A case interview is an interview format where we will give you a mock business situation and ask you to help us solve that challenge. BOND uses an interviewer-led case format, meaning that we will walk you through the essential elements of each case and ask for your responses to specific questions.

In addition to the qualities outlined above, the case interview in particular allows us to gauge your skills as a potential consultant. These include your approach to solving problems, your communication style, and how you handle pressure. We look for a structured thought process, and candidates who are able to walk their interviewers through every step of their logic and talk through potential ways to go about solving a problem. We also value creativity, strong presentation skills, and an eagerness to learn more about BOND.

You do not need to have any background knowledge in business to be successful in the case interview. We are looking for a logical, structured thought process which does not require a sophisticated understanding of business. If at any point in the case you encounter a term that you are not familiar with, please ask us; this does not count against you, in fact, it shows that you are really thinking about the problem at hand. That being said, here are a few terms that come up frequently in the case interviews:

Revenues: The amount a company brings on from sales i.e. the firm brought in $8 million in tire sales.

Costs: The amount that is spent or given up in order to generate the revenue:

Fixed Cost: A cost that remains the same regardless of how many units are produced i.e. the factory's rent is $1 million regardless of how many tires are produced.

Variable Cost: A cost that is incurred on a per unit basis i.e. it takes $45 of rubber to make each tire.

Profit: The amount of money the company keeps after all costs are considered.

Profit Margin = (Total Profit) / (Total Revenues)

You don't really have to! The case interview format tests natural problem-solving ability so there is no need to prepare for it. Our best advice is to be confident and walk us through each step of your thought process. View the interview as a conversation with your interviewer, and you will succeed.

We do highly recommend attending our case workshop should you be invited to an interview, as we’ll go over a mock case and discuss strategies for success.

Calculators are not permitted during interviews, but we encourage you to bring pen and paper to write down key figures as well as clearly write down any calculations in case you need to find it later.

Be sure to clearly walk your interviewer through your thought process and the steps you take to arrive at your conclusion.

If you make a mistake, don’t worry! One trait that we look for is the ability to keep moving and stay calm under pressure.

When giving a final recommendation, state your conclusion clearly, succinctly, and confidently, with one or two sentences of logical explanation.