This week, join us for a discussion about Haas, McCombs, consulting, and case interviews.

Meet Erin Robinson, Destin Whitehurst, and Robin Ligon, the team behind Consulting Interview Coach. [0:45]

All three have extensive experience in consulting prior to starting their MBAs – Erin and Destin at Deloitte and Robin at McKinsey. And all three are currently first-year MBA students – Erin and Robin at Haas, and Destin at McCombs. Welcome!

What is Consulting Interview Coach? [1:30]

It’s an interview training service to prepare candidates for the case interview method. They also provide behavioral interview prep, resume and cover letter review. All three coaches have experience as recruiters and consultants.

How did they found this company? [2:43]

Destin and Erin started the company. They were thinking about ways to give back and help other candidates while also creating a venture during b-school. And they wanted something that would draw on their consulting skills. Robin joined the company this year – he had previously worked with candidates in Belgium.

What are firms looking for? [4:50]

The case interview screens for intellectual horsepower and problem solving skills – there’s not always a right answer to the question. The other big point of the interview is identifying candidates’ cultural fit with the firm. Some of that also comes across in a behavioral interview or in networking events. (And it’s one reason why networking events are important – so that candidates can get a read on the firm’s culture and understand whether it’s a good fit.)

Since “culture” can sound intangible, what are some ways to understand it? [6:45]

The firm’s work culture has to do with how consultants operate — whether they take a more academic approach, more time doing research, etc, or spend more time in the field with the client, for example. Another aspect is the tone of the work interaction: competitive? Cooperative? Team-oriented? Networking events can help you get a feel for firm’s corporate culture.

Their book: 20 Days to Ace the Case [10:00]

It’s a 20-day boot camp to prep for the case interview. (It also contains advice about consulting in general.) The book features industry insights, firm profiles, etc. It provides a structure for candidates. Their preparation strategy focuses on critical thinking, not memorization – the goal is to fit the framework to the case, not the case to the framework. They also provide profiles of successful candidates, networking tips, behavioral interview tips, etc.

Does the book give cultural insight on firms? [13:25]

It lets consultants speak about their experiences. But networking is really the best way to learn a firm’s culture. 

Robin and Erin are first years at Haas. What’s going well and has met/exceeded expectations? [14:22]

Robin: The professors are really accessible, the classmates are great, and the location is ideal.

Erin: The way the classes are taught (discussion more than lecture) allows for exciting exchange of perspectives. And the class is diverse.

Anything they would change/improve? [17:30]

Erin: Because Berkeley’s a public university, it can be a little resource constrained.

Robin: There can be some extra challenges for international students.

Destin is a first-year student at McCombs.