
Case Interview Preparation & Management Consulting | Strategy | Critical Thinking
Firmsconsulting maintains a 80% success rate at placing clients within McKinsey, BCG and Bain. This is the highest in the industry and the rate is higher if we include other firms. We achieve this rate because we only use former partners from McKinsey, BCG et al to develop our clients. This makes us unique. We never use analysts, associates, engagement managers or associate principals. We also carefully select and develop clients on their communication, image, technical and case interview skills. This podcast channel describes our lessons from training our clients.
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Latest episodes

Feb 19, 2024 • 15min
655: Taking resume feedback (Case Interview & Management Consulting classics)
Taking resume feedback is one of the most fundamental steps as you begin your application process and case interview preparation. If done badly, no matter how well you practice for cases, you will not get the interview. Feedback refers to two parts. First, is the philosophy around how you collect the feedback. Second, is the physical steps you take as you are collecting the feedback. Both are equally important. Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

Feb 14, 2024 • 46min
654: What's LOVE Got to Do With Leadership? (with Visionary Business Leader and Best Selling Author, Mark A. Mears)
Welcome to an interview with the author of The Purposeful Growth Revolution: 4 Ways to Grow from Leader to Legacy Builder. In this book, you will learn to apply 4 holistic and revolutionary processes found in nature to help individuals, teams, and organizations find purpose, fulfill their true growth potential, and leave a living legacy—what Mears calls paying it backward. All designed to fulfill Purposeful Growth, Purposeful Self, Purposeful Work, and a Purposeful Life. Mark A. Mears is a #1 Best Selling author, keynote speaker, consultant, and visionary business leader. He has a significant track record of building shareholder value. He has driven innovation and profitable growth among world-class, high-profile brands such as PepsiCo/Pizza Hut, McDonald’s, Frito-Lay, JCPenney, NBCUniversal, and The Cheesecake Factory. Today, Mark serves as Chief Growth Officer for LEAF Growth Ventures, LLC—a consulting firm helping individuals, teams, and organizations find purpose in fulfilling their true growth potential while making a positive, lasting difference in the world. Mark is also a member of the Senior Leader Network within Conscious Capitalism, Inc. Learn more about Mark here: www.MarkAMears.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/markamears Get Mark’s book here: https://rb.gy/20buif The Purposeful Growth Revolution: 4 Ways to Grow from Leader to Legacy Builder Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf

Feb 12, 2024 • 16min
653: Stressful interview situations (Case Interview & Management Consulting classics)
Exploring stress tactics in interviews, handling different questioning styles, inducing stress to observe responses, evaluating structured thinking abilities, avoiding assumptions in interviews, and tips for managing stressful interview scenarios

Feb 7, 2024 • 10min
652: Three phrases to annoy an interviewer (Case Interview & Management Consulting classics)
There are three phrases which create trouble in an interview: “I think that…” and “In my opinion…” and “But, if I look at my friends…” Not only are they defensive, and arrogant, they are also clear indicators where you are struggling in a case interview. When you use them in the wrong context, as explained in this podcast, they will make it difficult to pass the case. Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

Feb 5, 2024 • 12min
651: Invisible presentation technique (Case Interview & Management Consulting classics)
Learn how to enhance communication in case interviews with strategic techniques. Explore balancing structure and clarifying questions. Prioritize communication in presentations and interviews. Emphasize clear and logical communication for effective case interviews.

Jan 31, 2024 • 10min
650: Confidence and content traps in case interviews (Case Interview & Management Consulting classics)
This podcast is about the impact of confidence on cases and the importance of avoiding the content trap. We use simple ratios to explain why you need to be confident and how the content-trap sinks many candidates. The content trap occurs when a candidate tends to have poor knowledge of the first principles of cases and rather relies on completing as many cases as possible in the hopes of memorizing all possible frameworks. This is a losing strategy since they are not learning how to solve cases. Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

Jan 29, 2024 • 46min
649: FLUKE: Chance, Chaos, and Why Everything We Do Matters (with professor of global politics at University College London, Brian Klaas)
Welcome to an interview with the author of Fluke: Chance, Chaos, and Why Everything We Do Matters, Brian Klaas. In Fluke, myth-shattering social scientist Brian Klaas deep-dives into the phenomenon of randomness, unpicking our neat and tidy storybook version of events to reveal a reality far wilder and more fascinating than we have dared to consider. The bewildering truth is that but for a few incidental changes, our lives - and our societies - would be radically different. Offering an entirely new perspective, Fluke explores how our world really works, driven by strange interactions and random events. Brian Klaas grew up in Minnesota, earned his DPhil at Oxford, and is now a professor of global politics at University College London. He is a contributing writer for The Atlantic, host of the award-winning Power Corrupts podcast, and frequent guest on national television. Klaas has conducted field research across the globe and advised major politicians and organizations including NATO and the European Union. You can find Brian at BrianPKlaas.com and on Twitter @BrianKlaas. Get Brian’s book here: https://rb.gy/gueipv Fluke: Chance, Chaos, and Why Everything We Do Matters Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

Jan 24, 2024 • 12min
648: Structure fails at 60% McKinsey cases (Case Interview & Management Consulting classics)
At least 90% of aspiring management consultants assume that all McKinsey et al cases MUST be solved with frameworks. That is a dangerous myth. At least 60% of all McKinsey full cases (we are not referring to brainstorming, estimates, etc) cannot be solved with structures and you will fail if you used structures to solve them. In this podcast, we use the experiences of a client, Felix, to explain how to identify this second group of cases and what you can do to solve them. We particularly look at Felix's coaching session with Kevin Coyne, ex-McKinsey Worldwide Strategy Co-Leader, in Season One of The Consulting Offer. Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

Jan 22, 2024 • 55min
647: If VCs & Gov. join forces we can solve society’s biggest problems (with venture capitalist and lecturer at Stanford University, Arun Gupta)
Welcome to an interview with the author of Venture Meets Mission: Aligning People, Purpose, and Profit to Innovate and Transform Society, Arun Gupta. The book argues that if Business, Government, and Society come together, rebuild trust, and collaborate, we have a generational opportunity to address societal challenges―climate change, cybersecurity, disease outbreaks, food insecurity, and education. The book explains, with hope and passion, how our existing entrepreneurial ecosystem, with the ideals of democracy, can be the foundation for a new mission-driven capitalism. Arun Gupta is a venture capitalist, Lecturer at Stanford University, and Adjunct Entrepreneurship Professor at Georgetown University. He is CEO of NobleReach Foundation, which is focused on catalyzing and inspiring a renewed spirit of national service through innovation. Get Arun’s book here: https://rb.gy/9eu518 Venture Meets Mission: Aligning People, Purpose, and Profit to Innovate and Transform Society Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

Jan 17, 2024 • 52min
646: Courageous Leadership (with Best-selling author and Harvard Business School professor, Ranjay Gulati)
Welcome to an interview with the author of Deep Purpose: The Heart and Soul of High-Performance Companies, Ranjay Gulati. In his book, Ranjay reveals the fatal mistakes leaders unwittingly make when attempting to implement a reason for being. Moreover, he shows how companies can embed purpose much more deeply than they currently do, delivering impressive performance benefits that reward customers, suppliers, employees, shareholders, and communities alike. To get purpose right, leaders must fundamentally change not only how they execute it but also how they conceive of and relate to it. Ranjay Gulati is the Paul R. Lawrence MBA Class of 1942 Professor and the former Unit Head of the Organizational Behavior Unit at Harvard Business School. Until recently, he chaired the Advanced Management Program, the flagship senior leader executive program, at the school. Professor Gulati has been ranked as one of the top ten most-cited academics in the fields of economics and business by ISI-Incite and has received similar recognition from The Economist, Financial Times, and the Economist Intelligence Unit. Professor Gulati studies how “resilient” organizations—those that prosper both in good times and bad—drive growth and profitability. His work bridges strategy (establishing clear strategic pillars for growth), organizational design (reimagining purposeful and collaborative organizational systems), and leadership (fostering inspired, courageous, and caring execution). Get Ranjay’s book here: https://rb.gy/31r53k Deep Purpose: The Heart and Soul of High-Performance Companies Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo