The Case Interview Podcast - 02. How to create great structures FAST (under 2 minutes)

02. How to create great structures FAST (under 2 minutes)

03/27/23 • 46 min

In this episode we will show you how to create great structures fast in your case interviews (instead of mediocre structures slowly).
You will learn...

How fast you really need to be when creating your initial structures (everyone says it's 2 minutes, but it's not that simple...)
The bi-modal structuring practice technique that will help you improve the quality of your structure while decreasing the time you take to build it
How to NEVER be caught off-guard when the interviewer finally interrupts your thinking time and asks you to start speaking

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If you've enjoyed this or previous episodes, the #1 thing you can do to help us promote the show is leaving a rating and review.
This would mean the world to us. Thank you! (Click here to review if you're on iOS.)
-------------------------------
If you're looking to improve your case solving skills, make sure you check out our free course at www.craftingcases.com/course.
Inside this free course, you will learn...

How to identify and answer each of the six (and only six) types of questions that you will have in your case interviews (these happen in ALL types of cases!)
How to structure ANY case with a customized structure and how to stay structured throughout the case (even if you've never seen a case like that before)
Tons of practice drills to optimize your learning (this helps you put theory into practice and focus on your weaknesses, even if you don't have the time to do mock interviews every day)

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TIMESTAMPS
01:21 - Why do candidates feel like they need to be so fast? (and how Julio froze in one of his Bain interviews)

05:03 - How to buy more time while you're structuring and how to deal with interviewers interrupting while you're building your structure

15:19 - How fast do you really need to be?

23:40 - Why you should get good before even thinking about getting fast (and how to do that)

37:16 - Small tweaks to your regular practice that will allow you to structure without time to think

40:23 - The bi-modal practice technique

In this episode we will show you how to create great structures fast in your case interviews (instead of mediocre structures slowly).
You will learn...

How fast you really need to be when creating your initial structures (everyone says it's 2 minutes, but it's not that simple...)
The bi-modal structuring practice technique that will help you improve the quality of your structure while decreasing the time you take to build it
How to NEVER be caught off-guard when the interviewer finally interrupts your thinking time and asks you to start speaking

How to identify and answer each of the six (and only six) types of questions that you will have in your case interviews (these happen in ALL types of cases!)
How to structure ANY case with a customized structure and how to stay structured throughout the case (even if you've never seen a case like that before)
Tons of practice drills to optimize your learning (this helps you put theory into practice and focus on your weaknesses, even if you don't have the time to do mock interviews every day)

-------------------------------

TIMESTAMPS
01:21 - Why do candidates feel like they need to be so fast? (and how Julio froze in one of his Bain interviews)

05:03 - How to buy more time while you're structuring and how to deal with interviewers interrupting while you're building your structure

15:19 - How fast do you really need to be?

23:40 - Why you should get good before even thinking about getting fast (and how to do that)

37:16 - Small tweaks to your regular practice that will allow you to structure without time to think

40:23 - The bi-modal practice technique

Previous Episode

01. Lessons from 10,000 hours helping candidates get into consulting

Real lessons come from real work, struggles, and frustrations.
In this episode, we talk about our own preparation journey as candidates and our period helping hundreds of candidates get jobs in consulting firms.
We also share how our experience as case coaches forced us to create content that helps solve real candidates' problems and the full story behind Crafting Cases.
-------------------------------
If you've enjoyed this or previous episodes, the #1 thing you can do to help us promote the show is leaving a rating and review.
This would mean the world to us. Thank you! (Click here to review if you're on iOS.)
-------------------------------
If you're looking to improve your case solving skills, make sure you check out our free course at www.craftingcases.com/course.
Inside this free course, you will learn...

How to identify and answer each of the six (and only six) types of questions that you will have in your case interviews (these happen in ALL types of cases!)
How to structure ANY case with a customized structure and how to stay structured throughout the case (even if you've never seen a case like that before)
Tons of practice drills to optimize your learning (this helps you put theory into practice and focus on your weaknesses, even if you don't have the time to do mock interviews every day)

-------------------------------
TIMESTAMPS
06:35 - Why we created this podcast and where the 10,000 hours come from

12:28 - Julio and Bruno's path as candidates

20:24 - How they developed a unique case coaching practice and why their method brought incredible results to candidates

31:26 - How they dealt with specific problems candidates had that seemed impossible to solve and how this lead them to start creating unique content in the case prep space

43:23 - The birth of Crafting Cases and of their free course, Case Interview Fundamentals

01:04:43 - Where your focus should be in your preparation (spoiler alert: it's not in "types of cases")

01:07:34 - Why you should listen to the episodes in this podcast in the order they were created (and not the most recent first)

Next Episode

03. Two amazing practice methods our most resourceful clients created

In this episode, we talk about 2 unique ways to practice for cases that two case interview coaching clients created, and how you can add them to your practice.
We also talk about being resourceful and how that can help you in your case prep and in your job as a consultant.
After listening to this episode you will understand why these two candidates are now high-performing consultants at McKinsey and BCG.
-------------------------------
If you've enjoyed this or previous episodes, the #1 thing you can do to help us promote the show is leaving a rating and review.
This would mean the world to us. Thank you! (Click here to review if you're on iOS.)
-------------------------------
If you're looking to improve your case solving skills, make sure you check out our free course at www.craftingcases.com/course.
Inside this free course, you will learn...

How to identify and answer each of the six (and only six) types of questions that you will have in your case interviews (these happen in ALL types of cases!)
How to structure ANY case with a customized structure and how to stay structured throughout the case (even if you've never seen a case like that before)
Tons of practice drills to optimize your learning (this helps you put theory into practice and focus on your weaknesses, even if you don't have the time to do mock interviews every day)

-------------------------------

TIMESTAMPS:
01:46 - Why is resourcefulness so important and why you can't be a good consultant without it

06:09 - The "12-Hour Drill Method"

13:10 - The 3 stages of learning any skill (and can you improve your intuition?)

21:53 - The "Reverse Engineering Method"

29:47 - Extrapolating The Reverse Engineering Method to non-analysis questions