THE HIRING SEASON IS COMING

Do you panic when invited to solve business cases in a job interview?
Business cases are frequently used in the hiring process to assess how candidates respond to real or fictional problems a company may have. 

They bring out a lot of information related to the business. That's why it's called a business case. 
And what is so peculiar about solving a case? 
It’s the problem you’ll be asked to solve.
So,  what Is The Best Approach To a Business Case?

Here are my best hacks in 7 Steps to Solve a Business Case in a Hiring Process or Job Interview:

1. Clear Out What The Problem Is.
You're going to receive a PDF or printed pages and some questions that you have to address. If you are not sure of the problem, ask. Think about the question first and then about the business case. We, humans, tend to overthink and complicate things, but the point here is that you have to address the question; you have to address the problem and not just answer whatever you think is appropriate. Be careful with that.

2. Set Up a Timer.
There is a time variable on the table, so my main recommendation is that you set up a timer for 5 minutes before the deadline. It’s a good reminder that when your timer is up, there still will be 5 minutes to tie out the conclusion.

3. Skim Reading.
Overview of the material by skimming it, do not read everything. We tend to read word by word, but if it’s a 10-page business case to be solved in 45 minutes, it's impossible to read every word. My recommendation is also a technique for doing exams do skim-read. Identify where the data is located in the document. You know the problem already, so you know which data you’re looking for.

4. Structure and Organize.
Structure and organize every element of the problem and where you can find data in the text to compose your answer. Once you have figured out the structure of the problem and scan-read the document, you will know where to find the data you need to compose your solution.

5. Get Specific.
Keep it simple. Otherwise, you will lose time, and you won't get things done. Don’t try to sort out a lot of data or give a lot of insights. Just focus. Three is a good number of strategies or possible paths for that solution. Do not try to overdeliver. Business case solving is not about that.

6. Use a Framework.
I’ve selected 3 of the most powerful ones:

SWOT analysis - you can read everything, then find the strengths, the weaknesses, the opportunities, and the threats of the essence of that case. After that, of course, you’ll address an action plan for the questions that you have to solve based on your SWOT analysis. That's a winning strategy.

5W2H - What, Where, Who, When, Why, How, How Much - You should extract those 5W variables out of the data so you can tie out the problem. Depending on your solution, you may address how you're going to implement it and how much it would cost or how much time it would take, those would be the 2H.

Mind Maps - the good thing about Mind Maps is that they are extremely visual, so they represent a very clear and professional way to show people how you think. You state the essence of the problem in the central spot, then you diverge and create ideas and different paths from that.

7. Make a Clear Presentation.
Do not try to over-create solutions or pretend you are a senior consultant if you are not. Be yourself, be simple and creative - this is much more relevant in your evaluation.

Always bear in mind you will be evaluated for your behavior, technical answer, logical thinking, and presentation skills. 

My last piece of advice is to give a clear message.
Remember, there is no right or wrong! Good luck 🍀

Let's rock!

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