Case and technical questions are especially common in business fields such as finance, consulting, and accounting, as well as
in engineering, physical science, and computer science fields. Technical questions ask about discipline-specific knowledge;
they may be related to concepts that you learned from your coursework, industry knowledge (e.g., familiarity with financial
markets), or specific skills (e.g., programming languages).
Because both technical and case questions can vary so widely from one setting to the next, the best approach to effectively
prepare for them is not to "learn" a particular set of interview questions and then hope that your interviewers ask you them.
Instead, aim to get really good at answering strategy-based questions you've never seen before. This can be attained through
lots of PRACTICE. Explore our “Case Interview Resources” on the Career Center website for further tips and tools.
A general principle that applies to case questions, however, is this: often, you won’t know the answer, but you need to make an attempt. The interviewer is evaluating how you approach a problem just as much as your answer. Logical and reasonable thinking is preferred over a one-line response. Keep in mind that there is often no RIGHT or WRONG answer; each candidate has their opinion and perspective on a question.
You can also log in to Handshake to access sample questions in the Vault Guides for consulting and try asking company representatives, alumni, or peers who have had interviews in your target field about the types of questions you can expect. For more in-depth information about case interviews, it would be wise to review case interview books (e.g., Case in Point) and consulting-focused websites, and look for opportunities to participate in case competitions on campus through student organizations.
A general principle that applies to case questions, however, is this: often, you won’t know the answer, but you need to make an attempt. The interviewer is evaluating how you approach a problem just as much as your answer. Logical and reasonable thinking is preferred over a one-line response. Keep in mind that there is often no RIGHT or WRONG answer; each candidate has their opinion and perspective on a question.
You can also log in to Handshake to access sample questions in the Vault Guides for consulting and try asking company representatives, alumni, or peers who have had interviews in your target field about the types of questions you can expect. For more in-depth information about case interviews, it would be wise to review case interview books (e.g., Case in Point) and consulting-focused websites, and look for opportunities to participate in case competitions on campus through student organizations.
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