Case Interviews
How do I stop overexplaining my case interview answers?
A few case partners have told me I overexplain things. The ideas are right, but I take too many words to get them across. I've tried going back after a case and making the explanation shorter, but it still feels like a natural habit. How can I get more concise without leaving out the thinking?
Ian’s Answer
It's easy to make something complicated, hard to make something simple. How to fix this?
Insight First - Lead with the so what. What do I care about? What's the takeaway?
Take a few seconds - gather your thoughts. Perhaps right them down. Take a quick breather to better formulate and then articulate your thoughts
Pause before speaking to gather your thoughts (if allowed)- the time may feel like forever for you, but it's not nearly as long as you think. Leverage filler sentences such as "that's and interesting point" to buy some time if needed.
Frame your answer - Generally, MBBers say "There are 3 parts to this". Then, they highlight in 1 sentence each of the 2-4 points
Iterate through each point - After framing how you're going to answer the question, then answer it by diving into each "part" in the order you summarized each.
Use signposting - Always preface what you will be saying. For example, when brainstorming you can say "I'm thinking about this in three main ways: A, B, and C. Within A we can look at..."
Remember less is more - Think about longer sentences/phrases you use. Reflect on how to make them shorter. Much like you edit an essay, edit your speaking. Why use 5 words when a well-placed single word encompases that? Build your vocabulary (especially business vocabularly) to be able to use key words instead of wasting time "explaining" a concept
Practice with a coach - Other candidates are fantastic practice but they are generally too nice! you need a coach who will really hit back and work with you to improve your answers.