Case Interviews
What is the difference between live and written consulting cases?
I keep seeing cases described as structured, unstructured and written, and I am not sure how those labels fit together. Does "written" describe the style of thinking, or is it a different interview format?
Ian’s Answer
You're a bit mixed up but that's ok:)
Live Cases - conducted live, with a few charts/exhibits/data
Type 1 - Structured. As in, there is a clear path to the case (it is written down…like the ones you see in casebooks)
Type 2 - Unstructured. The interviewer sort of just talks off the cuff, let's the case flow naturally, and asks a lot of brainstorming questions
Style 1 - Candidate-led. You have to drive the case
Style 2 - Interviewer-led. They will “tell” you what to do
Written Cases - You are provided written material, generally 5+ exhibits/charts. You need to create a written response i.e. a presentation generally in powerpoint.
Skills needed/concepts tested are essentially the same, but the format/style is very different! Make sense?