Use of calculator and Framework

Hey! 

Some suggestions to improve in cases & calculations: 

1. try to NOT use a calculator. In interviews, you do not use calculators. Also, you should not need them. If numbers are too difficult to work with, try to simplify/round them

2. try to look for all case types and practice those (e.g., market sizing, profit/loss) - make sure to be confident with all types of cases

3. try to subdivide cases and practice them part by part (e.g., brainstorming, calculation, structuring phase)

4. try to calculate as much as possible to get used to all types of calculation (e.g. multiplication, division, etc.) 

Hope this helps!
BR Alessa

1. Structuring should get better as you do more cases and know about more industries. However, it will only become good if you “know what good looks like”. Unfortunately a lot of candidates don't, and without that it is impossible to improve. A good structure / approach is tailor made (not generic) to the specific case, and is useful. For example, mentioning areas that one would want to investigate is not a structure nor an approach.

2. No, definitely not. What we are really testing is whether you are able to independently (i.e., without access to technology) think about a problem and provide an estimation. We don't care about getting the exact number. But we care a lot about being able to deal with numbers and, most importantly, being able to assess whether the calculation makes sense or not.

In other words, if you have a typo on your excel, we need you to spot it (or if you make a wrong assumption). And the way to spot it is by actually performing some math yourself to validate the result. This means that making a perfect calculation to get a nonsense number has absolutely no value…

… But cutting corners to make an estimation and getting an estimation that is directionally right… that's exactly the kind of person we need!

As such, if you find hard to do a calculation, then figure out ways to make it easier for you, and still be directionally correct.

Hi there,

First, read this to learn how to prep right: The Most Common Pitfalls in Case Interview Preparation

1. My way of structuring could be better. It's not terrible, but it's only about halfway to where I want it to be.

Well you've only done 7…that's ok!

That said, be very careful with bad habits. Too many people robotically memorize frameworks….it's not how consultants solve problems and therefore not how you should solve cases!

Keep working hard…but also work smart.

Here's some reading to help: How to Shift Your Mindset to Ace the Case

And a course I just launched here that would truly drive home that frameworking mindset shift you're needing: End-to-end case interview training – from beginner to advanced 

2. Can we use calculators during interviews? Doing all the math manually can be really tiring, so it would be great to have a calculator handy for those tough calculations.

You cannot. Use math-drills.com and rocketblocks to practice

Hi,

1. Its important to know all the frameworks when preparing to excel at structuring, but its important not to fix a particular framework to a case prompt. Each case solution must have a unique structure, which should draw inspiration from several business frameworks, yet should not follow a framework blindly.

2. No. You cannot use a calculator as mental math is one of the prime skills consultants are tested on. Rounding off is fine, as answers are acceptable in a wide range. 

Try to do unconventional cases to improve your case structuring ability.

Happy to help!

Hi there,

1) My way of structuring could be better. It's not terrible, but it's only about halfway to where I want it to be.

There might be several reasons why your approach might not be optimal. Some possible reasons include:

• Not taking time before structuring
• Poor communication of the structure
• Structure is not MECE

Each reason has a different solution to fix the problem. I would recommend sharing an example so that we can provide better feedback.

2) Can we use calculators during interviews? Doing all the math manually can be really tiring, so it would be great to have a calculator handy for those tough calculations.

You cannot use calculators, so I would recommend practicing without it.

Good luck!

Francesco

Congrats on getting started!

1. Structuring is among the most complex ones to master. 

I can't give you feedback without knowing where you are, so I'm sharing below a couple of resources you might find helpful to get better in this area:

• Expert Guide: Mastering Structuring & Brainstorming
• Masterclass: First Principle Structuring

2. You can't use calculators. So get better at doing the computations on paper. Sorry. 

If you're at the start of the prep process, you're likely to also find this useful:

• Expert Guide: Build A Winning Application Strategy

Best,
Cristian