Strategy& Amsterdam's recruitment process
The interviews
During your interviews at Strategy&, we will evaluate your problem-solving and analytical skills. We also aim to ensure a personal match as we understand the importance of feeling at place with us. As such, each interview includes a general discussion about your background. We will ask about your leadership, team skills, and other experiences, and assess your motivation for consulting in general and for Strategy& specifically. Find more information and tips below.
LEAD SELF
Develop and learn through every opportunity. Take care of your own wellbeing and remain steady under pressure.
LEAD OTHERS
Know when and how to: lead, be part of a team, get things done, handle and drive transformational change.
MOTIVATION
Choosing consulting. Continously deepen and broaden your understanding of how business works, how it is changing and why this matters.
A case discussion will follow, where we try to understand how you go about analyzing real-world business problems. We also try to reserve the last 5-10 minutes for any questions you may have.
A case is a scenario modelled on a real business situation or management problem. It is usually based on a real client engagement that the interviewer has worked on. The case portion of the interview is an opportunity for you to show us how you think about solving complex business problems, and how you structure your thoughts in relation to these issues.
The case discussion makes up about half of the interview time.
WHAT DO WE ASK FROM YOU?
- Solve an open problem – typically a business challenge;
- Develop a structure and solve the problem hypotheses based;
- Leverage different perspectives and approaches;
- Interviewers focus on the approach and your way of thinking, not necessarily the answer.
WHY DO WE DO CASE STUDIES?
- Case studies allow us to assess a candidate’s potential;
- Case studies give insights to industry dynamics and business logics;
- Case studies give us an opportunity to present ourselves and our work;
- Case studies offer an opportunity for the candidate to show off!
DON'T FORGET TO...
- Understand the question and build a framework;
- Use hypotheses and stay in the lead;
- Work your numbers;
- Articulate your assumptions;
- Stick to the question;
- Synthesise your findings.
Here are some tips to help you do well in the business case interview:
- Listen carefully; ask questions if there are any points you don’t understand
- After the interviewer outlines the case parameters, summarize the case for the interviewer in your own words to confirm you understand the problem.
- Take a minute to think; don't be afraid of the silence (sometimes it can be good to indicate this to the interviewer and ask if you can take a minute to structure your thoughts).
- Find a way to structure the problem; this will guide your discussion with the interviewer. Briefly explain the framework you plan to use, giving the interviewer a chance to comment. In general, the simpler the framework, the better. Once the interviewer endorses your framework, stick to it and refer back to it throughout the case.
- Start with the first element of your framework and work through the answer out loud so the interviewer can evaluate your analytical structure and help you along.
- Pause every so often so your interviewer has a chance to course correct. If your interviewer gives you advice, take it – assume it’s intended to be helpful.
- Toward the end of the case discussion, be prepared to take a stand and make a recommendation. You might feel uncomfortable making a call with so little data and so little time to discuss all the issues. Remember that this is just an exercise. Make your recommendation based on the conclusions you were able to reach from your discussion and indicate next steps for the client to take.
- Be confident and – perhaps most important – relax and try to have some fun. You’ll feel more self-assured if you practice, practice, practice before the interview.
- Remember, there is no single right way of answering a case. If you’ve shown your thought process and come to logical and reasonable conclusions, you will successfully "crack the case.”
Amsterdam Recruiting Team
Thank you for your interest in Strategy&. The Amsterdam Recruiting Team looks after all recruiting activities for our Amsterdam office. We are here to help you with any questions you may have about the firm, our activities on campus and the application process. Please do not hesitate to contact us should you need further assistance.
