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CASE STUDY INTERVIEW

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The way the current salaries are shooting up, the job of hiring professionals has become a lot more challenging to acquire the best talent who can add real value to the organization. On the other side, mis-hiring causes big damage to the organization.  Based on the recent study, the average cost of mis-hire can be six times base salary for a sales rep, 15 times base salary for a manager, and as much as 27 times base salary for an executive.  In a study conducted by Dr. Bradford Smart, author of Top grading, the cost of mis-hiring executives (average compensation: $114,000) was 24 times the person's base compensation

For doing the assessment of the right talent, the interview is still the preliminary and powerful process.  To derive better inferences, the hiring professionals are constantly trying to make the interview process more effective.  In this regard, one of the steps taken is by including case study questionnaire.

The Case Study Interviews are aimed to test the ability of the candidate which goes beyond one’s functional knowledge and expertise.  These abilities are essential for any position to contribute significantly to the organization.  The questionnaire may vary as per the role and level of the position. These case study interview could become nerve-racking at times but is worth it if one intends to be part of the good organization.

Case Interviews give the interviewer an in-depth view of how one think/function under pressure, derive solution and can visualize at macro and micro level. To further understand, it helps the interviewer to know how one can comprehend the situation and effectively communicate actionable solutions even with conflicting information.

Impeccable HR Consulting relies heavily on case interviews to find the right candidate which helps its clients to make precise decision to zero down on right talent.  During one of our recent senior search assignments, on the basis of our case study interview report, the client selected the candidate which they had initially not shortlisted.

These case study questionnaires are especially very effective for senior or strategic positions in the organization. Interviewers throw various brainteasers to test analytical and creative thinking process and assess one’s decision-making abilities in adverse condition.

One of the common case interviews questions is related to Profitability, which could further vary in form of Declining profitability or Profitability with respect to cost/revenue or general Profitability scenarios.

Other common case interview questions are related to Market Study which may vary in form of Entry, Revenue Growth or Market Share.  There can be question-related to Merger & Acquisition, technology changes, economic scenarios, competitors’ approach.

Some examples of such questions are
  1. If the company is deciding to launch any new product line, they should buy a company or develop the technology in-house.
  2. What should be the business plan if the company is growing well but are unable to reach their profitability goals?
  3. The company wants faster expansion, should they keep it organic or inorganic. 
  4. What could be the reason if market share is increasing in one geography but decreasing in other?
Impeccable HR consulting advises candidates the following points which help them in performing well in these interviews:

·         Study the company well before the interview.  Acquire all recent news/ updates through your network or consultant.
·         Be honest and assertive during the interview process. Don’t assume anything on your own – ask for additional information if you really need it.
·         Be attentive to cues your interviewer may give.
·         Don’t panic if the answer is not apparent. It is not essential to provide an answer immediately - take time to organize your thoughts.
·         Remember there isn't always just one right answer. The interviewer is just expecting thoughts about possible ways for solving a tough business problem.  You may give an answer which is strategically close to a “right” answer – but not with superficial insight or flimsy rationale. you may even tell the interviewer the alternatives which you may have rejected and how you arrived at your conclusion.
·         Share your business knowledge and views wherever you can, but don’t become a walking, talking business textbook.


Impeccable HR has observed that the accuracy of observation to choosing a right candidate increases by more than 30% when we incorporate case study in interviews. The way this trend is picking, soon it shall become a mandatory part of the interviewing process.


Pankaj Minglani
Principal Consultant and Director 
Impeccable HR Consulting P Ltd.

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