Cosentino demystifies the consulting case interview. He takes you inside a typical interview by exploring the various types of case questions and he shares with you a system that will help you answer today's most sophisticated case questions. This new edition includes new case material plus 10 Partner cases to make it easy to give cases to your classmates.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Review
Cosentino is the Dean of case interviewing prep. Case in Point is lucid, down-to-earth, demystifying and surprisingly entertaining. -- --Hillary Harrow Senior Recruiter, McKinsey & Company<br /><br />With humor and insight, Marc gets students thinking about how to use the case interview as a showcase of their talents rather than an obstacle to their employment. --Nancy Saunders Associate Director, Office of Career Services, Harvard University<br /><br />With humor and insight, Marc gets students thinking about how to use the case interview as a showcase of their talents rather than an obstacle to their employment. --Nancy Saunders Associate Director, Office of Career Services, Harvard University
With humor and insight, Marc gets students thinking about how to use the case interview as a showcase of their talents rather than an obstacle to their employment. --Nancy Saunders Associate Director, Office of Career Services, Harvard University
With humor and insight, Marc gets students thinking about how to use the case interview as a showcase of their talents rather than an obstacle to their employment. --Nancy Saunders Associate Director, Office of Career Services, Harvard University
About the Author
Marc Cosentino is president of CaseQuestions.com. He spent 18 years with Harvard Career Services training students in case interviews. He has written 3 books on consulting case interviews. He travels around the country giving case interview workshops at the top MBA programs. Cosentino also developed CQI the most sophisicated interactive case interview on-line training tool.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the best business book I have ever read. Stay away from Kindle Edition. 4.5 stars.
July 25, 2010
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
After reading this book, I have found myself thinking differently about business issues. I had an epiphany on many business issues including:
1)How to increase profitability?
2)How to analyze an industry?
3)How to increase market share and sales?
4)How to think about entering a new market or business?
5)How to analyze Mergers and Acquisitions?
6)How to formulate growth strategies?
7)How to formulate pricing strategies?
8)How to formulate competitive responses?
This book provides a framework in a decision tree format to answer all the above and more. Furthermore, it has 30 case interview questions for sample questions and answers and analysis. Be warned, this book is NOT an easy or breezy read. In order to do well in case interviews typically given by consulting companies (McKinsey, Bain, BCG, Deloitte etc), one would need to master the contents in this book and practice them thoroughly. I would think that would take substantial investment of time and practice (20-50 hours according to many).
Even if you do not want to be a consultant or plan to participate in case interviews, I still recommend this book. If you are running a business, you should understand the basic framework of business. That is, what questions you should be asking and how you should analyze the data you have to formulate an effective strategic business action plan. Contrary to what many believe, running an effective and competitive business takes more than common sense. For example, an effective pricing strategy is often price-based costing (pricing and developing a product and services based on what the consumers are willing to pay) and NOT cost-based pricing (pricing a product based on how much it costs to develop).... Read more ›
1)How to increase profitability?
2)How to analyze an industry?
3)How to increase market share and sales?
4)How to think about entering a new market or business?
5)How to analyze Mergers and Acquisitions?
6)How to formulate growth strategies?
7)How to formulate pricing strategies?
8)How to formulate competitive responses?
This book provides a framework in a decision tree format to answer all the above and more. Furthermore, it has 30 case interview questions for sample questions and answers and analysis. Be warned, this book is NOT an easy or breezy read. In order to do well in case interviews typically given by consulting companies (McKinsey, Bain, BCG, Deloitte etc), one would need to master the contents in this book and practice them thoroughly. I would think that would take substantial investment of time and practice (20-50 hours according to many).
Even if you do not want to be a consultant or plan to participate in case interviews, I still recommend this book. If you are running a business, you should understand the basic framework of business. That is, what questions you should be asking and how you should analyze the data you have to formulate an effective strategic business action plan. Contrary to what many believe, running an effective and competitive business takes more than common sense. For example, an effective pricing strategy is often price-based costing (pricing and developing a product and services based on what the consumers are willing to pay) and NOT cost-based pricing (pricing a product based on how much it costs to develop).... Read more ›
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
By Jerry K.
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I used this book as part of the interview process and landed a job at one of the Big 3 firms. That being said, I did most of my practice in groups and only used the book to review the week before the interview.
Here is how I used the book:
I spent a lot of time looking at the Ivy Case System. I think that summary is the most interesting/important part of the book. When you think about a case interview, prep is most important when getting those first few ideas down on paper so that you can start the discussion. For me, once I had done that, the rest of the interview was completed without actively thinking about a single thing from my preparation. The case system is great for just thinking about what large buckets you should be considering so you don't miss something important. I also read a few of the sample cases to get the juices flowing a few days before the interviews. The morning of the interview I carefully read the case system to keep things fresh. This prep worked out well for me.
Note: I'd stay far away from the other frameworks in the book (Porter's 5 forces, etc). I heard that the big consulting firms hate those frameworks because they are never applied properly.
Here is how I used the book:
I spent a lot of time looking at the Ivy Case System. I think that summary is the most interesting/important part of the book. When you think about a case interview, prep is most important when getting those first few ideas down on paper so that you can start the discussion. For me, once I had done that, the rest of the interview was completed without actively thinking about a single thing from my preparation. The case system is great for just thinking about what large buckets you should be considering so you don't miss something important. I also read a few of the sample cases to get the juices flowing a few days before the interviews. The morning of the interview I carefully read the case system to keep things fresh. This prep worked out well for me.
Note: I'd stay far away from the other frameworks in the book (Porter's 5 forces, etc). I heard that the big consulting firms hate those frameworks because they are never applied properly.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By Allen Brown
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I needed an understanding of the different types of cases or problems that I could possibly analyze. Something that I could use for every case that would enable me to do a comprehensive analysis. Case in Point helped me to gain a broad understanding of the various scenarios and gave me a formula for each one. When combined with "How to Get Into the Top Consulting Firms: A Surefire Case Interview Method - 2nd Edition" you get a complete understanding of the problems that exist in the business world and how to solve them. Case in Point enables you to be creative and artistic in your analysis by teaching you how to think about the possible solutions. Every business student should have this book!
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By M. Day
Format:Paperback
Marc Cosentino's book should be the foundation of anyone's preparation for consulting interviews. I recently signed with the most prestigious management consulting firm in the industry after 10 case interviews, and this book has been the key to my success. I'm graduating from a top 20 b-school in May 2010, but it's not a core consulting school, so I did all my preparation on my own.
Case in Point has 1) a great overview of consulting interviews, both the case and non-case questions, 2) a great system for approaching any case question, 3) very detailed frameworks and key factors to use during cases, and 4) a HUGE number of practice cases, along with suggested answers.
I met Marc in person during a seminar at my school, and he is great. His presentation was great, and the book and his website are gold. His website [...], especially the subscriber-only section, has GREAT cases and math drills that make for INCREDIBLE practice.
Case in Point has 1) a great overview of consulting interviews, both the case and non-case questions, 2) a great system for approaching any case question, 3) very detailed frameworks and key factors to use during cases, and 4) a HUGE number of practice cases, along with suggested answers.
I met Marc in person during a seminar at my school, and he is great. His presentation was great, and the book and his website are gold. His website [...], especially the subscriber-only section, has GREAT cases and math drills that make for INCREDIBLE practice.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This book is a must have for anyone interviewing in the consulting or management field. The layout of the book is perfect for reviewing basic concepts and best practices and then applying them to different scenarios. That some of the simulations are of different length is great for studying on the go as it let me select a situation as complex or simple as my time needs permitted.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By Scott
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I enjoyed reading the book, it offered 30 unique cases and answers. Not well suited for McKinsey type cases as theirs are more structured. This book does a poor job explaining ON how to choose a framework and simply claims to MEMORIZE them. Memorizing frameworks will not allot for success.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good reference to have.
Provides strategies as well as examples in a very organized way. I keep it as reference for solving various diverse problems.
Published 4 months ago by Mari PR
5.0 out of 5 stars
The book was in exellent shape. This was a required book and I could...
The book was in exellent shape. This was a required book and I could not find it anywhere, the class was schedule to begin in one week so I was very pleased where I checked on... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Susie Williamson
5.0 out of 5 stars
Case in point
O livro estava em excelente estado. Só demorou um pouco para chegar além do esperado, mas o problema acredito ser da transportadora. Recomendo a todos.
Published 21 months ago by Atila
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent, Thorough Case Prep
I am in my late 20s and used this book to prep for a series of case study interviews at a large corporation, not at a consulting firm. This book was excellent. Read more
Published 21 months ago by AnneLiz
5.0 out of 5 stars
Must have book for cracking cases
Very useful book for cracking the cases. Lots of practice cases and I like the Ivy case system on how to approach various types of cases.
Published 22 months ago by Mohana
3.0 out of 5 stars
Frameworks are useless; cases are very helpful
You've got to be kidding if you think it's possible to memorize a dozen complex frameworks and think they will be easy to summon in stressful situations. Read more
Published 22 months ago by ilanes
2.0 out of 5 stars
Uninformative
Almost useless. I am stunned by the incredible lack of clarity for a book whose sole purpose is to prepare you to lay out your thinking in the most clear way during a case... Read more
Published 23 months ago by William Fisher
3.0 out of 5 stars
Kindle Edition
I have to say, that I am an engineer, and posses a master in science, have worked for an international engineering consulting company for a while, designing and planning complex... Read more
Published 23 months ago by Cesar M. Javalera
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the many steps to get into a top consulting firm
This book is great! The best and most complete for case interview preparation available.
I got a Mckinsey offer and used it to prepare for the interviews. Read more
I got a Mckinsey offer and used it to prepare for the interviews. Read more
Published on April 27, 2011 by Daniel
5.0 out of 5 stars
The bible of case preparation
This is the standard for case preparation. Memorizing the entire system is not worth it but the type of thinking it introduces you to is worth it. Read more
Published on February 18, 2011 by swrm
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