I recently shared best practices for working on a case study deliverable (your best opportunity to demonstrate analytical, organizational and presentation skills in the interview process). Next comes the presentation to a team from the hiring firm. This phase of the process offers you and the hiring team a valuable, if limited, preview of what it would be like to work together. Here are some tips for making the most of that opportunity.
It can help to think of the case study as an investor committee (IC) meeting. If you were in the early stages of a deal, it’s unlikely that you would have an answer to every question raised in an IC meeting. A case study analysis resembles the information that would be brought to an early stage IC meeting. Try to model your responses with that in mind. Present your reasoning and explain your assumptions. Be open to feedback and questions. Address potential risks and discuss how you would address them with more time and resources.
You don’t have to get everything right for a case study to be successful. You do need to demonstrate strong critical thinking skills and investment judgement. There is the behavioral aspect too: How do you respond to pressure? How do you handle being challenged when you are right; when you are wrong?
In some case study presentations, the team may interrupt you with questions before you have finished. Interviewers may even hammer you with questions to test your reaction. Be prepared to abandon your original plan and address these questions. Do not get defensive, flustered, or belligerent. An interviewer may argue against your thesis or reasoning as a way of testing you. (They may also simply disagree with you.) Be open to thinking differently. If you think the interviewer’s argument is correct, address that and discuss how you would incorporate their thinking into future work on the project. If you think you are correct, support your thesis with data and the thought process. Again, this type of questioning may be a test to see how well you will work with the team. It is ok to be wrong. It is not ok to be difficult.
If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, try to slow down the pace of the conversation. When facing multiple questions, address them one at a time. Repeat questions and speak slowly to allow yourself time to think. You can address rapid fire questions at length—don’t feel the need to match the pace of the questioning. Taking a sip of water can also offer you a beat to think.
About 60-90 minutes before your presentation, it’s important to eat something to make sure you are alert and focused during the meeting. Avoid food that will make you lethargic. If you will be doing an in-house case study and then a presentation immediately afterward, bring a granola bar or piece of fruit to eat and a bottle of water to boost your energy ahead of the presentation. We have seen candidates run out of steam for a presentation due to exhaustion or dehydration; they lose their edge and the opportunity.
Case studies offer a hiring team a view of what it would be like to work with you. Focus on presenting your thesis supported by reasoning and demonstrating your ability to synthesize new ideas and tackle challenging questions. Proving that your thesis is correct is secondary to your real goal: demonstrating that you would be a welcome addition to the group.
