case study for audit interview

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• Audit and assurance case study questions
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The first article in this series of two on Paper P7 case study questions discussed question style, what to look for in the requirements, how higher-level skills are tested, and the meaning of professional marks within a question requirement. This second article goes through part of a typical Section A case study question, applying the recommended approach described in the previous article. This approach comprises four stages.

Stage 1 – understanding the requirement

The first thing to do is to read and fully understand the question requirement. Here is the requirement we will be looking at in this article:

‘Prepare a report, to be used by a partner in your firm, in which you identify and evaluate the professional, ethical, and other issues raised in deciding whether to accept the appointment as provider of an assurance opinion as requested by Petsupply Co.’ (12 marks)

Note: this requirement includes two professional marks.

Having read the requirement, break it down. You are asked to do two things:

• identify, ie state from the information provided
• evaluate, ie discuss from a critical point of view.

The requirement asks you to consider ‘professional, ethical, and other issues’. This could cover a wide range of considerations, such as:

• ethics: independence, competence, conflicts of interest, confidentiality, assessing integrity
• professional issues: the risk profile of the work requested, the fee – and whether it is sufficient to compensate for high risk, availability of staff, managing client expectations, logistical matters such as timing, legal and regulatory matters – such as money laundering, and (in some cases) obtaining professional clearance
• other issues: whether the work ‘fits’ with the commercial strategy of the audit firm, the potential knock-on effect of taking on the work – such as the impact on other clients, or on other work performed for this client.

You are asked to produce a report, so remember that the professional marks available will be awarded for using the correct format, the use of professional business language, and for presenting your comments as a logical flow culminating in a conclusion.

From reading the requirement, you know that the question scenario will be based on a potential assurance assignment and will be broadly based around acceptance issues.

Stage 2 – reading the scenario

When reading through the detail of the scenario, you should now be alert to information relevant to this requirement. Highlight important points that you think are relevant to the scenario and remember to focus on issues that could affect your acceptance of a potential assurance assignment.

Now read the following extract from the scenario and highlight the salient points – remember to look out for any factors relevant to the ethical, professional, and other issues described above.

Extract: You are a senior manager in Dyke & Co, a small firm of Chartered Certified Accountants, which specialises in providing audits and financial statement reviews for small to medium-sized companies. You are responsible for evaluating potential assurance engagements, and for producing a brief report on each prospective piece of work to be used by the partners in your firm when deciding whether to accept or decline the engagement. Dyke & Co is keen to expand the assurance services offered, as a replacement for revenue lost from the many small‑company clients choosing not to have a statutory audit in recent years. It is currently May 2007.

Petsupply Co has been an audit client of Dyke & Co for the past three years. The company owns and operates a chain of retail outlets selling pet supplies. The finance director of Petsupply Co recently communicated with your firm to enquire about the provision of an assurance report on data provided in the Environmental Report published on the company’s website. The following is an extract from the e-mail sent to your firm from the finance director of Petsupply Co:

‘At the last board meeting, my fellow directors discussed the content of the Environmental Report. They are keen to ensure that the data contained in the report is credible, and they have asked whether your firm would be willing to provide some kind of opinion verifying the disclosures made. Petsupply Co is strongly committed to disclosing environmental data, and information gathered from our website indicates that our customers are very interested in environmental matters. It is therefore important to us that Petsupply Co reports positive information which should help to retain existing customers, and to attract new customers. I am keen to hear your views on this matter at your earliest convenience. We would like verification of the data as soon as possible.’

You have looked at Petsupply Co’s Environmental Report on the company website, and found a great deal of numerical data provided, some of which is shown below in Table 1.

Table 1: Petsupply Co's environmental report – numerical data

Stage 3 – take time to think about the requirement and the scenario.

As discussed in the previous article, you must take time and not rush to answer. When evaluating this particular scenario try to think widely about the information provided. Your answer should cover a broad range of issues rather than concentrating on one or two. Your comments must be tailored to the scenario. It is pointless, for example, to write about a general acceptance issue which is not specifically related to Petsupply Co.

It is important to appreciate that few marks will be available for stating the issue. The higher-level skill marks in this question will be awarded for a discussion of why the issue is relevant to the decision about whether or not to provide the assurance service to Petsupply Co. The requirement is to evaluate the scenario and therefore it is crucial to demonstrate an appreciation that there may be two conflicting sides to the discussion.

Table 2 shows an example of a thought process which identifies the issues and explains why each issue is relevant to the requirement; the issues are shown in the order in which they appear in the question.

Table 2: Example of a thought process which identifies issues and shows relevance to the requirement

Table 2 is not an answer, it is a thought process. This is what you should be thinking about after reading through the scenario. The previous article stressed the importance of thinking through the scenario. It may help to jot these ideas down in an answer plan before making a start on your written answer, as this will help you to prioritise the points and give the report a logical flow.

Stage 4 – writing the report

The requirement states that two professional marks are available. As discussed in the previous article, these marks are not for the technical content of the answer, but for the way the relevant points are communicated. The report will be evaluated on the following:

• Use of a report format – a brief introduction, clear separate sections each discussing a different point, and a final conclusion.
• Style of writing – the report is addressed to the partner and so language should be appropriate. You do not need to explain things that would be obvious to a partner, and you must be tactful.
• Clarity of explanation – make sure that each point is explained simply and precisely, and avoid ambiguity.
• Evaluation skills – demonstrate that each point may have a positive and a negative side.

Remember, when answering any question requirement it is quality not quantity that counts. You should make each point succinctly and remain focused on the specific requirement. Questions can be time pressured, but it is important to remember that you should be able to read the requirement, think about it, and write an answer in the time available. This means that there is only a limited amount of time available for actually writing the answer, so keep it short and to the point. Irrelevant waffle earns no marks and will detract from the professional skills evaluation. What follows is an outline report format for this requirement:

Introduction

• Report is internal, addressed to a partner, covering proposed assurance service for existing audit client

Section 1 – ethical matters

• Provision of non-audit service
• Impact on total fee from client
• Competence to perform work – specialised engagement

Section 2 – risk-related matters

• High inherent risk – figures prone to manipulation
• Data highly subjective
• Need to rely on systems put in place by client

Section 3 – commercial matters

• Fee will have to be high enough to compensate for high risk
• Fee may need to compensate for specialists if used
• Strategic fit – assignment in line with commercial goals of Dyke & Co
• Build up experience in non-audit service
• Ascertain whether assignment will be recurring

Section 4 – other matters

• Managing client expectation regarding type of opinion sought
• Managing client expectation regarding timeframe
• Summary of key issues and decision on acceptance

Note: not all of the above points are necessary to secure a pass mark; the marking scheme is also flexible enough to cater for comments that may not appear in the ‘model answer’.

This article shows how to approach one requirement from a typical Section A question in Paper P7. It is important to practise technique by attempting as many questions as possible, starting with the Pilot Paper for Paper P7.

Written by a member of the Paper P7 examining team

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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)
• Profitability case with ex-McKinsey manager (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)
• Digital transformation case with ex-Bain consultant
• 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)

12. EY Parthenon case interview examples

• Candidate-led case example with feedback (by IGotAnOffer)

14. 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)

5. How to practise case interviews

We've coached more than 15,000 people for interviews since 2018. There are essentially three activities you can do to practice case interviews. Here’s what we've learned about each of them.

5.1 Practise by yourself

Learning by yourself is an essential first step. We recommend you make full use of the free prep resources on our consulting blog and also watch some mock case interviews on our YouTube channel . That way you can see what an excellent answer looks like.

Once you’re in command of the subject matter, you’ll want to practice answering cases. But by yourself, you can’t simulate thinking on your feet or the pressure of performing in front of a stranger. Plus, there are no unexpected follow-up questions and no feedback.

That’s why many candidates try to practice with friends or peers.

5.2 Practise with peers

If you have friends or peers who can do mock interviews with you, that's an option worth trying. It’s free, but be warned, you may come up against the following problems:

• It’s hard to know if the feedback you get is accurate
• They’re unlikely to have insider knowledge of interviews at your target company
• On peer platforms, people often waste your time by not showing up

For those reasons, many candidates skip peer mock interviews and go straight to mock interviews with an expert. 

5.3 Practise with experienced MBB interviewers

In our experience, practising real interviews with experts who can give you company-specific feedback makes a huge difference.

Find a consulting interview coach so you can:

• Test yourself under real interview conditions
• Get accurate feedback from a real expert
• Build your confidence
• Get company-specific insights
• Learn how to tell the right stories, better.
• Save time by focusing your preparation

Landing a job at a top consulting company often results in a $50,000 per year or more increase in total compensation. In our experience, three or four coaching sessions worth ~$500 will make a significant difference in your ability to land the job. That’s an ROI of 100x!

Click here to book case interview coaching with experienced MBB interviewers.

Related articles:

• Hacking the Case Interview

Deloitte case interviews are the most difficult part of the interview process. Deloitte interviews are comprised of case interviews, a group case interview, and behavioral or fit interview questions. You will need to pass every single Deloitte case interview in order to land a job offer.

In this comprehensive article, we’ll cover exactly what to expect in your upcoming Deloitte interview and how to best answer all of the different types of questions, including Deloitte case interviews. We’ll cover in detail:

• Deloitte interview process
• What is a Deloitte case interview?
• What does a Deloitte case interview assess?
• How to solve Deloitte case interviews
• The different types of Deloitte case interviews
• Examples of Deloitte case interviews
• Deloitte case interview tips
• How to prepare for Deloitte case interviews
• How to solve the Deloitte group case interview
• Deloitte behavioral and fit interview questions
• Recommended Deloitte case interview resources

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.

Deloitte Interview Process

The Deloitte interview process typically consists of two rounds of interview that include case interviews, a group case interview, and behavioral or fit interview questions. The entire interview process can take anywhere from one week to a few months.

Given its size, Deloitte may have a different interview process depending on the country or the office that you are interviewing for. However, the most common interview process consists of two rounds of interviews following the submission of your Deloitte resume .

• First round interviews : you will have one 30 to 45-minute behavioral interview and one or two 30 to 45-minute case interviews.
• Final round interviews : you will have a 30 to 45-minute behavioral interview, a 30 to 45-minute case interview, and a one hour group case interview

There are three important distinctions between your first round Deloitte interview and your final round Deloitte interview.

One, your interviewers will likely be more senior people at Deloitte. This means that the case interviews you receive may be a bit less structured and more qualitative in nature. The case interview may feel more like a discussion where you and the interviewer are discussing your opinions and ideas on a business problem.

Two, there will be more of an emphasis on assessing your fit with the firm. The first round interview is primarily used as a screener to determine whether or not you can solve case interviews effectively and whether or not you have the potential to be a great consultant.

Final round interviews will also continue to assess this, but interviewers will also be determining whether or not you would be a great fit with the office. Are you coachable and easy to work with? Are you collaborative? These are a few of the qualities that interviewers want to see.

Three, your interviewers may read the notes that your interviewers wrote during your Deloitte first round interview. If there was a particular area of the case interview that you struggled with, interviewers may want to test you again on it to make sure that it is not a significant weakness.

What is a Deloitte Case Interview?

A Deloitte case interview, also known as a “case” for short, is a 30 to 60-minute exercise in which you and the interviewer work together to develop a recommendation or answer to a business problem.

These business problems can be anything that real companies face:

• How can Amazon increase its profitability?
• What can Apple do to increase customer retention?
• How should Tesla price its new electric vehicle?
• Where should Disney open another Disneyland theme park?

Deloitte case interviews simulate what the consulting job will be like by placing you in a hypothetical business situation. Cases simulate real business problems that consulting firms solve for their clients. Many Deloitte case interviews are based on actual projects that interviewers have worked on.

While consulting projects typically last between 3 to 9 months, case interviews condense solving the business problem into just 30 to 45 minutes.

Deloitte case interviews can cover any industry, including retail, consumer packaged goods, financial services, energy, education, healthcare, government, and technology.

They can also cover a wide range of business situations, including entering a new market, launching a new product, acquiring a company, improving profitability, and growing revenues.

Although Deloitte case interviews cover a wide range of industries and business situations, no technical or specialized knowledge is needed. Unless you are interviewing for a consulting firm that specializes in a particular industry or function, cases are designed to be solved by someone that has general business knowledge.

Nailing your Deloitte case interviews is critical to get a job at Deloitte. There is no way to get a Deloitte job offer without passing your case interviews.

What Does a Deloitte Case Interview Assess?

Deloitte case interviews assess five different qualities or characteristics: logical and structured thinking, analytical problem solving, business acumen, communication skills, and personality and cultural fit.

1. Logical and structured thinking : Consultants need to be organized and methodical in order to work efficiently.

• Can you structure complex problems in a clear, simple way?
• Can you take tremendous amounts of information and data and identify the most important points?
• Can you use logic and reason to make appropriate conclusions?

2. Analytical problem solving : Consultants work with a tremendous amount of data and information in order to develop recommendations to complex problems.

• Can you read and interpret data well?
• Can you perform math computations smoothly and accurately?
• Can you conduct the right analyses to draw the right conclusions?

3. Business acumen : A strong business instinct helps consultants make the right decisions and develop the right recommendations.

• Do you have a basic understanding of fundamental business concepts?
• Do your conclusions and recommendations make sense from a business perspective?

4. Communication skills : Consultants need strong communication skills to collaborate with teammates and clients effectively.

• Can you communicate in a clear, concise way?
• Are you articulate in what you are saying?

5. Personality and cultural fit : Consultants spend a lot of time working closely in small teams. Having a personality and attitude that fits with the team makes the whole team work better together.

• Are you coachable and easy to work with?
• Are you pleasant to be around?

All of these five qualities can be assessed in just a 30 to 60-minute Deloitte case interview. This is what makes case interviews so effective in assessing consulting candidates.

How to Solve Deloitte Case Interviews

Deloitte case interviews are candidate-led. You will be in the driver’s seat of the case interview and will be expected to ask the right questions, probe for data, and propose each next step to solve the case.

In a Deloitte case interview, you are not assessed on whether or not you have the correct answer. Instead, Deloitte uses case interviews to assess six different qualities:

• Problem solving : Can you decompose a problem into smaller, more manageable questions?
• Analytical ability : Can you draw the right insights from data and information?
• Strategic thinking : Do you have a sharp business acumen and practical business judgment?
• Logical thinking : Are you structured, organized, and rational in the way that you think?
• Creativity : Can you generate interesting or unique ideas and solutions?
• Professional demeanor : Are you calm, confident, and articulate?

Our step-by-step guide to case interviews is presented in the video below. We highly recommend watching that video in its entirety. 

On Deloitte's case interview website , they recommend taking five   steps to solve a case interview:

1. Understand the issue and ask clarifying questions

The most important part of the case interview is to make sure you understand the business issue and the objective of the case. The quickest way to fail a case interview is to answer or address the wrong business problem. 

Therefore, if either the business issue or objective of the case is unclear, make sure to ask clarifying questions.

2. Identify the underlying assumptions

Next, you’ll need to decompose the overall business problem into smaller, more manageable issues. Identify what would need to be true in order for you to recommend a particular course of action.

To do this, it will be helpful to put together a framework, which is a tool that helps you organize your ideas and thoughts into different categories. For a complete guide on how to create tailored and unique frameworks for each case, check out our article on case interview frameworks .

3. Summarize specific issues and findings

Afterwards, you’ll begin investigating different issues or areas of your framework. After investigating each one, it is important that you summarize the key takeaways or insights that you uncovered.

Connect these findings back to the overall business problem and explain how your findings impact your potential recommendation.

4. State your recommendations

Once you have gathered enough evidence and support for your recommendation, you will need to present your recommendation in a clear and concise way.

Start by giving a firm recommendation. Then, provide the three major reasons that support your recommendation. This should summarize most of the important findings from the case.

5. Outline next steps and the expected results or impact

After delivering a recommendation, you should propose potential next steps that you would take if you had more time or data. What would you need to know to further strengthen your recommendation or make you more confident in your answer?

You can also talk about the expected results or impact of your recommendation. This may also have implications on potential next steps, such as analyzing the risks or quantifying the financial benefits. 

The Different Types of Deloitte Case Interviews

There are three different types of Deloitte case interviews, one type for each of Deloitte's consulting groups:  

• Strategy & Operations : primarily focused on corporate strategy, supply-chain improvement, business model transformation, and process improvements. The work that this group does is most similar to the work that McKinsey, BCG, and Bain do
• Business Technology : primarily focused on digital strategy, delivery of information technology programs, and building tech-based solutions for clients
• Human Capital : primarily focused on organization transformation, change management, corporate learning and development, and diversity and inclusion

The type of case that you get depends on what group you are interviewing with. 

For example, If you are interviewing with the Strategy & Operations group, you’ll get a strategy or operations case . You may be asked to determine whether to enter a new market, launch a new product, or make an acquisition.

If you are interviewing with the Technology group, you’ll get a technology or IT case. You may be asked to determine whether to roll out a new IT system, how to assess different technologies, or how to best coordinate an IT transformation.

If you are interviewing with the Human Capital group, you may be asked to determine the optimal organization structure, how to better incentivize employees to perform better, or how to save payroll costs.

Examples of Deloitte Case Interviews

Below are practice cases created by Deloitte. We recommend working through these so that you know exactly what to expect in your Deloitte case interview.

For undergraduates:

• Engagement Strategy: Federal Agency V (strategy case)
• Recreation Unlimited (strategy case)
• Strategic Vision: Federal Benefits Provider (strategy case)
• MedX: The Smart Pill Bottle (business technology case)
• Architecture Strategy: Federal Finance Agency (business technology case)

For advanced degree students:

• Finance strategy: Federal Health Agency (strategy case)
• Talent Management: Federal Civil Cargo Protection Bureau (strategy case)

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

  Deloitte Case Interview Tips

Below are eight of Deloitte's case interview tips to help you improve your case interview performance.

Tip #1: Take notes

While the interviewer is providing you with the case background information, take notes on the most important pieces of information. Pay particularly close attention to the context, company, and case objective.

Tip #2: Make sure you understand the case question

Answering or addressing the wrong business problem is the quickest way to fail a case interview. The most important thing is understanding what the business issue is and what overall question you’ll be expected to answer at the end of the case. 

Tip #3: Ask questions

Do not be afraid to ask questions. You will not be penalized for asking questions that are important and relevant to the case. 

Great questions to ask include asking for the definition of an unfamiliar term, asking questions that clarify the objective of the issue, and asking questions to strengthen your understanding of the context or company.

Tip #4: After you develop a framework, develop an initial hypothesis

A hypothesis is an educated guess on the answer based on the data and information that you have so far. It helps guide your analysis and keeps you on the right track.

After developing a framework, try to develop a hypothesis to help you decide what area of your framework you should explore first.

Tip #5: Take time to structure your thoughts

When asked a question in a case interview, don’t always start answering immediately. Instead, take the time to process the question and develop an organized and structured way to answer it. It is acceptable to ask the interview for a brief moment to collect your thoughts.

Your answer will likely be much stronger if you give yourself time to think. 

Tip #6: Present a clear, logical story for your recommendation

Remember that consultants need to convince clients to follow their proposed recommendations. Being articulate and persuasive are necessary skills for management consultants .

When you deliver your recommendation, try to make it a coherent story. This will make your recommendation easier to follow and more compelling.

Tip #7: Walk the interviewer through your thinking and explain assumptions

You do not get any points for the ideas and thinking that you do not communicate. Therefore, you should make every effort to talk through your thoughts out loud.

Walk the interviewer through what you are thinking. Explain why you have made particular decisions. State your assumptions. This makes it easier for the interviewer to provide feedback or hints to help you out.

Tip #8: Engage the interviewer in a business conversation

Remember that a case interview is a collaborative exercise. You should not be dismissing the feedback and suggestions that the interviewer provides you. They may be trying to help steer the case in the right direction or provide you with hints when you get stuck.

Treat the interviewer as your teammate and turn the case interview into a business conversation.

How to Prepare for Deloitte Case Interviews

There are seven steps to preparing for Deloitte case interviews.

1. Understand what a case interview is

The first step in preparing for Deloitte case interviews is to understand exactly what case interviews are.

When you are familiar with what case interviews are, it is important to know what a great Deloitte case interview performance looks like.

Knowing what a great Deloitte case interview performance looks like will facilitate how quickly you learn case interview strategies in the next step.

Before continuing onto the next step, you should be familiar with:

• The overall objective of a case interview
• The structure and flow of a case interview
• The types of questions you could get asked
• What a great case interview performance looks like

2. Learn the right strategies

Now that you have sufficient background knowledge, the next step in preparing for Deloitte case interviews is to learn the right strategies to build good case interview habits.

It is much more effective to learn the right case strategies the first time than to learn poor strategies and try to correct them later.

The quickest, most efficient way to learn these strategies is to go through our Comprehensive Case Interview Course .

If you prefer reading case interview prep books instead, the three I recommend are:

• The Ultimate Case Interview Workbook
• Case Interview Secrets

Hacking the Case Interview provides strategies on exactly what to do and what to say in every step of the case interview. It is a concise and straight to the point guide. I recommend this book as the first book to read for beginners.

Case Interview Secrets teaches core concepts such as the issue tree , drill-down analysis, and a hypothesis driven approach. It illustrates these concepts through stories and anecdotes. If you have read Hacking the Case Interview, I recommend also reading this book to get perspectives from a second author. Check out our full review of Case Interview Secrets .

Case in Point provides a ton of specific and complex frameworks. However, you likely won’t be using many of these in an actual case interview because many of them are overly complex and specific. If you have time, it may be useful to skim through this book. Check out our full review of Case in Point .

At the bare minimum, read either the first or second book. If you have the time, read the first two books so that you can get strategies from two different authors.

Make sure to spend sufficient time learning the right strategies before starting to practice cases. It is ineffective to practice cases if you have no idea what strategies to practice and refine.

Before moving onto the next step, you should at least have strategies for the following parts of a case interview:

• Developing unique and tailored frameworks
• Solving quantitative problems
• Answering qualitative questions
• Delivering a recommendation

3. Practice 3-5 cases by yourself

Once you have learned the right strategies, the next step in Deloitte case interview prep is to practice.

When practicing case interviews, it is usually better to practice with a case interview partner than to practice by yourself . Casing with a partner better simulates the real case interview experience.

However, when you are just starting to practice, I recommend doing the first 3 – 5 cases by yourself.

There are three reasons for this:

• You can get the hang of the case interview structure and format much more quickly working by yourself rather than having to wait to schedule a time with a partner
• There are many aspects of case interviews that you can practice without a partner, such as structuring a framework and solving quantitative problems. You can get much more practice working through these parts by yourself
• You may have difficulty finding a case interview partner if you are a complete beginner. Without having done any cases, you likely won’t know how to properly give a case or provide good feedback

4. Practice 5-10 cases with a partner

The next step in preparing for Deloitte case interviews is to case with a partner.

Casing with a partner is the best way to simulate a real case interview. There are many aspects of case interviews that you won’t be able to improve on unless you practice live with a partner.

When practicing cases with a partner, ensure you are spending enough time after cases to deliver feedback.

For a case that takes around 30 – 40 minutes, spend at least 15 – 20 minutes for feedback. Much of your learning and improvement will come from these feedback sessions.

Do not move onto the next step until you have done at least 5 – 10 cases and are beginning to feel comfortable with case interviews.

5. Practice with a former or current consultant

At this point, I highly recommend asking former or current consultants to give you a practice case. This will significantly help you prepare for case interviews.

Doing a mock case with a former or current consultant is highly advantageous because they know exactly how to run cases and give feedback. You’ll receive incredibly helpful feedback that your previous case partners likely missed.

If you feel that you are plateauing with your case partner, that is a sign you should do a mock case interview with a former or current consultant.

You can find former or current consultants among:

• People you met during the consulting recruiting process
• Your broader LinkedIn network

I would not ask a consultant that is involved with the consulting recruiting process for a case too prematurely. Although these practice cases are not evaluative, some firms will actually make note of how well you perform during the practice case.

At this point, you will have accumulated a long list of improvement areas from all of the different people you have cased with.

6. Work on your improvement areas

In this step of preparing for Deloitte case interviews, you will work on strengthening and fine-tuning your improvement areas. Examples of common improvement areas include:

• Creating a more complete and mutually exclusive framework
• Performing math calculations quicker or more smoothly
• Providing more structure to your qualitative answers
• Leading the case more proactively
• Delivering a more succinct recommendation

Try to focus on improving one thing at a time. This is much more effective than trying to improve everything at once.

For some areas, such as math, it will be better to work independently. For other areas, such as learning to proactively lead the case, it will be better to work with a case partner.

If you are looking for more cases, look at the resources listed in step four. If you are looking for specific drills or practice problems for a particular part of a case interview, check out The Ultimate Case Interview Workbook .

Do not move onto the next step until you have finished working on all of your improvement areas.

7. Stay sharp

If you have progressed this far, congratulations! You have almost finished preparing for Deloitte case interviews.

Once you feel that you have no more improvement areas to work on, the key is to not burn yourself out by doing too many unnecessary cases.

While each case that you do makes you slightly better, there is a point when doing too many cases can create case fatigue right before your interview. Case fatigue can negatively impact your interview performance.

On the other hand, you also don’t want to go weeks without having done a case. You may end up forgetting strategies or become rusty and slow.

Once you have achieved case mastery, I recommend doing no more than 2 cases per week in the weeks leading up to your interview. This ensures that you remain sharp for case interviews, but don’t have case fatigue.

How to Solve the Deloitte Group Case Interview

Deloitte is one of the few consulting firms that uses group case interviews in their final round of interviews. They conduct group case interviews because Deloitte’s work culture has a huge emphasis on teamwork and culture fit.

Here’s what to expect:

• You’ll be put into a group with 3 to 5 other candidates
• The interviewer will hand out case materials
• You’ll be given 10 minutes to review the case materials and prepare
• The group will have a discussion for 20 minutes
• During this discussion, interviewers will be observing candidates and will not interfere
• Afterwards, the interviewer will ask the group specific questions for another 20 minutes

Group case interviews can be challenging to prepare for because it is difficult to replicate the exact conditions to practice them. However, if you prepare for case interviews well, you will be in a great position to succeed in group case interviews.

Your goal in a group case interview is to add value to the group. There are six different ways that you can add value:

• Lead or facilitate the discussion : You can propose what topics to discuss, the order they should be discussed in, and how much time should be allocated towards each topic. If the group gets off track, you can bring the group’s focus back together.
• Expand upon other people’s ideas : If a group member suggests a great idea or raises a good point, build upon it and make it even better.
• Synthesize information : You can summarize information that other people have said and reconcile different viewpoints and ideas together.
• Keep track of time : You can volunteer to keep track of time and make sure that the group is on track.
• Play devil’s advocate : You can help your group develop strong ideas by testing the team’s thinking by considering potential risks or downsides of their ideas.
• Take notes:  You can keep track of what other people are saying so that you can recall what has been discussed if any group members have questions.

Follow these five tips to shine during your Deloitte group case interview.

Tip #1: Treat your group members as teammates, not competition

The group case interview is not an exercise in which you are competing with others. Interviewers are trying to assess whether you would be a great teammate. Multiple people or even all people in your group can receive job offers.

Therefore, focus on adding value to the group rather than making yourself look better than your teammates.

Tip #2: Don’t speak too much, but don’t speak too little

If you speak too much, this may be seen as being too aggressive or controlling. If you speak too little, you may come off as shy or timid.

If you were to rank all of the members in your group by how much each person spoke, you would want to be roughly in the middle. This would be the perfect balance of speaking and listening.

Tip #3: Don’t interrupt or talk over your group members

Interrupting others when they are speaking is rude and disrespectful. You do not want to be inconsiderate or a jerk. Be nice and respectful to your group members.

Tip #4: Involve other people

If you observe that someone has not spoken much, ask them for their thoughts or opinions. If you notice that someone has been cut off when they were speaking, ask them to finish their thoughts after the person interrupting them has finished what they have to say.

These are easy ways to show interviewers that you are a considerate and helpful teammate.

Tip #5: Speak only if you are adding value to the group

Just because you are speaking a lot during the group case interview does not mean that you are doing well. Interviewers are not assessing you purely on the quantity of what you say. They care more about the quality.

Great teammates know when to speak and when to listen. Therefore, you should speak only if you are adding some kind of value to the group. Interviewers can tell when people are speaking for the sake of getting air time.

For a full guide on group case interviews, check out our consulting group case interview step-by-step guide .

Deloitte Behavioral and Fit Interview Questions

In addition to case interviews, you will likely be asked a few behavioral or fit interview questions. There are ten questions that are most commonly asked.

1.  Why Deloitte?

How to answer: Provide your three biggest reasons why you’re interested in working at Deloitte. You could mention that you loved the people that you have met from Deloitte so far. You can talk about Deloitte’s massive global presence, their expertise in nearly any industry or function, or their professional development opportunities.

2. Why consulting?

How to answer: Again, provide three reasons for why you’re interested in consulting. You could mention the fast career progression opportunities, the learning opportunities to develop soft and hard skills, or the level of impact that you can make right away in consulting.

3. Walk me through your resume.

How to answer: Provide a concise summary of your work experience, starting with the most recent. Focus on emphasizing your most impressive and unique accomplishments. At the end, tie your experiences to why you are interested in consulting and why you would be a great fit for Deloitte.

4. What accomplishment are you most proud of? 

How to answer: Choose your most impressive, unique, or memorable accomplishment. Structure your answer by providing information on the situation, the task, the actions you took, and the results of your work. Explain why the accomplishment is so meaningful to you and what qualities that reveals about you as a person.

5. Tell me about something that is not on your resume.

How to answer: This is a great opportunity to highlight an accomplishment that is not related to your professional work experience. Perhaps there is a non-profit that you volunteer at, a side project or business that you work on, or a hobby that you have won awards or recognition for. Select an accomplishment that is impressive and interesting.

6. Tell me about a time when you had to lead a team.

How to answer: If possible, choose a time when you directly managed a person or a team. For this question and the following similar questions, make sure that you structure your answer. Provide information on the situation, the task, the actions you took, and the results of your work. This is known as the STAR method and is the most common way of answering behavioral or fit interview questions. 

7. Describe a time when you faced conflict or disagreement.

How to answer: When answering this question, focus on emphasizing the steps you took to resolve the conflict or disagreement. Speak about the interpersonal skills you had to use in order to mediate the situation. Interviewers want to know that you can handle conflict in a constructive way.

8. Give an example of a time when you successfully persuaded someone.

How to answer: Choose a time when you were able to change someone’s mind who originally disagreed with you. Focus on emphasizing the steps that you took to persuade that person and what impact this had on the organization. Interviewers want to know that you are a great communicator and have strong people skills.

9. Tell me about a time when you failed.

How to answer: Choose a time when you failed to meet a deadline or did not meet expectations. You do not want to pick a failure that is too big or embarrassing. Focus on emphasizing what you learned from the experience and how you used that experience to deliver even better results in the next opportunity that you got. Interviewers want to see that you strive to learn from your past failures and are always working to get better.

10. Are there any questions that you have for me?

How to answer: This is a fantastic opportunity to get to know the interviewer on a more personal level. Ask them questions about their experience in consulting. Ask what their favorite case was or what they are looking to do next in their career. The more you can get the interviewer talking about themself, the more likely they will be to have a positive impression of you. People love talking about themselves, so make sure to listen attentively and ask follow-up questions.

For a step-by-step guide on how to best answer all of these questions and more, check out our complete guide on consulting behavioral interview questions .

Recommended Deloitte Case Interview Resources

To prepare for Deloitte case interviews, you can use a variety of different case interview prep books, online courses, and coaching. We'll cover each of these different categories of resources in more detail.

Deloitte Case Interview Prep Books

Case interview prep books are great resources to use because they are fairly inexpensive, only costing $20 to $30. They contain a tremendous amount of information that you can read, digest, and re-read at your own pace.

Based on our comprehensive review of the 12 popular case interview prep books , we ranked nearly all of the case prep books in the market.

The three case interview prep books we recommend using are:  

• Hacking the Case Interview : In this book, learn exactly what to do and what to say in every step of the case interview. This is the perfect book for beginners that are looking to learn the basics of case interviews quickly.
• The Ultimate Case Interview Workbook : In this book, hone your case interview skills through 65+ problems tailored towards each type of question asked in case interviews and 15 full-length practice cases. This book is great for intermediates looking to get quality practice.
• Case Interview Secrets : This book provides great explanations of essential case interview concepts and fundamentals. The stories and anecdotes that the author provides are entertaining and help paint a clear picture of what to expect in a case interview, what interviewers are looking for, and how to solve a case interview.

Deloitte Case Interview Courses

Case interview courses are more expensive to use than case interview prep books, but offer more efficient and effective learning. You’ll learn much more quickly from watching someone teach you the material, provide examples, and then walk through practice problems than from reading a book by yourself.

Courses typically cost anywhere between $200 to $400.

If you are looking for a single resource to learn the best Deloitte case interview strategies in the most efficient way possible, enroll in our comprehensive case interview course .

Through 70+ concise video lessons and 20 full-length practice cases based on real interviews from top-tier consulting firms, you’ll learn step-by-step how to crush your Deloitte case interview.

We’ve had students pass their Deloitte first round interview with just a week of preparation, but know that your success depends on the amount of effort you put in and your starting capabilities.

Deloitte Case Interview Coaching

With case interview coaching, you’ll pay anywhere between $100 to $300 for a 40- to 60-minute mock case interview session with a case coach. Typically, case coaches are former consultants or interviewers that have worked at top-tier consulting firms.

Although very expensive, case interview coaching can provide you with high quality feedback that can significantly improve your case interview performance. By working with a case coach, you will be practicing high quality cases with an expert. You’ll get detailed feedback that ordinary case interview partners are not able to provide.

Know that you do not need to purchase case interview coaching to receive a consulting job offer. The vast majority of candidates that receive offers from top firms did not purchase case interview coaching. By purchasing case interview coaching, you are essentially purchasing convenience and learning efficiency.

Case interview coaching is best for those that have already learned as much as they can about case interviews on their own and feel that they have reached a plateau in their learning. For case interview beginners and intermediates, it may be a better use of their money to first purchase a case interview course or case interview prep book before purchasing expensive coaching sessions.

If you do decide to eventually use a case interview coach, consider using our case coaching service .

There is a wide range of quality among coaches, so ensure that you are working with someone that is invested in your development and success. If possible, ask for reviews from previous candidates that your coach has worked with.

Summary of the Best Deloitte Interview Resources

To prepare for Deloitte interviews as well as interviews from other consulting firms, we recommend the following resources:

For help landing consulting interviews

• Resume Review & Editing : Transform your resume into one that will get you multiple consulting interviews

For help passing case interviews

• 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.
• Case Interview Coaching : Personalized, one-on-one coaching with a former Bain interviewer.
• 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.

For help passing consulting behavioral & fit interviews

• 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.

Land Multiple Consulting Offers

Complete, step-by-step case interview course. 30,000+ happy customers.

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Audit case studies: lessons from real-world audit failures and success stories

If you’re an auditor, you’ve probably achieved your fair share of success stories – perhaps ...

By Tom Edwards & Yasmin Wilks

If you’re an auditor, you’ve probably achieved your fair share of success stories – perhaps you’ve witnessed a few failures too.

As the saying goes, we learn from our mistakes, and audit case studies, both failures and successes serve as valuable insight. Real-life audit examples provide us with lessons on what to do and what to avoid, enabling organisations to improve their audit processes. 

Ready to discover some real-world examples? Here’s our pick of a few high-profile cases…

When things go wrong

(1) enron corporation.

The Enron scandal and the subsequent collapse of the Enron Corporation serves as a stark reminder of audit failure and corporate misconduct. Possibly the most high-profile scandal ever unearthed, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) of 2002 was passed as a result of scandals such as this, WorldCom, Tyco, and Global Crossing.

Enron's auditor Arthur Andersen was heavily criticised for failing to detect fraudulent financial reporting. And lots of lessons can be learned from this example.

Firstly, Enron’s case highlights the importance of auditors maintaining independence from the companies they audit to ensure unbiased assessments. But it also reminds us of the importance of whistle-blower protection – where there are safeguards in place, organisations will encourage openness and provide the confidence for individuals discovering financial irregularities to expose them. And Enron finally emphasises how crucial regulatory oversight is in holding auditors accountable and preventing corporate fraud.

(2) Toshiba

We’ve all heard of Toshiba , a renowned multinational conglomerate, manufacturing a wide variety of consumer and business products. Despite the company’s famous success, this chapter of their story is not one of their finest.

In July 2015, Toshiba experienced an internal audit failure that spotlighted the gap between good corporate governance structure and its practical implementation. It led to Toshiba Corp’s president, Hisao Tanaka, and his two predecessors quitting after investigators found that the company had inflated earnings by $1.2 billion between 2009 and 2014.

Regardless of a sound governance structure, the organisation suffered from a massive financial scandal, highlighting the importance of proactive internal auditing to identify and prevent financial irregularities.

(3) Ernst & Young

Even the largest professional services companies are sometimes at the centre of an audit scandal. And in the case of Ernst & Young , these kinds of scenarios serve as a reminder of the importance of a robust auditing process for even the biggest of players.

EY was fined $11.8 million for audit failures in 2016. USA regulator SEC found that EY’s audit team repeatedly failed to detect fraudulent activity for more than four consecutive years. Additionally, it was reported that EY’s team failed to take effective measures in minimising known recurring tax-related problems.

This case emphasises the critical role auditors play in scrutinising high-risk areas and addressing known deficiencies. And underscores the importance of due diligence and thoroughness in audits.

(4) WorldCom

The WorldCom scandal is another example of a colossal audit failure. Arthur Andersen, the same auditor implicated in the Enron scandal, failed to detect a massive accounting fraud at WorldCom.

What can we learn from this tale? Well, attentive auditing is essential, and auditors need to exercise a blend of vigilance and scepticism when assessing financial statements. This example also points to ethical responsibility, underscoring auditors’ moral and ethical duty to report financial irregularities.

Like Enron, WorldCom’s case was instrumental in regulatory reforms, like the Sarbanes-Oxley Act which increased corporate accountability.

Getting it right

(1) apple inc.

Tech giant Apple is widely recognised for its financial transparency and internal controls. Their financial audits consistently reflect strong performance and accountability. Key takeaways from Apple's success include their transparency – Apple publishes detailed financial statements and reports that are easily accessible to the public, building trust with investors and stakeholders. They also have a set of robust internal controls and processes in place, minimising the risk of financial mismanagement or fraud.

The organisation’s MD Tim Cook says , “We do the right thing, even when it’s not easy.”

(2) Microsoft

Microsoft's another great example of a business with transparency and accountability at its core. The tech leader has consistently demonstrated exemplary corporate governance and financial reporting .

Their success highlights several valuable lessons, including the significance of disclosure. Microsoft provides comprehensive financial disclosures, offering investors a clear picture of their financial health. And they’ve also got their finger on the pulse when it comes to  risk management , with practices in place that have been instrumental in ensuring long-term financial stability.

Microsoft carries out consistent and regular financial audits , to maintain trust and transparency with all of their stakeholders.

(3) Johnson & Johnson

Johnson & Johnson's another example of a profound commitment to transparency . The healthcare multinational is renowned for its sense of responsibility when it comes to ethical conduct.

Key takeaways include their strong ethical leadership – an essential asset for fostering a culture of compliance and accountability.

They also boast hardy compliance programs , proving that investing in this area can help detect and prevent financial misconduct. Stakeholder communication is another factor in Johnson & Johnson’s audit success, and open comms are encouraged to build trust and confidence.

What can we learn from all these case studies? The need for thoroughness, vigilance, transparency, ethical leadership, and continual improvement in auditing are essential. They emphasise the importance of not just having a good corporate governance structure, but also ensuring its effective implementation. And by learning from both successes and failures, we can strive to build a corporate environment that prioritises (financial) integrity and compliance with relevant regulatory, legal, and industry standards – and, of course foster trust and prevent costly failures.

Are you  looking for high-calibre talent  with the skills to protect you from audit mishaps?  Let’s chat  about your needs. Or perhaps you’re an  audit professional  looking to help companies grow their audit capabilities? If you’re looking to progress your career and safeguard an exciting, growing business,  get in touch , or check out our  latest roles . 

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