case study interview examples

case study interview examples

Case Study Interview Examples

1. Introduction to Case Study Interviews

1. How quickly and effectively can the interviewee analyze the given information? 2. What kind of strategy or approach is the interviewee using to solve the problem? 3. How logical is the interviewee’s thought process? 4. What sort of conclusions or recommendations is the interviewee arriving at?

Typically, case study interviews consist of a business problem or a riddle that a single person or a group is asked to solve. There are no specific right or wrong answers, just plausible solutions provided by the interviewee. The interviewers are looking for the following things:

The case study interview is a critical tool used by companies to evaluate candidates. This type of interview is used because it provides the company with in-depth information on your skills, competencies, and personality. The purpose of a case study interview is to get an understanding of how you think and how you approach and solve problems. A case study interview is more of a simulation of a real business situation. It is an opportunity to showcase your analytical abilities, problem-solving skills, and strategic and logical thinking.

2. Benefits of Using Case Study Interviews

They are cost-effective when progress needs to be captured over time. Longitudinal studies are usually simpler when utilizing strategies like interviews, as they involve asking individuals about previous events and experiences. This is more clear-cut than attempting to discern such information from a written record. Interviews have an added advantage in case studies, when the researcher is trying to access information about an event which the participant had not completely grasped, or was not present at. This is not an uncommon situation in organizations, when staff may have had only partial information about an event that will have a significant impact on their work. In contrast to attempting to access this information from written documents, the researcher has the advantage of being able to ask the participant exactly what the event was, and its significance. With complex cause and effect relationships, the informal and conversational nature of interviews can be a significant advantage as it allows the researcher to ask for clarification when something is not well understood. This can provide multiple perspectives on the same issue, by interviewing different participants who were involved, or looking at the perceptions of the one participant at different points in time. Finally, interviews make it easier to access sensitive information, as it can be done discreetly, without the need to commit sensitive information to paper.

3. Key Elements of Effective Case Study Interviews

The process for a good case study interview follows the same process as a structured or systematic interview. The variation in case study interviews is mainly preparation and interaction with the client. An iterative interview process is often used, i.e. the interview and data analysis takes place in stages. This allows the interviewer to follow up on any arising issues and to tailor the interview towards the client’s changing needs. The process for any type of interview follows these guidelines: prepare; decide on the content and context of the interview. Introduce the interview; start with small talk, which will make the client feel more comfortable and give the interviewer a chance to see what kind of mood they are in. Interview; record the data and maintain a good flow of questions, while maintaining respect. Terminate; have a predetermined finishing point and try to end with a positive statement or feedback. Finally, evaluate the interview immediately after (Kelley, Clark et al., 2003).

As with all aspects of a case study, the interview should be fully documented and the data, when compiled, should be reviewed. The main type of data collected from “single” interviews is the “in-depth, open-ended” interview. Some advantages of this type of interview in comparison to the widely structured interview are: only a relatively smaller sample than a questionnaire is required; it can be relied upon to obtain an accurate account; the interview can be kept on track (Lewins et al., 2008).

4. Case Study Interview Examples from Successful Companies

A) This question didn’t give me much to go on, so I asked a few background questions to understand the current state of the market. I then realized that this step was analogous to the situation where the customer was trying to move into the higher value market, so I recapped where the market was at the moment. During the clarifying the market steps, I built a SWOT analysis of the current market. This was a very useful tool for the customer to identify where the market sat compared to where they originally perceived it. At this point, I had a very good understanding of the market and said the best method would be to do an assessment on where the opportunity was. I was about to move into the build a framework step, but the session had reached its finish, so we scheduled to do a second interview. This first interview was so successful because I understood exactly what the customer wanted to achieve and the steps were all performed at the right level.

Q) Product Manager, you have just been tasked with a new business strategy to enter the video market, what do you do?

Example 1: A product manager had a technical software background and was moved into a business strategy and development role at a leading automotive video website. The company was in the process of building up to a higher value offering, which opened a gap in the market. This customer was brought in to identify that gap, understand what the company should do, and how it could best capture the market. The example was facilitated as a structured interview rather than a standard framework-led case.

Case study interview examples

5. Tips for Excelling in Case Study Interviews

Be Cost Effective – Your goal in a case study interview is to show what you can do for the firm with both your feet on the ground. Remember to develop solutions that are cost-effective and that will solve the problem at hand. Interviewers will often lure you into solving the world hunger problem, so to speak, when the real issue at hand is much smaller. Be sure to keep the scope of your solution in line with the problem given.

Case Structure – When discussing the case, try to lay out the problem before solving it. Take time to think before blurting out the first half-baked solution that comes to mind. At some firms, there is no right answer; they are more interested in how you thought up the solution. By discussing the problem first, it will give you and the interviewer a clear idea of what needs to be solved, making it easier to generate and evaluate solutions.

Practice Cases – As we mentioned in Chapter 3.6, attempt to obtain a couple of case questions and practice your problem-solving skills. A math or computer science major will be used for math problems. A marketing or sales candidate will be asked to market a new product. A strategic planner will be asked to develop an action plan.