hr case study interview

Hacking the Case Interview

Have an upcoming Human Resources case interview and don’t know how to prepare? Don’t worry because we have you covered!

In this article, we’ll cover:

• What is a Human Resources case interview?
• How to solve any Human Resources case interview
• Essential Human Resources case interview frameworks
• Human Resources case interview example

If you’re looking for a step-by-step shortcut to learn case interviews quickly, enroll in our case interview course . These insider strategies from a former Bain interviewer helped 30,000+ land consulting offers while saving hundreds of hours of prep time.

What is a Human Resources Case Interview?

A Human Resources case interview is a type of interview used in the hiring process for HR consulting-related roles, where candidates are presented with hypothetical or real-world HR scenarios and are asked to analyze, solve, and provide recommendations for the given situations.

The purpose of a HR case interview is to assess the candidate's problem-solving skills, analytical thinking, HR knowledge, and ability to apply HR principles in practical situations.

During a HR case interview, candidates are typically given a description of a specific HR challenge, issue, or scenario.

They are then expected to discuss their thought process, ask clarifying questions, identify the underlying problems, propose possible solutions, and explain the rationale behind their recommendations.

The interviewers are looking for candidates who can demonstrate their ability to think critically, understand the complexities of HR issues, and offer strategic and practical solutions.

The scenarios presented in HR case interviews can cover a wide range of topics within the HR field, including:

• Talent Acquisition and Recruitment : Candidates might be asked to devise a strategy for attracting and selecting the best candidates for a specific position or organization
• Employee Development and Training : The interview scenario could involve designing a training program to improve employee skills and performance
• Performance Management : Candidates might need to address issues related to employee performance evaluation, feedback, and improvement
• Compensation and Benefits : Scenarios may revolve around designing competitive compensation packages or benefits programs
• Diversity and Inclusion : Candidates could be asked to develop initiatives to promote diversity and inclusion within the workplace
• Employee Relations and Conflict Resolution : The case might involve managing interpersonal conflicts or addressing employee grievances
• Organizational Change and Restructuring : Candidates could be presented with scenarios related to managing organizational changes, such as mergers, acquisitions, or restructurings
• HR Strategy and Planning : The case could require candidates to develop long-term HR strategies aligned with the organization's goals

The key to performing well in a HR case interview is to demonstrate a structured approach to problem-solving, a solid understanding of HR principles and best practices, clear communication skills, and the ability to think strategically.

Candidates should break down the problem, consider multiple perspectives, and provide practical and actionable recommendations.

It's important to note that the format and structure of HR case interviews can vary between companies. Some companies might provide candidates with written case materials to review in advance, while others might present the case during the interview itself.

As with any interview, thorough preparation, practice, and research on the company's HR practices and industry trends are essential for success in a HR case interview.

How to Solve a Human Resources Case Interview

There are seven steps to solve a Human Resources case interview.

1. Understand the case

Understanding the case scenario is the foundation of effective problem-solving. Read or listen to the scenario carefully, absorbing the context, key stakeholders, and central issues. 

For example, if the case presents a situation involving declining employee morale and engagement, you'd want to grasp the factors contributing to this decline and the potential consequences for the organization.

2. Ask clarifying questions

Asking thoughtful clarifying questions demonstrates your ability to extract crucial details and gain a comprehensive understanding of the situation. 

For instance, if the case revolves around a sudden increase in turnover, you might inquire about specific departments or roles affected, reasons employees cite for leaving, and any recent organizational changes that could be relevant.

3. Develop a structured approach

Structuring your analysis provides a roadmap for addressing the case logically. A structured framework ensures you cover all necessary aspects and maintains a clear flow of your analysis.

The next section of this article covers essential frameworks you should be familiar with in detail.

4. Gather information 

After understanding the case and asking clarifying questions, use the information you've gathered to delve deeper into the issues. Collect data from the case materials and consider applying relevant HR concepts.

For instance, if the case involves a performance issue among a certain team, you'd want to assess the team dynamics, individual competencies, and possible external factors influencing performance.

5. Propose solutions

Based on your analysis, propose concrete and actionable solutions for each identified issue. These solutions should align with HR best practices and the organization's values. 

If the case highlights a challenge related to attracting top talent, your solutions could range from improving employer branding to enhancing the interview process to increase candidate quality.

6. Evaluate trade-offs

Weighing the pros and cons of each solution demonstrates your critical thinking. Discuss the potential benefits, drawbacks, and implications of implementing your proposed solutions. This showcases your ability to consider multiple perspectives. 

For example, when addressing an employee retention problem, you'd need to assess the costs of implementing retention programs versus the costs of continued turnover.

7. Develop a recommendation

Culminate your analysis by crafting a well-founded recommendation that considers the organization's goals, HR best practices, and the context of the case. Your recommendation should offer a clear path forward. 

If the case centers on improving diversity and inclusion, your recommendation might encompass strategies such as unconscious bias training, diverse recruitment initiatives, and mentoring programs.

In addition to Human Resources case interviews, we also have additional step-by-step guides to: market entry case interviews , growth strategy case interviews , M&A case interviews , pricing case interviews , operations case interviews , and marketing case interviews .

Essential Human Resources Case Interview Frameworks

There are a few Human Resources case interview frameworks you should be familiar with. These are helpful ways of organizing your thoughts and ideas into a structured and systematic approach.

However, we do not recommend using these frameworks word-for-word. You should demonstrate to the interviewer that you can think critically for yourself instead of relying on memorized frameworks.

You should instead be creating your own unique and tailored framework for each Human Resources case interview scenario.

Therefore, your framework may include parts and pieces of the frameworks below, but you should not just copy them.

The PPT Framework

The PPT framework stands for People, Processes, and Technologies, and it's a valuable approach for analyzing and solving Human Resources (HR) challenges in case interviews. This framework focuses on three key dimensions that are often interconnected in HR scenarios. Let's delve into each component:

In this dimension, you'll consider the human aspects of the HR challenge presented in the case. This involves assessing how employees, managers, and stakeholders are affected by the issue and how they contribute to potential solutions.

Some points to address include:

• Employee Engagement and Morale : Examine how the challenge impacts employee satisfaction and motivation
• Leadership and Management : Evaluate how managers' actions and behaviors contribute to or alleviate the challenge
• Communication and Collaboration : Analyze how effective communication and collaboration among employees can influence the situation
• Training and Development : Consider how training and development initiatives can address skill gaps related to the challenge
• Organizational Culture : Explore how the existing culture supports or hinders the resolution of the challenge

2. Processes

This dimension focuses on HR processes, policies, and practices that are relevant to the case. You'll assess how these existing processes might contribute to the challenge and propose adjustments or new processes to address it.

Some aspects to consider are:

• Recruitment and Onboarding : Evaluate how the recruitment process might be impacting the issue and suggest improvements
• Performance Management : Examine how performance evaluation and feedback processes relate to the challenge
• Employee Development : Analyze training, mentoring, and career advancement processes as they pertain to the issue
• Compensation and Benefits : Consider whether compensation structures contribute to or mitigate the challenge
• Conflict Resolution : Address how existing conflict resolution processes can be used to address any interpersonal challenges

3. Technologies

This dimension focuses on the technological tools and systems that can support HR processes and solutions. Modern technologies can greatly impact HR practices and provide innovative ways to solve challenges.

Consider the following:

• HR Information Systems (HRIS) : Explore how HRIS can streamline processes and provide data for decision-making
• Performance Tracking Tools : Assess how tools for monitoring employee performance can aid in addressing the challenge
• Learning Management Systems (LMS) : Examine how an LMS could be used for training and development initiatives
• Recruitment Platforms : Analyze how technology can optimize recruitment efforts and attract suitable candidates
• Employee Feedback Platforms : Consider tools that facilitate employee feedback and engagement measurement

The PESTEL Framework

The PESTEL framework is a strategic analysis tool that helps examine various external factors affecting a business or organization. It stands for Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental, and Legal factors.

When applied to Human Resources (HR) case interviews, the PESTEL framework allows you to consider the broader context that impacts HR challenges and solutions.

Here's how you can use each dimension of the framework in the context of HR cases:

1. Political Factors

Political factors encompass the impact of government policies, regulations, and political stability on HR challenges. In the context of HR case interviews, consider how political factors influence:

• Labor Laws and Regulations: Analyze how labor laws and regulations affect HR practices, such as employment contracts, working hours, and employee rights.
• Immigration Policies: Examine how immigration policies impact talent acquisition and workforce diversity.
• Health and Safety Regulations: Consider how workplace safety regulations influence HR strategies for employee well-being.

2. Economic Factors

Economic factors relate to the broader economic environment, including inflation, economic growth, and market conditions. In HR case interviews, consider how economic factors affect:

• Labor Market Conditions : Evaluate how economic cycles impact talent availability, hiring, and compensation negotiations
• Compensation and Benefits : Examine how economic conditions influence decisions about employee compensation and benefits packages
• Budget Constraints : Analyze how economic fluctuations can affect HR budgets for training, development, and recruitment

3. Social Factors

Social factors encompass cultural trends, demographic shifts, and societal attitudes that impact HR challenges. In HR case interviews, think about how social factors influence:

• Diversity and Inclusion : Consider how societal attitudes towards diversity impact HR initiatives for inclusion and representation
• Work-Life Balance : Examine how changing societal expectations affect employee preferences for work-life balance and flexible arrangements
• Generational Differences : Analyze how different generations' values and expectations influence HR strategies for employee engagement and motivation

4. Technological Factors

Technological factors refer to advancements that impact HR practices and solutions. In HR case interviews, consider how technological factors influence:

• HR Information Systems (HRIS) : Examine how technology can enhance HR processes, such as data management, recruitment, and performance evaluation
• Remote Work Technology : Analyze how technology enables remote work and its implications for HR policies and practices
• Learning Platforms : Consider how technology supports employee learning and development through online training platforms

5. Environmental Factors

Environmental factors pertain to sustainability, ecological concerns, and corporate social responsibility. In HR case interviews, consider how environmental factors influence:

• Sustainability Initiatives : Examine how an organization's commitment to environmental sustainability impacts HR strategies, such as commuting policies and eco-friendly practices
• Employee Well-being : Analyze how a healthy and sustainable work environment contributes to employee well-being and job satisfaction

6. Legal Factors

Legal factors encompass laws and regulations that affect HR practices and employment relationships. In HR case interviews, consider how legal factors influence:

• Employment Contracts : Examine how legal requirements for employment contracts and agreements shape HR policies
• Discrimination and Harassment Laws : Analyze how legal regulations on discrimination and harassment impact HR initiatives for diversity and inclusion
• Data Privacy Regulations : Consider how data privacy laws influence the collection and management of employee data

Human Resources Case Interview Examples

Example #1 : A company's employee engagement has been declining. Develop an HR strategy to address this issue.

To solve this case, you would start by understanding the current engagement levels, analyzing potential causes, and identifying specific areas for improvement. Then, propose initiatives that focus on aspects like recognition programs, career development opportunities, and fostering a positive work culture. Consider how each initiative aligns with the organization's values and goals, and provide an implementation plan detailing roles, timelines, and metrics for success.

Example #2 : A retail company is experiencing high turnover rates among its sales team. How would you address this issue?

Begin by assessing the reasons behind the turnover, considering factors such as compensation, work environment, and career growth. Propose solutions such as conducting exit interviews to gather feedback, adjusting compensation packages, implementing mentorship programs, and providing clear paths for career advancement. Highlight the importance of retaining talented employees and outline the steps needed to execute your recommendations.

Example #3 : A tech company wants to enhance diversity and inclusion in its workforce. Develop strategies to achieve this goal.

Start by understanding the company's current demographics and analyzing potential barriers to diversity. Propose initiatives such as unconscious bias training for hiring managers, targeted recruitment efforts to attract underrepresented groups, and affinity groups to foster a sense of belonging. Emphasize the value of diversity in driving innovation and ensuring a representative workforce, and provide methods to measure the impact of your strategies.

Example #4 : An organization's performance management process is outdated. How would you redesign it?

Begin by evaluating the existing performance management process and identifying its weaknesses. Propose solutions such as implementing continuous feedback mechanisms, setting clear performance goals aligned with company objectives, and utilizing technology for real-time performance tracking. Emphasize the importance of employee development and aligning individual goals with overall organizational success.

Example #5 : A multinational company wants to create a leadership development program. How would you design and implement it?

Start by identifying the leadership skills and competencies required for the company's future success. Develop a comprehensive program that includes leadership training workshops, mentorship opportunities, and experiential learning projects. Consider how to measure the program's effectiveness and tailor the content to different leadership levels within the organization.

Example #6 : A company wants to establish a remote work policy post-pandemic. How would you design and implement this policy?

Begin by analyzing the organization's needs, considering roles suitable for remote work, and potential challenges. Develop a policy that outlines expectations, communication protocols, performance measurement methods, and technology requirements. Address concerns about productivity and collaboration and provide guidelines for maintaining work-life balance while working remotely.

Example #7 : Two companies are merging, leading to cultural clashes and resistance among employees. How would you manage this change?

Begin by understanding the unique cultures of both companies and identifying areas of alignment and divergence. Develop a change management plan that includes clear communication, involving key stakeholders in decision-making, and addressing concerns through town hall meetings and Q&A sessions. Emphasize the benefits of the merger and outline how employees' roles and responsibilities will be impacted positively.

For more practice, check out our article on 23 MBA consulting casebooks with 700+ free practice cases .

Recommended HR Case Interview Resources

Here are the resources we recommend to learn the most robust, effective case interview strategies in the least time-consuming way:

• Comprehensive Case Interview Course (our #1 recommendation): The only resource you need. Whether you have no business background, rusty math skills, or are short on time, this step-by-step course will transform you into a top 1% caser that lands multiple consulting offers.
• Hacking the Case Interview Book   (available on Amazon): Perfect for beginners that are short on time. Transform yourself from a stressed-out case interview newbie to a confident intermediate in under a week. Some readers finish this book in a day and can already tackle tough cases.
• The Ultimate Case Interview Workbook (available on Amazon): Perfect for intermediates struggling with frameworks, case math, or generating business insights. No need to find a case partner – these drills, practice problems, and full-length cases can all be done by yourself.
• Case Interview Coaching : Personalized, one-on-one coaching with former consulting interviewers
• Behavioral & Fit Interview Course : Be prepared for 98% of behavioral and fit questions in just a few hours. We'll teach you exactly how to draft answers that will impress your interviewer
• Resume Review & Editing : Transform your resume into one that will get you multiple interviews

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• September 26, 2022

Best HR Case Studies

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HR as a function has undeniable importance from a business management perspective. With the advancement in technology, 2022 saw a huge technological shift in this aspect of business management as well. Apart from digitizing all other business aspects, organizations have begun to incorporate technology and data into HR practices as well.

HR Analytics Case Studies with Business Impact and its benefits are listed below:

An american mnc reduces attrition using people analytics and forecasting.

Case: This American MNC is a client of PeopleStrong and is suffering from a high turnover of employees at five locations. The company intended to install analytics in order to evaluate the main drivers of attrition and do forecasting for their occurrence at different business locations.

Solution: An integrated tool for workforce analytics was created and implemented. This tool could capture attrition results and their drivers and do a forecasting based on trends.

Also Read:  Executive Development Program In Human Resource Management From XLRI Jamshedpur

Result: The forecasting report predicted that 500 of the 5000 employees were going to quit in the next 6 months. Better employee retention policies were designed which included rewards and incentives apart from better people strategies. Even though 250 people still left, the figure was 50% lower than the prediction.

Under Armour digitized employee recruitment and enhanced employee experience

Case: Under Armour, an American organization dealing with the manufacture of sports and casual apparel and footwear, is a global company. With more than 130 global outlets and 8500 employees, their ATS system received more than 30,000 resumes in a month. Thus, hiring was a cumbersome process for them as well as candidates applying for a job.

Solution: They engaged in a digital recruitment system called Hirevue. With Hirevue, managers could create interviews with candidates with the help of pre-recorded questions. This screening process helped managers call in only employees who met their requirements for webcam or mobile recorded interviews.

Result: Managers could now hire new employees much more quickly. There was a 35% reduction in time in the overall interview to the hiring process. Talent quality also improved.

These above case studies show the emerging trend of incorporating analytics in the HR function of business management . This can also be seen to have positive results in the recruitment and retention processes. 

Human resource management is quite a recent term. Employees are treated with a lot of respect and regard nowadays compared to earlier. There were times when workers were considered to be expendable and they had few rights. Working conditions were miserable and people had no say in how organizations are operated or in the way they were treated. The industrial revolution is what brought changes. Companies started realizing that keeping employees loyal was essential for running businesses smoothly.  

Caring For Employees During The Industrial Revolution

Courses for human resources certification online teach that before the industrial revolution there were hardly any large industries and a need for managing workers was not felt. Working conditions were dangerous for them and pay was hardly commensurate with what work they did. In the late 1900s, companies like the UK-based Cadbury and Jacob from Ireland appointed welfare officers. These firms introduced a system of payment during sick leaves and cheap housing for employees.

Also Read:  Executive Development Program In HR Analytics From XLRI

It was F W Taylor during the early twentieth century who introduced a system for managing staff. He believed that people could be trained to become experts in certain jobs. The famous carmaker Ford adopted his methods. Tools in manpower management like job analysis, employee selection procedures, and training methods were introduced during this period. Certain fast food organizations also adopted Taylor’s theories. His mistake was that he did not think people can get bored with doing the same job.

Employee Management During The World Wars

Two events that changed many things for us are the first and second world wars. Employee unions had been formed during the first world war. As men went to fight wars, women came to be seen more in workplaces. In your HR training certification by IIM Raipur , you will learn how companies had to think about managing workers and form new rules. Recruitment, dismissal, bonus, and absence from work came under the scope of manpower management.

Researchers like Elton May opined that factors like motivation, job satisfaction, leadership skills, and group dynamics could influence performance. The improvement in the economy after the war saw many firms adopting a more flexible approach to staff members. Big companies used employee benefits to lure and retain people. Personnel and welfare work was in full swing during the second world war, but it was done in a bureaucratic style as government-run firms influenced law-making.

The Post-War Scenario

The 60s were not good times for industrial relations as it was found that none of the entities involved in negotiation had skills to discuss issues of employees. As the decade came to an end, employment opportunities improved, and along with this, people management techniques began to be used. When you study human resources certification online courses you will know that terms like motivation, organizational behavior, and management training were heard more commonly.

Also Read:  Executive Development Program In Talent Management

In the seventies, much was talked about rewarding employees. The next two decades saw economies sliding and companies becoming less profitable. But it was also then that many organizations realized the importance of retaining people. They began looking at workers as an asset that must be taken care of if the firm wants to have an edge over competitors. Humans started to be regarded as resources that need to be effectively managed. Human Resource Management was born.

The Nineties To Now

It is no more only personnel management and administrative tasks for workforce heads. The HR training certification by IIM Raipur will tell you that it is more about employee engagement and development that people managers are tasked with now. Human resource departments are strengthening the culture in an organization and finding people who can fit that environment. They are also tasked with ensuring that every employee gets an opportunity to use his or her talents for the benefit of their companies.

Also Read:  Why is it Important to Study Human Resource Management?

HR managers are more focused on workers than on processes. This department is also gaining more importance as management’s realize a need to attract and retain the best talents available in the market. HR leaders find themselves among the C-suite as their role in getting the best out of employees is increasing. They must understand the needs of a more diverse, multicultural, and multigenerational workforce and ensure to fulfill them. Retention of good hands has assumed much importance nowadays.

The Future Of HR Management

  The human resources certification online courses will teach that it is not just enough to employ and retain people, but they must also be trained and developed. The speed at which new technologies emerge, there is a need to keep employees abreast of modern developments. HR managers must continuously update themselves with modern technology and arrange training programs to empower workers with new skills. The journey of staff members in an enterprise will be that of continuous learning.

Acquiring best talents and retaining them will remain the focus of any progressive organization. People managers will have to find innovative means to attract those who are equipped with the latest skills required for a job. Engaging with prospective employees through social media platforms will be practiced by more HR heads. There will be increased use of automation for screening resumes and conducting initial interviews. This will speed up the process and reduce costs.

HR departments will be trying innovative methods to improve employee experience in the company. They will find out the requirements of the new breed of recruits. Learning opportunities will be improved. Promotions and salary hikes will no longer be based on experience or seniority. New procedures for evaluating employees will be used. Getting HR training certification by IIM Raipur will teach new methods that are used by global enterprises for appraisal and rewarding.

Looking at the evolution of human resource management can show you that there has been a shift from looking at employees as only a means to achieve company objectives, treating them as individuals, and satisfying their needs. There is a realization that it is equally important to ensure that their goals are achieved and these objectives are in line with that of the organization. HR departments will play a more important role as retaining good talent becomes crucial. Combining the human force with machines and using that synergy will be highly important in the future.

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47 case interview examples (from McKinsey, BCG, Bain, etc.)

One of the best ways to prepare for   case interviews  at firms like McKinsey, BCG, or Bain, is by studying case interview examples. 

There are a lot of free sample cases out there, but it's really hard to know where to start. So in this article, we have listed all the best free case examples available, in one place.

The below list of resources includes interactive case interview samples provided by consulting firms, video case interview demonstrations, case books, and materials developed by the team here at IGotAnOffer. Let's continue to the list.

• McKinsey examples
• BCG examples
• Bain examples
• Deloitte examples
• Other firms' examples
• Case books from consulting clubs
• Case interview preparation

Click here to practise 1-on-1 with MBB ex-interviewers

1. mckinsey case interview examples.

• Beautify case interview (McKinsey website)
• Diconsa case interview (McKinsey website)
• Electro-light case interview (McKinsey website)
• GlobaPharm case interview (McKinsey website)
• National Education case interview (McKinsey website)
• Talbot Trucks case interview (McKinsey website)
• Shops Corporation case interview (McKinsey website)
• Conservation Forever case interview (McKinsey website)
• McKinsey case interview guide (by IGotAnOffer)
• McKinsey live case interview extract (by IGotAnOffer) - See below

2. BCG case interview examples

• Foods Inc and GenCo case samples  (BCG website)
• Chateau Boomerang written case interview  (BCG website)
• BCG case interview guide (by IGotAnOffer)
• Written cases guide (by IGotAnOffer)
• BCG live case interview with notes (by IGotAnOffer)
• BCG mock case interview with ex-BCG associate director - Public sector case (by IGotAnOffer)
• BCG mock case interview: Revenue problem case (by IGotAnOffer) - See below

3. Bain case interview examples

• CoffeeCo practice case (Bain website)
• FashionCo practice case (Bain website)
• Associate Consultant mock interview video (Bain website)
• Consultant mock interview video (Bain website)
• Written case interview tips (Bain website)
• Bain case interview guide   (by IGotAnOffer)
• Bain case mock interview with ex-Bain manager (below)

4. Deloitte case interview examples

• Engagement Strategy practice case (Deloitte website)
• Recreation Unlimited practice case (Deloitte website)
• Strategic Vision practice case (Deloitte website)
• Retail Strategy practice case  (Deloitte website)
• Finance Strategy practice case  (Deloitte website)
• Talent Management practice case (Deloitte website)
• Enterprise Resource Management practice case (Deloitte website)
• Footloose written case  (by Deloitte)
• Deloitte case interview guide (by IGotAnOffer)

5. Accenture case interview examples

• Case interview workbook (by Accenture)
• Accenture case interview guide (by IGotAnOffer)

6. OC&C case interview examples

• Leisure Club case example (by OC&C)
• Imported Spirits case example (by OC&C)

7. Oliver Wyman case interview examples

• Wumbleworld case sample (Oliver Wyman website)
• Aqualine case sample (Oliver Wyman website)
• Oliver Wyman case interview guide (by IGotAnOffer)

8. A.T. Kearney case interview examples

• Promotion planning case question (A.T. Kearney website)
• Consulting case book and examples (by A.T. Kearney)
• AT Kearney case interview guide (by IGotAnOffer)

9. Strategy& / PWC case interview examples

• Presentation overview with sample questions (by Strategy& / PWC)
• Strategy& / PWC case interview guide (by IGotAnOffer)

10. L.E.K. Consulting case interview examples

• Case interview example video walkthrough   (L.E.K. website)
• Market sizing case example video walkthrough  (L.E.K. website)

11. Roland Berger case interview examples

• Transit oriented development case webinar part 1  (Roland Berger website)
• Transit oriented development case webinar part 2   (Roland Berger website)
• 3D printed hip implants case webinar part 1   (Roland Berger website)
• 3D printed hip implants case webinar part 2   (Roland Berger website)
• Roland Berger case interview guide   (by IGotAnOffer)

12. Capital One case interview examples

• Case interview example video walkthrough  (Capital One website)
• Capital One case interview guide (by IGotAnOffer)

13. Consulting clubs case interview examples

• Berkeley case book (2006)
• Columbia case book (2006)
• Darden case book (2012)
• Darden case book (2018)
• Duke case book (2010)
• Duke case book (2014)
• ESADE case book (2011)
• Goizueta case book (2006)
• Illinois case book (2015)
• LBS case book (2006)
• MIT case book (2001)
• Notre Dame case book (2017)
• Ross case book (2010)
• Wharton case book (2010)

Practice with experts

Using case interview examples is a key part of your interview preparation, but it isn’t enough.

At some point you’ll want to practise with friends or family who can give some useful feedback. However, if you really want the best possible preparation for your case interview, you'll also want to work with ex-consultants who have experience running interviews at McKinsey, Bain, BCG, etc.

If you know anyone who fits that description, fantastic! But for most of us, it's tough to find the right connections to make this happen. And it might also be difficult to practice multiple hours with that person unless you know them really well.

Here's the good news. We've already made the connections for you. We’ve created a coaching service where you can do mock case interviews 1-on-1 with ex-interviewers from MBB firms . Start scheduling sessions today!

The IGotAnOffer team

Secrets to a successful case-study interview

January 9, 2023

Prepping for (and maybe fretting) the case-study interview?

While this kind of interview may appear intimidating, consider this: The interviewer really wants you to do well.

So, shake off the nerves, relax and have fun.

Tips for standing out in the case-study interview: 

• Take your time; don't rush it.  Talk through the problem. If you can't make sense of it, take a moment and allow yourself some time to process what you've been missing. If you get stuck, get creative. Don't let yourself get bogged down; rely on your ingenuity. 
• Ask questions.  You can always ask your interviewer to define an acronym or to repeat or confirm details. If the interviewer asks, “How do we achieve success?”, don’t be afraid to ask, “What does ‘success’ mean to you? Is it turning a profit? Raising the company’s profile?” When you work on a client project, you need to ask questions to figure out what the problems might be, and the same applies here. The interviewer is your biggest asset in the room. They have the information you need to “solve the case” successfully. Use them wisely!
• Be flexible.  The focus of a case-study interview may vary. So, be prepared to participate in whatever discussion the interviewer has in mind. They may spend the first half of the interview asking about your previous experience, or they may dive right into the case study at the start. The bottom line: Be flexible, and be ready to discuss the work you do and how you do it.
• Use visual aids.  Don’t be afraid to use pen and paper, sketch out your thoughts, and talk through the problem at hand if it helps you get your ideas across. What matters most is demonstrating that you can solve problems.
• Focus on impact.  Inventory the information you have, and then dive in where you can have the most impact. Don’t forget to discuss your thought process and explain your assumptions.
• Tell a story.  Your experience has helped you progress in your career and education; use that experience. For example, in a business case study, you could bring your experience as a traveler to a case about a hypothetical airline. Your individuality is important. Your unique insights will serve you well when you’re interviewing.
• Pay attention to cues.  If the interviewer says something, it probably means something. Don’t dismiss seemingly extraneous details. For example, the interviewer might say, “The case is about a retailer who wants to increase the value of a company it purchased, and the owner loved the brand when growing up.” The purpose of that detail is to indicate that turning around and selling the asset is not an option for making it profitable, because the owner is attached to it.

Preparing for the job you want can take time, but it’s a worthwhile investment—especially when you receive an offer.

Your ideas, ingenuity and determination make a difference. 

Find your fit  with Accenture. 

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Anaam Zamorano

RECRUITING ASSOCIATE MANAGER, HOUSTON, TEXAS

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Case Studies

List of case studies articles.

Going beyond the annual party: Engagement, rewards and recognition initiatives by employers in Hong Kong

HR leaders from Simmons and Simmons, The Langham, Hong Kong, Tam Jai International, and Lenovo share with HRO’s Tracy Chan their strategies and initiatives.

• Employee engagement
• Compensation & benefits
• Health & wellness
• Talent Management
• Case studies
• 09 April 2024
• • Tracy Chan

Case study: How Agoda is shifting the dial on DEI by creating safe spaces for diverse employee demographics

Hailing from a small town in India, Aanchal Gupta has always been a strong advocate of DEI. As the global DEI leader for Agoda, she takes pride in building a more inclusive culture across its global markets.

• Diversity & inclusion
• 06 February 2024
• • Priya Sunil

How Flip is evolving its talent acquisition strategy to address Indonesia’s digital talent shortage

As Selfi Andriani, HR Development Manager, shares, this includes strengthening employer branding and conducting an annual review of the salary structure.

• Recruitment
• Upskilling & reskilling
• 13 December 2023
• • Staff Writer

Winning Secrets: McDonald’s Singapore makes its restaurants "My Happy Place" for both customers and staff

"We achieve this by listening to our employees’ needs, giving recognition to success however big or small, and inculcating a culture of opportunity to grow and improve," Lynn Hong, Director, People & Office Services, shares.

• Digital transformation
• 06 December 2023
• • Arina Sofiah

Industry Insider: Mastercard's Priti Singh on building the tech sector's talent pool to keep up with industry trends

"A candidate today does not always need to be a specialist but must be able to upskill and handle diverse business challenges that arise every day," Priti Singh, Senior Vice President, People and Capability, EEMEA, notes.

• 21 November 2023

Winning Secrets: 3 priorities under Kasikornbank's 'possibility to make an impact' EVP

"As HR, we act as business thought partners and solution providers to co-create initiatives with business leaders that would deliver business impact," explains Hataiporn Chiemprasert, First Senior Vice President.

• 17 November 2023

Babilou Family Singapore drives employee retention through a culture of learning, communication & recognition

In an industry where high turnover rates persist, the early childhood organisation affirms the need to value its staff – especially educators – through career development opportunities, team building, incentives, and more.

• Partner insights
• 08 November 2023

Driving D&I: Mashreq Global Network's commitment to empowering women employees

Among its efforts is a programme for women who are returning to the workforce after a hiatus for maternity, elderly care, family responsibilities, pursuing higher studies, or personal interests. Jayanthi Gopal, Head of HR, shares more.

• Leadership development
• 30 October 2023

Winning Secrets: Big C Supercenter’s employee volunteerism strategy combines tangible outcomes and social impact

Hemmawan Poonphol, First EVP, Big C Supercenter, on their diverse sustainability initiatives, such as blood donations, number of patients treated in Big C Field Hospital, and more.  

• Business transformation
• 19 October 2023
• • Aditi Sharma Kalra

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35 Case Interviews Examples from MBB / Big Four Firms

Studying case interview examples is one of the first steps in preparing for the  management consulting  recruitment process. If you don’t want to spend hours searching the web, this article presents a comprehensive and convenient list for you – with 35 example cases, 16 case books, along with a case video accompanied by detailed feedback on tips and techniques.

A clear understanding of “what is a case interview” is essential for effective use of these examples. I suggest reading our  Case Interview 101  guide, if you haven’t done so.

McKinsey case interview examples

Mckinsey practice cases.

• Diconsa Case
• Electro-Light Case
• GlobaPharm Case
• National Education Case

What should I know about McKinsey Case interviews?

At McKinsey, case interviews often follow the interviewer-led format , where the interviewer asks you multiple questions for you to answer with short pitches.

How do you nail these cases? Since the questions can be grouped into predictable types, an efficient approach is to master each question type. However, do that after you’ve mastered the case interview fundamentals!

For a detailed guide on interviewer-led cases, check out our article on McKinsey Case Interview .

BCG & Bain case interview examples

Bcg practice cases.

• BCG – Written Case – Chateau Boomerang

Bain practice cases

• Bain – Coffee Shop Co.
• Bain – Fashion Co.
• Bain – Mock Interview – Associate Consultant
• Bain – Mock Interview – Consultant

What should I know about BCG & Bain case interviews?

Unlike McKinsey, BCG and Bain case interviews typically follow the candidate-led format – which is the opposite of interviewer-led, with the candidate driving the case progress by actively breaking down problems in their own way.

The key to acing candidate-led cases is to master the case interview fundamental concepts as well as the frameworks.

Some BCG and Bain offices also utilize written case interviews – you have to go through a pile of data slides, select the most relevant ones to answer a set of interviewer questions, then deliver those answers in a presentation.

For a detailed guide on candidate-led cases, check out our article on BCG & Bain Case Interview .

Deloitte case interview examples

Deloitte practice cases.

Undergrad Cases

• Human Capital – Technology Institute
• Human Capital – Agency V
• Strategy – Federal Benefits Provider
• Strategy – Extreme Athletes
• Technology – Green Apron
• Technology – Big Bucks Bank
• Technology – Top Engine
• Technology – Finance Agency

Advanced Cases

• Human Capital – Civil Cargo Bureau
• Human Capital – Capital Airlines
• Strategy – Club Co
• Strategy – Health Agency
• Technology – Waste Management
• Technology – Bank of Zurich
• Technology – Galaxy Fitness

What should I know about Deloitte case interviews?

Case interviews at Deloitte also lean towards the candidate-led format like BCG and Bain.

The Deloitte consultant recruitment process also features group case interviews , which not only test analytical skills but also place a great deal on interpersonal handling.

Accenture case interview examples

Accenture divides its cases into three types with very cool-sounding names.

Sorted in descending order of popularity, they are:

These are similar to candidate-led cases at Bain and BCG. albeit shorter – the key is to develop a suitable framework and ask the right questions to extract data from the interviewer.

These are similar to the market-sizing and guesstimate questions asked in interviewer-led cases – demonstrate your calculations in structured, clear-cut, logical steps and you’ll nail the case.

These cases have you sort through a deluge of data to draw solutions; however, this type of case is rare.

Capital One case interview examples

Capital One is the odd one on this list – it is a bank-holding company. Nonetheless, this being one of the biggest banks in America, it’s interesting to see how its cases differ from the consulting ones.

Having gone through Capital One’s guide to its cases, I can’t help but notice the less-MECE structure of the sample answers. Additionally, there seems to be a greater focus on the numbers.

Nonetheless, having a solid knowledge of the basics of case interviews will not hurt you – if anything, your presentation will be much more in-depth, comprehensive, and understandable!

See Capital One Business Analyst Case Interview for an example case and answers.

Other firms case interview examples

Besides the leading ones, we have some examples from other major consulting firms as well.

• Oliver Wyman – Wumbleworld
• Oliver Wyman – Aqualine
• LEK – Cinema
• LEK – Market Sizing
• Kearney – Promotional Planning
• OC&C – Imported Spirits
• OC&C – Leisure Clubs

Consulting clubs case books

In addition to official cases, here are a few case books you can use as learning materials.

Do keep in mind: don’t base your study on frameworks and individual case types, but master the fundamentals so you can tackle any kind of case.

• Wharton Consulting Club Case Book
• Tuck Consulting Club Case Book
• MIT Sloan Consulting Club Case Book
• LBS Consulting Club Case Book
• Kellogg Consulting Club Case Book
• INSEAD Consulting Club Case Book
• Harvard Consulting Club Case Book
• ESADE Consulting Club Case Book
• Darden Consulting Club Case Book
• Berkeley Consulting Club Case Book
• Notre-Dame Consulting Club Case Book
• Illinois Consulting Club Case Book
• Columbia Consulting Club Case Book
• Duke Consulting Club Case Book
• Ross Consulting Club Case Book
• Kearney Case Book

Case interview example – Case video

The limitation of most official case interview examples is that they are either too short and vague, or in text format, or both.

To solve that problem for you, we’ve extracted a 30-minute-long, feedback-rich case sample from our Case Interview End-to-End Secrets Program .

This is a candidate-led, profitability case on an internet music broadcasting company called Pandora.

In 30 minutes, this candidate demonstrates the exact kind of shortcoming that most candidates suffer during real case interviews – they come in with sharp business senses, then hurt their own chances with inadequate techniques.

Here are seven notable areas where the candidate (and you) can improve:

Thanking Throughout the case, as especially in the opening, he should have shown more appreciation for the time the interviewer spent with him.

Structured opening The candidate’s opening of the case feels unstructured. He could have improved it by not mixing the playback and clarification parts. You can learn to nail the case in a 3-minute start through this video on How to Open Any Case Perfectly .

Explicitness A lot of the candidate’s thought process remains in his head; in a case interview, it’s better to be as explicit as possible – draw your issue tree out and point to it as you speak; state your hypothesis when you move into a branch; when you receive data, acknowledge it out loud.

Avoiding silence The silence in his case performance is too long, including his timeout and various gaps in his speech; either ask for timeout (and keep it as short as possible) or think out loud to fill those gaps.

Proactivity The candidate relies too much on the interviewer (e.g: asking for data when it can easily be calculated); you don’t want to appear lazy before your interviewer, so avoid this.

Avoiding repeating mistakes Making one mistake twice is a big no-no in consulting interviews; one key part of the consulting skill set is the ability to learn, and repeating your mistakes (especially if the interviewer has pointed it out) makes you look like someone who doesn’t learn.

Note-taking Given the mistakes this candidate makes, he’s probably not taking his notes well. I can show you how to get it right if you watch this video on Case Interview Note-Taking .

Nonetheless, there are three good points you can learn from the candidate:

The candidate sums up what he’s covered and announces his upcoming approach at the start and at key points in the case – this is a very good habit that gives you a sense of direction and shows that you’re an organized person.

The candidate performs a “reality check” on whether his actions match the issue tree; in a case interview it’s easy to lose track of what you’re doing, so remember to do this every once in a while.

The candidate prompts the interviewer to give out more data than he asked for; if anything, this actually matches a habit of real consultants, and if you’re lucky, your interviewer may actually give out important pieces you haven’t thought of.

These are only part of the “ninja tips” taught In our Case Interview E2E Secrets Program – besides the math and business intuition for long-term development, a key feature is the instant-result tips and techniques for case interviews.

Once you’ve mastered them, you can nail any case they throw at you!

For more “quality” practice, let’s have a mock case interview with former consultants from McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Oliver Wyman, Strategy& and many other consulting firms. They will help you identify your problem areas and give you actionable feedback, making your preparation much easier and faster.

Hi! This is Kim and welcome to another performance in the Tips & Techniques part of our amazing End-to-end program. You are about to hear a really interesting performance.

There is a common Myth that Profitability cases are easier. Well, for beginners, that’s may make sense, but I would argue that Profitability cases can be really tricky and candidates without good foundation will make about the same level of mistakes regardless of type of cases given.

The profitability case we are about to watch will show that. It’s a very unconventional

Profitability. It started out like a typical one but getting more and more tricky toward the end.

The candidate is fairly good in term of business intuition, but the Tips & Techniques aspect needs a lot of fine tune! Now let’s go ahead and get started! 

It’s actually a little better to playback the case information and ask clarifications. The candidate does not distinguish between the two and do both at a same time. Also, the candidate was asking these clarifications in an unorganized and unstructured fashion. This is not something terrible, but could have been better, especially when this is the very first part of the case, where the crucial first impression is being formed.

My pitch would sound like this:

“That’s a very interesting problem and I am happy to get the chance to solve it. First of all let me tell you my understanding of the case context and key objectives. Then I would like to ask a few clarifying questions regarding a few terminology and concepts. Both of these are to make sure that I will be solving the right problem.

So here is my understanding of the case: The client is ABC. Here are some DEF facts about the situation we just talked about. And the key case question is XYZ.

Does that correctly and adequately summarize the case?”

Once the interviewer confirms, I would move to the clarification part as follows: “Now I would like to ask a few clarification questions. There are three of them: No 1, … No 2, … and No 3, …”

You may see above pitch as obvious but that’s a perfect example of how you should open any cases. Every details matters. We will point out those details in just a second. But before we do that, it’s actually very helpful if you can go back, listen carefully to the above pitch, and try to point out the great components yourselves. Only after that, go back to this point and learn it all together.

Alright, let’s break down the perfect opening.

First of all, you hear me say: “That’s a very interesting problem and I am happy to get a chance to solve it”. This seems trivial but very beneficial in multiple ways:

1. I bought myself a couple of seconds to calm down and get focused. 2. By nature, we as human unconsciously like those who give us compliments. Nothing better than opening the case with a modest compliment to the interviewer.

And (c) I showed my great attitude towards the case, which the interviewer would assume is the same for real future consulting business problems.

You should do that in your interviews too. Say it and accompany it with the best smile you can give. It shows that you are not afraid of any problems. In fact, you love them and you are always ready for them.

Secondly, I did what I refer to as the “map habit”, which is to always say what you are about to do and then do it. Just like somebody in the car showing the drivers the route before cruising on the road. The driver would love it. This is where I said: “Let me tell you my understanding of the case context and key objectives. Then ABC…”.

Third, right at the beginning of the case, I try to be crystal clear and easy to follow. I don’t let the interviewer confused between playing the case vs. asking clarification questions. I distinguish between the two really carefully. This habit probably doesn’t change the outcome of how the case goes that much, but it certainly significantly changes the impression the interviewer has of me.

Fourth, in playing back the case, each person would have a different way to re-phrase. But there are three buckets to always include:

1. Who is the client 2. The facts regarding the client and the situation and (c) The key question and the objective of the case.

Fifth, after playing the case context and objectives, I pause for a second and ALIGN with the interviewer: “Does it correctly and adequately summarize the case?”. This is a habit that every consulting manager loves for young consultants to do. Nobody wants first-year folks to spend weeks of passion and hard-work building an excel model that the team can’t use. This habit is extensively taught at McKinsey, Bain and BCG, so therefore interviewers would love somebody that exhibits this habit often in case interview.

Lastly, when asking clarification questions, you hear me number them very carefully to create the strong impression that I am very organized and structured. I said I have three clarifying questions. Then I number them as I go through each. No.1, No.2, and No.3.

Sometimes, during interviews it’s hard to know exactly how many items you are going to get. One way is to take timeout often to carefully plan your pitch. If this is not possible in certain situations, you may skip telling how many items you have; but you should definitely still number your question: No.1, No.2; and so on. 

Just a moment ago, the candidate actually exhibited a good habit. After going through his clarification questions, the candidate ended by asking the “is there anything else” question. In this case, I actually give out an important piece of data.

Though this is not very common as not every interviewer is that generous in giving out data. But this is a habit management consultants have to have every day when talking to experts, clients, or key stakeholders. The key is to get the most data and insights out of every interview and this is the type of open-ended question every consultant asks several times a day.

To show of this habit in a case interview is very good!

There are three things I would like you to pay attention to:

First, it took the candidate up to 72 seconds to “gather his thoughts”. This is a little too long in a case interview. I intentionally leave the 72 seconds of silence in the recording so you get an idea of how long that is in real situations. But it’s worth-noting here is not only that. While in some very complicated and weird cases, it’s ok to take that long to really think and gather ideas. In this case, the approach as proposed by the candidate is very simple. For this very approach, I think no more than 15 to 20 seconds should be used.

No.2, with that said, I have told I really like the fact that this candidate exhibits the “map” habit. Before going straight to the approach he draws the overall approach first.

No.3. You also see here that the candidate tried to align the approach with me by asking my thoughts on it. As I just said on the previous comment, this is a great habit to have. Not only does it help reduce chance of going into the wrong direction in case interviews, but it also creates a good impression. Consulting interviewers love people doing it often!

Here we see a not-really-bad response that for sure could be much better. The candidate was going into the first branch of the analysis which is Revenue. I would fix this in 3 aspects:

First, even though we just talked about the overall approach, it’s still better to briefly set up the issue tree first then clearly note that you are going into one branch.

Second, this is not a must, but I always try to make my hypothesis as explicitly clear as possible. Here the candidate just implicitly made a hypothesis that the problem is on the revenue side. The best way to show our hypothesis-driven mindset is to explicitly say it.

Third, you hear this a ton of times in our End-to-End program but I am going to repeat it again and again. It is better to show the habit of aligning here too. Don’t just go into revenue, before doing that, give the interviewer a chance to agree or to actually guide you to Cost.

So, summarizing the above insights, my pitch would sound something like this:

“So as we just discussed, a profit problem is either caused by revenue or by cost. Unless you would like to go into cost first, let’s hypothesize that the problem is on revenue side. I would like to look deeper into Revenue. Do we have any data on the revenue?”

And while saying this, you should literally draw an issue tree and point to each as you speak.

There is an interesting case interview tip I want to point out here. Notice how the candidate responds after receiving two data points from me. He went straight into the next question without at least acknowledging the data received and also without briefly analyzing it.

I am glad that the candidate makes this mistakes… well, not glad for him but for the greater audience of this program. I would like to introduce to you the perfect habit of what you should react and do every time you have any piece of data during case interviews. So three things you need to do:

Step 1: Say … that’s an interesting piece of data. This helps the interviewer acknowledge that you have received and understand the data. This also buys you a little time. And furthermore, it’s always a good thing to give out modest compliments to the interviewer.

Step 2: Describe the data, how it looks, is there any special noteworthy trend? In this case, we should point out that revenue actually grew by more than 50%.

Also notice here that I immediately quantified the difference in specific quantitative measurement (in this case, percentage). Saying revenue went up is good, but it’s great to be able to say revenue went up by more than 50%.

Step 3: Link the trend identified back to the original case question and the hypothesis you have. Does it prove, disprove, or open up new investigation to really test the hypothesis? In this case, this data piece actually opened up new investigating areas to test the hypothesis that the bottleneck is within revenue.

My sample pitch for this step 3 would sound like this: “It’s interesting that revenue went up quite a bit. However, to be able to fully reject our hypothesis on the revenue, I would like to compare our revenue to that of the competitors as well.”

Then only at this point, after going through 3 steps above, I ask for the competitors’ revenue like the candidate did.

Notice here that I ended up asking the same question the candidate did. This shows that the candidate does have a good intuition and thought process. It’s just that he did all of these implicitly on his head.

In consulting case interview, it’s always good to do everything as explicitly as possible. Not only is it easier to follow but it helps show your great thought process.

… the rest of the transcript is available in our End To End Case Interview

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10 Steps to Write a HR Case Study

My sister always looks forward to when she will cease to be a student. I can only imagine her joy from the countless times I have heard her yapping about it. But I barely blame her; she has all the rights to wait for that time.

Being a student often feels like a necessary evil that you can barely wait to be over with. Many situations make the wait feel longer than it seems. An example is HR case study writing. But it doesn’t have to be that way. It is said that if you can’t beat them, join them. The same goes. If it is too unnerving, learn its ways and be the pro.

What is an HR case study?

If you may be interested in business studies, then this may not be a new phrase you’ve heard of.

A case study analysis is a form of academic writing which analyses a situation, event, place, or person to form a conclusion. They are valuable for phenomena that can’t be studied in a laboratory or quantitative methods. HR case studies play vital roles in human resource management, personnel management, and other related courses. They include a detailed description of a simulated or real-life decision-making scenario. They also aim at enhancing decision-making skills, managerial competency, and problem-solving skills.

The following are tips to perfect your HR case study writing:

1. Read the given instructions carefully

It is amusing how people often spurn instructions and delve right into whatever they desire to do as if they are experts. Guidelines will always be worthwhile and will come in very handy, more than you would know. The witty Agnes Allen quotes that when everything fails, read the instructions.

Make sure you understand what is expected of you from the given instruction. Scrutinize and comprehend them because only then will you have a facile time as you advance with your writing.

2. Prepare for the assignment

When going for battle, you must double-check on all items that offer you a winning chance. Determine the primary problem in context to your study, the kind of questions you want to ask, the tools necessary in your assignment, and your research background. Once you can answer the questions above, the foggy confusion in your mind fades, and you begin to experience translucence on how to go about your case study.

3. Choose your required tools carefully

The sky is always the limit. It is okay to dream as big as you want. However, make sure your dreams are achievable. A case study involves responses piled up from the public and any other sources. To amass this information, tools such as interviews and questionnaires are necessary for use. The decision on the tools to use may be guided as per the instructions provided. If not, choose the least problematic and the easiest to work with.

4. Formulate your questions to give the most accurate response

The type of questions depends on the kind of tool you decide to use. For example, if the study aims to check the public’s response towards a particular product, the questions asked in an interview may differ from those asked in a questionnaire. Interviews offer a one-on-one chance, allowing the interviewer to give more information on the topic. On the other hand, questionnaires are straightforward and cap the response of the one answering. For better response, you may combine various tools to get a wide array of information. The choice is all yours.

5. Learn how to use various tools of research

There is no research without action, no action without research. To conduct a case study, you may require skills you have minimal knowledge of. The only way this is possible is through studying and researching. If your tool of interest is through interviews, you must learn to be the best interviewer. Many expert writers from various essay writing services are patiently waiting for your call, and they will offer all the help you may require. With academic writing services, you may learn the best way of interviewing to get the best results as directly as possible.

6. Devise a method to analyze data collected

Information obtained is then collected and appropriately arranged to reduce any stupor. Review the answers to each question and analyze why the person provided such an answer. For this data to be understood effectively, it must be carefully examined. Ensure that you closely dissect all responses supplied to grasp properly how best you will answer your question.

7. Organize the information obtained to a manageable measure

You may have collected all manner of information from your research, questionnaires, interviews, and any other sources you may have had. However, it may be inconceivable to document all your responses in your case study. Of course, you will need to provide facts, numbers, or refer to authoritative sources. You can also use phrases from the interview. You may be forced to selectively choose the information provided. Summarize the responses given while highlighting the main point given by your audience. This is a skill you must master. Managing your data makes your study more manageable to handle, interpret and understand.

8. Choose the best data presentation tools

A case study is all about how well you handle your data and communicate the responses obtained. Presentation is therefore very delicate to this process. Your presentation skills must be nothing short of top-notch. All the information is necessary so that the reader can come to his conclusion with your help. In simpler words, this task is like a puzzle. Each of your sentences is a puzzle, and your conclusion already adds up the overall picture. Numbers may come a long way to show the extent of the work conducted. You may, for example, indicate the number of people that sided with a specific response. Take that extra mile to show how flawless your work is.

9. Compose your case study

Once you have all your facts right, nothing stops you from jotting down your findings. With the guidance of an efficient case study writing service , you will be unbeatable. You can also find professional essay writing help to guide you through your experience on the internet. You can also look at many examples to make your writing as smooth as possible.

10. Edit your work

The nerve-wracking part is now over. Ensure all questions have been answered, and the instructions have been followed closely. Confirm there are no grammatical or spelling errors as well. Now, you are good to go.

Negative perceptions have proven to be very restricting and imprisoning. Nothing is impossible with the proper guidance, so do not fear writing essays; we are here to help you.

“Mark Hunt” has been a professional writer since 2006. He is very passionate about his work related to HR.

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Top 35 HR Interview Questions (Example Answers Included)

Mike Simpson 0 Comments

By Mike Simpson

Ah, HR interview questions. You may think that, if anyone should have the interview process down, it’s human resources professionals. Sure, they may have more exposure than anyone else. After all, interviewing is a common part of the human resources job description. However, that doesn’t mean HR professionals should spend time preparing.

Even the most skilled HR pro can stumble during an interview. Plus, not all human resources employees conduct interviews. Some focus on personnel management , benefits administration , training , payroll , policy creation , and much more. It’s a diverse field, encompassing all things “people” in the workplace.

As with all hiring manager meetings, nailing your HR answers during your interview is essential if you want the job. That way, you can impress the hiring manager, increasing your odds of getting an offer. If you want to make sure that you shine, here’s what you need to know to handle those HR questions.

How to Answer HR Interview Questions

Alright, we know you’re here for the human resources interview questions, and we swear we’ve got those coming. The thing is, you need to take a step back for a moment. After all, examples only go so far. If you don’t have a great strategy for tackling HR questions and answers, you might have a harder time during your interview than you’d expect.

As an HR professional, you’re in a unique position. There’s a decent chance you’ve done at least a bit of interviewing yourself or at least have a good grasp on interviewing best practices.

But that doesn’t mean HR interview questions can’t be tricky. Plus, you may have less leeway when it comes to mistakes.

Well, because, theoretically, you should know exactly what’s coming.

Luckily, since you’re here, you can prepare to face off against those human resources interview questions. With the right technique – which we’re about to share – you can navigate traditional questions and even handle the unexpected. So, let’s dig into that.

First, research is your ally . Take a deep dive into that HR job description to see precisely what the hiring manager wants to find. This is incredibly important. After all, there are multiple levels of HR professional (often ranging from HR assistant to HR manager , not to mention the C-suite jobs), and you need to make sure you’re ready for questions that align with the exact role.

But you don’t want to stop there. No, sirree. Instead, take a trip to the company’s website and track down the mission and values statements. These are great for gleaning details about the organization’s priorities and culture . Plus, if you may be able to reference these tidbits during the interview, a move that’s sure to impress.

After that, the company’s social media pages are good destinations. Again, you’ll learn about its culture, but you can also discover details about recent achievements, which is cool.

Alright, now that your research is done, it’s on to step two. Spend some time reviewing general job interview questions . Certain questions are practically universal, like, “ What are you most proud of ?” and “ How do you handle stress ?” So, make sure you work on those kinds of questions first.

But how do you handle those, particularly those dastardly behavioral interview questions ? Well, with the right strategy, of course. Begin with a healthy dose of the STAR Method . Mix in a good helping of Tailoring Method , and you’ll be in really good shape. Your answers will be compelling and relevant, which is really what it’s all about.

We also wanted to let you know that we created an amazing free cheat sheet that will give you word-for-word answers for some of the toughest interview questions you are going to face in your upcoming interview. After all, hiring managers will often ask you more generalized interview questions!

Click below to get your free PDF now:

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Top 3 HR Interview Questions

To say that there are a ton of HR professionals around is an understatement. Overall, there are about 165,200 HR manager jobs alone. That’s just management. Add that to the 666,500 HR specialists, and you’re still only scratching the surface.

Why does that matter? Well, it matters because it shows how much competition you may face to land a position. That’s why using a great strategy to answer your HR interview questions is so important. Standing out from the pack is a must, and great HR answers is a way to do it.

So, to help you craft stellar responses, here’s a look at the top three human resources interview questions and answers.

1. How would you handle it if an applicant tricked the ATS screening process to let them through, such as by listing keywords in white text in a resume footer?

Alright, this one is a doozy for anyone working in the world of recruitment. The truth is, there are ways that candidates can trick an ATS into seeing them as qualified for the role, even if they may not be. In fact, there are hundreds (if not thousands) of articles online telling them how to beat the ATS, some of which are very unscrupulous.

Usually, job seekers use these methods hoping that, if a hiring manager actually reads their application, they’ll get a shot anyway. If you’re working in recruitment, then you may be the first one who even sees their resume, leaving what comes next in your hands.

EXAMPLE ANSWER:

“If I saw a resume come through that didn’t seem like a match at a glance, the first thing I would do is take a closer look. My goal would be to determine whether there was any dishonesty or if the applicant employed a mechanism – like the white text example you provided – to force their way through the initial screening. Most ATS systems can highlight the screening keywords on the application, so I would use that tool as a first step. That way, I could quickly determine if the candidate may have manipulated the system. However, if that wasn’t available, then I would access the document and change all of the text to a readable color, allowing any previously hidden text to be revealed. If it did turn out that the candidate used the trick, then I would follow company policy regarding dishonesty in applications. Often, this would disqualify them from further consideration.”

2. Which emerging trends will have the biggest impact on HR moving forward?

As with all industries, change in the world of HR is common. Hiring managers want to know that you take extra steps to remain current, particularly when it comes to trends that will be incredibly impactful. This question helps them figure out if you’re in the know, as well as how you view potential upcoming changes.

EXAMPLE ANSWER :

“When it comes to emerging trends, I think one of the biggest is the transition to remote hiring. COVID-19 fundamentally altered the landscape, leaving companies scrambling to adapt initially. However, as time has passed, solutions are becoming more refined. Over the next few years, I anticipate some significant advances that will ease remote hiring, allowing it to become a smooth and reliable standard process instead of what it often is today. Additionally, I believe that artificial intelligence will enhance candidate screening. For instance, many existing ATS solutions lack the ability to search for matching resumes beyond the keywords they are given. With AI, the ATS may be able to extrapolate or make connections that it can’t do today. For example, they may be able to determine the meaning of acronyms based on contextual information, letting the system find matches it would have previously missed.”

3. What qualities are most critical for HR professionals?

Here’s a fairly trick HR question, mainly because there isn’t technically a right or wrong answer. It’s also unique in that it lets the hiring manager learn more about your traits, preferences, and personality, albeit a bit indirectly.

Usually, a combination approach is necessary. You might want to include a few traits that were listed in the job ad, creating a sense of alignment. However, you can also go further, including personal insights about what qualities have helped you thrive.

“When it comes to critical qualities, I think strong ethics and trustworthiness one certainly two of the biggest. HR professionals are privy to a lot of personal information and often have to navigate complex situations while following all regulations and remaining compliant. Strong ethics make sure you have a guiding light, making it easier to act appropriately. Trustworthiness ensures that what should remain private does. However, it’s also important to factor in impartiality and objectiveness. An HR professional can’t let their personal opinions cloud their judgment. It’s crucial that they remain neutral, particularly when moderating disputes or executing certain employee actions. That way, facts always guide decision making.”

32 More HR Interview Questions

Here are 32 more HR interview questions you might encounter:

• Why did you decide to become a human resources professional?
• What do you enjoy most about working in human resources? What do you enjoy least?
• What is your experience with policy creation and enforcement?
• Do you believe that onboarding is crucial for employee success? Why or why not?
• Have you ever witnesses something unethical in the workplace? If so, what did you do?
• How do you feel about job elimination? Do you have experience with layoffs or terminations?
• Has there ever been a time where you had to deviate from company policy to handle a personnel issue? Why did you choose not to follow the policy?
• What is your go-to question when conducting interviews to gauge a candidate’s personality or traits?
• If you discovered, after a new employee was hired, that there was inaccurate information on their application, what would you do?
• Which emerging trends will have the biggest impact on HR moving forward?
• Tell me about your experience with remote hiring processes.
• What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced while working in human resources? How did you overcome it?
• Do you subscribe to any professional publications or belong to any professional groups?
• Do you currently hold any certifications, such as the PHR or SHRM-CP ?
• Tell me about a time when you had to put your conflict resolution skills to work to settle a dispute between two employees. What about a dispute between a manager and an employee?
• Can you describe a time when you and a colleague didn’t agree on a course of action? How did you resolve the resulting conflict?
• Have you ever disagreed with a company policy? If so, what did you do, and why?
• The workplace is brimming with people whose communication styles may differ from yours. How do you adapt your approach to ensure critical information is conveyed and well understood?
• If a manager is dealing with a difficult employee, how would you proceed? For example, what advice would you give them? What steps would you personally take to help resolve the issue?
• Tell me about a time when you had to fire someone, and it didn’t go well. What happened? Is there anything you could have done differently to make the process smoother?
• How do you measure success in HR?
• If an employee came to you with a serious complaint about their manager, what would you do?
• Why do you want to work for our company?
• What strategies have you used to boost retention during your career?
• In your opinion, how valuable is a strong company culture in the world of hiring and recruitment?
• If a company is struggling with retention but can’t offer salary increases due to budget constraints, what recommendations would you have for improving the situation?
• What are your views on diversity initiatives? Do you think they are effective?
• When you need to find candidates for a hard-to-fill position, what resources do you use to locate them?
• What are the keys to a great candidate experience?
• What ATS, HRMS, HRIS, and other software solutions are you familiar with?
• Which HR niche do you have the most experience with?
• How do you stay on top of changes in employment law?

5 Good Questions to Ask at the End of an HR Interview

As your interview draws to a close, there’s a good shot that you’ll have a chance to ask some questions yourself. You need to make sure you have something to ask. By choosing intelligent, thoughtful questions, you showcase your interest in the role and come across as engaged, both of which can help you land the job.

If you aren’t sure what you should ask after you’ve given your HR answers during the interview, here are a few questions to ask HR interviewers before your meeting ends.

• What is the biggest HR challenge that the company is facing today?
• How would you describe the company’s culture?
• What does a typical day in this HR role look like? What about the most challenging one?
• Does the company provide continuing education opportunities to its HR staff?
• Which HR technologies does the company use?

Putting It All Together

Ultimately, shining during your interview can make a world of difference. Use the HR interview questions and answers, as well as the other helpful tips, to make sure you stand out from the crowd. That way, you can increase your odds of landing your perfect position, ensuring your HR career gets (and stays) on track.

And as always, good luck!

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• Tell Me About Yourself
• Why Should We Hire You?

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Co-Founder and CEO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Mike is a job interview and career expert and the head writer at TheInterviewGuys.com.

His advice and insights have been shared and featured by publications such as Forbes , Entrepreneur , CNBC and more as well as educational institutions such as the University of Michigan , Penn State , Northeastern and others.

Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page .

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Co-Founder and CEO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Mike is a job interview and career expert and the head writer at TheInterviewGuys.com. His advice and insights have been shared and featured by publications such as Forbes , Entrepreneur , CNBC and more as well as educational institutions such as the University of Michigan , Penn State , Northeastern and others. Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page .

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Interviews That Work

Though varied and evolving, interview techniques still focus on identifying the best candidate.

Introduction

​“How do you keep up with business developments?” That’s what Eileen Timmins asks just about every job applicant. If, say, the candidate responds that he or she reads The Wall Street Journal, Timmins, who is CHRO of the Muscular Dystrophy Association and a professor at DePaul University in Chicago, follows up: “Share a recent article with me. Tell me what you learned from it.” She believes the response will shed light on the individual’s commitment—or lack thereof—to continued learning and development.  

“A lot of them are taken off guard,” says Timmins, whose philosophy is that a person who doesn’t engage in such education is a poor bet to excel. “You always have to grow,” she maintains.

Every interviewer has his or her favorite questions or techniques. “It’s such a grab bag. It depends on what kind of candidate you’re dealing with,” says Laura DeCarlo, an author, blogger and coach on career-industry issues in Melbourne, Fla.

While the goal of interviewing is the same as it ever was—to determine which job seeker is best qualified and most likely to perform well in the open position—there are some notable new trends in the talent assessment world. Some progressive employers are replacing phone screens with video interviewing, while others are asking candidates to tackle “case studies” that provide insight into how they would approach the organization’s problems. And companies across the board are paying more attention to ensuring a positive candidate experience. That has become a necessity in an age when job seekers can easily “talk back” to the company through social media. With just a few keystrokes, they can inform the rest of the world what their interview encounter was like via Glassdoor and other rating websites, potentially inflicting harm on a business’s brand.

But perhaps the biggest trend is no trend at all: a recommitment to the basics of solid interviewing. After all, making good hiring decisions has taken on renewed importance in the wake of an ultra-competitive labor market and rampant skills gaps. “Old is new again,” says Rosemary Haefner, CHRO of Chicago-based job board CareerBuilder . “The flavor of the week—such as asking questions designed just to startle the interviewee—is simply not effective.” Instead, “You have to think about what is going to get to the heart of the matter as quickly as possible.”

The Process

No single question or criterion can lead to the right hiring decision. “Assessing a job applicant is a little like dating,” says David Weisenfeld, a legal editor and podcast host for Brightmine , based in New Providence, N.J.

Situational questions explore how the job seeker would navigate a scenario that he or she might encounter if hired, such as “What would you do if a team member missed a critical deadline?”

Applicants might be asked to write up a case study or undertake a sample project to demonstrate their thought processes and skills. That approach has gained favor in recent years, primarily for such high-skilled positions as consultant or product developer, because technology allows employers to construct elaborate hypothetical virtual scenarios. 

Applicants for high-skilled positions might be asked to write up a case study or undertake a sample project to demonstrate their thought processes and skills.

Most interviewers use a mix of techniques. “My preference is to do a hybrid approach of behavioral and case study or presentation,” says Wade Pierson, managing partner of Impact Talent Ventures , a talent acquisition company based in Medford, N.J.

It’s also a good idea to keep tabs on the types of interviews your company’s competitors are conducting; employer rating sites can be a good resource. “But that doesn’t mean that you have to do what everyone else is doing,” Haefner says.

Sometimes off-the-wall questions can be useful. Asking how long it would take to move Mount Fuji might seem preposterous, but for positions that require sophisticated problem-solving skills, it can be a good gauge of abilities that are vital to the role. The person might start by puzzling out how many cubic feet of mountain can fit in a pickup truck bed. This technique can also illuminate how well a candidate handles the unexpected.

Current Trends

Some of the more interesting trends in interviewing techniques include the following:

Video. Video interviewing has certainly gotten a lot of buzz, but research indicates that, for most employers, face-to-face meetings are still the norm. For example, a 2015 survey by the Talent Board , a San Diego-based nonprofit focused on talent acquisition, found that only 4 percent of companies were using video in job interviews. However, that figure might increase as the technology improves and HR professionals recognize its potential.

“It opens up a much larger candidate pool,” Timmins says.

Some experts believe video has the potential to supplant initial telephone screenings. Like phone conversations, video interviews can be recorded, but they offer much more information than an audio-only call. They provide insight into a person’s body language and general professional demeanor, including whether the applicant is calling from an office or den as opposed to sitting in a kitchen with cats on the counter and kids tossing cereal at each other. And the efficiency is hard to beat. “I can sit down and look at 20 or 30 one- to three-minute video interviews” in less than a day and come up with a short list of top candidates, says Kevin Grossman, vice president of the Talent Board.

Case studies. The use of case studies—asking candidates to tackle a hypothetical challenge—is not new. However, some talent acquisition experts say it’s being used more often now in certain fields, such as consulting. Advanced gamification technology is also driving the trend. With hard-to-quantify soft skills, such as collaboration and persuasiveness, becoming more important as the workplace evolves, employers want to know more than just what jobs applicants have had. They want to see how applicants handle problems.

The case study technique also illuminates how well a candidate can communicate. The business problem presented to a job seeker might be fictitious or one the company has faced, but ideally it matches the organization’s needs with the would-be employee’s abilities.

“For the employer, it really is a great opportunity to see how someone thinks,” Merritt says. “Watch how the candidate works through it. See how they map out their problem-solving. Do they bring something to the table?” Some organizations give people a case study assignment on the spot and have them complete it before leaving the building.

Other businesses offer candidates considerably more time. Using gamification, beauty company L’Oreal gives promising undergraduates several months to complete case studies. Through the game’s virtual environment, the students act as international marketing directors. Teams of three conduct a market analysis and launch a new product with guidance from L’Oreal executives. The teams are judged on innovation, communication and promotion, with job offers awaiting top performers.

Group interviewing. This is another approach being used more widely, in part because it saves time and allows several people to compare notes immediately after a session while their impressions are fresh. Typically, some members of the interview panel would be peers of the prospective employee; others are supervisors. This format allows the applicant to interact with members of his or her prospective team. More important, it gives the organization multiple perspectives on the job seeker. It’s also more efficient and cost-effective than arranging a series of one-on-one meetings and helps establish cultural fit, which might help explain its current popularity. Video also can be used for panel interviews.

“The nice thing is that you get buy-in from everyone on the panel,” Merritt says. At the same time, “it can be like a popularity contest” if group members are not given training or advice on what to ask and how to evaluate job seekers. So HR must keep a tight rein on the process: “It’s important that you know who the final decision-maker is.”

Room for Improvement

When it comes to hiring, the stakes are high—so how can HR professionals promote organizationwide improvement in interviewing?

Training for interviewers. It’s often assumed that hiring managers know how to interview, but that’s not necessarily the case. Though training is widely available from consultants, few organizations avail themselves of help.

“Probably 70 percent of people who do interviewing do it off the cuff,” DeCarlo says. 

Even veteran interviewers should keep their skills up-to-date. “It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been doing it,” Haefner says. “You always want a refresh.” 

The applicant’s perspective. Now that rating websites allow people to post anonymous comments about organizations, including how they were treated during and after an interview, awareness of the candidate experience is rising among recruiters. “External platforms like Glassdoor are important when it comes to employer branding,” says Owen Tripp, CEO of San Francisco-based Grand Rounds , which provides employer-based health assistance to patients and families.

To build your brand, think about the process from the applicant’s perspective. It’s important to make sure candidates don’t have a “black hole” experience—a lack of any contact with the company for weeks or months after an interview takes place. Surveys show that this is a leading cause of negative reviews on social media.

“HR professionals and organizations are thinking more like marketers. But not all organizations are there yet,” Haefner says. “If you have a shortage of truck drivers, your brand is just as important to you as it is to a tech company in Silicon Valley.”

An organization’s culture is part of its brand, so cultural fit will become more important as employers put increased emphasis on finding and retaining highly engaged and collaborative employees to drive results. “You can have the most wonderful candidates, but they have to have the values” that mesh with your organization’s values, Timmins says.

New technologies will certainly open up new options for interviewers but, at the end of the day, a strong command of the basics is what will be most helpful in ensuring that you made the best choice. 

“The trend is not to be trendy,” Haefner says. “Find out what’s going to work for you.”  

Steve Bates is a freelance writer in the Washington, D.C., area and a former writer and editor for SHRM.

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Case Study: How Assessment Helped Healthcare HR Adapt, Innovate and Thrive

As organizations compete to attract and retain the best talent, employee expectations of the workplace experience have risen from background noise to breaking news. Human resources leaders are re-examining their HR operation's contributions, their employee experiences, scalability and innovation.

Challenge: Organizational change and growth threaten to overtake lean HR team

The needs of the organization had begun to outpace the capabilities of the HR team. Uphill battles included:

Client summary

• 1,000-employee acute care hospital located in the Midwest
• Long-standing history of providing care since 1892
• Operates two facilities licensed for 217 beds
• Serves as the community's healthcare hub, providing secondary-level healthcare to residents in eight counties
• The organization places increasing emphasis on relationships with neighboring community hospitals, physicians and agencies that depend on providers for specialty care. Further, as a healthcare provider, the organization strives to improve population health through local and regional collaboration at the lowest responsible cost.
• HR leadership turnover created lack of role clarity among the team.
• Daily HR demands crowded out important strategic planning as the new HR leader faced the need to develop an action plan.
• They lacked an organizational vision and strategy for an overarching people plan.

The HR function needed a comprehensive review of its talent management framework and life cycle processes. Leadership determined that the new HR leader and a particularly lean team would benefit from an expert partner to conduct an assessment of the department.

Areas of concern included:

Compliance : To what extent does the organization comply with current federal, state and local laws and regulations?

Best practices : How well does the organization maintain or improve its competitive advantage compared with organizations identified as using exceptional HR practices?

Strategy : Do the HR systems and processes align with the HR department's strategy and the business goals of the company?

Function : Does the efficiency and effectiveness of such HR functions as recruitment, inclusivity/belonging, employee retention, culture, talent development and compensation/rewards support the overall HR strategy?

Solution: In-depth assessment and gap analysis

The organization asked Gallagher's HR Consulting team to conduct an assessment of the HR function, review documentation and processes and make recommendations to improve department strength and structure.

The Gallagher team met with organizational leaders to understand growth projections and the role of human resources as the driver of goals addressing talent strategy, culture, employee development and other areas. Further, the Gallagher team interviewed cross-functional department leaders to understand the unique needs of their areas.

Gallagher consultants reviewed all HR-related documentation and interviewed staff responsible for HR functions ranging from compliance, talent acquisition and onboarding practices to leave management, workers' compensation, culture and employee relations, among other areas.

HR staff members completed a Gallagher questionnaire to outline their current roles and responsibilities, offer perceptions about their department and suggest process improvements.

Common themes emerged from the Gallagher team's interactions with management and HR staff members. All acknowledged the vast changes across the organization and the HR department, as well as concern that the HR team may struggle to deliver services in pace with organizational growth.

Results: Better clarity, efficiency and a path forward

Based on the assessment, the Gallagher team compiled a comprehensive report outlining recommendations to improve compliance, communication and workflow, as well as streamline job duties and HR procedures. Further, the team proposed a strategic plan with timelines. Benefits included:

• Streamlined HR processes such leave administration, hiring process and candidate experience
• Corrected compliance gaps including those around Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA)
• Restructured HR department roles and responsibilities to enhance leadership strength and HR skill depth; recommended short-term and long-term team structure
• Enhanced communication and proposed an action plan to support employee engagement and strengthen culture

Gallagher's Human Resources Consulting team can assess and strengthen your organization's HR function to enhance overall organizational wellbeing.

Author Information

Kevie Mikus

Regional area vice president.

• Brentwood, TN

Consulting and insurance brokerage services to be provided by Gallagher Benefit Services, Inc. and/or its affiliate Gallagher Benefit Services (Canada) Group Inc. Gallagher Benefit Services, Inc. is a licensed insurance agency that does business in California as "Gallagher Benefit Services of California Insurance Services" and in Massachusetts as "Gallagher Benefit Insurance Services." Neither Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., nor its affiliates provide accounting, legal or tax advice.

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