个大致的了解，这样可以帮助你更好地理解问题和场景，并更好地进行决策和发表意见。

在做这项准备时，了解公司的品牌地位、市场份额、目标客户和历史背景是非常重要的。

2. 熟悉案例分析的基本步骤在你进行案例分析面试之前，需要先了解案例分析这项工具的基本步骤。

这些步骤包括：问题定义、信息收集、分析问题、提出解决方案，并回答一些常见的关于解决方案的问题。

熟悉这些步骤可以让你更有条理地回答问题，并帮助你更快地解决问题。

3. 建立自信和沟通能力在案例分析面试中不仅需要解决问题，还需要与面试官进行有效的沟通。

因此，你需要建立自己的自信和沟通能力。

对于沟通能力的培养，一种方法是多与他人进行交流和讨论的实践，这可以帮助你更好地掌握自己的观点并形成思考方式。

关于建立自信，则需要通过掌握知识和强化练习来培养自己的自信感，并明确自己的目标。

4. 练习模拟面试在准备案例分析面试时，模拟面试是一项非常重要的练习方式，可以帮助你更好地了解面试的流程和注意事项。

在模拟面试中，你可以让他人扮演面试官的角色，提出不同的问题和场景，或你也可以在网络上寻找一些在案例分析面试方面的模拟面试练习题。

5. 做好心理准备最后，在应对案例分析面试前，需要做好进行心理准备并保持冷静。

你需要意识到这是一个考验而且你不一定会知道如何做出完美的决策。

做好心理准备，不要过于紧张，才能更好地发挥自己的潜力。

在总体上，案例分析面试是一个非常重要的环节，建议求职者们在开始面试之前进行充分的准备。

建立自信和沟通能力、熟悉案例分析基本步骤、做好心理准备和练习模拟面试，这些技巧都能够帮助求职者更好地应对案例分析面试。

Firm: A.T. KearneyCase Number:Case setup (facts offered by interviewer):❑Your client is a U.S. based manufacturer of branded cookies (cookies that carry the name of the manufacturer)❑Recently private label cookies (those carrying the name of the retailer) have emerged and threatened branded cookies➢Private label cookies emerged five years ago➢Two and one-half years ago they made up 10% of the overall cookie market (brand being the other 90%)➢Today they make up approximately 20% of the overall cookie market (i.e., there has been a steady, linear increase of private label portion of the overall cookie market during the past five years)➢The overall cookie market has been relatively flat over the past five years❑Private label cookies are made by the same manufacturers who make branded cookies, they are just sold under the name of the retailer❑There are essentially three major competitors to consider:➢Your client, who makes only branded cookies➢ A second major player, that makes both branded cookies and supplies cookies for private labelers➢ A collection of small outfits, that make both branded cookies and supply private labelers❑Distribution occurs primarily through one of two types of outlets:➢Grocery outlets: all grocers sell branded cookies, most also carry their own private label cookies. This represents approximately 90% of total cookie sales➢Mass merchandisers (ex. Walmart, Sam’s, etc.): sell only branded cookiesQuestion:❑How large would you estimate the overall U.S. cookie market to be in terms of $?❑How large of a threat do you believe the trend in private label cookie sales to be to your client?❑Based on your assessment, what is an appropriate strategy for your client to follow?Suggested solutions:The first question, estimating the size of the U.S. cookie market, has no right or wrong answer. It is a test of a candidate’s ability to make reasonable assumptions and work quickly with numbers on an “order of magnitude” level. One acceptable response would be to estimate the number of U.S. households, estimate household consumption over some period of time, estimate the average cost of a bag of cookies, and project out for one year. In this case, after an estimate has been made, the candidate would be told to assume the market size is $1Billion to simplify any future calculations. As stated in the upfront information, the market is assumed to have been flat for the past five years.The second question is more involved. It involves determining to what extent your client is threatened by the increasing percent of the overall cookie market represented by private label sales. To better answer this question information should be gathered pertaining to what is driving the demand for private label cookies, to what extent this has already affected your client’s sal es, and what the likelihood is for the trend to continue. The following are questions and answers that would be provided in an interview scenario.❑What are the sales trends for the client over the past five years?Your client’s sales have been flat at $600M for the time frame of five to two and one-half years ago. Over the past two and one-half years, sales have decreased steadily down to a present level of $560MM.❑How has market share of the private label segment been split over the past five years between your client’s main competitor and the other smaller players?The smaller players combined had 100% of the private label subsegment five years ago.Two and one-half years ago your client’s main competitor began supplying private labelers.Today, this main competitor owns 40% of the private label subsegment, the smaller players own the remaining 60%❑How has market share of the branded segment been split over the past five years?Your client held 60% of this segment five years ago, 67% two and one-half years ago and 70% today. Its main competitor held 30% five years ago, 25% two and one-half years ago and 23% today. The combined smaller players owned 10% five years ago, 8% two and one-half years ago and 7% today.Analsis of the above information tells a very important story. The private label segment was launched five years ago by the smaller players. As private label first cut into the branded segment, it came at the expense of your client’s main competitor and the smaller players, not your client. In re sponse to this, your client’s main competitor entered into the private label segment two and one-half years ago. This further hurt their own sales and those of the smaller players, but also began to hurt your client’s sales. Additional information is requi red to understand what is driving the demand for private label cookies❑How does the quality of a private label cookie compare to that of a branded cookie?Consumer studies have shown that there is a noticeable difference in taste, texture and quality in favor of the branded cookies❑At the manufacturing level, what is the difference in cost of production and price between branded and private label products?It costs approximately $1.50 to manufacture a bag of private label cookies which will sell for$2.00 to retailers. It costs approximately $2.00 to manufacture a bag of branded cookies which will sell for $2.75.❑How do the same numbers translate at the retail level?A retailer, paying $2.00 for private label cookies can sell that product for $2.50. The $2.75 bag ofbranded cookies can be sold for $3.50.The key finding is that from a cost-price-margin perspective it is advantageous for both the manufacturers and the retailers, with all else equal, to sell a bag of branded cookies. Other factors must be contributing to the demand for private label cookies. Think about the incentives at each level in the chain (manufacturer, retailer, consumer). The following questions can help fill in details❑Have any of the manufacturers been able to gain additional shelf space for branded products by supplying grocers with private label products?No❑Has their been excess capacity at your client, its main competitor or the smaller competitors that has been used up through the manufacturing of private label products?Th ere was some excess capacity at the smaller competitors and your client’s main competitor (your client is unsure as to how much).. There is little excess capacity anywhere in the industry today..❑Has your client’s relationship with its retailers suffered as a result of it not supplying private label products?Not noticeably❑Are grocery stores using private labels in other food categories?Yes, there has been a major push by grocery stores to populate shelves with private labels❑Is competition increasing or decreasing among grocers?Generally increasing. Grocer chains are expanding and the number of grocers to be found servinga given area has generally increased over the past five years❑What general macroeconomic trends have occurred over the past five years?The economy has been slowing over the past five years. There is concern about recessionThe above information begins to expose a clearer story. A number of factors have contributed to the emergence of the private label segment: manufacturer’s interest in utilizing excess capacity, grocer’s desire to sell products with their name on it (they may believe this creates return customers in an increasing competitive environment), consumers concerns about a troubled economy (price vs. quality tradeoffs).At this point the candidate would be encouraged to state what they believe the magniturde of the private label threat to be to the client. There is no right answer. One can argue either way.If the threat is seen as high, the likely recommendation is for your client to begin supplying private label products. The candidate should recognize that in competing in the private label segment, the basisof competition is primarily cost. At the same time, the client’s branded product should be protected. The following tactics might prove appropriate:❑Seek to wring costs out of all phases of the operation➢Utilize all existing excess capacity➢Gain maximum product knowledge as quickly as possible➢Understand low cost positions on product ingredients and mix➢Review process improvement/ manufacturing efficiency opportunities➢Undertake overhead reduction efforts(Any of these points could be discussed in great detail)❑Ensure there is no customer confusion between private label offering and branded product❑Seek partnering agreements with retailers➢Joint advertising and promotions❑Explore deals with mass merchandisers to enter private labels (remember, mass merchandisers presently sell no private label)If the threat is seen as low, the likely recommendation is for your client to stay with branded cookies only. The candidate should recognize that in competing in the branded segment the basis of competition is one of differentiation. Additionally, your client should do all it can to halt or reverse the momentum of the private label segment. The following tactics might prove useful:❑Pursue a maximum differentiation strategy➢Invest in brand image to support premium price➢Make it difficult to copy product: innovate wisely through product advances, smart product line extensions, frequent changes to the product➢Manage price gap: explore price increases where appropriate( Again, any of these points could be discussed in great detail)❑Explore exclusive partnering with mass merchandisers❑Consider alternative distribution channels❑Seek partnering agreements with grocers regarding branded products❑Educate grocers as available➢Customers who buy private labels are the most price sensitive. They also tend to be the least loyal customers and spend less per store visit.➢Grocers financial stake in private label products extends beyond the product margins. There is lost profit from branded products that could occupy the same shelf space, advertising costs of the private label products, etc.Key takeaways:This case has no right or wrong answ er. It forces the candidate to take a stand in a “grey” situation and defend it. It also provides a large amount of data upfront which the candidate must quickly sort through and determine what is important and what is not. The key is to understand the story behind the data. How did the private label segment emerge? What is driving it? How has it affected manufacturers, retailers and consumers?。

Crac king the Case: A Consulting I n t e r v i e w P r i m e rPage 1 of 3[Web Exclusive] You don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to ace the cases in a consulting-firm interview. In fact, a little preparation can make solving them seem, well, elementary.Remember your seventh-grade algebra teacher’s three favorite words光华人向上的精神"Show your work." At the time, it seemed silly: Why not just show the right answer Now that you’re older and wiser, however, you know that in many cases how you get to the right answer is more important than simply knowing the answer itself.The same goes for the case questions that consulting recruiters lob at you. Consulting is a demanding job with few "correct" answers; this method of interviewing gauges how well you manage the process of getting to an answer and how you perform under simulated client-engagement conditions.We talked to consultant-hunters at several firms to glean their advice on cracking the case interview. Here's what the recruiters revealed—and how you can best prepare.Why the Case Interview？Case interviews have long been used by recruiters to see a candidate'sthought processes in motion. Can you deconstruct and analyze complex, open-ended business problems Do you stay calm, or will you sweat bullets under pressure at a client siteAt the most basic level, a case interview is about asking the right questions, developing a logical way of working through the relevant issues, and arriving at a recommendation. Your structure may be a packaged framework or it may be various frameworks strung together; you may even choose not to use frameworks at all. What's important is that you demonstrate some defined structure.“Case studies are an imperfect science,” concedes Michael Gibney, project manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers, “but are easily implementable in the 30 to 45 m inutes we have for each interview.” Since they measure your analytical skills, they're an improvement over simple "fit" or "resumé" interviews.In most case interviews, the recruiter gives you an example of a real-life client problem. Some typical categories include:•Company Strategy:“My client is thinking of making an acquisition, and …”•Brain Games:“How many tennis balls are in the United States”•Operations Improvement:“Why is my client’s factory running behind”•Market Size:“How big is the global air conditioner market” Although each requires a slightly different approach, all are meant mainly光华人向上的精神to evaluate the process you use, not the answer you come up with.Practice Makes PerfectYou absolutely, positively must prepare in advance for case interviews. “It becomes pretty clear pretty fast who has—and who has not—practiced,” says Gibney. “I know there is a basic sort of business acumen that may not be able to be practiced, but candidates must have an understandable approach to solving problems. That’s what our clients demand of us. If we can’t relate solutions to the client, it’s a problem.”Don’t assume that attending a case-oriented business school will give you an upper hand. John Flato, Cap Gemini Ernst & Young’s nation al director of university recruiting, says these candidates don’t seem to do any better or worse than candidates from non-case schools.Study different kinds of case questions. Just because your buddy interviewed before you and gave you a heads-up on the questionsdoesn’t mean you have a leg up. Recruiters have tons of case questions in their repertoire, and the chances of their using the same question multiple times on one campus visit are slim to none.Get a classmate or friend to role-play the interview with you, and use any resources (such as a casebook) that your school's consulting club provides. The more mock cases you sink your teeth into, the more likely you are to be relaxed and poised for the real thing. Sometimes you learn more by presenting a case question to someone than you do when solving the case yourself.Deliberately pick industries you're not familiar with so as to test your analytical skills, not memorized facts; for instance, if your pre-B-school experience is mostly in media and entertainment, ask your case buddy to ask you about steel production or medical device marketing. That said, do consider brushing up on the basics in several industries—for instance, know the product development cycle in pharmaceutical research, and understand current trends in technology. (For more information on various fields, check out our .) Although each case is different, with practice you will improve your analytical reasoning skills and solution method.Think Through the ProcessWhen it comes to strategy or product marketing questions, the interviewer will often give you only the bare bones of a case and will wait for you to request further details: How many competitors does the company have What are the major cost and revenue drivers Who are the major clients And don't forget to ask for the firm's mission—if you don't光华人向上的精神know what a company's goals are, you might come up with a valid—but misguided—solution. Use some basic frameworks to drive your questions—the four P's and the three C's, for instance.A sample question Gibney used recently involved a manufacturer/distributor/retailer of computer products. This client has traditionally gone directly to the consumer and has developed a solid brand image. The client now wants an assessment as to the issues relating to the core business, as well as the opportunities for the company to get into the services side, which it views as a high-margin/high-growth-rate business. The candidate now needs toprovide an approach or evaluative framework for analyzing each of the two different problems.As long as it's permitted, work your answers out on paper. Pencils and pens, plus a notebook or legal pad should be standard equipment in any interview. “It’s amazing how many people show up without a pen a nd paper,” marvels Kamenna Rindova, a senior associate at Mercer Management Consulting. Thinking through all the facts is a must, and you’re not going to do it all in your head.Page 2 of 3[Web Exclusive] You don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to ace the cases in a consulting-firm interview. In fact, a little preparation can make solving them seem, well, elementary.光华人向上的精神May the Five Forces (Not) Be with You3 C's."Is That Your Final Answer"Don’t be afraid of pausing. T ake the time to draw up notes and sketch out the problem. Don’t blurt anything out unnecessarily to end a period of silence. You’re not on a game show; you’re interviewing to be a consultant, which is a business as much about thinking as it is about communicating. Above all, be calm.If you do respond to a question too quickly, before understanding all the facts, you may end up contradicting yourself halfway through your response—which could be disastrous. “In our environment and our industry,” says Sean Huurman, national recruiting director of KPMG Consulting, “we need to make sure we’re saying the right thing the first time.”After all the analysis, however, don't forget to come to some kind of conclusion as to what the company should do. Consider presenting a decision rule that the imaginary organization could use to figure out what the best option is—., if revenues outstrip costs, then do x.Follow the LeaderMany firms use a group exercise in their second or subsequent rounds to see how well you work with others. If you’re assigned a role other than team leader, don’t fret. It doesn’t matter what your role is in the exercise—just do it well. If you and the team members are told to settle between yourselves who gets to do what, don’t fight over who gets to make the presentation or lead the group. Likewise, don’t play the shrinking violet. Remember, the recruiter is watching.Whatever you do, show confidence, not arrogance. A display of ego before John Flato at Cap Gemini Ernst & Young is a certain red flag.光华人向上的精神光华人向上的精神“Obviously, those who go to business schools are bright and talented—they wouldn’t be there otherwise,” Flato remarks. “We hire bright and talented people, but only those who can work well with team members and not display arrogance.”Page 3 of 3[Web Exclusive] You don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to ace the cases in a consulting-firm interview. In fact, a little preparation can make solving them seem, well, elementary.Ready for some company-specific advice Here's what five recruiters told us about interviewing at their firms.The Questions:Words of Wisdom:Coveney points out that she doesn’t have a preference regarding how a candidate initially reacts to the case interview question. “Some people take some time to formulate their thoughts, other people ask a few questions, and other people jump right in,” Coveney says. “Relax and take your time, focus on the specific issues of the case, remember there is no one right answer to the case, and don’t use to o many frameworks. Don’t throw in the kitchen sink, like Porter’s five forces, etc. Just be confident, and relax—it will really help with the interview.”Recruiter No. 2: Kamenna Rindova, senior associate, Mercer Management ConsultingThe Questions:MMC asks most candidates one-on-one questions and doesn’t often do group exercises. Reflecting the firm’s focus, most questions deal with strategy issues, with occasional market sizing questions thrown in. The purpose of the interview for MMC is to see the candidate's ability to structure and think through a problem as they would on the job.Words of Wisdom:Rindova says practice and familiarity with cases is essential, and stresses that an interview can go south if the candidate loses sight of the structure he or she is building. Lastly, beating a clear path to any response is more important than getting it right. “You can give (a recruiter) a wrong answer, but if you thought out loud through the process, you could still have a stellar interview,” Rindova concludes.Recruiter No. 3: Scott Berney, head of . recruiting operations, Monitor GroupThe Questions:Determining a person’s analytical skills, comfort with manipulating numbers, and ability to integrate different pieces of data is the purpose of the case interview for Monitor Group. For the first round of interviews, case questions are usually written and are two to three pages in length. In the final round, a group event is used.Words of Wisdom:Recruiter No. 4: Sean Huurman, national recruiting director, KPMG ConsultingThe Questions:“The case question helps get to a thinking process and various characteristics of a candidate you don’t necessarily get in an ordinaryinterview,” says Huurman. “When we use cases, we are really focusing on things that tie into the client.” The typical KPMG consultant hunter wants to know how a candidate can communicate with the team, their leadership, and the client.Huurman favors group interviews, and knows a lot of candidates can be prepped in advance, but he notes that there’s "no amount of coaching" that can prepare you for a group project.Words of Wisdom:“Too many people jump right into the case study and don’t put any thought into it,” says Huurman. “I want the interviewees to think things through.” KPMG recruiters are always told to let the candidate have some time to think through the case, but Huurman indicates that very few candidates take advantage of it.Huurman admits that few recruiters would ask interviewees what KPMG stands for (curious It's Klynveld, Peat, Marwick, and Goerdeler), but it’s important to do your homework on the firm’s services, strengths, and culture.Recruiter No. 5: Michael Gibney, project manager, PricewaterhouseCoopersThe Questions:Some of PwC’s competencies don’t require that a case question be asked, but it’s probably best to plan for one. Interviews are typically on e-on-one and are meant to test the business acumen of a candidate. Seeing candidates' insight into business problems and their approach to solving them (most questions are based on true-life client engagements) is the overall goal.Words of Wisdom:Gibney understands that many problems are too big to solve during the course of a half-hour interview, but wants to see a firm grasp of key issues. “The candidate must have an understanding of the overall situation and the overall problem, and then create an approach to solve it,” Gibney says. “For instance, if we’re talking about a client getting into the services business, I would expect to see some kind of framework around identifying what relevant services would be, and the different market and company factors involved. I want the candidate to relate directly what the core issues are.”Michael K. Norris is an expert in consulting and consultant recruitment光华人向上的精神issues. He can be reached at .。

如何应对求职面试中的案例分析问题求职面试是求职者与用人单位进行沟通与交流的重要环节，其中案例分析问题是面试中常见的一种形式。

在面试中，用人单位通过案例分析问题来考察求职者的问题解决能力、分析思维能力以及团队合作能力。

因此，如何应对求职面试中的案例分析问题具有重要的意义。

本文将从准备阶段、面试中的回答方式以及回答的思路等方面，探讨如何应对求职面试中的案例分析问题。

一、准备阶段在准备面试时，求职者应该提前了解用人单位的背景、相关行业的发展状况以及面试可能涉及到的案例类别。

可以通过查阅公司官网、相关行业资讯、行业报告等途径来了解。

此外，还可以参考一些常见的案例分析问题，进行思考和分析，积累一些解决问题的方法和思路。

二、面试中的回答方式在面试中回答案例分析问题时，求职者应该注重清晰明了地陈述问题，提出自己的观点，并对解决方案进行合理的分析和解释。

具体应该注意以下几点：1.梳理问题：对于一个案例问题，求职者应该先了解题目背景、问题的关键点以及可能的解决方向。

可以适当进行框架梳理，将问题分解为几个关键点进行分析。

2.提出观点：在针对具体问题进行回答时，求职者可以先提出自己的观点和建议。

可以基于自己的实际经验、专业知识或者逻辑推理来提出解决方案。

3.分析论证：在提出观点后，求职者应该进行合理的分析和论证。

可以利用实例、数据、理论等方式来支撑自己的观点，并对每个方案的可行性、风险和效果进行评估。

4.结论总结：在回答完问题后，求职者应该进行总结和概括。

可以对提出的解决方案进行权衡，给出一个相对全面、客观的结论。

同时，还可以提出自己的思考和反思以及对整个案例的启示。

三、回答思路在回答案例分析问题时，求职者可以考虑以下几个方面的思路：1.系统思维：求职者应该能够从整体的角度来审视问题，并能够将问题进行梳理和分类。

可以通过思考问题的因果关系、逻辑衔接等方式来展示自己的系统思维能力。

2.逻辑思维：在回答问题时，求职者应该能够运用逻辑思维，将自己的观点和论证过程清晰地展示出来。

Firm: A.T. KearneyCase Number:Case setup (facts offered by interviewer):Your client is a manufacturer of bicyclesThey have been in business for 25 yearsThey manufacturer and sell three categories of bicycles:Racing bikes: High end, high performance bikes for sophisticated cyclistsMainstream bikes: Durable, but not overly complicated bikes for everyday ridersChildren’s bikes: Smaller, simpler versions of their mainstream bikes for childrenProfits at your client have decreased over the past five yearsQuestion:What is driving the decline in overall profits?What recommendations might correct the situation?Suggested solutions:The first question is to determine what has caused overall profits to decrease. To accomplish this the candidate must first understand what has transpired in each of the three product categories over thepast five years during which profitability has slipped. The following are questions and answers that would be provided in an interview scenario.What are the client’s margins f or a bicycle in each of the three segments?Racing: Cost = $600/unit, Profit=$300/unitMainstream: Cost = $250/unit, Profit = $75/unitChildren’s: Cost = $ 200/unit, Profit = $50/unitWhat has happened to the market size of each of the three segments over the past five years?Racing: Has remained constant at its present size of $300MMMainstream: Has increased at 2% growth rate per year to its present size of $1.0BChildren’s: Has increased at 3% growth rate per year to its present size of $400MMWhat has happened to our client’s market share in each of these segments?Racing: Market share has decreased from 60% to 30%Mainstream: Market share has increased from 0% to 5%Children’s: Market share has increased from 0% to 3%Who are the client’s major competitor’s in each market segment? What has happened to their market share in each segment over the past five years?Racing: There is one main competitor and a host of small firms. Your main competitor hasincreased market share from 30% to 50%Mainstream: There exist many, large competitors, none of which holds more than 10% of the marketChildren’s: As in the mainstream segment, there are many competitors, none with more than 10% of the marketThe above information provides enough information to put together a picture of why profits have decreased over the past five years : Your client, with a commanding position in a flat market segment (racing), expanded into new segments (mainstream and children’s). As this occurred, market share decreased dramatically in the most lucrative segment (racing), creating an unfavorable mix.The extent to which profits have decreased can be deduced from some quick math : profits have slipped from $60MM five years ago (=60% x $300MM x 33% racing margin) to $44MM today ( = (30% x $300MM x 33% racing margin) + (5% x $1B x 23% mainstream margin) + (3% x $400MM x 20% children’s margin)).The dramatic decrease in market share in the racing segment is at this point still unexplained. Questions that would help formulate an explanation include:Have there been any major changes in product quality in your client’s racing product? Or in its main competitor’s racing product?NoHave there been any major price changes in your client’s racing product? Or in its main competitor’s racing prod uct?NoHave there been any major changes in distribution outlets for your client’s racing product? Or for its main competitor’s racing product?Yes. Previously your client and its main competitor in the racing segment sold exclusively through small, specialty dealers. This remains unchanged for the competition. Your client, however, began to sell its racing bikes through mass distributors and discount stores (the distribution outlets for mainstream and children’s bikes) as it entered the mainstream an d children’s segment.How do the mass distributors and discount stores price the racing bikes relative to the specialty stores?Prices at these stores tend to be 15 to 20% less.What percent of your client’s racing sales occur in mass distributors and disc ount stores? Effectively none. This attempt to sell through these distributors has failedHow has the decision to sell through mass distributor’s and discount stores affected the image of the client’s racing product?No studies have been done.How has the decision to sell through mass distributor’s and discount stores affected your client’s relationship with the specialty outlets?Again, no formal analysis has been performed.Although some analysis and/or survey should be performed to answer more conclusively the last two questions, a possible story can be put together. There has been no appreciable change in either quality or price (or any other tangible factor) of your client’s racing product relative to its competition. It is not the product that is the problem, but rather its image. As your client came out with lower end, mainstream and children’s products and began to push their racing segment through mass distributors and discount outlets, their reputation was compromised. Additionally, the presence of the racing products in the discount outlets has put your historic racing distributor (the specialty shops) in a precarious position. The specialty shops must now lower price to compete, thereby cutting their own profits. Instead, they are likely to push t he competition’s product. Remember, your client has no direct salesforce at the retail outlets. The specialty shops essentially serve as your client’s sales force.The above analysis offers an explanation of what has affected the top side of the profitability problem. Still to be examined is the cost, or bottom side, of the profitability issue. Questions to uncover cost issues would include:How does the client account for its costs?The client has a single manufacturing and assembly plant. They have separate lines in this facility to produce racing, mainstream and children’s products. They divide their costs into thefollowing categories: labor, material and overhead. Overall costs have been increasing at a fairly hefty rate of 10% per year.What is the current breakdown of costs along these categories for each product segment? Racing: Labor = 30%, Material = 40%, Overhead = 30%Mainstream: Labor = 25%, Material = 40%, Overhead = 35%Children’s: Labor = 25%, Material = 40%, Overhead = 35%How has this mix of expenses changed over the past five years?In all segments, labor is an increasing percentage of the costs.Does the basic approach to manufacturing (i.e. the mix of labor and technology) reflect that of its competition?Your client tells you that there is a continuing movement to automate and utilize technology to improve efficiency throughout the industry, but it is his/her opinion that their approach, maintaining the “human touch”, is what differentiates them from the competition. (Unfortunately, he’s right!!)Is the workforce unionized?YesWhat is the average age of the workforce?52 and climbing. There is very little turnover in the workforce.What is the present throughput rating? How has it changed over the past five years?Presently the plant is producing at about 80% of capacity. This has been decreasing steadily over the last several years.What is the typical reason for equipment shutdown?Emergency repairDescribe the preventive maintenance program in effect at the client’s facility?Preventive maintenance is performed informally based on the knowledge of senior technicians.How often has equipment been replaced? Is this consistent with the original equipmentmanufacturer’s recommendations?The client feels that most OEM recommendations are very conservative. They have followed a philosophy of maximizing the life of their equipment and have generally doubled OEMrecommendations.The above information is sufficient to add some understanding to the cost side of the equation. Your client has an aging workforce and plant that is behind the times in terms of technology and innovation. This has contributed to excessive breakdowns, decreased throughput, increased labor rates (wages increase with seniority) and greater labor hours (overtime to fix broken machines).In proposing recommendations to improve the client’s situation, there is no single correct approach. There are a number of approaches that might be explored and recommended. The following are some possibilities:Abandon the mainstream and children’s segment to recover leadership in the racing segment Issues to consider in this approach:How much of the racing segment is “recoverable”?What are the expected growth rates of each segment?How badly damaged is the relationship with the specialty outlets?Are there alternative outlets to the specialty shops such as internet sales?How will this move affect overall utilization of the operating facilities?Maintain the mainstream and children’s segment, but sell under a different nameIssues to consider in this approach:Is there demand among the mass and discount distributors for bicycles under their name?What additional advertising and promotions costs might be incurred?What are the expected growth rates of each segment?What is driving the b uying habits of the mainstream and children’s market?Reduce costs through automation and innovationIssues to be considered:What technological improvements are to be made?What are the required investments?What are the expected returns on those investments?How will these investments affect throughput?To which lines are these investments appropriate?Are the mainstream and children’s segments potentially “over-engineered”?What impact will this have on the required workforce levels?If layoffs are required to achieve the benefits, what impact will this have on labor relations? Reduce costs through establishing a formal preventive maintenance programIssues to be considered:What organizational changes will be required?What analysis will be performed to determine the appropriate amount of PM?What training is required of the workforce?What technical or system changes are required?How will the unionized workforce respond?Key takeaways:This case can prove to be lengthy and very involved. It is not expected that a candidate would cover all of the above topics, but rather work through selected topics in a logical fashion. It is important that the candidate pursue a solution that considers both revenue and cost issues to impact profit. Additionally, a conadidate’s ability to work comfortably with the quantitative side of this case is important. The above recommendations for improving profitability are just a few among many. The candidate may come with their own ideas.。

咨询公司案例面试题及应对1.战略规划：假设你是一家咖啡公司的CEO，公司正面临着市场份额下降和竞争对手增加的挑战。

你该如何制定新的战略来改善公司的业绩？2.市场进入：一家国际快餐品牌想进入一个新的国家市场，你该如何评估市场的潜力和风险？3.产品定价：你是一家汽车制造商的产品经理，公司计划推出一款新的电动车。

你该如何确定产品的定价策略，以便在市场上获得竞争力？4.运营优化：你是一家医院的副院长，医院的手术室效率低下，导致患者等待时间过长。

你该如何优化手术室的运营管理？5.组织变革：你是一家大型企业的组织发展经理，公司正面临着组织结构臃肿、流程繁琐的挑战。

你该如何设计和实施组织变革计划？6.数字营销：你是一家服装品牌的数字营销经理，公司计划推出一系列新的产品线。

你该如何制定数字营销策略来吸引和留住消费者？7.风险管理：你是一家银行的风险管理总监，银行正面临着日益增长的市场风险和信用风险。

你该如何制定有效的风险管理策略？8.供应链管理：你是一家快时尚品牌的供应链经理，公司计划扩大产品线并增加新的供应商。

你该如何优化供应链管理以提高效率和降低成本？9.组织文化：你是一家科技公司的组织文化经理，公司正面临着员工流失率和士气低落的挑战。

你该如何设计和实施组织文化变革计划？10.定制化服务：你是一家旅游公司的定制化服务部门经理，公司正面临着客户满意度低和定制化服务需求增加的挑战。

你该如何优化定制化服务流程以提高客户满意度？以上是咨询公司案例面试中可能出现的题目，它们考察的是候选人的分析能力、商业洞察力和解决问题的能力。

在回答这些问题时，建议按照以下步骤进行：1.确定问题的核心和目标。

2.分析问题并找出关键因素。

3.提供可行的解决方案和建议。

4.阐述你的思考过程和依据。

5.强调你的分析和解决问题的能力。

6.同时，也要注意在回答问题时要表现出自信、有条理、有逻辑性和沟通能力的一面。

面试咨询公司如何分析案例您需要后才可以 |找到Practice Team Partner。

1) 找到3-4个都想进consulting firm的小伙伴组成practice group一起进行长期练习。

一般情况下，两两一组，只有3个人时可以轮流givecase, take case, observe，每次Sunny自己观察的时候都有意想不到的收获。

人太少，不能从其他小伙伴那里取长补短;人太多，效率会大幅下降。

2) 找已经在consulting firm工作的校友。

这种connection 越多越好，但是已经工作的校友往往很忙，能和你练习一次就很好啦。

所以这种时机不要浪费，在和小伙伴们练习了差不多15-20个case，有一定根底以后再找他们试试水。

从简单的market size case入手，过渡到真正意义上的business case，同时一直保持做Math的感觉。

1) 往往提起Math，筒子们都会自信的微笑，觉得数学，那不是咱们赖以生存的根本么，从小做起，太小儿科。

但是大家在case interview中除了precisemath以外，estimation math也是很重要但往往被我们无视的，大家可以稍微练习。

另外一个需要注意的一点就是数字的读法，一般咱们都熟悉以万为基数来报数，而美国是以thousand,million, billion为基数(1,000,000,000)，最好在计算的时候就直接用美式的思维，防止walk through case的时候数字说错。

2) Market size case是入门根底，往往非consulting firm interview也会遇见。

Sunny觉得Market size case是可以自己一个人练习的。

Marketsize case看起来就是一个简单的数字问题，比方，全美迪士尼每年能卖多少张票?全美每年生产多少个篮球?这种问题往往答案都是一个数字，但是数字本身并不重要。

咨询公司案例面试(1)在咨询公司系列当中，我们将节选HiAll即将出版的新书《咨询公司求职指南》当中精彩的内容，为大家系统剖析案例分析这个令人望而生畏的面试形式。

我们的系列文章分为理论篇、练习篇和技巧篇三个部分，敬请大家关注！一提到求职咨询公司，大家就会想到案例面试。

这种面试形式最早是出现在战略咨询公司，但现在越来越多的投资银行以及其他类型的公司在招聘时也开始引进案例。

在整个面试流程中这个环节是最难的，也曾“引得无数英雄竞折腰”，很多牛人能拿到其他一流跨国公司的offer，但对咨询公司案例面试的时候却也不得不认输。

原因很简单，因为他们没有达到咨询公司要求的那种“smart”。

咨询公司会利用各种案例问题来测试你的分析能力、，推理能力、一些基本经济知识、概念和你的自信。

但是别紧张，不管你是经济学背景的但不擅长案例分析，还是或者你完全不具有是经济学背景，都可以通过本章对基本概念、模型、经典案例分析和面试技巧的介绍，不断积累这方面的能力。

此外网上还有很多最新的案例真题可供大家练习，熟一定能生巧，大家眼中的那些牛人不也是平常一点一滴的积累和练习造就出来的么？不过在进入模型和技巧之前先让我们来揭一揭案例面试的“神秘面纱”。

案例都是模拟现实的工作生活而提炼出来的，所以，你解答案例问题的过程应该是一个互动的过程。

由面试官先给你一个有待解决的跟商务相关的问题，你通过不停的发问来找出问题所在并给出一个具体的解决方案。

大部分的案例是没有正确答案的，面试官只是在考察你的整个思维是否具备分析力和创造性。

如果你对案例中提到的产业有相关的背景知识那你会占据更大的优势，不过即使你没有也不会对结果有太大的影响。

对于经济相关专业的学生或有这方面工作经验的应聘者，面试官给出的案例会要求更深的经济分析甚至多种经济模型的应用，并且要求你得出一个实际的解决方案。

按规定这一轮的面试要持续半个小时，其中有5-10分钟是一开始你和面试官见面时的寒暄和上一节提到的简历面试，而最后有5分钟是留出来看你是否有问题要询问面试官的，所以你只有10-20分钟时间来做案例。