How long will a case interview actually last?

Hi!

The interview is roughly 1 hour, with 15mins or ice-breaking + fit, 40mins case and 5 mins of Q&A.

There are no hard deadlines, the interviewer guides you to end the case (or sometimes just cut the case if it's becoming too long) within the right timeframe.

An interviewer can:

- Cut an answer if they perceive it's too long/you have already answered

- Don't ask you all the questions of a case, but decide to jump a few

- Don't finish the case, but just end the case part with the last question

None of these are an index of a bad performance, it depends on how the case is going (maybe you simply took a different path to solve the case that it takes more than the "usual" one) and your pass/not pass is solely based on how you are performing on the questions that were asked.

I hope it's helpful and good luck!

Hello,

It very much depends on the scope of the case, the patience level of the interviewer, and so on, but on average you should expect to spend 25-30 minutes. 

The trend is that interviewers are increasingly asking shorter cases. 

You should time yourself and ask your partners how you could shorten your analysis. Usually, interviewees spend more time than necessary on clarification questions, writing up and walking through the initial framework, as well as calculations.

Best,

Deniz

Dear A,

I would recommend you to follow this timeframe in your preparations. So that keeping this in mind will train you to be more to the point in your structure, thoughts, steps. 

Sometimes it may take longer time in the interview, but it depends on the situation, case, interviewer. 

If you need any help or further advice on structured preparation, feel free to reach me out. 

Best,
André

Hi,

Sharing my perspective having been an interviewer for 5 years at BCG.

• At BCG, the interview is scheduled for 45mins
• Normally, this is broken down into ~5-10mins fit, 25-30mins case, and 5mins at the end for Q&A
• Interviewers are highly encouraged to end the interview on time, so as to be fair to all candidates (everyone gets the same amount of time)
• I personally did my best to ensure I stick to the 45min time (also because I do have a case to run as a manager), so yes I will cut you off if you are overrunning

All the best!

Hi there,

If you are consistently taking 35-45 minutes you do have a problem.

While some cases can be that long, many should be solved in 20-30 minutes.

However, remember that cases + interviewers are all different, so try to stick less to a hard and fast rule/number and more self evaluate your speed/efficiency.

How do you speed up your casing?

• Practice fast math
• Practice chart reading
• Learn the major industries out there and how they work (so you don't need to ask as many clarifying questions)
• Learn to signpost
• Learn to write notes in shorthand
• Organize your papers effectively (so as to quickly write down information, not lose/ask a 2nd time for information, and be quick at synthesizing thoughts/driving the case)

Giulia's breakdown is quite typical of what to expect - so roughly 40 to 45 mins of casing is quite normal. Not everyone finishes the entire case and sometimes interviews can run over

Best,

Udayan

Hi There,

I agree that 25-35 mins is correct and there is definitely a hard deadline.

With a disclaimer that sometimes there is more flexibility, especially in final rounds where the interviewers are more senior, the basic idea is that a distinctive performer should be able to solve the case in 25-35 minutes.

This means they can formulate their thoughts quickly, communicte quickly, and not spend time on unimportant aspects or details of the case.

Of course, it also depends on the interviewer.  Your case partner may not be simulating that behaviour of a true interviewer, because they are spending time discussing side issues instead of redirecting you. So don't put too much stock in your practice, although it is a good indication.

Finally, the schedule is king.  If I have something else at the top of the hour, then the interview is over at the top of the hour.  I will try to run the interview so that we can finish in time, but if the candidate is still struggling through the math, that's not a good thing.

Helpful?  Happy to explain more if you like.

Hi, it depends on the case, but I would recommend staying always in 35-40 minutes. However it depends on the case: consider this strict deadline only if you are working with official cases from consulting companies. Cases from books/libraries are academical and only inspired by real cases 

Best,
Antonello