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.
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