TACKLING CASE STUDIES

Here are some tips on how to make your case by impressing recruiters during a case study session.

What?

No matter whether it is in-person or over video, case study exercises can be for individuals or groups. You will usually be given some information about a work-related scenario and asked to imagine being part of a group of experts giving advice to a client or superior on the basis of the evidence.

The series of activities will probably be carried out over a period of a few hours and is likely to culminate in a presentation to the assessors. You may also be given additional information to assess at specific intervals throughout the allocated time.

It is also important to note that they are typically based on real-life business developments.

How to approach them

When?

Case studies are particularly popular in assessment centres for graduate jobs in banking, financial services, accountancy and management consulting, but they can also be part of assessments for other business sectors and industries as well.

1. You need to be clear about what you are being asked to do. Start by reading through the information pack and assessing the relevant parts.

2. Thoroughly understand the problem, your role and your objectives. If you are unsure, ask for more information or clarification about something from your assessors.

3. If you are working in a group, you could divide up the tasks. For instance, nominate someone to assess any new information passed to the group during the course of the exercise. You will also need someone to manage the time taken for each task, so ensure that your group has a timekeeper.

4. Do not dominate discussions, but contribute to them – you should articulate your thought process so your assessors can see how you approach problems.

5. Remember to allocate time to prepare for your final presentation, and be realistic about how much you can fit into it.

6. Stay focused on your objectives! Your final presentation should be relevant, clear and concise, and should include a summary of your conclusions and recommendations.

What assessors look out for in case studies

• Analysis

• Problem-solving skills

• Time management

• Teamwork

• Commercial awareness

• Presentation abilities

Here are some ways you can prepare for case studies:

1. Find out about the kind of business decisions the company you are applying for has to make, or has made recently.

2. You will need a bird’s-eye view of the current economic environment. Read the business pages of newspapers or magazines to get a better idea of current business activity.

3. Practise your mental arithmetic, as you may have to demonstrate your quantitative abilities without a calculator.

4. Talk to your relevant industry contacts/mentors to learn more about new developments. You can also bounce various scenarios off them to see if your recommendations are sound.

5. There is often more than one way to solve a problem. Get in the habit of brainstorming multiple approaches to a single case, instead of sticking to a single textbook solution.

6. Check in with the Dato’ Kho Hui Meng Career Centre for its suite of workshops or LinkedIn Learning’s online courses on case studies. Join any practice sessions they host until you become familiar with the format.

Case study example

The following example, based on a genuine case study used by a multinational investment bank, should give you an idea of what to expect:

The scenario

A large publisher of magazines and books is looking to make a significant acquisition. It has identified a target company and approached a number of investment banks for their views on the merits of a potential deal and a target price. Based on these presentations, the publisher will decide whether to proceed with a bid and, if so, select one bank to act as its advisor.

The task

Your team is one of the investment banks bidding to win the mandate. You need to analyse the figures provided, to review the marketplace, your potential client (the publisher) and the target company.

You must also prepare a five-minute presentation giving your recommendations.

Note

You may either be provided with a wealth of raw data alongside the scenario, or you and your group may have to dig up all the necessary information by yourselves somehow.

Either way, you will need to crystallise all this information into a workable action plan that you can present to your assessors.