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We have compiled an unparalleled repository of insights about ensuring interview success at McKinsey & Company, Boston Consulting Group (BCG), and Bain & Company. 

We regularly synthesize these insights into relevant blog articles around consulting interview preparation (with a focus on McKinsey, BCG, and Bain).
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Category: Case Interview Mastery for McKinsey, BCG, Bain
How to beat any casebook framework
Written by Dr. Sidi S. Koné
One central point that candidates unfortunately nearly never understand: Case Interview Books JUST provide you with a basic toolbox in terms of which areas to look into for certain types of problems. However, they are very poor regarding HOW TO actually APPROACH a case and HOW TO DRAFT A ROADMAP for solving the case. 
Case interviews are a crucial part of the consulting recruitment process, and interview candidates at McKinsey, BCG, or Bain often turn to resources such as Victor Cheng's "Case Interview Secrets" or Marc P. Cosentino's "Case in Point" for guidance. 

While these sources can provide a useful first overview of the types of problems you might encounter in a case interview, they often fall short when it comes to the most important aspect: how to actually approach and solve the case.
In fact, the "framework learning philosophy" promoted by these casebooks is a major REASON why so many candidates fail to secure an offer from the top strategy consulting firms. 

A framework is only useful if it is tailored to the specific context of the problem at hand. This means that every element you consider – the "building blocks" of the framework – must be directly related to the question you are trying to answer.

The key is to start with the specific question you want to address, and then define the criteria that need to be met in order to answer it. 

In the vast majority of cases, value creation will be the central element – essentially, this means generating profit over a certain time period. 

From there, you can build a tree structure  to isolate the numerical drivers of your solution, and then map out the relevant "framework elements" to the sub-branches of the tree. 

This approach, visualized through a driver tree, is much clearer and more rigorous than any framework found in a casebook.

However, this approach requires time and qualified coaching to master. But it is ultimately the way that consultants think about problems – how can we optimize for value creation? By following this approach, you can give yourself the best chance of success in your case interviews and increase your chances of landing a consulting job.

How we can help you break you into McKinsey, BCG, or Bain

If you, as an applicant at one of the big strategy consulting firms, would like to learn how to ensure success in your interviews with McKinsey, BCG, or Bain, then feel free to apply for a free initial consultation with us. In this free session we will find out whether we can help you, and if so, how we can help you to reach your goal of joining a firm like McKinsey, BCG, or Bain & Company. 

Within the last years, we have helped more than 350 people to receive job offers from the three MBB companies! On average, every single week, two of our clients are signing an employment contract with either McKinsey, BCG, or Bain.

About the author: 
Dr. Sidi S. Koné

Former Senior Engagement Manager and Interviewer at McKinsey & Company | Former Senior Consultant at BCG

About The MBB Offer Machine™

We help aspiring graduates, young professionals, and seasoned topic experts to ensure success in their job interviews with the world's most reputable Strategy Consulting Firms.

We place a special emphasis on "MBB":
  • McKinsey & Company
  • ​Boston Consulting Group (BCG)
  • ​Bain & Company

About the author: 
Dr. Sidi S. Koné

Former Senior Engagement Manager and Interviewer at McKinsey & Company | Former Senior Consultant at BCG

About the author: 
Dr. Sidi S. Koné

Former Senior Engagement Manager and Interviewer at McKinsey & Company | Former Senior Consultant at BCG
Category: Case Interview Mastery for McKinsey, BCG, Bain
McKinsey vs. BCG vs. Bain... How do they differ from each other?
Written by Dr. Sidi S. Koné on Jan. 9th 2023
What are the elements and dimensions on which Bain, BCG, and have structural differences? And what are the implications of these differences?
Case interviews are a crucial part of the consulting recruitment process, and interview candidates at McKinsey, BCG, or Bain often turn to resources such as Victor Cheng's "Case Interview Secrets" or Marc P. Cosentino's "Case in Point" for guidance.

While these sources can provide a useful first overview of the types of problems you might encounter in a case interview, they often fall short when it comes to the most important aspect: how to actually approach and solve the case.
In fact, the "framework learning philosophy" promoted by these casebooks is a major REASON why so many candidates fail to secure an offer from the top strategy consulting firms.

A framework is only useful if it is tailored to the specific context of the problem at hand. This means that every element you consider – the "building blocks" of the framework – must be directly related to the question you are trying to answer.
The key is to start with the specific question you want to address, and then define the criteria that need to be met in order to answer it.

In the vast majority of cases, value creation will be the central element – essentially, this means generating profit over a certain time period.
From there, you can build a tree structure to isolate the numerical drivers of your solution, and then map out the relevant "framework elements" to the sub-branches of the tree.

This approach, visualized through a driver tree, is much clearer and more rigorous than any framework found in a casebook.

However, this approach requires time and qualified coaching to master. But it is ultimately the way that consultants think about problems – how can we optimize for value creation? By following this approach, you can give yourself the best chance of success in your case interviews and increase your chances of landing a consulting job.
If you, as an applicant at one of the big strategy consulting firms, would like to learn how to ensure success in your interviews with McKinsey, BCG, or Bain, then feel free to apply for a free initial consultation with us. In this free session we will find out whether we can help you, and if so, how we can help you to reach your goal of joining a firm like McKinsey, BCG, or Bain & Company. 

About the author: 
Dr. Sidi S. Koné

Former Senior Engagement Manager and Interviewer at McKinsey & Company | Former Senior Consultant at BCG

About The MBB Offer Machine™

We help aspiring graduates, young professionals, and seasoned topic experts to ensure success in their job interviews with the world's most reputable Strategy Consulting Firms.

We place a special emphasis on "MBB":
  • McKinsey & Company
  • ​Boston Consulting Group (BCG)
  • ​Bain & Company

About the author: 
Dr. Sidi S. Koné

Former Senior Engagement Manager and Interviewer at McKinsey & Company | Former Senior Consultant at BCG

About the author: 
Dr. Sidi S. Koné

Former Senior Engagement Manager and Interviewer at McKinsey & Company | Former Senior Consultant at BCG
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