Blog - Caize — Case Interview and Finance Recruiting Guides

How to do mental math under pressure in a case interview

Practical techniques for case interview mental maths: rounding, zeros, percentages and sense checks, plus a daily drill routine that holds up under pressure.

5 min read

How to read exhibits and charts in a case interview

A step-by-step method for reading case interview exhibits: orient, find the "so what", quantify it and link it back to the client's question.

Candidate-led vs interviewer-led cases: how to prepare for each

How candidate-led and interviewer-led case interviews differ, which firms tend to use each, and how to adapt your structure, pacing and practice.

How to structure your first two minutes of a case

What to do in the first two minutes of a case interview: listen, clarify, take time, present a tailored structure and prioritise where to start.

Brainteasers and estimation questions: are they still asked?

Pure brainteasers are rare in consulting interviews today, but estimation and market-sizing questions are common. Here's how to handle both.

PE case study vs paper LBO: what to expect and how to practise

How private equity paper LBOs, modelling tests and case studies differ, what each assesses, a worked paper LBO, and how to practise efficiently.

How to answer "walk me through a DCF" without sounding scripted

How to answer "walk me through a DCF" clearly in about two minutes, explain the judgement calls, and handle the follow-up questions interviewers ask.

Investment banking superday: what happens and how to prepare

What an investment banking superday involves (back-to-back interviews, technicals, fit and deal discussion) and a practical plan to prepare.

Growth equity and VC case interviews: how they differ from PE

How growth equity and venture capital interviews and cases differ from buyout PE: less leverage, more market and product judgement, and different metrics.

3 min read

Fit and behavioural

"Why consulting?": answers that work and ones that don't

How to answer "why consulting?" convincingly: structure, examples, red flags to avoid, and how to tailor it to a specific firm and office.

Fit and behavioural

The McKinsey PEI vs a standard behavioural interview

How McKinsey's Personal Experience Interview differs from a standard behavioural interview: one story in depth, probing follow-ups, four dimensions.

Fit and behavioural

How to tell a leadership story in under two minutes

A practical structure for telling a concise, credible leadership story in interviews, with timing guidance, an example and common mistakes.

Preparation

A 4-week case interview prep plan (and a 2-week emergency version)

A realistic week-by-week case interview prep plan for 4 weeks, with a compressed 2-week emergency version, covering cases, maths, fit and tests.

Consulting recruiting timelines in London, Stockholm and Dubai

How graduate consulting recruiting timelines differ in London, Stockholm and Dubai for 2026–27, with dates to re-check on firm careers pages.

5 min read

Summer internship vs full-time case interviews: what changes

How consulting internship interviews differ from full-time interviews (difficulty, rounds, expectations and conversion) and how to prepare for each.

3 min read

Case interviews for PhDs, doctors and engineers moving into consulting

How PhDs, medics and engineers can adapt to consulting case interviews: translating expertise, avoiding over-analysis and building business intuition.

3 min read