How Case Interview Coaching Will Help You?

Some candidates may find it quite expensive to book coaching sessions, but it is totally worth your money!

Case interview coaching provides an excellent opportunity to learn and practice case interview techniques in a one-on-one setting with an experienced coach. This way, candidates will receive reliable, personalized feedback and an actionable training plan to land their dream jobs.

This article will take a closer look into what makes case interview coaching worthwhile, situations when coaching might not be the answer, and how to get the most out of your coach.

What is case interview coaching?

Case interview coaching is a training method designed to help individuals improve their performance and achieve their goals in case interviews.

 A typical coaching session is a one-on-one training session between the learner and the coach (consulting expert or ex-consultant), often conducted via phone or video conference, lasts between 1 to 2 hours and can cost anywhere from $100 to $400.

Each coach has a different work history and years of experience, so it is important to browse through coaches to find the one suitable for you. Once you've found the right coach, you can receive personalized feedback and a study plan designed specifically for your level and needs.

Effective communication between the coach and the student is essential for mutual understanding of expectations and needs. Hence, If you use MConsultingPrep's coaching service, we recommend initiating conversations with different coaches before scheduling any meetings. 

Throughout your case interview preparation, it's advisable to maintain consistency by working with a single coach. Therefore, making an informed choice prior to committing to one coach is of utmost significance. Notably, this beneficial service feature is provided at no cost, aiming to enhance users' coaching sessions and ensure optimal efficiency.

What can you get from case interview coaching?

Case interview coaching is invaluable for anyone looking to increase their chances of success in the consulting industry. With the help of your coach, you can recognize any weaknesses in your approach to case interviews, gain access to tried-and-true materials, and have deep insights into the organization you are interviewing for.

All your process will be personalized

Coaching offers a unique benefit that no other method has, which is unparalleled personalization. Your specific questions will be addressed comprehensively or your weak areas will receive focused attention through repeated practice. 

The credibility of exercises and guidance is assured, given the expertise of the consulting coaches. All of the coaching process is carefully crafted to suit your individual needs, ensuring optimal progress and development.

Quickly identify your problems

A coaching experience can help you quickly point out your areas of improvement. Clearly, the coaches have years of experience interviewing and training candidates, so they have a massive amount of data about common mistakes. 

Also, during a coaching session, the coach will pay full attention to you and dive deeply into your situation to help you identify your blind spots.

Besides personalized feedback, an experienced coach can also give you an actionable study plan based on your weaknesses so that you can improve your performance most effectively. This will ease your practice process and give you a clear direction for reaching your goals.

Receive reliable training resources

Booking a coaching session is a great way to benefit from quick, reliable training resources. The materials used in the session are tried-and-true and verified by consulting experts, saving you the hassle of collecting resources yourself, which can be time-consuming. 

With a coaching session, you can be sure that the resources are up-to-date and, therefore, provide you with the best training experience possible.

A coaching experience offers not only WHAT materials to use but also HOW to use training resources effectively for maximum educational benefit. 

Through analysis of the student's level, the coach can arrange and categorize materials to best meet the student's needs. This allows the student to focus on the most relevant and applicable material for their current level of knowledge.

Get in-depth insights into what the employer is looking for

Having an ex-consultant coach is advantageous since they will understand the company's culture and the values they seek. With years of consulting experience, they can guide you on what to highlight in your interview and throughout the recruitment process as a whole. This can be invaluable in helping you stand out from the competition and land the job.

Note that being a successful candidate isn't not only about meeting the selection criteria but also highlighting what sets you apart. A good coach will also be able to discover your unique traits and relevant strengths that make you an outstanding candidate. As a result, they will guide you to shine in your own way and not just be a "just enough" applicant.

The only drawback of case interview coaching

Case interview coaching is expensive!

Obviously, case interview coaching can be expensive. You are not only gaining from a few hours with coaches but also from their accumulated knowledge gained through years of studying and experiencing case interviews. This explains why coaching is a premium service, thus making some candidates hesitate to spend.

Therefore, it is essential to find reliable coaches to make your coaching experience worth investing in. At MConsultingPrep, you can connect with experienced ex-MBB consultants with 2 to 10 years of experience. They will provide you with personalized feedback and an actionable study plan to help you pursue your consulting career. 

Coaching vs other case interview training methods

Besides coaching, there are some other case interview training methods:

• Training with case partner: Two people practicing format, study and practice one-on-one together. Both are not consultants or working in the consulting field, partners are often your friends/acquaintances.

• Training with mentor: Two people practicing format, mostly study and practice one-on-one together. The mentor is a consultant, ex-consultant or working in the consulting field. The mentor is your friends or acquaintances or in your network.

• Self-study: study and practice on your own. People using this format often need to buy courses and materials to learn.

• Online class: Participate in online classes with other people like you (10-30 people/class). The teacher will be a consultant, ex-consultant or professional coaching tutor. Some classes include learning materials, while others might not.

Each method will have its own benefits and drawbacks depending on your current status. The table below will assess and compare 5 different types of case interview practice based on 4 factors, so that you have a better overview of these ways:

• Price: the average price that learners pay for the whole process
• Content quantity: the amount of instructions, exercises and materials you receive
• Content quality: The credibility and quality of those instructions, exercises and materials
• Personalization: The level of optimization for your personalization

The best strategy to use coaching in your case interview prep

With the characteristics of all the case interview training methods above, the best strategy to optimize the use of the coaching method is to combine it with other methods in your prep period.

While coaching offers superior quality guidance, its cost can be a constraint for continuous engagement, limiting accessibility for everyone. Moreover, coaching sessions generally range from 1 to 2 hours, which may not suffice for the comprehensive case interview preparation that demands a more extended and immersive process. 

Hence, combining coaching with other strategies is necessary. Buying courses, engaging in self-study, or participating in classes should constitute the foundation of your preparation plan. 

Coaching sessions should be strategically integrated into “key milestones” of your preparation, functioning as consolidating sessions after intensive practice periods. Adequate preparation before each coaching session is pivotal to extract maximum value from each coaching session 

Tips to get the most out of your coach

To get the most out of the coaching sessions, candidates need to come prepared and actively participate in the practice process. Therefore, you should follow the guidelines to optimize your coaching experience.

Learn the fundamentals before reaching out

Before attending a coaching session, it is crucial to understand the fundamentals of consulting, specifically consulting case interviews. By doing so, not only do you know what your coach is saying but also, the coach can share more inclusive and advanced knowledge.

To help you better understand the concepts and principles of consulting, we recommend trying out our Case Interview End-to-End Secrets Programs. 

In this program, learners will be taught hard principles such as the consulting problem-solving methodology, the issue tree, the MECE concept, and the deepest roots of the frameworks while also training to improve their business intuition.

Be explicit what you want to learn

In order to optimize your coaching experience, you should have a clear understanding of your goals. Make it clear whether you want to learn a new skill, build a network, or which specific job title or level you are vying for. 

Practicing beforehand is also important to help you identify your strengths and weaknesses. Tell your coach, and they will have more time to focus on your specific needs and provide more personalized guidance.

Keep good connections with your coaches

When you build genuine, solid relationships with your coaches, you may get a chance to receive consulting referrals from a consultant network. During the coaching process, you can impress the coach by showing your motivation and abilities. 

Even if referrals are not forthcoming, the coach can be an invaluable source of knowledge and experience, helping you to understand the consulting industry and the role of a consultant in greater detail.

Frequently asked questions

How long should I practice with the coach?

It depends on your current situation. After the first coaching session, the coach will be able to identify your areas of improvement and create a suitable learning plan for you. Based on your learning situation, the coach will be able to suggest a suitable learning journey for you and a corresponding coaching duration.

How many coaches should I practice with?

As mentioned before, finding the right coach is an important step when you try to improve your case interview performance. You are suggested to have a conversation with different coaches and find the coaching style that best suits you. 

Once you have figured out the best fitting coach, stick to that one to get consistent feedback and a practice plan tailored to your individual needs.

The video below is a simulation of a case interview coaching session, consisting of 2 parts: case interview practice and coach's feedback. The video will clearly demonstrate the value that case interview coaching will bring to learners.