Closing a case like a consultant
The shape of a strong recommendation, and leading with the point everywhere.
Key takeaways
- Lead with the point throughout the case, not only at the end.
- Answer, reasons, risks, next steps. The same four parts work for every close, whether you have two minutes or twenty seconds.
- Retelling the whole case: Many good analyses lose points at the end because the candidate walks through everything they did before giving an answer.
At the end of a case the interviewer often says: "The CEO just walked in. What do you tell them?" This is your synthesis: a short, clear answer the client can act on. A fixed shape makes it easy every time.
Many good analyses lose points at the end because the candidate walks through everything they did before giving an answer. Give the answer in your first sentence, then the reasons.
The recommendation shape
- 1Answer first. One clear sentence: "Yes, the company should enter, but only in the premium segment."
- 2The reasons. Two or three short supports: "The premium market is growing, the brand already fits it, and the economics meet our target return."
- 3The risks. What could go wrong and what you would watch: "The main risk is a price war, so I would watch how the market leader responds."
- 4Next steps. What to do now: "I would run a pilot in one city before a full launch."
Answer, reasons, risks, next steps. The same four parts work for every close, whether you have two minutes or twenty seconds.
"My recommendation is to enter, but only in premium. Three reasons: the premium segment is growing at 10 percent a year, our brand is already trusted there, and the margins meet our target. The main risk is that the leader cuts prices, so I would test in one city first and watch their reaction before expanding." About 20 seconds, and the client knows what to do.
Key idea
Lead with the point throughout the case, not only at the end. Each time you finish a piece of analysis, start with the takeaway: "The main finding is that the South explains the whole drop." Then give the detail. This one habit changes how you come across more than any other.
Some online tests end with a recorded recommendation. For example, candidates report that BCG's online case ends with a short recorded video recommendation of about one minute, with only a short time to prepare (reports range from about one to a few minutes). The same shape works: answer, reasons, risk, next step, spoken clearly in under a minute. Practice it with a case partner, or record yourself on your phone and listen back.
Which opening sentence is the strongest start to a recommendation?
Use the regional profit chart from the exhibits lesson (the South fell from 35 to 20, the other regions are flat). Say a recommendation out loud in under 45 seconds: answer, two reasons, one risk, one next step. Then reveal a model answer.
Sources for this lesson (1)
- Recognized public explanations of case-interview concepts and frameworks
My notes on this lesson
0 of 5,000 characters. Saves automatically.
Try the 2 remaining checks and drills above to complete this lesson (0 of 2 done).
Spotted something wrong or out of date? Report a mistake. We check every report and correct the page.