Today, the business case methodology is used everywhere. It is effective both in recruiting personnel and in training personnel. A person is given a certain problematic task that he must solve. On the one hand, he must use his knowledge and skills that reflect his competence, on the other, he must approach the situation creatively and look for an extraordinary approach.

Cases in business - what are they, what are their features?

A business case is a specific business problem taken from real life that requires original approach in her decision. The best forms of implementation are games and group discussion. Acceptable and individual work, but it is more often used as an interview with a candidate or a test of a specialist’s specific knowledge.

In most cases, a group of several people is formed. It is preferable that they be of different specialties, temperaments and views. Participants must carefully study the problem, determine its causes, and formulate several solutions applicable to a particular case.

History of the concept

The case method was invented in the twenties of the last century at Harvard. The concept itself comes from the English word casus, which is now used in Russia, characterizing a complex situation, a problem whose solution is not clear.

During the discussion, students had to propose options for the development of events that would allow them to solve the problem. The techniques invented during their studies were subsequently used by former students in business life.

As part of the discussion, people could show all their hidden talents, develop communication skills, and learn to simultaneously process a large flow of information and structure it.

At the end of the nineties, after the introduction of capitalist ideas in Russia, the methodology of business cases appeared. Until the early 2000s, ready-made techniques translated into Russian were mainly used.

Internal schools are gradually being formed. The origins began with the emergence of case clubs in the country's leading universities. The discoverers were:

• National Research University Higher School of Economics;
• MGIMO;
• REU named after G.V. Plekhanov.

Gradually, almost all universities and institutes picked up the wave. The method begins to be used by teachers natural sciences. Today, almost all disciplines use cases to a greater or lesser extent.

Goals

The goals of the business case are based on the formation of a creative approach to solving problems, as well as on the development of non-standard models of behavior in times of crisis. Students involved in case clubs receive the following:

1. Gain skills in time management, communication and public speaking.
2. Learn how to interact with others and work in groups.

Companies that engage business case specialists receive a vast amount of information as a result, which they can apply in stages or immediately. For example, when launching a new product, they have the right to use many techniques that would not have been invented without creating a focus group and developing marketing strategies.

Types of cases

There are many varieties of cases, as they are based on specific examples. From time to time there are cases when students are presented with a fictitious situation, but, firstly, such examples, as a rule, are not plausible, and, secondly, they do not carry practical benefit.

Cases are distinguished by topic, that is, the type of problem and its scope:

• marketing – promotion and advertising techniques;
• consulting;
• personnel management and others.

One of the most striking examples of a case in everyday life is the diagnosis of a disease and the development of treatment methods.

The form of presentation of information is acceptable, both oral and written. The first is more often used during interviews. Also, limited time is provided to solve specific problems. This makes it possible not to be distracted and focus on the task at hand.

Practical use

1. Development of working technologies for solving crisis situations.
2. Recruitment of specialists capable of acting in difficult times and finding solutions.
3. Personnel training – developing people’s skills and abilities, unlocking their potential through immersion in the work process.

The success of the case implementation depends on three components:

• the presence of a problematic situation, which implies the presence of many options for the development of events;
• a sufficient amount of basic information on the basis of which analysis and diagnostics are carried out;
• involvement of the group, including stakeholders.

The basis of a business case is situational analysis, that is, the ability to quickly process the flow of information. Moreover, it is often impossible to return to a series of data. The idea itself originated in the USA, but received its greatest development after the fusion of methods and techniques of Western and Eastern specialists.

How to write a business case - instructions

In order to interest the modern consumer, it is not enough to create a unique, high-quality product or service. It is important to present the product correctly potential clients. To develop a methodology, it is advisable to use the concept of a case.

How to solve business cases will be described below. Here we note the basic rules and steps that are taken to analyze and record information.

Description of the goal

First of all, it is necessary to determine the purpose of why this or that research will be carried out. What results are planned to be obtained as a result. Conventionally, the structure of the case can be represented as follows:

• client - who, those people to whom the product is aimed, what they are interested in, what they do;
• problem - what needs to be solved, what ways to satisfy the need;
• decision - what resources were used, who took part in the development of ideas;
• result – whether the client’s request was satisfied.

Client choice

Candidate selection – important stage, since it must reflect a general cross-section of all consumers. All work will be based on the data received from him. It is desirable that it meets the following criteria:

• informed about the product or service;
• has information about competitors, he will help you use it weak sides;
• good reputation and famous name.

The more successful man will take part in the study, the better. Since to a well-known person among the population, that is, potential consumers more trust.

Case interview

Before conducting the study, it is important to establish a time frame with the client. The fact is that the process is often delayed precisely because of the lack of time frames. It's also important to set expectations for what you expect to get from him and what he can get out of it.

Communication methods may include emails or telephone calls. SMS messages to Lately have become less effective than, for example, sending messages via instant messengers or social networks.

The case interview procedure should be as follows:

1. Obtaining consent from the client to participate in the study.
2. Conducting a survey will allow you to set a template for a future conversation.
3. Direct interviewing. Its duration is permissible within half an hour or an hour. Questions must be related to the product.
4. Sending responses to the client to confirm their authenticity.
5. Formation of the result.

As a result of the business case of the project that is created, the company's management can plan actions. It is recommended to include a modeling stage as well. This will reduce costs and implement the plan most profitably. If participants do not have a goal of saving resources, then they will use all possible sources.

Drawing up a structure and plan

When drawing up a structure, a creative approach is permissible; it should not have a unified form. In most cases, the following plan is used:

1. The introductory part is a brief, captivating description of the case.
2. Introductory information – information about the company, its activities, structure, features, advantages.
3. Either the background of the crisis and a description of the emerging problem, or the formation of a task, for example, introducing a new product to the market.
4. Finding solutions - a detailed description of how the research was conducted and what conclusions were reached.
5. The results are the most logical and correct paths; a list of all possible options is also indicated here.
6. Summary - results and proposals.

The structure may vary depending on the specific task, as well as the specifics of the company’s activities.

Volume

The scope of the case depends on the specific situation. In standard form it should not exceed ten pages. The material must contain the most important information, without unnecessary words and unnecessary data. If necessary, it is worth making links to specific documents or resources containing information. For example, when referring to a law, there is no need to include it in the case; it is enough to indicate the number normative act and the date of its entry into force.

Visualization

Dry text, even rich in information, is not as visual as graphic image data. It is recommended to include tables, pictures, graphs wherever possible different types. Firstly, this is very indicative, and secondly, you don’t need to read the text to see the parameters.

Data

Distortion of information is unacceptable. Many experts suggest checking not only the received materials, but also the source data. Any inaccuracy in information can lead to serious financial losses and lawsuits if the interviewee’s words were distorted.

Numbers

Where it is possible to present numbers, it is worth doing so. Vague phrases do not provide meaningful information. For example, the number of calls has increased, it is worth replacing the growth in incoming calls by 15% compared to the same period last year.

But if we are talking about an increase of more than 100%, then it is better to replace it with times, as it sounds stronger. But the main thing is to use precise and specific language.

Why solve cases?

Solving cases is an interesting and exciting job. Only this technique makes it possible to fully realize your potential and find an extraordinary solution to the problem. Let's consider the main advantages of using the method.

Solving business cases requires a procedure, although it is not formal; many years of research have shown that this is the best sequence of steps.

For a case, problems from the real past or present are always selected. Therefore, in a playful way, involving different people you can find a solution that did not occur to the management and analytical department of the company.

One example is the appearance of displays of small, inexpensive items at cash registers in stores. One day the question arose that a low percentage of citizens purchased chocolates when they came to the supermarket. Group analysis showed that the percentage of sales can be increased if you place them in a place where the client will linger for more than a minute and pay attention to them.

Interactive format

One of the advantages of case studies is that the formation of ideas does not always take place in a formal setting. When people are relaxed, they are more open and willing to come up with unexpected ideas.

The interactive format provides the opportunity to find solutions that cannot be formulated with a standard approach. It is worth using various videos, audio and images, looking for new resources and people.

Improving skills

Research has shown that people involved in developing business cases have better skills. They tolerate stressful situations better, do not panic even in times of crisis and offer options for getting out of it.

If you want to hone certain skills and increase your competence, you should join a group of case specialists, best choice there will be either a student club or a corporate community.

Individual skills of a person, even at the highest level, cannot compete with a team of mediocre specialists. Main secret majority large corporations– precisely in a small group that creates the main ideas.

Being a team player is not always easy, it takes time to learn how to interact, listen and accept the views of others. There will never be a consensus on a specific issue, but if there is agreement in the team, consensus will be found.

Stages of solving project cases

In order for actions to be as effective as possible, it is recommended to follow certain stages of the solution. First of all, a person must obtain knowledge regarding the company or market for which the analysis will take place. To clarify what a business case is, let’s say that it is a step-by-step system of actions developed on the basis of information about the company, its position in the market, and its goals. In this regard, the results obtained cannot be universal, although they are applicable in a number of other cases. Today, entire scientific groups are engaged in unifying cases, but still, The best way– analysis of a specific problem and search for solutions to it.

Study the situation

This step involves a comprehensive study of the research area. A competent specialist, in addition to studying the object itself, will take the time to review:

• existing competitors;
• general market situation;
• customer preferences.

Of course, most of the time will be devoted to analyzing the initial data about the enterprise itself.

Collection and analysis of missing information

If the incoming information is not enough to obtain a complete picture, if possible, it is advisable to further study the materials. For example, there is a task - to increase sales volume specific product. Management provided a lot of documentation, but none of it included the results of recent advertising companies, and this is critical information.

Understanding options for solving a problem

Then, in individual or group form, the development of solutions begins. The peculiarity of the process is that even the most inadequate options are recorded. The idea is that the more ideas, the more choices. Also sometimes a few not the most best options in combination they represent a brilliant idea. And if there was no team cooperation, it would not have been possible to create it.

After outlining all the possible and impossible options, it is necessary to highlight those that seem the most powerful and resourceful. Each of them is considered individually. Group work enters again, with the features and details of each option forming the picture.

Among all the data received, either one or several cases are selected and implemented. It's always better to have backup options. A special person structures all the remaining information. Despite the fact that some ideas did not find their application immediately, they may be in demand for some time.

Developing a result also involves the most detailed consideration, identifying all strengths and weaknesses, creating a list of responsible persons and modeling.

Pitfalls of business cases

Everything has its strengths and weaknesses. Many advantages of business cases have been described, but it is impossible not to mention some of the disadvantages of the method. It is important to take them into account both when planning research and when implementing the results into practice:

1. Market variability - all research is mainly based on materials that reflect the company’s past, but not its present day, much less its future. It is important to understand that with the development of technology, in order to stay at the top, you must not only follow innovations, but also get ahead of them.
2. The subjective factor is that specialists are people; they may have their own preferences and dislikes. It is not a fact that they reflect the opinion of the majority.
3. Qualifications of participants - it is important that those carrying out the development are at least competent in the industry.

The business case method is one of the options for choosing strategies and solutions. Don’t forget about the classic forms of searching for an answer.

Real examples

Let's look at a few examples of business cases in brief.

Situation 1. Interview.

Many companies today expect their employees not only to strictly follow instructions, but also to be able to solve situations that go beyond the standard. For example, when hiring a person to be a driver, they may be asked what he will do if he gets into an accident during transportation, or if someone breaks the load.

Much will depend on his answer to these questions. If he panics or begins to shift responsibility onto third parties, he is unlikely to be accepted. It is advisable to inform your superiors about the current situation and begin to resolve the issue to the best of your ability.

Situation 2. Opening a branch.

The company is planning an expansion and needs to think about where, when and how best to open an additional office. To do this, a group of case specialists is involved, who must study the current position of the company, its main clients, study the available expansion options, think about what, the opening can be timed, and the like. At the end, they present management with several options.

Business cases are options for solving assigned tasks, challenges and problems. Moreover, a group of people is involved who, only in team interaction, are ready to offer worthwhile solutions. Participation in this kind of project gives a person the opportunity to improve their skills in communication, innovative approach and team play. Speaking about what cases are in business, it is worth clarifying that these are more practical options for getting out of difficult situations. They can be used both for a specific case and for similar problems.

In contact with

The question is usually asked by students who have encountered this term for the first time. However, the concept is becoming popular in the business community. Before answering the question of what cases are and giving examples of how to solve them, let’s delve into the history of the origin of the term.

The emergence of cases

The concept first appeared in 1924. Professors at a prestigious university realized that textbooks from previous years were not capable of preparing graduates modern professions. Manuals and manuals that are relevant to this moment time, have not yet been created, and the previous ones are already outdated. Then the professors thought through business cases - pressing problems of our time that graduates needed to solve. To do this, business owners were invited to Harvard and gave detailed instructions to graduate students. Entrepreneurs at the seminars talked about real problems that their companies faced. After this, graduate students had to find their own solution to these problems. The peculiarity of such training is that there are no right answers. You just need to find the optimal way out of the current situation. In other words, everyone chooses the solution to cases individually.

The innovation of Harvard professors turned out to be effective. The graduates actually had some semblance of experience when they left. They knew the problems and tasks of successful companies and could easily cope with the assigned tasks. In fact, solving cases as a student gave him real practice within the university. Therefore, since the mid-twentieth century, this method has spread throughout the world.

Appearance in Russia

In our country, even with the collapse of the socialist system in the nineties of the last century, the education system existed for a long time according to the established rules. The country no longer exists, but the USSR textbooks exist. Even textbooks on the history of the CPSU with Lenin on the covers finally disappeared only in the mid-nineties of the twentieth century, not to mention other disciplines.

And only Messrs. Management cases began to appear in leading universities in our country. Today, this method is actively developing in Russia. In addition, thematic case clubs are opening. The MSTU club is especially popular among schoolchildren and students. E. Bauman, NUST MISIS Career Center, etc.

So what are cases? Let's move on to the concept itself in more detail.

Concept

A case (from Latin casus) is an extraordinary situation, a problem the solution to which cannot be found in textbooks. A more accurate interpretation of the term “casus” is a problem that requires a solution, but this term came into Russian from English, in which the Latin word casus is pronounced “case”.

Students are simulated a problem situation that is as close as possible to the real one, and they must find a solution. The point is, there is no right answer. There is only the opinion of teachers and a real way out of this situation, if the case, of course, was taken from life. Methods of solution, reasoning, collective discussion, etc. are assessed.

So, we have explained what a case is, now let’s move on to the goals.

Goals

Despite the fact that the topics of the cases may differ from each other, the modeling itself, as a rule, has common goals:

1. Testing students' intellectual and analytical data.
2. Developing an argument for your position.
3. Developing resistance to stressful situations.
4. Training in time management skills.
5. Development of communication

Cases during interviews

This method is used not only in educational institutions. Today, many firms use it during interviews. Every day, the employer looks less and less at the applicant’s resume, his level of education, work experience, etc. It is enough to offer a candidate for a position several cases, and everything about the person becomes clearer than various pieces of paper and recommendations.

Of course, this doesn't mean that education and experience don't matter. Without them, you may not even get to the stage of solving the case. However, it is the last stage that becomes the decisive factor when choosing an employee. In this regard, it stands out Google company, which develops its own methods for modeling cases. They are individual for each vacancy. Work experience and level of education will not help a candidate if he cannot solve cases. And they sometimes amaze the imagination with their deceptive simplicity.

Examples of cases

Let's give an example. The company was faced with the problem of employee performance in the sales department. Three people work. The first works with 70% of clients, the second with 20%, and the third with 10%. With these indicators, the second one shows the highest sales, but it only works with regular customers. The third, on the contrary, works only with new clients, while the first works with both new and regular ones. The task for the manager is to increase the sales plan and redistribute the flow of customers so that the company receives maximum profit.

To solve this problem it is necessary to answer the following questions:

• What opportunities for improvement might there be in this situation?
• What standards can help improve the performance of each salesperson and the sales department as a whole in the future?

Perhaps the first seller works most effectively with new customers or with regular ones. It is also worth trying to swap the places of the second and third seller. Those. the second will work only with new ones, and the third - only with permanent ones. Perhaps they are experiencing a professional crisis and need a change of scenery.

Second example

An interview is being held for the position of Head of Human Resources. The candidate must have the ability to be flexible and avoid unnecessary conflicts. It is proposed to solve the following case: the general director insisted that the daughter of an influential person be hired at the company. The previous manager gave her the position of assistant secretary. The girl herself did not express herself in any way, did not identify herself with the company and had no desire for career growth. Added to this is the lack of work experience at other enterprises.

During her work, her main skills were: receiving incoming documents, maintaining records, and filing documentation into folders. Six months later, the position of leading document management specialist became available. The general director insisted that this girl take this position. However, the company has many other employees who deserve promotion. In this task, the applicant must make a choice: either go against the general management, or work with a dissatisfied team.

Perhaps the candidate will find an acceptable option for both general director, and for the team. Case examples do not have right decisions. Each case is individual.

There are not only business cases, but also cases in other industries: pedagogy, medicine, law. In every profession, you can simulate a problem situation.

Description: The group is given information in the form of facts based on the actual situation and asked to discuss problems, analyze issues and make recommendations. The case teaches you how to make decisions or practice a new skill based on the analysis of input information. The case is created by the trainer in advance based on information received during the preparation of the training. You can also use ready-made cases. Or adapt a ready-made case to the needs of the training.

Impact on group dynamics:

Increases: incomprehensible instructions, the presence of the correct answer and searching for it, “pushed” by time,” comparison with others, incorrectly chosen time for the case (when there is no leader), the topic is distant or not clear, a sensitive topic, little time, lack of information.

Reduces: familiar topic, hints, jokes, removing boundaries, multiple solutions.

Number of participants: group of no more than 10 people

How to create a case during a training with the help of participants?

The group is divided into subgroups of 5–10 people.

Step 1 - The group is given a task

Assignment: Describe an incident from your experience regarding this topic. ( For example: a month ago, in our department, such a situation happened…”)

Case requirements:

• must be based on a real situation
• the task (problem) around which the analysis is built is clearly defined. For example, the topic: “Methods of non-material motivation of personnel

The case must contain the following items:

• places, positions and roles of the main characters. For example: director, employee, etc.
• short description- only facts - the main stages of the development of events and the actions of the characters. For example: “You are the new development director at the company. The company enters new market, you have been given a task...The employees react like this”

Step 2 – Groups change descriptions of situations

Assignment: Think over a solution to this situation, write options for solving this situation and justify the chosen actions.

Step 3 - Presentation of solutions and evaluation of solutions by group

So the group that created the case gives feedback according to the proposed solution.

Once, I conducted a training “Creativity in Business” for the Ingosstrakh company. And there I used the case method. Try to solve it too, but without this “Google help”.

Can you solve the case in 1 minute?

So, the case is called “Galleries Lafayette”, and it is based on real events.
At the initial stage of the development of her business, the young entrepreneur did not have enough funds for traditional methods of promoting goods to the market; she took a creative approach to solving problems and achieved her goal in very cheap ways. One day she came to conquer Europe, and the manager of the Parisian Galeries Lafayette refused to buy her products - new perfumes. But she never gave up. When our heroine wanted something, she was very creative in trying to get her way. The woman still found a way to prove to the manager in 5 minutes that her perfume could take its rightful place in the prestigious Lafayette gallery.
What did the woman do? What are your options?

And this is what it did. The lady suddenly opened her purse, took out a large bottle with some yellowish liquid and slammed it onto the floor. After just a few minutes, she couldn’t fight off the questions: “Yes, this is my new perfume,” she repeated, beaming with a smile. “This is Youth Dew, and my name is Estee Lauder.” You've never heard my name"

Examples of cases for training inEmployee management (motivation, mentoring)

Example of a sales case “Customer Profile”

Case No. 1 “Developing ways to influence an employee”

Based on the analysis of the situation, analyze the reasons for the change in Yu. Malevin’s behavior. Develop ways to influence Malevin to change his behavior. Fill out the table “Assessing the causes of behavior”

Description of the situation:

Yu. Malevin has been working at Tri Kita LLC since 2009 as a process technician refrigeration equipment. During his work, he was recognized three times for high quality work and regularly paid bonuses at the end of the year. However, over the past year, Yuri Malevin’s relations with his colleagues have become strained. He had never been particularly talkative, but now he demanded that his colleagues stay away from his workplace. Yu. Malevin made it clear that his tools were disappearing and he wanted to protect his workplace. The quality of his work has also deteriorated. About a year ago, the devices he produced were assessed as completely defect-free products. Currently, during random inspection, it turned out that his products require rework in three cases out of a hundred. Thus, the defect rate in his work increased from zero to 3%. Among his colleagues, defects do not exceed 1.5%.

Yu. Malevin's behavior caused concern among the division's leaders. A good worker turned into an average one. What could have caused the change in Yu. Malevin’s behavior?

Using table 2. select from the list possible reasons behavior changes, rate them on a 7-point scale and comment on your ratings.

Table 2. Assessment of reasons for behavior

Comment on each of your ratings.

What can a manager do? Fill out the table. 3

Table 3. Interventions for behavior change

Source: “Organizational Behavior” by G. R. Latifullin

Case No. 2 “Employee selection”

Description of the situation: You are the Manager of five gas stations of the Lesnoy Gorod company in the city of N. One of your gas stations is Green Cedar. It has the maximum cross-country ability among your other gas stations. In this regard, the workload on staff is quite large. If your gas station attendants are still retained because they receive good tips in total, then your cashier turnover is quite high. So you are faced with the task of searching and evaluating a candidate for the position of cashier, since you do not have enough of them. The situation is further complicated by the fact that the Green Cedar gas station has a mini-market with an open display, so the cashiers have a lot of tasks, and they do not receive tips. In addition, the functionality of cashiers is wider than in other fuel companies, so it can be difficult to find a good candidate.

IN functional responsibilities Cashiers of the Lesnoy Gorod company include:

• Customer service at the checkout;
• Acceptance of goods;
• Control of expiration dates of goods;
• Participation in the inventory of goods;
• Execution of sales plan for promotional products;
• Cleaning the premises (floors, shelves, toilets, etc.)

Working conditions: schedule 2/2 month per day from 9 to 21, month per night from 21 to 9 (by
agreements with the gas station manager are possible only during the day or only at night). It is more convenient for you as a manager if the cashier can go out both during the day and at night.

Task: Please think and write a profile of a candidate for the vacancy of a cashier at the Green Cedar gas station in the Lesnoy Gorod company. What characteristics and competencies (knowledge, skills, personality traits) should he have in order to successfully work as a cashier at your gas station?

Case No. 3 “Retail store”

Description of the situation: Seller Petrova A.K. has been working in the department for one year. During her work, she managed to sufficiently master the department’s assortment and establish friendly relations with the team of employees. Calm and balanced in character. He takes his work responsibly and shows a desire to work in the store. However, he does not show initiative in communicating with customers. She responds to questions and requests for help in choosing a product, is friendly, but tries to reduce this communication to a minimum. He is more enthusiastic about arranging goods, maintaining cleanliness and order in the sales area, and therefore potential buyers often go unnoticed by the seller and leave.

Exercise: think over and compose a motivational conversation with employee Petrova A.K. to take initiative in communicating with customers.

Case No. 4 “Pharmacy”.

Description of the situation: Pharmacist Vasilyeva N.N. has been working in a pharmacy for a long time. She is well versed in the assortment and is active in communicating with customers. Most often he takes the position of “adviser”. He has his own idea about which drugs are preferable for children, insists on his opinion, and evaluates the buyer’s choice.

Exercise: think over and draw up a motivational conversation with employee N.N. Vasilyeva. to implement its main function - to sell goods based on customer requests.

Case No. 5 “ New employee”

Seller Ilyina M.K., 19 years old. In the company on probationary period. What I like about my job is the opportunity to communicate with people, I am interested in gaining experience as a salesperson, and I am proactive in working with customers.

Systematically violates the requirements for the seller's appearance (youth style, exposed parts of the body), citing the fact that he does not have the funds to update his wardrobe, citing a low salary.

Exercise: think over and compose a motivational conversation with employee Ilyina M.K. for compliance with standard requirements appearance. Cases for sales training can be

Books

Andrey Alyasov

founder of the National Case Study League Changellenge

If you want to work in famous company and in a good position (for example, in Alfa Bank, EY, KPMG, McKinsey, PwC or Unilever), sooner or later you will face a case interview. Employers use case interviews because during it everything is clearly visible: how you know the industry, how you know how to search for information, what experience you have, what you are like in general.

What is a case interview

A business case is a real situation from the life of a certain company that needs to be analyzed in order to offer your own effective and preferably original way to improve the situation. Moreover, recruiters will expect you to get to the heart of the problem and find the right path as quickly and confidently as possible.

Solving cases can easily unsettle an uninitiated person. It is impossible to prepare for them in one day. I advise you to start training at least three months in advance: spend a week or two studying the theory, searching and reading books, spend another couple of weeks doing mock interviews, and then spend a month or two practicing for interviews in companies that are less interesting to you. All types of selection during which cases are used can be divided into four types.

Online tests based on cases

This is the Problem Solving Test (PST) and its analogues - a kind of correspondence case interview with answer options that allows the recruiter to assess the ability to make decisions and the ability to perceive large amounts of information.

To prepare, you should practice your calculation skills and take a couple of practice tests (on the McKinsey website you can find a document with detailed description Problem Solving Test, BCG has the same example).

Brainteasers

Small problems related to non-standard calculations. For example, the classic one: how many ping-pong balls will fit into a Boeing 787. Greater accuracy is not critical here. The main thing is to demonstrate an atypical approach to solving a problem, logical reasoning, the ability to make decisions in a non-standard situation and quickly count in your head.

The same problem about Boeing and tennis balls can be solved without knowing the exact numbers of the dimensions of the aircraft and the diameter of the balls. It’s enough to figure everything out well and do everything necessary calculations, and out loud, so that the interviewer can hear you reasoning: “The width of the cabin is, say, six meters, that is, the cross-sectional radius is three meters, and the area is 3 * 3 * 3.14 - approximately 28 meters. The length of the cabin is 60 meters, which means its volume is approximately equal to 1,700 cubic meters, or 1,700,000,000 cubic centimeters. The radius of a tennis ball is two centimeters, which means the volume is approximately 33 cubic centimeters. It turns out that the cabin can fit about 50,000,000 balls - and let's remove
15%, since there will be empty space between them. I think the answer is 38 million marbles."

You can search for brainteasers on the Internet - collections of some of them roam social networks from year to year. You also need to start training your mental counting skills. During the interview you will have to think very quickly, they may not give you a calculator, and doing calculations in a column on a piece of paper will look unprofessional. You can use any free minute for training - for example, adding up car numbers in your head when you walk down the street, or solving problems in comfortable mobile applications Elevate type.

Individual cases

Cases of this type are perhaps the most difficult. Here you will have to not only think, calculate, demonstrate your knowledge of the industry and analytical skills. Sometimes the case assignment and related information are given immediately, then the candidate only needs to engage in situational analysis. In other cases, the interviewer gives only the general picture (for example, asks to tell how to increase the profitability of the retail segment of a commercial bank), and you need to find out the details using the right questions.

Mostly such cases are related to the activities of the company. But there are also those who like to give tasks on an abstract topic. The interviewer may depart from the prepared case and give an original one - for example, ask how to increase the competitiveness of the Russian army or the average score on the Unified State Exam in the region, ask to calculate the minimum required population of the country, or suggest thinking about how to reduce carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere.

Test cases will help you prepare for such a test. Look at examples on the websites of the companies themselves - BCG cases with their analysis can be found. For the most persistent candidates, there are special services (including paid ones) that allow you to train under the guidance of a real consultant - for example, preplounge.com.

Team case

If during the selection process for a company you are invited to an assessment center, be prepared to solve a team case. You will have to analyze the problem together with complete strangers and part-time your competitors. Moreover, they will look not so much at the quality of the decision, but at your ability to work in a team, the ability to lead it to a common decision in a difficult situation and to defend your position with arguments. You need to understand that the team does not need people who silently wait for a common decision, and upstarts who always pull the blanket over themselves.

Please note that different companies different types are interesting: in consulting they are looking for literate team players, in FMCG - people who are able to show the most creative approach and lead others.

To practice properly, you should submit your resume to as many companies that provide assessment centers as possible, even if you are not interested in working for them. In addition, you can take part in case championships, which in recent years have been held both by the companies themselves and by independent case associations - for example, the National League of Cases Changellenge.