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+ The Summary and The Final Slide
In most case interviews you will be asked to summarize the case. You need to jump right into this without
any down time to collect your thoughts. A good summary is about a minute, a minute-and-a-half at the
most. It is not a rehash of everything you spoke about; it is a short recap of the problem and two or main
points or recommendations that you want to remember.
In some cases — particularly those that ask for a list of numbers the interviewer wants you to figure out,
i.e., market-size, price, break-even, and profit, or those that compare two or more strategies, ideas or
options using the same criteria — you can create the “final slide” right at the beginning of the case. No
one ever remembers to do this, so if you can think of it, you’ll score big points with the interviewer.
On a separate sheet of paper, draw a chart listing the product or markets (whatever it is that you are
comparing) and below that, the criteria. As you calculate the numbers, fill them in on the final slide; this
keeps all relevant information in one place and makes it easier for the interviewer to follow (think of it as
a scorecard). Once all the information is filled out, the student turns the final slide towards the interviewer
and walks him through it. This is the best summary. It is similar to the final slide of a deck that a
consultant would present to a client. In the Partner Cases section of the book (page 159), there are three
great examples of the final slide.