2. Learning Outcomes
By the end of this presentation, you will:
Better understand what critical thinking is
Know why critical thinking is important
Use critical thinking techniques in cracking interviews
3. “ (Thinking) . . . which exemplifies the perfections of thinking. . .”
“Disciplined,
self-directed
thinking . . . ”
5. Why is Critical Thinking Important?
A well cultivated critical thinker:
•raises vital questions and problems,
•formulating them clearly and THROUGH ACTIVITIES
TIME PERMITTING, WORK precisely;
•gathers and assesses relevant information, to
IN YOUR BOOKLET.
interpret it effectively
BE SURE TO THINK CRITICALLY!
•comes to well-reasoned conclusions and solutions, testing
them against relevant criteria and standards;
•thinks openmindedly within alternative systems of thought,
•communicates effectively with others in figuring out solutions
to complex problems.
6. Goal: to become cultivated critical thinkers
Cultivated critical
thinkers . . .
7. By :
--raising vital questions
--formulating questions clearly and
Raises vital questions and
precisely
problems, formulating them clearly and
precisely;
Raise vital questions
Formulate questions
and problems clearly, precisely
8. •Gather information
•Analyze and assess it
• Evaluate it
By:
Gathers and assesses relevant then
--gathering information,
--assessing it and determining
information, using abstract ideas to
what it means
interpret it effectively, and what it is
worth
9. By:
--drawing conclusions from the
information
presented
--finding possible, plausible solutions and
testing them with relevant criteria
Draw conclusions
Find solutions
Use relevant criteria
to test them
11. Network w/others;
keep lines of communication open
Communicates effectively with others
By networking with
in figuring out solutions to complex
others and maintaining
problems.
open lines of
communication with
them
and others.
12. To become a cultivated critical thinker:
Dare to think outside the
box!
• Develop a sense of observation and curiosity
• Become interested in finding new solutions
• Share ideas
• Ask pertinent questions
• Assess statements and arguments
• Seek understanding and information
13. Also . . .
• Examine beliefs, assumptions, and
opinions; weigh them against truth
• Listen to others, think about what they say,
give feedback
• Become an open-minded listener and reader
18. Activity
Without lifting your pencil from the paper, draw exactly
four straight, connected lines that will go through all
nine dots, but through each dot only once.
19. Problem
I have two 10 litre bottles full of wine and 2 other empty
bottles of 5 and 4 litres. I want to fill 3 litres in each
empty bottles without the help of any additional object and without
pouring out or wasting a single drop of wine.
25. Types of Interview Questions
Credential
verification
questions - Its
purpose is to
place objective
measurements
on features of
your background.
Sample Questions
What is your CGPA? How does
it compare with the rest of your
batchmates?
How long were you working
at…?
What is your total experience in
supply chain management?
26. Types of Interview Questions
Experience
verification
questions - Its
purpose is to
subjectively
evaluate features
of your
background.
Sample Questions
What did you learn in this
course?
What were your responsibilities
in that position?
Point out three key learnings
from your Summer Internship
Project
27. Types of Interview Questions
Opinion
questions Their purpose is
to subjectively
analyze how you
would respond in
a series of
scenarios.
Sample Questions
What would you do in this
situation?
What are your strengths and
weaknesses?
If you were the prime minister
of India, what are the three key
changes you would bring
about?
28. Types of Interview Questions
Dumb questions
- Their purpose is to
get past your preprogrammed answers
to find out if you are
capable of an original
thought. There is not
necessarily a right or
wrong answer, since it
is used primarily to
test your ability to
think on your feet.
Sample Questions
What kind of animal would you like to
be?
What color best describes you?
If you were a famous personality, who
would you be like?
29. Types of Interview Questions
Math questions
Its purpose is to
evaluate not only
your mental math
calculation skills, but
also your creative
ability in formulating
the mathematical
formula for providing
an answer (or
estimate, as can
often be the case).
Sample Questions
"What is 1000 divided by 73?“
"How many ping pong balls
could fit in a Volkswagen?“
How many litres of milk are
consumed in Delhi everyday?
How many petrol pumps are
there in Chandigarh?
30. Types of Interview Questions
Case questions
Its purpose is to
evaluate your
problem-solving
abilities and how
you would analyze
and work through
potential case
situations.
Sample Questions
"What is your estimate of the
global online retail market for
books?“
What is the future of the luxury
car market in India?
How do you think the 2 wheeler
market will be affected with the
launch of the Tata Nano?
31. Types of Interview Questions
Behavioral
questions
Its purpose is to
anticipate future
behaviors based
upon past
behaviors.
Sample Questions
Can you give me a specific
example of how you did that?
What were the steps you
followed to accomplish that
task?
Can you give me an example
where you organised an event?
How did you go about it?
32. Types of Interview Questions
Competency
questions
Its purpose is to
align your past
behaviors with
specific
competencies
which are required
for the position.
Sample Questions
"Can you give me a specific
example of your leadership
skills?“
"Explain a way in which you
sought a creative solution to a
problem.“
Give me an example where you
helped resolve a conflict
between team members.
33. Agenda
•What is the format and structure of a case interview?
•Which skills are case interviews trying to test?
•What are some common myths about case interviews?
•How do I crack a case interview?
34. OBJECTIVES
Introduce the consulting case interview format
Objectives
Typical structure
Evaluation
Mock case simulation and discussion
Framing
Analysis
Conclusions
Case interview preparation tips
35. Case interviews require interviewees to solve business
problems on‐the‐spot
“The most accurate predictor of future performance is the ability to
solve on the‐job problems in real‐time”
Focused on problem solving abilities:
The interviewee must work with the interviewer to solve business
problems
Q&A format: Interviewer moves on to successive questions with
relatively little discussion thereafter
36. WHAT DO COMPANIES LOOK FOR?
Not “The Answer”
Creativity
Apply a unique
perspective to business
situations
See the big picture
Draw conclusions from
partial information
• Make assumptions,
see patterns, and
generate hypotheses
Poise
Appear excited by the
kinds of issues
consultants face
Are not intimidated by
process or problems
Assimilate information
quickly and effectively
Ask insightful questions
Analytics
Provide structure to
unstructured problems
Break problems into
components
Apply transparent,
logical thinking to each
component
Synthesize discussion
into solution
37. HOW DO I ATTACK A CASE?
Creating a Logical Structure is Key to Success
Framing/organizing
Framing
• Ability to identify key issues which he/she
needs to deal with in order to solve the
problem
Prioritizing issues
• Ability to assess the issues, prioritize them and
form a coherent plan of attack
Analysis
Identifying relevant
information
Drawing conclusions
from facts
Conclusion
Identifying key
implications and next
steps
Communication
• Ability to dig deep enough to find the detailed
information which leads to a meaningful
answer
• Ability to use information given and manipulate
it accurately into a logical conclusion
- identify the key displays or data
dimensions needed to reach a solution
- derive relationships among different
dimensions of data
• Ability to predict relationships and outcomes
based on sound reasoning
- clear logic to conclusion
- delineation of alternatives
skills tested throughout interview
38. INTRODUCTION TO THE CASE
Our client owns and operates an independent “mom and pop” gas station
Sells gas for 50 per litre
Operates at break-even profitability
Exxon opened a gas station across the street twelve months ago
Sells gas for 85 per litre
Seem to be “blowing and going” based on traffic
What would you advise our client to do?
39. WHAT IS A FRAMEWORK?
Description
Benefits
Examples
Models, tools or maps that provide a
systematic, logical way of analyzing a problem
Show cause and effect relationships to focus on Distil
a complex, ambiguous problem to the relevant issues
Guides intelligent questioning of the interviewer
Lays out your analysis in a logical, coherent
manner—paints a picture of how you think
Allows you to apply your experience to an unfamiliar
situation
SWOT analyses
Familiar frameworks—5 forces, 7 Cs, 7 Ss, 4 Ps
Matrices—2x2, more sophisticated multi-dimensional
Value chain analysis
Comparative economics
Product/technology life cycle
Decision trees
Key is application of, not simply
stating, a framework
40. FRAMING
Do’s
Don’ts
Use one to structure your answer
Force fit a framework
Explain insights derived using
framework
Overuse buzzwords (e.g., Porter’s 5
forces)
Creativity is key
Try to apply a framework that you do
not know well
Get buy-in from interviewer
Ignore direction from interviewer
Use analogies if possible
Practice, practice, practice
41. ANALYSIS
Do’s
Don’ts
Scratch your analysis on paper—even
stream of consciousness thoughts
Overly worry about basic math
mistakes—yet, don’t make too many
of them
Use facts provided to develop support
for your conclusions
Worry about decimal-point precision
Ask for more data, clarifying
information
Lose sight of the issue (get lost in the
details)
Keep your framework in mind (tie
back)
Lose contact with your interviewer
Do math on paper
Use round numbers
Start over if needed
“Think out loud”
Ignore when analytics disprove
original hypotheses
Keep your thought processes to
yourself
42. CONCLUDING THE CASE
Do’s
Summarize your analysis
Provide a clear recommendation or
hypothesis derived from your analysis
Highlight any additional information
you would need to know
Don’ts
Forget to conclude the case—
regardless of progress made or time
constraints
Waffle or be indecisive—have a point
of view and confidently support it
Ask for feedback
Identify any implications of your
recommendations (e.g., competitor
response, client reaction)
Forget the original question
43. PRACTICAL TIPS FOR SUCCESS
Bring a pen/pencil and a pad of paper
Feel free to pause, particularly at the beginning
Don’t panic—ask questions to clarify facts, learn more information
Structure your analysis before you begin
Think out loud
Be clear about your assumptions
Silence can be golden
Do what makes you comfortable—approach with your personal style, not what you think is
expected
Most importantly, have fun!
44. Activity- Problem Solving for following cases
How many pencils are sold annually in the India?
How many dogs are there in Delhi?
What are the chances of rolling double sixes three times in a row?
A pharmaceutical company is trying to decide whether to manufacture
its drugs in-house or outsource; how would you help?
The company that owns “Fruity” drink has seen a decline in revenues
over the past five years; what should it think about?
It is interesting to note that the first four types of interview questions listed have a predictive validity for on the job success of just 10 percent. And 10 percent predictive validity is the same level that is generated from a simple resume review. Math questions increase the predictive validity to 15 percent (since it tests intelligence, commonly a key competency for most positions) and case questions raise the predictive validity to 25 percent (and slightly higher for consulting positions). Behavioral and competency interviewing, on the other hand, yield a predictive validity of 55 percent. Still far from perfect, yet much more reliable for most interviewers. Interestingly, the first four question types are still the favored approach by most untrained interviewers, simply due to lack of experience. Behavioral and competency interviewing is gaining greater acceptance by trained interviewers because past performance is the most reliable indicator of future results, especially when it is tied to the specific competencies for the position. Companies such as Accenture have modified this approach with specific critical behavioral interviewing to target those behaviors which provide the highest correlation with the required competencies for highly predictive positive results.
