How to Get Into the Top Consulting Firms: A Surefire Case Interview Method - 2nd Edition [Paperback]

T. Darling (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2009

- "What are the main drivers in determining the price of a new medical device?"
- "Should a beverage company acquire another producer?"
- "How should a manufacturer respond after a competitor introduces a breakthrough new product?"

While you could memorize answers to the most popular case interview questions, what happens when you encounter an issue that's outside of their reach?

In How to Get Into the Top Consulting Firms, management consultant Tim Darling offers a holistic approach for solving problems in 30 minutes or less. By showing how to break an issue into its core components, he simplifies case interviews by illuminating them from the perspective of the consulting firms.

13 interactive cases are included with detailed data, charts, and solutions. This second edition contains over 50% revised and additional content.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Tim Darling is a manager at a top consulting firm

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Intaglio Publishing (May 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0615279899
• ISBN-13: 978-0615279893
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 8.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #20,104 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #4 in Books > Business & Investing > Job Hunting & Careers > Interviewing
  • #13 in Books > Business & Investing > Industries & Professions > Consulting

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars very useful for interview prep June 20, 2009

By R. Ahmadizenooz

Format:Paperback

There is only 1 question that really matters: will reading this book increase your chances of getting a job at a consulting firm? My vote is "yes" --- or at least, "probably". Having said that, this book is a tough read if you're brand new to business and case interviews. Case In Point is better on that level -- you can read it like a novel almost with no previous knowledge or context and really start to see how things work. This book is the next obvious step. Once you have some sense of what you're doing and you want to build the logic/knowledge base to go from "good to great", read this one. If you're brand new to all of the terms and concepts, it can be a bit overwhelming. It's very focused and content-deep (despite being just 130 pages). For example, the section on how to value mergers and acquisitions is a good overview of the financial literature that's already out there, but synthesized for the level and style of the case interview. It's also well-woven into an overall approach for other case types that makes a complete story as opposed to the independent, isolated frameworks other books provide.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent companion guide to Case in Point June 22, 2009

By Hatman1980

Format:Paperback

Overall, I think the book is a great resource for MBA and undergraduate students preparing for case interviews. In fact, it is one of the resources we recommend to the members of our MBA consulting club at the Ross School of Business (University of Michigan).

"How to Get Into the Top Consulting Firms" addresses the science behind the consulting interview process, making it a great companion to Marc Cosentino's "Case in Point". While other books focus mainly on case interviews, Tim does a great job delving into all aspect of the interview process (fit, networking, resume, cases, etc.). While it isn't as rich in frameworks as Case In Point, I like the fact that Tim presents one framework that can be utilized for 80% of cases and then provides a deep dive into the application of this framework for different types of cases (pricing, M&A, new product/market entry). He also offers an approach to striking "a balance between structure, creativity and flexibility" - which is something that trips up many consulting candidates.

The example cases are a great resource to practice the lessons learned throughout the book. They are mock interview friendly and offer an appropriate level of increasing difficulty.

Since recruiting start so early at the MBA level (September/October), I recommend getting reading "How to Get Into the Top Consulting Firms" and "Case in Point" over the summer to get a head start.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Short, yet the only book needed April 15, 2010

By John Runsfield

Format:Paperback

In preparation for my interviews I bought this book as well as Case in Point and Vault Guide to the Case Interview. This was by far my favorite: it is short, where the others are verbose; the 10 practice cases lend themselves well to study alone and with a friend, whereas I found the cases in the other books poorly structured; and its advice on resume writing is right on the mark and has become something I routinely recommend to friends - even those in vastly different lines of work.

In short this book helped me feel prepared for the interview, and I was fortunate enough to end up receiving an offer from McKinsey & Co. To anyone interested in consulting I would initially recommend just this book. Only if one still needed more practice after working through the cases in this book would I recommend additional books.