Tips PHD BCG

PhD coaching at the Paris office
Introduction and general principles
PhD coaching is designed to assist candidates during the

recruiting process
Role of
coaching
Help prepare candidates to interviews along the interview process after round 1
Provide context and feedback to help tailoring messages for the "fit" part of interviews
Guide candidates through case study training
Coaching is not part of the recruiting process, and is optional and voluntary
Before the interviews, coach is a resource for questions and advice about training
Copyright 2013 by The Boston Consulting Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
Milestones
After round 1, a mock interview with the coach is set-up to provide tips for round 2
and 3
In-between interviews, coach helps understand debriefing of previous round and

provides advice for following rounds
Coaching starts when candidate is invited to Round 2
Timing
Coach is available until end of process
It is the responsibility of the candidate

to drive the process and call the coach when ready
Mode de fonctionnement Coaching PhD.pptx
Recruiting process is made of 3 rounds and 6 interviews

5 interviews based on the same model
6 interviews gathered in 3 rounds
Standard interviews divided in 3 parts

Interview time (mins)
Recruiting process with coaching
1
6
50
40
30
4
1
45
Questions
(~5 min)
Case study
(~25 min)
Show problem-solving abilities and

business sense
Structured approach to solving
complex problem
Ability to make hypotheses and
estimations
Ease with numbers and calculus
Synthesis skills
"Fit"
(~15 min)
Show motivation during a

conversation based on resume
Consistency of career plan /
change of career
Knowledge of strategy consulting
20
1
2
1
10
0
Motivational
/ fit interview
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Total
Ask questions about consulting

and BCG to interviewers
Interview (~45 min)

In-Basket (written case study)
Standard interview
"Fit" only
Online case
Interviews
Case studies require practice from candidate (1/2)

Coach can be used as a resource
Role of candidate
Acquire basics of
business
Learn basics of economics

Objective: be able to discuss
components of a P&L
Recommended material: 10-day
MBA by S. Silbiger
Role of coach
Answer precise questions
Train for case studies
Get familiar with case studies

Recognize general types of cases
(profitability, market entry...)
Learn what is expected and what
is not allowed
Practice case studies

Practice with other candidates as
interviewee and interviewer (use
Linkedin group to find partners)
Objective: 10-15 cases before
mock interview and round 1
Follow business news (eg. La

Tribune, Les Echos, Capital, etc.)
Provide guidelines on material,

methods...
Set-up a mock interview to ensure

readiness of candidate
Case studies require practice from candidate (2/2)

Some useful sources of information
Website of consulting companies

E.g. http://www.bcg.fr/join_bcg/interview/interactive_case/
Vault.com ("Ace the case")
Crack the Case System: Complete Case Interview Prep
by D. Ohrvall (Turtle Hare Media)
Case in Point: Complete Case Interview Preparation

by M-P. Cosentino and Chris Glasser (Burgee Press)
Stratgie les cls du succs concurrentiel

by J-M. Ducreux (Editions d'Organisation)
Le Grand livre de la stratgie
by J-M. Ducreux, N. Kachaner & R. Abate (Editions d'Organisation)
Standard Interview Do's and Don'ts

Don'ts
Think before talking

Take your time
Be concise and precise
Talk before thinking

Don't answer too quickly
Don't be too wordy or fuzzy
Listen and try to make sure you are

understood
Take notes
Ask questions
Use ready-made patterns

Do's
Make a list of all possible solutions

Be too obstinate or too self-confident
Structure your approach and your words

Jump too quickly to conclusions
Be tenacious and assertive

Remain imprecise and superficial
Build a logic which leads you to
conclusions
Express concrete and pragmatic answers

Written case study Do's and don'ts
Don'ts
Enjoy the challenge
Panic under time pressure
Manage your time (allocate enough time for

output preparation)
Give in to temptation to read all the available

material
Focus your efforts/ messages

Ask yourself "does this piece of information/
analysis support my conclusion"
Postpone formulating your hypothesis until

you've collected all important information
Present conclusive answers to the questions

outlined in the case description
Do's
Get lost in analyses not related to your

question
Prioritize output quantity over quality
Produce clear and concise output (3-5 slides)

Say the most important message in slide title
Use text wherever you present conclusions or
qualitative analyses
Hierarchize messages with bullets and
sub-bullets
Use graphs/ tables for quantitative analyses
Unless you present 1-dimensional data
Oversimplify your messages
Written case study Sample slide formats
On-line case candidate briefing

The Online Case: During our recruiting process you will go through a BCG on-line case. Like case interviews, it is
an opportunity to better grasp the kind of issues we address at our clients and test a number of key skills like logic,
analysis and business sense. You will find enclosed some sample questions which will allow you to get prepared
for that experience and be familiar with the navigation.
The sample: You will find enclosed a hard copy sample that consists of 4 questions and should last 8 minutes.
The purpose is to help you get prepared for the actual on-line exercise, which lasts 45 minutes and consists of 23
questions.
The screen is divided into 2 parts:

On the left, you will find the questions and the multiple choice answers
On the right, you will find the documents to which you have access during the case
To answer the questions: You can click on one or more answers depending on the question. You will be able to
move onwards and backwards from question to question and change your prior answers if needed. At the end of
the 45' period you will need to quit the case.
Evaluation: In calculating your score you get +3 points for every right answer, 0 points for no answer and -1 point
for a wrong answer
Good luck and have fun!
Mode de fonctionnement Coaching PhD v3-27May13-MOT-Par.pptx
ExpensiveOil case
Question 1 / 4
Elapsed time : 2:00 / 8:00
Doc 1
Doc 2
Doc 3
What is approximately the average

gross margin?
7.1%
6.7%
6.3%
None of the above / we lack
sufficient information at this
stage
Copyright BCG 2007
15983-05 Recruiting tools roll-outSample for distribution-June08-AGP-AM-NM-PAR.ppt
ExpensiveOil case
Question 2 / 4
Doc 1
Doc 2
Doc 3
What is the price per litre the

company should charge to maximize
profits on gasoline sales?
(Assume for simplicity reasons that
the company is selling only High
gasoline)
1.5
1.6
1.7
1.8
Copyright BCG 2007
ExpensiveOil case
Question 3 / 4
Doc 1
Doc 2
Doc 3
What is the price the company

should charge to gasoline per litre to
maximize sales from mini markets?
1.5
1.6
1.7
1.8
Copyright BCG 2007
ExpensiveOil case
Question 4 / 4
Doc 1
Doc 2
Doc 3
What is the price the company

should charge per litre to maximize
combined profits?
1.5
1.6
1.7
1.8
Copyright BCG 2007
Correct answers
Question 1
7.1%
6.7%
6.3%
None of the above / we lack sufficient information
at this stage
1.5
1.6
1.7
1.8
Question 3
Question 4
1.5
1.6
1.7
1.8
1.5
1.6
1.7
1.8
Copyright BCG 2008
Question 2
Total score should be 12 !
Thank you
bcg.com | bcgperspectives.com

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PhD coaching at the Paris office

Introduction and general principles

PhD coaching is designed to assist candidates during the

In-between interviews, coach helps understand debriefing of previous round and

Coaching starts when candidate is invited to Round 2

It is the responsibility of the candidate

Recruiting process is made of 3 rounds and 6 interviews

6 interviews gathered in 3 rounds

Standard interviews divided in 3 parts

Recruiting process with coaching

Show problem-solving abilities and

Show motivation during a

Ask questions about consulting

Interview (~45 min)

Mode de fonctionnement Coaching PhD.pptx

Case studies require practice from candidate (1/2)

Learn basics of economics

Train for case studies

Mode de fonctionnement Coaching PhD.pptx

Get familiar with case studies

Answer precise questions

Practice case studies

Answer precise questions

Follow business news (eg. La

Provide guidelines on material,

Set-up a mock interview to ensure

Case studies require practice from candidate (2/2)

Website of consulting companies

Case in Point: Complete Case Interview Preparation

Stratgie les cls du succs concurrentiel

Mode de fonctionnement Coaching PhD.pptx

Standard Interview Do's and Don'ts

Think before talking

Talk before thinking

Listen and try to make sure you are

Use ready-made patterns

Make a list of all possible solutions

Structure your approach and your words

Be tenacious and assertive

Express concrete and pragmatic answers

Written case study Do's and don'ts

Enjoy the challenge

Panic under time pressure

Manage your time (allocate enough time for

Give in to temptation to read all the available

Focus your efforts/ messages

Postpone formulating your hypothesis until

Present conclusive answers to the questions

Get lost in analyses not related to your

Produce clear and concise output (3-5 slides)

Oversimplify your messages

Written case study Sample slide formats

Mode de fonctionnement Coaching PhD.pptx

On-line case candidate briefing

The screen is divided into 2 parts:

Elapsed time : 2:00 / 8:00

What is approximately the average

Copyright BCG 2007

15983-05 Recruiting tools roll-outSample for distribution-June08-AGP-AM-NM-PAR.ppt

Elapsed time : 4:00 / 8:00

What is the price per litre the

Copyright BCG 2007

15983-05 Recruiting tools roll-outSample for distribution-June08-AGP-AM-NM-PAR.ppt