【正文】 。t have to be Sherlock Holmes to ace the cases in a consultingfirm interview. In fact, a little preparation can make solving them seem, well, elementary.Firms Are There to Help YouConsulting Industry GuideRemember your seventhgrade algebra teacher’s three favorite words? Show your work. At the time, it seemed silly: Why not just show the right answer? Now that you’re older and wiser, however, you know that in many cases how you get to the right answer is more important than simply knowing the answer itself.The same goes for the case questions that consulting recruiters lob at you. Consulting is a demanding job with few correct answers。 you may even choose not to use frameworks at all. What39。 Company Strategy: “My client is thinking of making an acquisition, and …” Young’s national director of university recruiting, says these candidates don’t seem to do any better or worse than candidates from noncase schools. Study different kinds of case questions. Just because your buddy interviewed before you and gave you a headsup on the questions doesn’t mean you have a leg up. Recruiters have tons of case questions in their repertoire, and the chances of their using the same question multiple times on one campus visit are slim to none. Get a classmate or friend to roleplay the interview with you, and use any resources (such as a casebook) that your school39。t forget to ask for the firm39。s and the three C39。s considering entry into an industry, Porter39。s and the 3 C39。 Young is a certain red flag. “Obviously, those who go to business schools are bright and talented—they wouldn’t be there otherwise,” Flato remarks. “We hire bright and talented people, but only those who can work well with team members and not display arrogance.” Page 3 of 3[Web Exclusive] You don39。s munication skills and logic flow, (3) understand how a candidate responds to redirection, and (4) test his/her overall fit with the firm. Most questions . recruiters ask center around strategic growth opportunities for potential clients. Words of Wisdom:Coveney points out that she doesn’t have a preference regarding how a candidate initially reacts to the case interview question. “Some people take some time to formulate their thoughts, other people ask a few questions, and other people jump right in,” Coveney says. “Relax and take your time, focus on the specific issues of the case, remember there is no one right answer to the case, and don’t use too many frameworks. Don’t throw in the kitchen sink, like Porter’s five forces, etc. Just be confident, and relax—it will really help with the interview.” Recruiter No. 2: Kamenna Rindova, senior associate, Mercer Management Consulting The Questions:MMC asks most candidates oneonone questions and doesn’t often do group exercises. Reflecting the firm’s focus, most questions deal with strategy issues, with occasional market sizing questions thrown in. The purpose of the interview for MMC is to see the candidat