Case Interviews in Finance

My last interview was also called a case interview and was one in the sense that I was presented with a business situation and had to make suggestions for action based on this information.

I can't say for sure whether case interviews in consulting and finance are identical and whether you can use the same preparation materials. However, very number-based cases should be a good exercise in any case, at least for the start of the preparation.

Great question. Case interviews in finance are similar but also very different from consulting, and you have to be prepared to tackle their unique nuances. Here are the main points:

1. Investment Focused: Often "case" interviews are about talking through a deal. This "deal pitch" needs to be very structured and include all the right information. If you don't have a good deal pitch template, ping me.
2. Quantitative Finance: Second, they're often just used as a guise for determining your finance competence. You need to ensure that you're able to talk through the underlying financial principles of your case.
3. Personal: Many finance interviews are casing based on your personal finance experience. E.g., if you did a finance internship, they may ask you about an investment or transaction you looked at. 

There's a ton more to cover--let's set up a free intro session to do a mock finance case and discuss how to crush your next interview. 

Yes, case interviews are also used in finance, especially for roles in investment banking, private equity, or asset management. The structure of the case interview can be similar to those in consulting, but there are some key differences in focus.

In my own finance interview, the focus was more on finance-specific topics, like analyzing financial statements, valuing companies, or looking at market trends. For example, I had to think through scenarios related to mergers and acquisitions or perform a discounted cash flow (DCF) analysis, which might not be as common in consulting interviews. 

The materials you use for consulting case studies can still help, especially for learning how to approach problems in a structured way. However, I’d recommend also practicing finance-specific cases and making sure you're comfortable with financial models, valuation methods, and market analysis to be well-prepared. Hope this helps!