Develop a conclusion

- Recommendations. They're a bigger part of our lives than we realize. We ask our friends what movies to watch, we ask Yelp what restaurants to try, and we ask our family for advice when things get hard. In the business world, clients are looking for answers too. They have problems they want solutions to, which is why they often hire outside consultants, to provide recommendations. This is why the conclusion portion of the case study is so important. After you've asked your clarifying questions, developed your framework, walked the interviewer through your rationale, you have to provide a recommendation, what should the client do? The key to finishing well in your case study interview is to land the plane. Be decisive, synthesize all the material, and provide a recommendation for a pathway forward. To develop a conclusion that impresses the hiring manager, and differentiates you from the competition, follow this step-by-step formula. Step one, repeat the case. Before launching into your answer, make sure you briefly summarize the case, which frames up your answer quite nicely. Next, answer the question directly. Don't waffle, don't second guess your answer, do not beat around the bush. Be direct, don't go into detail just yet, and give your answer in one sentence if you can. The key here is to be succinct and concise. Think of it as the elevator pitch for your case study. Once you've done that, now it's time to give supporting evidence. The interviewer wants to fully understand how you came to that conclusion, and while they are walking through your process with you, it's important for you to highlight at least three main supporting pieces of evidence to prove your solution. Present this verbally like you would written on a resume, in bullet form. Finally, provide your prescription. Remember, you're the expert. Now is your time to shine. Share your solution to the big problem. It's one thing to have an answer, it's another to provide a procedure forward. Since this style of interview mirrors a real-world scenario, you need to provide next steps for this potential client. It doesn't have to be something elaborate, it just has to show that you are solution-minded. You can also break this up so it's easier for the interviewer to understand. For instance, you could say, first I would have them do X, then I would instruct them to do Y, and finally to solve this issue, we would need to do Z. In case you haven't caught on, structure is highly important to your success in the case study interview, even in your conclusion, you need to be crystal clear and almost formulaic in your response. Do that and you'll be well on your way to landing the job.