Consulting case interview tests–get free access for beta testing

As we’re getting closer to releasing our first set of case interview style online tests, we’re also looking to get them “beta tried” by a few of our users. That means you get access to the tests for free, with warts-and-all, and in return you give us valuable feedback before we go live.

Our consulting case test memberships will come with full free access to all our numerical reasoning tests, which is a fantastic value and sets the right foundation. So if you are interested in trying our new consulting case tests, go here and register, and we will come back if you if we have available seats and give you a free license that is valid for 6 months. In return, we ask that you provide us a short feedback on a link we will give you by email.

click here to register for a free beta license for the online case interview tests

Please give us a week or two before you receive the license

MBA case interview tests–we’re at work

Yes. A couple more tests are on the way for those that want to do some online practice of post MBA management case interviews, which is standard in almost all management consulting recruitment, whether it’s McKinsey, BCG, Booz, Monitor, ATK or whoever else.

It’s absolutely true that you cannot substitute real in-person case interviewing, and you should never let go of opportunities to try cases with your friends and others, but sometimes it helps to sit alone and work through a set of questions that and strengthen some aspects of thinking.

That’s where we come in – the numericalguru case interview questions are designed to take on a specific situation and then systematically drill down to a solution. One of the most common case interview failures (we will soon come up with a post on “top 10 mistakes in case interviews” much like our popular top 10 on numerical tests) is that the candidate had no “structure” and was too vague. Our cases will help you identify how now to go vague and stay precise.

Stay tuned.

Approximating during case interviews (or even regular tests)

 

So you’re already stressed about the interview, not happy about dealing with many numbers, and then the interviewer puts a sheet in front of you that requires you to do 20% of 248.

Now some of you who are nimble with numbers will probably do that right, but for many it can take away critical seconds. In fact, in a lot of cases, interviewers actually tend to see if you know how to prioritize. In the scheme of the interview is it really important that you get 248 x 20% exactly right? Why not just ask ‘can I approximate this?’ and in most cases the answer would be yes, and then you

250 x 20% = 50

and move on.

Approximating is a useful skill and choice during management / strategy consulting case interviews. It shows that you will simplify when required (and unless told) and are focused on dealing with the situation rather than getting lost in numbers.

Do not be surprised, we’ve seen more than one candidate attempt to do long multiplication and division, get flustered and lose their momentum in a case interview when they could have simplified and moved on. Most smart candidates ask if they can approximate, and then go on.

Case Interview Tests - preparing for post-MBA consulting interviews

We're turning our focus a bit on the post MBA management consulting case interviews. Consulting jobs are quite in demand, can be rewarding, but are usually tough to get into. Practice in case interview techniques is critical if you wan to "ace the case"

No, we have no plans to provide case interviewing coaching etc as there are plenty of people who provide that. Instead, we want to provide a few useful case tests that people can try online to get a feel of case interviews and also get familiar with the many techniques, common question areas so they're better prepared for practice and real interviews.

So, stay tuned, consulting case interview tests getting served next - though we do have a beta test already.

Ace the case - consulting case interview type tests

Paid members to numericalguru can now try out a new beta case interview type test which is a good way to check your case handling concepts.

For now, read more at http://www.numericalguru.com/case or just try the test!

Stay tuned for more. 

A few chosen posts for reading

• top 10 mistakes by test takers
• don't be this type of a test taker!
• taking advantage of test modes
• tips & tricks
• mini-book on preparation
• in the age of Excel why improve numerical skills?
• learning how to deal with zeros

3 rules to improvement in numerical tests

1. Be mentally prepared before starting. Once you start, don't stop. Simulate test conditions
2. Analyse performance objectively, focus on weakness areas. You're not alone in how you feel
3. Repeat test with learning mode and get every question right before moving on to next test


This list of 10 mistakes by test takers is a good read on what not to do

numericalguru tests on iPad

Well, for those that want to do tests on the fly, numericalguru works just fine on the Apple iPad too. That means you can continue practice even when you're out and about and have just the iPad with you.

While we haven't checked it, it should work fine on the Android tablets too - whether Acer Iconia or Toshiba Transformer etc.

Story: Job Hunting

AB writes to us...


"I am an Engineer with a strong background in research. I recently finished my masters in Manufacturing Engineering and shifted my line of focus to lean/six sigma and process improvement. I have been working for a few years leading continuous improvement efforts with one of the world class OEM.

I am currently actively looking for a job preferably in consulting that would leverage both my analytical skills and manufacturing experience. I have been using random internet(Indeed.com), professional networking (LinkedIn, friends etc) without too much results.

Words of wisdom - Emailing MRI recruiters specializing in my areas in USA have been proving quite effective in my case. I have a few leads and possibly a onsite interview with Capital One depending on whether i clear my "Numerical Reasoning"


Good luck on your job hunt and we hope that practicing on our site will help you in some small way!

Story - Lee from UK

"Hello, my name is Lee, I’m a qualified accountant originally from France but I have lived in the UK for 10 years. I’ve worked as a senior  analyst in my past role but was made redundant a few months ago because of a major restructuring in my company.

I have found the job market incredibly tough and have been in contact with many many agencies. There’s  no doubt there is a lot of competition out there and companies are becoming very picky and require specific experience in specific industries.

But I’m trying not to lose hope. I’ve got significant experience and hopefully I will find the right job and the right company. I’m preparing myself as much as I can for interviews and tests, I find that numericalguru .compractice tests really help. It’s been ages since I have done these tests and I really need to practice and practice again to get myself up to speed. I do find your tips and examples useful and hopefully they will help me get the job of my dreams."

Well, Lee, your license has been sent. We do hope you get the job you want and wish you the very best.

We're alive!

Yes, Yes. Haven't said much recently though, have we?

We decided to keep quiet for a while and let the current tests run as they are. It's interesting to note that the pattern of people finding the current set sufficient continues. We are thinking about perhaps adding case interview material - but we're not sure yet.

On which day do users execute most tests?

We just got curious on when most people execute tests. Perhaps much more on a weekend and only a few on weekdays?

Here's a graph -

What? Most people do their tests on a ... Monday?! Well, that's what our data says. And that data is taken from several months and several thousand tests!

Perhaps many of them come back from classes and work and do tests in the evening ...? We can't check that conclusively as our test takers are from around the world and therefore time data could be distorting. But it's always interesting to see how data can (dis)prove some commonly held beliefs - such as most people would practice on weekends.

Well, we suppose that any day is a good day to do your practice numeracy tests, as long as

1. You are in the right frame of mind
2. Have silent, "no disturbance" conditions conducive to doing a test
3. You are prepared to finish what you started

So, Monday it is!

test modes and learning mode - a way to get better practice in our tests

Not everyone is a whiz and breezes through numerical tests. We've all been through phases of struggle. On numericalguru we now provide three test modes, so we'll explain why they are useful

the test mode is what you should do first. It is timed and feels like a real test, you can't even go back and forth between questions.

the test mode with skip is timed and feels like a real test, but you can go back and forth between questions. Many real world tests do allow you to go back-and-forth, and if you want that feature, use this mode

Then there's the learning mode - it's for you to do after you do a test, and now want to re-do it for practice. When you start a test in learning mode, a few things happen:

1. You can't 'submit' the test - it's only for practice
2. The moment you choose an answer, a visual cue will tell you if you got it right or wrong. The intention is you keep trying until you get the answer correctly. Learn the techniques
3. There is no time pressure - the clocks will run but it's for you to see how you're doing. You will see a countdown and you will see a question specific timer too.

We've seen many of our members have begun to try the learning mode. It's a good way to go at your pace while learning how to solve the questions correctly. Get the concepts and techniques right, and then try a new test. That's how you would gradually improve.

Look how we're growing! more people joining, more taking advantage of our numerical tests

Here are 2 interesting graphs for you to look at. We're a very young service and have a long way to go. Our journey is not without ups-and-downs, but it's always been interesting.

First, look at these graphs. The first one shows how many users registered with us (primary axis), and how many placed orders (secondary axis). You can see how steadily we've grown, and it's been rapid in the last phase. There was an intermediate redesign phase, and things took off stronger than before.

What's interesting is the 'orders' line - prior to our redesign we had a lesser % of registrants converting to a full purchase. But post redesign, a sharp uptake, just what we wanted. What was amazing was that in the aftermath of a redesign, our orders went up by 325% and then again by 55%. We're glad our members are beginning to take advantage of our numerical reasoning tests and are focusing on improvements.

The graph below is just of interest, it shows registrations by day for a sample period. We're beginning to have our best periods ever, thank you all!

If you are from a University or a graduate looking for jobs, remember you get 40% off - now that's terrific value. And if your career service site isn't giving a link to our free tests, you should tell them and help others get some practice too.

With this - it's time for us to put our thinking hat into what's next. Maybe we could partner with another content provider. Maybe we could... well, we'll think about it. If you're someone with a complementary offering, get in touch with us. Perhaps we could plot world domination muahahah!

Simple Forum support - come and share/discuss

So, it's finally here - a simple, but handy forum/discussion board support within numericalguru. After much thinking we decided to roll our own version as we wanted deeper integration within our site.

The idea is to share useful tips & strategies for handling tests, share test experiences, share links to employers that require numerical tests and so on. Here are 2 starter threads

- share your tips and tricks to handle numerical questions
- which UK companies require numerical tests as part of assessment?

We hope to see it grow -slowly but surely. Well, head-over to http://www.numericalguru.com/forum

In other news - our migration to the new test platform with enhanced features was pretty smooth. Most members - well in fact almost all - are using the new system now. It's also interesting to observe that not many actually seem to want to skip around questions (go back-and-forth)!

Upcoming changes to our test screen - even better for practice / learning mode!

Every product goes through multiple cycles of revision. We have previously blogged about why we think it is important to keep the test screen (the heart of our offering, or brain - depending on how you see it) clean and functional.

There were a few things that we were not happy about and knew was not giving our users the best experience and we've had our share of being at the receiving end of an unhappy member. It hasn't been often - but we don't want 'not often' either. We want this test platform to be excellent.

In the next few days we will roll out a beta version - you can try it but you can go back to the older screen if you want. Here's a few things we have in offer

- A fast 'instant switch' from question to question - no flicker, no loading, no delay. A  much smoother experience

- Better visual cue as to on which question you are in

- A new, and in our mind - a very useful (and nowhere else) learning mode.

Learning Mode

What is the learning mode? Well, let's say you do a test and you don't do too well. You can go back to the test in and start it in learning mode which will

• Impose no time constraint - take your time and practice thoroughly
• Show you a count-up, so you can see how much time you spend on a question
• Give you handy 'instant feedback' when you choose an answer

This is just for starters. Our page architecture design will let us add useful new features easily. 

So, how should you use the learning mode?

a) First do the test in the normal mode - where you get no help, you can't see solutions, and it feels like a real test

b) Look at your performance, and then go into learning mode.Take your time as you solve the question. If you click the wrong option, then solve until you get it right. Then see the solution. Note the time you took to solve

In the learning mode, you can't submit a test to see statistics as it does not make sense. The idea is to see performance 'as you go' and to take the time you need to get it right. We think this will be a very useful feature for those who struggle with numerical tests.

Story - Barbara writes to us from Belgium

Thanks for writing to us, Barbara. You're right - practice is key, and it is true that focused practice often quickly ramps up ones ability to tackle these assessment tests. Strong skills in numerical reasoning is relevant, especially in consulting as a career. We wish you the very best and hope you land a nice consulting gig!


Hello! I'm Barbara and I just graduated from a master in Marketing in Belgium which I achieved with high honors. I want to work in consulting and i'm currently starting my job search. After several job searchs on the internet and in the newspapers, I did some interviews in several companies. I did know that there are tests most of the time when you access the first round of interviews. In 90% of the time, there are tests. 


What I didn't know is : what kind. From my experience in the area, I can tell you that these tests assess your numerical, verbal aptitudes every time. To ace these tests, I learned after 2 interviews that I need to practice. Practice is the key to success. The challenges that i'm facing now are to : improve my skills in numerical reasoning. For 1 week now, i've practiced and I can say that i'm way better in numerical reasoning that I was a week ago. I know how to deal with most of the questions. It's just a matter of time, energy and focus on what i'm doing. 


My advice to practice if you're not comfortable. It's gonna be easier that way. And always, always... be yourself in front of your employer. Honesty and integrity are the keys to a fullfilling professional life. 

community participation - share & learn

There's one useful aspect that's missing in numericalguru, and that's any 'community' or 'social' participation. We're not talking about creating some sort of facebook like ecosystem or any such fancy feature. We're talking about some simple way for our members to participate and help each other.

We tried linking to a discussion board once before, and failed miserably - with an astounding record of a sum total of 2 posts, both by us. Forums are a brilliant way to engage an audience on specific topics - but forums require critical mass, and a momentum to start. Just providing a discussion board does little to encourage participation. We aren't giving up - we want our members to engage, but we will do it with a fresh approach. Keep tuned.

Oh, BTW, we have a nicer dashboard and a new GMAT problem solving test now available. We also had a bad few hours of a miserable software bug messing with our lives - that's sorted out.

Story - Nilesh writes to us from UK

Nilesh, wish you the very best - and your license is on the way. We hope you get great practice and that your interviews go very well!

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I am a recent graduate in Economics from the UK in which I successfully achieved first class honours and now I am looking for a career in accountancy. The accountancy profession has always fascinated me and combined with the enjoyment I get from dealing with numbers I thought it would be a great career path for me to go down.

To date, I have been applying directly to firms either through their personal websites or using a cover letter and my CV. For many of the applications I have completed I have found it is very important for you to promote their organisations core values such as teamwork. You need to be able to write applications in a way that tells the organisation what they want to hear while at the same time being true to yourself. I am now at the stage where I need to practice online tests and have used various websites until I came across this one where I found the two free tests to be very useful. I have even got my old GCSE revision books out to go over old techniques and again this has been very useful. At the minute I am progressing well with my applications and I am hoping in the next two weeks I will have a few interviews scheduled.

Words of wisdom – I have found that a well written cover letter and a concise CV will get you a long way. In addition, the more practice you get for these online tests the better as you will have experience of dealing with a wide range of questions. Finally, if things don’t go your way keep your chin up and keep positive.

Story - Winnie and UKCAT

Thanks for sharing this with us Winnie, and for the kind words - we are flattered! We almost think we should put a disclaimer saying we did not write this endorsement ourselves. But we do appreciate our members giving us feedback as we work on improvements.

Well, your free license has been sent, though we don't think you seem to need it. So pass it along to a friend!

--------------------

After 3 years of Biochemistry, a few months ago I decided that this isn't the career I wanted to follow. I knew exactly what I wanted to do- Medicine.

So I did some research into universities that did graduate medicine courses and one of the criterion that kept appearing was the UKCAT. A low score on this admissions test would severely disadvantage my application so I knew I had to do extremely well to guarantee an offer. Numerical reasoning seemed to be my weakest area after a doing an online practice on the ukcat website. After spending hours searching for other Numerical reasoning materials none of which were very helpful, I came across numerical guru. Finally! Some realistic questions that were timed, and gave excellent, immediate feedback once you'd finished the test. This fantastic site ticked all the boxes for me and I just wished I'd found it earlier! 

Having done both the practice tests, I actually felt prepared for my exam. The practice that numerical guru gave me paid off, I got 870/900 on the numerical reasoning section which contributed to my very high average score! This enabled me to get into the university of my choice for medicine and since then, I've been telling friends and family about this great site who have all fed back to me about its usefulness for aptitude tests that some company's require prior to interview (banks especially) 

Some pearls of wisdom: don't leave preparation for an aptitude test too late! You need time to familiarise yourself with the question types, especially if it's  an online test. If you haven't been in a job where an excessive amount of Numerical reasoning skills are required you will need to brush up on them before you have your assessment and numerical guru will allow you to practice as much as you need.

Good luck!!

Winnie