Table of Contents

WHAT IS CONSULTING?.............................................................
.................... 4
CONSULTING TRENDS AT FUQUA......................................................
..............................4
WHAT DO CONSULTANTS DELIVER? ...................................................
............................4
CHOOSING THE CONSULTING INDUSTRY AND A ROLE WITHIN IT................ 5
WHY CONSULTING? PROS & CONS .....................................................
........................5
GAUGING THE CULTURE OF CONSULTING FIRMS ........................................
.. 6
THE ROLE OF GEOGRAPHY ..........................................................
................... 7
THE CONSULTING SUMMER INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE ................................. 8
SOME AREAS ON WHICH TO FOCUS DURING THE INTERNSHIP..................... 9
TIME MANAGEMENT ................................................................
...................................9
ASSESSING THE FIT...............................................................
.....................................9
MENTORING.......................................................................
......................................9
CLIENT FOCUS....................................................................
......................................9
DEFINING THE INDUSTRY...........................................................
................... 9
THE NATURE OF THE WORK .........................................................
................ 11
THE CONSULTING LIFESTYLE........................................................
............... 12
BUILDING YOUR TOOL KIT .........................................................
................. 13
BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER........................................................
............... 14
APPROACHING THE FIRMS...........................................................
................ 15
CONTACTS ARE KEY ...............................................................
..................................15
WHAT FIRMS SEEK IN A CANDIDATE .................................................
............................15
KNOW WHAT YOU WANT .............................................................
...............................16
THE ELEVATOR TEST ..............................................................
..................................16
ALTERNATIVES TO THE CONSULTING INTERNSHIP.......................................
.......................16
SOME FINAL THOUGHTS.............................................................
................................17
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES ...........................................................
................. 17
FUQUA COURSES THAT SUPPORT A CONSULTING CAREER .......................... 17
APPENDIX A - CASE CHEAT SHEET ..................................................
............. 18
COMPANY ECONOMICS-TYPE QUESTIONS ...............................................
........................18
STRATEGY-TYPE QUESTIONS ........................................................
..............................19
BUSINESS OPERATIONS QUESTIONS ..................................................
...........................20
BEHAVIORAL QUESTIONS............................................................

...............................20
INTERVIEW INTANGIBLES...........................................................
................................21
APPENDIX B - TIPS FOR CONSULTING BEHAVIORAL INTERVIEWS.............. 22
APPENDIX C - TIPS FOR CONSULTING CASE INTERVIEWS .......................... 24
APPENDIX D - TOP 10 CASE INTERVIEW TIPS ........................................
..... 25
APPENDIX E - THE CASE INTERVIEW PROCESS.........................................
... 27
APPENDIX F - CASE INTERVIEW THOUGHT PROCESS FRAMEWORK ............ 28
APPENDIX G - CASE INTERVIEW FRAMEWORKS..........................................
29
APPENDIX G - CASE INTERVIEW FRAMEWORKS..........................................
30
APPENDIX H - BUZZWORDS AND TECHNOLOGY TERMINOLOGY.................. 32
APPENDIX I USEFUL ABBREVIATIONS .................................................
..... 44
SAMPLE CASES ...................................................................
.......................... 46
Duke University Fuqua School of Business 2
ESTIMATION CASES ...............................................................
...................... 46
EASY............................................................................
................................. 46
GOLF BALL MARKET ENTRY..........................................................
..............................46
DIAPERS ........................................................................
.......................................46
KNITTING MACHINE DEMAND.........................................................
.............................47
CHEWING GUM MARKET..............................................................
..............................47
MEDIUM..........................................................................
............................. 47
PIANO TUNERS ...................................................................
....................................47
PUBLISHING......................................................................
.....................................48
CIGAR BAR ......................................................................
......................................49
HARD............................................................................
................................ 50
OIL TANKERS ....................................................................
.....................................50
WINDMILL .......................................................................
......................................50
ICE CREAM PARLOR................................................................
..................................50
COMPANY ECONOMICS QUESTIONS.....................................................
........ 52
EASY............................................................................
................................. 52
MEAT PACKING INDUSTRY...........................................................
...............................52
MAGAZINE DISTRIBUTION...........................................................
...............................52
DIRECT MAIL RETAILER ...........................................................
.................................53
AIRLINE EXPANSION...............................................................
..................................53

BEVERAGE COMPANY COST STRUCTURE.................................................

........................54
FERTILIZER......................................................................
......................................54
SNACK FOOD COMPANY..............................................................
...............................55
MEDIUM..........................................................................
............................. 55
ALUMINUM CAN MANUFACTURER ......................................................
...........................55
LOGGING COMPANY.................................................................
.................................56
CABLE TELEVISION COMPANY .......................................................
..............................57
CEMENT MANUFACTURER CAPACITY ADDITION ..........................................
......................58
AUTO GLASS REPLACEMENT COMPANY .................................................
.........................59
DISTILLED SPIRITS ..............................................................
....................................59
SEMICONDUCTORS..................................................................
.................................60
HARD............................................................................
................................ 61
AGRICULTURAL EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURING ...........................................
......................61
HEALTH CARE COSTS ..............................................................
.................................62
PURIFIED WATER .................................................................
...................................62
RETAIL ADVERTISING PRICING......................................................
..............................63
SW SEMICONDUCTORS ..............................................................
...............................64
HEALTHCARE COMPANY GROWTH.......................................................
..........................65
TRUCKING COMPANY ...............................................................
.................................66
STRATEGY TYPE QUESTIONS.........................................................
............... 67
EASY............................................................................
................................. 67
AIRLINE INDUSTRY ...............................................................
...................................67
FRENCH PIZZA MARKET.............................................................
................................67
FILM PROCESSING ................................................................
...................................68
Duke University Fuqua School of Business 3
CONCRETE MANUFACTURER...........................................................
.............................68
CORN FEED COMPANY...............................................................
................................69
COSMETIC COMPANY IN EUROPE .....................................................
............................70
PERMANENT LIGHT BULBS...........................................................
...............................70
PACKAGING MATERIAL MANUFACTURER ................................................
.........................71
MEDIUM..........................................................................

............................. 72
TELECOMMUNICATIONS DIVERSIFICATION .............................................
.........................72
OVERSEAS CONSTRUCTION...........................................................
..............................73
AIRPLANE MANUFACTURER...........................................................
..............................73
CHEMICAL SWEETENER MANUFACTURER ................................................
........................74
DISTRIBUTION CASE ..............................................................
..................................74
MERGER CANDIDATE IN THE CHEMICAL INDUSTRY.......................................
.....................75
MYSTERIOUS AUDIO CASSETTE MARKET ...............................................
.........................76
VIDEO GAMES ....................................................................
....................................77
SCIENTIFIC INDUSTRY ............................................................
..................................79
HARD............................................................................
................................ 79
CHILLED BEVERAGES ..............................................................
..................................79
CONSULTING FIRM STRATEGY .......................................................
..............................80
DELI MEAT PRODUCER..............................................................
................................82
INFORMATION SERVICES COMPANY....................................................
...........................83
INTERNATIONAL CONSULTING FIRM...................................................
...........................85
PIPELINE COMPANY................................................................
..................................85
SATELLITE COMPANY ..............................................................
..................................87
OTHER CASES.....................................................................
.......................... 88
A POWERFUL CASE ................................................................
..................................88
ALUMINUM INDUSTRY ..............................................................
.................................89
AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY ............................................................
................................89
INSURANCE COMPANY...............................................................
................................90
LOCAL BANKING DEMAND ...........................................................
...............................90
REGIONAL GROCERY STORE CHAIN ...................................................
...........................91
SHIPPING CONTAINER MANUFACTURER.................................................
.........................91
THE STARTUP.....................................................................
....................................92