Case Interview Secrets: A Former McKinsey Interviewer Reveals How to Get Multiple Job Offers in Consulting

by Victor Cheng

In Case Interview Secrets, you'll discover step-by-step instructions on how to dominate what many consider to be the most complex, most difficult, and most intimidating corporate job interview in the world—the infamous case interview. Victor Cheng, a former McKinsey management consultant, reveals his proven, insider's method for acing the case interview. Having personally secured job offers from McKinsey, Bain & Company, Monitor, L.E.K, Oliver Wyman, and A.T. Kearney, he has also been a McKinsey case interviewer—providing you with a hands-on, real-world perspective on what it really takes to land job offers.Cheng’s protégées work in all the major strategy management consulting firms, including McKinsey, The Boston Consulting Group, Bain & Company, Monitor Company, A.T. Kearny, Oliver Wyman, L.E.K, Roland Berger, Accenture, and Deloitte, as well as in the strategic planning departments of numerous Fortune 500 companies. Whether you’re an undergraduate, MBA, PhD, or experienced-hire applicant candidate, you’ll What case interviewers really say about you behind closed doors but wouldn’t dare tell you—until now* The subtle yet specific performance differences that separate those who get management consulting offers from those who don’t* The 10 biggest mistakes candidates make in case interviews (and how to avoid them)* The 3 specific things interviewers expect in the first 5 minutes of a case that often decide the outcome on the spot* An insider’s take on what interviewers really look for and why—and how to give them what they want

Genres: Business, Nonfiction, Management, Reference, Finance, Self Help, Personal Development

294 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 20, 2012

Reviews

[Florian · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book offers a good but very general overview of the case interview process and could probably do with another case or two. Probably worth 3 or 4 stars.
My biggest complaint and the reason for the rating are the constant reminders to check the author's website and his several hundred dollar courses. Look, people who read this kind of book are reasonably smart, they do not need a reminder that you have a website. His "additional resources" section includes neither a mention of Barbara Minto's book which the author has most definitely read nor any other website, book or advice. How someone so well-educated can be so self-absorbed is a little beyond me.
This ultimately leads me to question the author's advice and suggests that what is written is simply marketing...

[Hiba · Rating 3 out of 5]

The pages were filled with the author’s ego but every once in a while, he gave some useful tips on how to structure the case interview. I wish this book was more concise, as it easily could have been if he’d removed so much of his marketing from the book or talked less about how great of a consultant he is. I didn’t need the constant reminder that he cracked 60 out of 61 cases and that he was offered multiple offers from top firms. I got it the first time around.

I hope the useful parts of the book will stick with me but I can’t help but feel resentful about the way it was written in a boastful way to honour the author’s ego! I could have spent those hours practicing the case interview instead!

[Brad Revell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Case Study Secrets is a compressive all in one book for an interviewee looking to be successful during the interview process with firms such as BCG, McKinsey Bain et al.

Cheng writes this book based on his experience on both sides of the interview process. He recommends a number of tools, approaches, frameworks and use cases examples based on his experience and the feedback provided by hundreds of candidates that have gone through the process. Furthermore Cheng provides a number of links to his website to learn more about his recommended frameworks as well as practicing mathematical concepts

There is so much good information in this book and with practice one can become confident and success during the interview process whether it be a candidate led or an written case interview.

1. There are many interviewing approaches; known better as evaluation techniques. This can be simple as a quantitative test or estimation question to hypothetical situations.
2. Always have a few frameworks that are memorised and ready. Cheng recommends knowing a profitability, business situation and merger/acquisition framework as they are the most common used frameworks
3. Practice! These frameworks become easy when you have spent 50 - 100 hours of practice. The chance of an offer is increased significantly

[Anusha Kamath · Rating 3 out of 5]

Who should read this book?
Group 1- Anyone who is contemplating a career in consulting but isn't fully aware of what the job entails/is simply curious what consulting is all about
Group 2 - A consultant who's just begun his/her career and needs some additional tips or is simply preparing for job interviews.

The book could have been so much better if there were more examples. At one point it gets way too theoretical and lecture-like.
If you plan to read this and you belong to group 1, like me, just read parts one to three & "Frameworks in action" (chapter 16). Simply brush through the rest of the parts to have a point of reference for the future.

[Prerit Jain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good to understand the perspective of consultants, and basics of case interview.

[Thao Ngo · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well-written book that provides some clear insights into the thought processes and the tools that management consultants use. Referring to his websites and other (chargeable) services at the end of every chapter was unnecessary and strange. The book didn't get a 5-star rating for two reasons: 1) It did not contribute any new insights or ways of understanding to an existing body of knowledge like most great books (that I read) did, and 2) This is the first book about management consulting that I've read, thus I have no benchmark. In general, I enjoyed the book and will refer to it many times in the future.

[Miłosz Taracha · Rating 1 out of 5]

Exploitation of labour market anxieties. Offers little beyond the links to the author's website (yep, links in a printed book) and claims about how cool the job advertised is (oh yeah, it's not just an ad for the website but also for a few companies).

[Kaitlin Wise · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book because it was recommended to me by one of the directors of my grad school program as a book to help with critical thinking skills.

This is no fault of the author, but I’m totally unsure why I was recommended this book given that it’s intended purpose is to help people who want consulting jobs interview for consulting jobs. It was so incredibly hard for me to read because it seemed so irrelevant to me.

Also, most of the “critical thinking” tidbits I pulled from it, although insightful, were mostly things I already do myself.

Lastly, the author seemed very full of himself and wouldn’t stop promoting his website on every page, when once would’ve been plenty.

If you’re actually trying to prepare for a consulting job, I would recommend this as one of the books you might read to get perspective from someone with experience, but I definitely don’t think this is the “consulting Bible” like the author makes it seem.

[Cady Wang · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m logging this here because I saw that I was 4 books behind behind on my reading challenge 😭😭😭 like trust I still read but just more so news articles or social media posts on 小红书 rather than fiction 😔 real review tho: pretty useful to understand what a case is but the frameworks are out of date and you could definitely get a sense of what a case is from a podcast or friend and also it throws so much info at you that doesn’t make sense unless you’ve actually interviewed irl

[Mico Go · Rating 4 out of 5]

Future-proofing.

[Kobe Villeneuve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall a nice intro. Perhaps some outdated concepts but still a good primer.

[ریچارد · Rating 3 out of 5]

بخونید ولی بهش اکتفا نکنید، به خصوص که تقریبا هر مثالی هر جا دیدم از این کتابه سخت تره

[Lujo · Rating 4 out of 5]

prerano sam ju procito.

[Tobias Høst · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book, but feels like promoting his online courses is Victor’s only intention in writing this book.

[Julia K · Rating 2 out of 5]

exceedingly pretentious book consider me collectively exhausted asf

[Augusto Alves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very useful resource. Hope it helps me with some interviews. I personally liked the direct communication style and the emphasis on how the case mirrors the consulting routine.

[Eugenia Turculet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely a must read for people aiming to land a consulting job. Very clear summary and useful tips on how to break down business problems. I found the frameworks and the analytical structure useful for other fields too, not just business.

[alexia (hozier’s version) · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨ my taste in books is not defined by what I read trying to get a job ✨

Anyways, fuck victor cheng’s arrogant capitalist ass.
But if I get into consulting then bless victor cheng’s arrogant capitalist ass.

[Alvin Setiawan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I should have read this earlier. I think it would be great gateway books to start prep for case interview. Content included good overview how consulting industry works. The tips are mostly general advice to solve case interview problem. After reading this, now I know what to do to polish my case interview skill. I would give it 5 starts if author could stop remind me to buy his course every two pages. Seriously.

[Pablo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic book helping you prepare for case interviews at consulting firms. The author does a great job at explaining the different processes that one should follow during case interviews. Highly recommended even if you are not looking to get into consulting. The book teaches a great method of approaching business problems in a very rational and structured way. Offers good insights into the typical problems consultants face during their careers and how to approach these with the "consultant mindset".

One negative comment is that there is a lot of promotional adverts throughout the book referring to the authors own products.

[Zahedul · Rating 4 out of 5]

A decent book on ways to ace the case study interview process, adopted by top international consulting firms as part of their hiring process. The author, a Stanford and Mckinsey alum, cracks the process for solving complex cases, using different frameworks and models. A good read for those looking to take up careers in consulting.

[Rodrigo Garrido · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book even if you are not currently interviewing. It helps you getting a good structure for solving any kind of problem. Specially helpful if you are currently working in consulting.

The only thing that I didn't like is that Victor tries to sell you his programs and services at the end of every chapter. Besides that, I really liked the book.

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Even though I don't plan on being a consultant or doing many case interviews, this book was useful to me. He gives great tips for problem solving, interviewing, presentations, resumes, and quick math.

[Linh P. Truong · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very comprehensive start. Thanks Victor!

[Enkhtur · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best book I have ever read - MECE book.

[InvestingByTheBooks.com · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did you know that there are consultants consulting on how to become a consultant? The competition to get employed at BCG, Bain or McKinsey is murderous so the applicants who prepare ahead of the interview obviously have the upper hand. This book aims to prepare the hopeful jobseekers for the interviewing process. Victor Cheng should be well situated to guide the postulant consultant as he’s a former McKinsey interviewer himself and today operates the site caseinterview.com with a similar purpose to the book.

In preparing the readers for the very specific case interviews that most management consultants use Cheng in effect uses two tracks. Firstly, he tries to make the reader think and behave like a consultant. If he does, the interviewer will feel that this guy is ready to start generating revenues from the beginning. Secondly, the author goes through the various interview types that are used at the big consultancy firms. These are also the ingredients of the book. Half of it presents the analytical process of management consulting and the toolbox that is used. Cheng discusses problem-solving tools like stating an early hypothesis, drilling down correctly structured, mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive issue trees to try to falsify the hypothesis and end with an – often-modified – hypothesis on a solution and finally shows how to effectively present the synthesis of what you’ve concluded. Cheng further presents some frameworks such as a numerical model analyzing the various components of profits and a more qualitative checklist to assess a company’s business situation. In effect two models crucial to analyzing business problems.

The other half of the book is a run through of the many interview types, interview sub topics etc. that the major management consultants use – all with explanations why they are relevant for the prospective employer. Here a second purpose of the book emerges and that is to get the readers to use the author’s web-based pre-interview training camp. To be fair though, when I browse at the site most of the material – but not all – is free as long as you register.

I’ve never applied to one of the large management consultants, but I’ve worked with a fair amount of their employees and in my experience the toolbox described is spot on. This is exactly how they work and think. The applicant who assimilates the process of the book will mentally be halfway to becoming a consultant. As I think consultants at times are a bit one-track minded, I find it part impressive, part depressing that employees are molded into the same form and shape even before they apply, as only that shape will pass the test and the applicants all know this. The analytical process is highly reductionist, meaning all problems are routinely deconstructed into smaller parts to be solved. In Cheng’s own words “In consulting, linear thinking is highly valued. The creative thinker, who often sees nonobvious, nonlinear connections between very disparate ideas, is not valued very highly.” I totally understand that the firms want consistency and a high minimum level of performance from their employees, but it’s also a bit sad.

This is a good book and it certainly delivers on its purpose. As a side comment though I think it could be “prettier”. For example, the pictures give a cheap feeling and are far in-between. If you devote an entire chapter to preparing the optimal power point presentation and the perfect power point slide, why not show a picture of an example? At times there is also a glimpse of the slightly juvenile notion of the consultant as a superman that is so prevalent within the craft. But don’t let this discourage you – if you plan to apply for a job at McKinsey, you should definitely buy Case Interview Secrets.
All in all this book delivers, the understanding of the analytical process and the interview situation will both improve the chance of a prosperous – but linear – future at a major consultancy.

[Jing · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very well written book about case interview techniques for management consultant. I really really Enjoy the language of Cheng, so logical, convincing and goes straight to the heart. He outlined the types of case interviews and the essential techniques. This is definitely one of the better books I have read this for career development.

So there are four essential tools one must master in doing a case interview: hypothesis, issue tree, analysis and synthesis. Some important things to remember:
- hypothesis is always the core. Do not forget to state it and whatever framework to choose, the fundamental purpose is always to test the hypothesis. The hypothesis can be changed as new insight are gained during the interview.

- there are existing frameworks to help construct the issue trees. The price frame work, taking into account the profit = Revenue - cost baseline, is good to review quantitative facts, while business framework (customer, product, company, competitor) is useful to review the qualitative “why” question. The frameworks should be used flexibly based on the hypothesis to test. Why constructing the branches, always keep in mind the MECE concept: mutually exclusive collectively exhaustive.

- drill down analysis of the issue tree branches is basically using process of elimination to find the supporting evidence for the hypothesis. It is ok to skip a branch either when one hits a dead end or encounters the aha moment to revise the hypothesis. Always follow a linear logical order through the branches and do not jump around.

- In the synthesis phase, always follow the structure starting with the recommendations and then state supporting evidence 123, finally restating the recommendation again to the emphasise.

- generally, practise is the most most most important thing after learning the theories. Being consultants confidence is highly important and this can only be solidified with strong technical competence. Keep learning and adjusting. Last but not least, do not ever ever insult the clients!!!

[Bryan Keyes · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are unaware of how to prepare for a consulting interview but think you want to become one, this book is perfect for you. As a transitioning military officer I found his frameworks more helpful than any online blogs or posts I have seen elsewhere. It made me really realize that there is most likely one framework that we all use to problem solve with, and we lean on it automatically, and when we are faced with a problem we cannot solve because we know no other way to solve a problem other than with our own innate style, we are stumped and leave frustrated. This allows you to identify what type of problem is being asked and being able to instantly work using that framework he has given you. Note: reading the book, like finance or language books, do not mean you will be good at case interviews. You are merely taught how to prepare properly. It is up to you to put in the time to practice and prepare for an interview IF you are lucky enough to be offered an interview.

[Umar Patel · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I’ve read not only for consulting prep but also for learning how to master top-down communication for problem solving more generally.

Before you master case interviews, you need to understand why they do them in the first place. Whereas in most industries clear and concise communication is not emphasized, in consulting, it’s essential. Cheng also underscores the importance of structured thinking, hypothesis testing, and approaching life (including business) through the idea of an issue tree, which is the central theme of the book.

In all honesty, I think non-consultants could learn way more from this book than actual consultants, the latter of which don’t need much convincing that these methods work, both in consulting and in life.

[Aurélien · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good if you have a business background, but it is a bit too broad and "big picture" to effectively take you from 0 to hero.

It emphasizes the importance of using a hypnosis and structure driven approach to solving a case but lacks explanation of basic business understanding, formulas, or how to effectively analyze graphs and data. If you come from a business background, it's great. If not, you are going to want to read something else first to understand some core principles first.

Also there is nearly no case examples. So you won't really get a feel for what it looks like from reading this book.