Asking yourself how you can stand out among the multitude of applicants to Bain, BCG, McKinsey, and other top Consulting firms? 🤔 You're not alone. The placement season is approaching faster than anticipated, and many of you will be sitting for consulting roles. We've dug deep into where these top consulting firms hire from, what skills they value most, and the profiles they look for when hiring management students from the best business schools. Here's a hand-picked list that will help you in your preparation. We trust that you'll find this guide both informative and valuable.
1. Wharton Casebook
This casebook by Wharton Consulting Club offers a brief overview of consulting recruiting and interview preparation, along with a series of practice cases. It includes cases on Unicloth, Brazilian Highway Concessions, Snacks Food Acquisitions, US Manufacturing, Chicago Parking Meters, High Engineer Attrition at SLS Oil Gas Services, Salt Lake City Airport, Clothing Chain Acquisitions (Human Capital), Pharma Outsourcing and Tech Adoption, Mining Competitive Strategy, Phighting Phillies, Insurance for the underserved in India, National Park Service, Penn & Teller, Wellington Equestrian Festival, Medical Devices Co, TV Screens, Home Inspection Co.
Topics covered:
- Market sizing
- Mathematical calculations (ROIC)
- International expansion
- Graphical interpretation
- Market entry
2. ISB Hyderabad Casebook
This ISB Hyderabad casebook from the ISB Consulting Club contains insights and experiences from top-tier firms and renowned companies such as Accenture, Alvarez and Marsal, A.T. Kearney, Bain & Company, The Boston Consulting Group, Dalberg Global Development Advisors, Deloitte USI, Parthenon India, EY-Parthenon MENA, FTI Consulting, GEP Worldwide Consulting, Infosys Management Consulting, KPMG SSOA (Shared Services and Outsourcing Advisory), LEK Consulting, and many more.
Cases covered:
- Client Digitization
- Canadian Dollar circulation in the US
- Stock underperformance of an Indian conglomerate
- Palm oil company - acquisition
- Decreased production in food products firm
- Abnormal Profits for a Logging Company
The casebook also features a new section named 'Sample Practice Cases.' When coupled with the collective case experiences, it will equip you with invaluable insights for your case interview preparation.
3. IIM Ahmedabad Casebook
This 154-page casebook from IIM Ahmedabad's Consult Club aims to provide a comprehensive view of the types of cases that constitute a significant part of consulting interviews. It covers an extensive range of entirely new topics and guesstimates, along with a wide array of previously discussed and explored cases. To ensure enhanced readability while retaining the comprehensiveness of the cases, we recommend using the interview transcripts to set up a case between two people (or groups). After solving the case, it's advisable to review the solution process sheet to gain a broader understanding of the approach and identify areas for improvement.
Growth strategies:
- Pharma company
- Chemicals manufacturer
- B2B communications provider
- Apparel manufacturer
- E-commerce
- Software product company
- Midstream oil & gas company
4. XLRI Casebook
This casebook from the Crux Consulting Club of XLRI contains a collection of various cases that candidates were asked about during the Summer Internship Process 2022 at XLRI. It includes a few classic cases from previous XLRI casebooks, a detailed view of various cases asked in consulting interviews, and the frameworks that can be leveraged to solve them. To assist students in their preparation, it also includes industry reports and a quick factsheet for guesstimates towards the end of the casebook. These provide candidates with an idea of various industry drivers that can be helpful when solving cases.
New additions:
- Frequently Asked Behavioral Questions
- Interview Experience Insights
- SIP Experience at Top Consulting Firms
These additions are aimed at helping aspirants better understand the process and roles.
5. IIM Calcutta Casebook
The IIM Calcutta Consulting Club casebook provides valuable insight into the interview experiences of candidates who have applied for positions at some of the world's leading consulting firms. These case interviews serve as a window into the demanding yet rewarding process of securing positions at renowned companies, offering readers a glimpse into the diverse range of cases and industries that interviewees encounter and the strategies they employ to navigate these challenging assessments.
Things we like:
- Vertical page formatting making it more reader-friendly.
- Real-life interview experiences from students and IIM alumni
- Each interview in the casebook includes a footer with "DOs and DON'Ts/Important Tips" to assist in tackling various situations.
6. IIM Lucknow Casebook
Preparing for a consulting interview can be challenging, especially for first-timers. This casebook, brought to you by the Consulting & Strategy Club of IIM Lucknow, offers a comprehensive preparation guide that combines commonly asked case frameworks and the most recent case interview experiences shared by candidates who participated in the placement process of consulting firms recruiting from IIM Lucknow.
It outlines the typical interview process and provides insights into what to expect. If you're considering a career in consulting, this casebook is designed to help you prepare effectively for the process.
7. IIM Kozhikode Casebook
In this IIM K Casebook, you will find a variety of cases, some of which feature detailed dialogues between candidates and interviewers. These dialogues aim to offer a realistic and authentic transcript of actual case interview experiences. Due to differences in candidate interests and recollections, the depth of case solutions may vary. The Konsult team (i.e., the Consulting Interest Group at IIM Kozhikode) has included in-depth industry analyses that comprehensively review the significant industry trends to enhance your understanding further. These analyses also serve as a valuable resource for grasping organizations' fundamental operations within these industries.
Things we like:
- Provide a detailed view of the various frameworks
- Enable the students to capitalise on the interview experiences of the alumni with various firms.
- Detailed review on Guesstimates and Case questions
8. MDI Gurgaon Casebook
Presented by the Strategy and Consulting Club of MDI Gurgaon, this casebook by Strategist features a compelling collection of cases focusing on emerging sectors, such as Nicotine Gums, Electric Vehicle Manufacturing, Autonomous E-bikes, Luxury Yacht Manufacturing with Anti-depressant, and Lithium-ion Batteries. Furthermore, it emphasizes Mergers and Acquisitions, covering topics like Airline Acquisition, Brand Integration, and Buy-side Due Diligence (DD) to comprehensively explore strategic and consulting challenges in the business world.
Industries covered:
- Frequently Asked Behavioral Questions
- Interview Experience Insights
- SIP Experience at Top Consulting Firms
These additions are aimed at helping aspirants better understand the process and roles.
9. FMS Delhi Casebook
This casebook from the FMS Consulting Club is a valuable compilation of interview experiences from students interviewed with various consulting firms. It is designed to support, guide and provide insights into the case interview experiences of past batches, helping current business management students prepare effectively for their upcoming placements. The 169-page ebook features contributions from students who participated in campus interviews during the summer placement process over the past three years.
Things we like:
- Provide an approach for developing an analytical mindset
- Concise Behavioral Question bank
- Helpful and easy to understand illustrations
10. SP Jain Casebook
This casebook from the Consulting Club of SPJIMR introduces an extensive range of fresh cases followed by detailed analyses. The book is packed with diverse case studies, spanning from profitability cases in sectors like Magazine Publishing, E-Commerce, Insurance, Steel Sheet Manufacturing, Healthcare Equipment, Community Banking, and Ice Cream Brands to intriguing unconventional cases covering the Hotel Business, Child Education Rankings, Water Accessibility, India's GDP Growth, Olympic Medal Tally, Power Distribution, and Sea Port Selection, among others.
What we like Additions:
- Real-World Growth Strategy cases
- Interesting Market Entry cases
Internset is committed to enhancing students' academic and career journeys through valuable resources and insightful content. We aim to empower students globally by providing free resources, expert insights, and guidance, ultimately helping them excel in interviews and secure their desired placements.
Whether you lack a business background, need to brush up on your math skills, or are pressed for time, these carefully selected casebooks will transform you into a top 1% caser, increasing your chances of securing multiple consulting offers.