How can the applicant tallk about premium inventory if that word has never been mentioned in the case? I'm a little confused about this line. Can someone tell me whether the interviewee is supposed to come up with this? And if yes, then how?
Many thanks.
These things are what we call business judgement or intuition. A general understanding of what drives businesses across sectors and the ability to transfer this to new sectors taht you have not worked with.
Typically making these connections, especially if they are far, is not required to pass to the next round or get an offer, but they give you extra points and might balance out issues in other areas (e.g. the quant part.)
To build this level of deep understanding, you can read business newspapers and case studies conscously. Make it a habit to read the business sections of FT or Economist and reflect on the underlying issues. Read case studies on interesting dynamics of random industries to gradually build an understanding of what typical drivers are. Things like:
There are many more of these questions that help you build this intuition and eventually can provide interesting insights into a case, even if not explicitly mentioned by the interviewer.
Hi Estelle,
As the case states "Very good applicants" do this. So, it is not table stakes (required) for you to proceed.
In general, as an interviewee, you need to solve the case. However, any additional business knowledge/acumen you have goes a long way in making you a standout candidate.
I do recommend that, in addition to casing, you build up your business knowledge! Read the Financial Times, The Economist, McKinsey Insights, BCG Insights etc. Research all the major industries out there, study accounting, supply chains, finance, etc. Any extra bit helps!
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