Strategy Simplified

Send us Fan Mail We're excited to bring you this diversity-centered conversation with the folks over at L.E.K. Consulting.  We got to sit down (virtually) with Justin Craigwell-Graham and Jen Wu, Managing Directors at L.E.K., to dig into how the firm creates an environment that promotes diversity. We explored: What diversity actually means The affinity groups L.E.K. has available Avenues for...

Send us Fan Mail EY - one of the Big 4 firms and a giant in the world of professional services - is the envy of thousands of new grads and experienced veterans each year. If you're looking to break into EY, this episode is for you. We answer numerous questions including: How can you ace the EY interview process and break in?  What salary can I expect at EY?  Will I have work-life balance work...

Send us Fan Mail Enjoy this bonus episode brought to you by the folks at L.E.K. Consulting. You'll hear from two senior leaders at the firm share about work, life, culture, and opportunities at L.E.K. Interested?  Learn about open roles and apply here . Watch the video presentation from this session and join our email list to be the first to be notified about future live events like this one....

Send us Fan Mail Last week, we shared 8 tips and tricks for case interview math. Today, we're going a little deeper with a short clip from last year's Case Math Intensive. Enjoy! Join this year's Math Intensive on August 16, 6-9PM ET: JOIN Additional Links Get 1:1 case math practice with an ex-MBB consultant in Black Belt, our consulting prep program: BLACK BELT Join our free case p...

Send us Fan Mail Palm Tree is back! We're excited to share this conversation with Rouzheen Myrick, SVP, with you. She shares about the M&A advisory firm's practice areas, what type of candidate the firm is looking for, what it means to "stay frosty," and so much more. If you're looking for a challenging consulting role serving the M&A industry, Palm Tree may be the...

Send us Fan Mail Mental math is a major hurdle to case interview mastery for many candidates, but it's a critical skill to master because of the quant-focused nature of consulting. In this episode, Jenny Rae - former Bain consultant - shares 8 tips and tricks to help you become a case math pro. Need mental math help? Join the Case Math Intensive on August 16; it's a 3-hour live training...

Send us Fan Mail Gigi Wong joined L.E.K. Consulting as a summer intern in 2013, crushed the experience, then stuck around to become a Managing Director/Partner. In this episode, you'll hear about her internship experience, why she stayed, and much more: What a summer internship at L.E.K. is like How the firm structures engagements Ways L.E.K. supports intern and full-time employees Current in...

Send us Fan Mail The STAR Method is an effective way to structure your answers in behavioral interviews. We also quickly talk about CAR, the STAR Method's simplified cousin. In this episode, we're covering: What does STAR stand for? (2:13) Why is the STAR Method important? (3:17) When to use the STAR Method (4:05) STAR Method interview questions and answers (7:54) Additional Links Break...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to another case interview walkthrough. This episode features Adeniyi, a PhD candidate transitioning from academia to strategy consulting. The interviewer is Maxime Betas, ex-McKinsey consultant. The case involves an investment fund considering investing in a grocery delivery app. Go or no-go? Listen now to hear the recommendation Adeniyi gives. Additional Links View the ex...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Stephanie - in real time - tackles a BCG-style chatbot case. Can she solve it? Listen as she breaks down what chatbot cases are (3:35), runs through the case (16:54), and finally, breaks down her performance (35:56). The link for the video screenshare of the walkthrough is below. Additional Links Watch Stephanie walk through the case on video: VIDEO Solve the chat...

Send us Fan Mail Keith Bevans, Bain Partner and Head of Consultant Recruiting, is back on Strategy Simplified to talk all things recruiting. In this fun conversation, we cover: The state of the consulting industry (3:43) Who is eligible for consulting and back-office roles at Bain (hint: more types of profiles than you'd think) (6:30, 12:34, 21:14) Bain's hiring targets for 2022 (17:00)...

Send us Fan Mail Learn about open roles at L.E.K. Consulting: L.E.K. CAREERS The McKinsey Problem Solving Game (PSG), now known as Solve, is the firm's latest twist on its recruiting process. It's a digital screening assessment designed to test candidates' cognitive abilities. In this episode, we break down the rationale behind the game and methods to prepare.   Additional Links Que...

Send us Fan Mail Learn about open roles at L.E.K. Consulting: L.E.K. CAREERS In this episode, we're joined by Maria Steingoltz, a Managing Director at L.E.K. Consulting. She shares with us about the firm, the work it engages in, and a case study from a recent client engagement.   From the case study, you'll learn learn how the generalist strategy consulting firm approaches ambiguous prob...

Send us Fan Mail Learn about open roles at L.E.K. Consulting: L.E.K. CAREERS Brendan Mullen is the Managing Director of Secha Capital, a Private Equity fund in South Africa. The fund takes a unique hands-on approach to the businesses they invest in through an operator-investor model. The firm is actively hiring and is specifically looking to add management consultants to the team. If interested, c...

Send us Fan Mail Learn about open roles at L.E.K. Consulting: L.E.K. CAREERS Welcome to another case walkthrough on Strategy Simplified . Today, Carrie Holland (ex-McK, ex-Google) walks an MBB candidate (MD) through a financial services case. To maximize your learnings, pull out a pencil and piece of paper and follow alongside. Out-loud practice is the most effective way to case prep! Additional L...

Send us Fan Mail As we wrap up this Intro to the Case series, we're talking about the final recommendation. The final recommendation is an opportunity at the end of a case interview to provide a concise, clear, and structured recommendation to answer the case objective. It's one of the most critical pieces of the interview, because it's the interviewer's last impression of you....

Send us Fan Mail Varun Madan made the leap from consulting in India with McKinsey to Deloitte in the U.S. through a series of strategic moves. If you're an international candidate or consultant wanting to transition to the U.S. - listen up! This episode is worth its weight in gold. Varun also shares some bomb recruiting tips from his 10+ years in the industry. Additional Links Join Black Belt...

Send us Fan Mail Brainstorming questions in a case interview are an opportunity for you to showcase creativity, business acumen, and structure. Today, Stephanie shares how to structure your approach to brainstorming questions. Ready to crush your interviews? Listen up! Additional Links Join Black Belt case prep program: LEARN MORE Work with an MBB coach to practice brainstorming questions: COACHIN...

Send us Fan Mail Applying for consulting roles this summer but not sure where to start your preparation? This episode is for you. We cover: An overview of case interviews A 4-week interview prep plan Checkpoints to hit between now and interviews Case prep resources Follow along with the slides from this presentation here . Additional Links Join Black Belt case prep program: LEARN MORE Free market...

Send us Fan Mail In the 3rd episode of this Intro to the Case Interview series, we're talking all things mental math - how to approach it, how to drive to insights, and how to translate charts and graphs. Additional Links Join Black Belt case prep program: LEARN MORE Case coaching with ex-MBB consultants: COACHING Connect With Management Consulted Create a free MC account or download the MC a...

Send us Fan Mail Group case interviews are a tough variation of the traditional case interview where the interviewer is watching how you operate in a team setting. In this episode, Jenny Rae (ex-Bain) shares what group case interviews are like and how to prepare. Additional Links Join June Black Belt cohort: LEARN MORE Case interview Bootcamp - 32 lessons on how to solve case interviews: BOOTCAMP...

Send us Fan Mail For the 2nd installment of our Intro to the Case Interview series, we're teaching how to build effective case frameworks. If frameworks keep you up at night, you just may leave today being able to sleep better. Additional Links Join June Black Belt cohort: LEARN MORE Case coaching with ex-MBB consultants: COACHING Connect With Management Consulted Create a free MC account or...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we get to hear from former BCGer Ryan Smith. Ryan got his start as an entrepreneur/business owner. He then ventured into the recruiting space before discovering consulting via the TV show House of Lies . That led him to pursue a business degree at UVA Darden which enabled him to land the role at BCG. Now? He leads strategy teams at Fannie Mae. Listen for insights...

Send us Fan Mail In this new series, we're teaching on the 5 core pieces of the case interview. Starting at the beginning, ex-McKinsey Engagement Manager Stephanie Knight walks through how to crush the opening sequence. Listen as she breaks down the 3 steps that comprise the case opening: the background (2:39), recap (4:48), and clarifying questions (8:29). Additional Links Join June Black Be...

Send us Fan Mail Farouk is an International Medical Graduate from Lebanon who leveraged his MD into an internship with EY-Parthenon. Listen to catch his story of how he made the transition from medicine > consulting, including: Why he decided to switch careers (3:25) With multiple offers in hand, why EY-Parthenon? (6:08) His case prep process (10:58) His networking strategy (17:19) His best tip...