Case Interview Preparation Package

Applied ValueLinnégatan 18, Floor 8PO Box 5047SE-102 41 Stockholm, Sweden Phone: +46 (0)8 562 787 00Fax: +46 (0)8 562 787 01 www.appliedvalue.com

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Case Interview Preparation Package

Introduction and Guidelines to Case InterviewsIntroduction and Guidelines to Case Interviews

Basic FrameworksBasic Frameworks

SummarySummary

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Case Interview Preparation Package Introduction and Guidelines to Case Interviews

Introduction and Interview Process:

Introduction

Congratulations on being selected to interview with Applied Value. Your strong academic background and work experience make you a great candidate for a position with our firm. Now that you have successfully passed our first screening process, we want to make sure you are as prepared and as comfortable as possible with our next screening process. In the pages that follow, we will describe our interview process and provide guidance for how to successfully navigate the case portion of our interviews

Applied Value Interview Process

The purpose of the interview is to:

• Meet and get to know you• Develop an understanding for the type of work environment that is likely to make you both successful and happy• Assess your potential as a management consultant• Assess your interest in working for Applied Value

Over time, we have found that the best way to accomplish all of these objectives is to conduct three 1 hour interviews. Each interview will consist of some discussion of your experience, a case for you to work through with the interviewer and some time to answer any questions you may have

In each of these interviews, we will be looking for you to demonstrate:

• Confidence• Poise• Maturity• Achievement• Ambition

• Creativity• Problem solving and analytic capabilities• Teamwork• Leadership potential• Interest in consulting and Applied Value

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Case Interview Preparation Package Introduction and Guidelines to Case Interviews

Guidelines and pointers for case interviews:

The best way to ensure that you perform well in all aspects is to follow a structured case approach. Applied Value’s main focus in every consulting engagement is to enhance client companies’ shareholder value. Please keep the overarching goal in mind as you progress through each thought process. Below are guidelines to help you prepare for your case interviews

• Listen carefully to the interviewer as he/she presents the case to you

• Take down a few notes on a piece of paper, or make a mental note once you hear something you do not understand or find interesting

• Try to maintain some level of interaction with the interviewer

Listen to Case as

Presented

Listen to Case as

Presented

• Restate objective – what interviewer has just asked you to do

• Ask any clarifying questions about the information the interviewer has just presented to you

• Ask for any additional data you think you might need in deriving the best possible answer

Clarify Case InstructionsClarify Case Instructions

• Take a moment to digest all the information presented to you

• Organize your thoughts (it is okay to ask the interviewer to give you a moment to think)

• Formulate a hypothesis on issues that you plan to explore

• You may want to draw graphs, charts, diagrams to help you structure your answer

Organize ApproachOrganize Approach

• Provide the interviewer with an overview of your approach, ‘plan of attack’

• Begin presenting your approach by identifying the issues at hand

• Structure your presentation (one issue at a time) to the interviewer

• Listen to the interviewer’s responses to your answers

• If the interviewer guides you in a different direction, you should listen intently and decide to reformulate your hypothesis or continue down on your path

• Explore and identify all possibilities, ‘Mutually Exclusive, Collectively Exhaustive’ (MECE)

Explore IssuesExplore Issues

• As the case time comes to an end or when your each an end to the issues and solutions you have identified, summarize everything and provide the interviewer with a ‘Key Takeaway’ in a sentence or two

• Answer the question, ‘how does your solution/recommendation enhance client companies’shareholder value’

Summarize Conclusion – How does your solution

enhance companies’shareholder value

Summarize Conclusion – How does your solution

enhance companies’shareholder value

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Case Interview Preparation Package

Introduction and Guidelines to Case InterviewsIntroduction and Guidelines to Case Interviews

Basic FrameworksBasic Frameworks

SummarySummary

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Case Interview Preparation Package Basic Frameworks

Frameworks for addressing cases:

We have picked three basic frameworks to help you prepare for you case interviews (outlined in the next 3 pages):

• Return on Invested Capital

• Porter’s five forces

• Fundamental Profitability Model

These are examples of frameworks that you can use to help structure your evaluation of cases

At Applied Value, we value ‘out-of-the-box’ thinking, hence, these frameworks are to be used to help you structure your thought process. They are not to help you to come up with ‘cookie-cutter’ answers

1.

2.

3.

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Case Interview Preparation Package Basic Frameworks

Return on Invested Capital Model:

This is a metric used to evaluate the financial success of a company, looking at both its return on sales and capital turnover

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Case Interview Preparation Package Basic Frameworks

Porter’s Five Forces:

This is used to assess industry structure and attractiveness. It is often helpful when you are asked to decide whether to enter a market or industry

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Case Interview Preparation Package Basic Frameworks

Fundamental Profitability Model:

This is helpful in diagnosing the source of profitability problems. It involves breaking down the profitability key drivers. This can be done at the overall company level or at the specific product line level

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Case Interview Preparation Package

Introduction and Guidelines to Case InterviewsIntroduction and Guidelines to Case Interviews

Basic FrameworksBasic Frameworks

SummarySummary

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Case Interview Preparation Package Summary

Summary:

Key points to remember in both preparation and actual day of the interview

• Utilize frameworks to help you structure your thought process, formulate your hypothesis, and identify key issues

• Think ‘big picture’ first, then think ‘top down’ - identify the main issues first, then work your way down to other issues related to the main issue.

• Explain and identify approaches and assumption in coming up with your hypothesis

• Think and explore all possible options MECE, ‘mutually exclusive, collectively exhaustive’

• Listen to interviewers’ feedback

• Be prepared to attack cases that utilizes other frameworks outside of this package

• ‘Gut check’ ask yourself, ‘does what I am saying make sense?’

• Finally, try to link your recommendation and solution to shareholder value creation!

Think ‘out-of-the box’, be enthusiastic, be assertive - Applied Value welcomes you to the realm of Strategy and Management Consulting!