The interview playbook
The skills that separate candidates who pass from candidates who don't aren't about frameworks. They're about how you talk, think, and move through a case in real time. This is the manual.
Frameworks get you in the room. Technique keeps you there.
Most prep focuses on what to think about: profitability trees, market sizing formulas, MECE structures. That's necessary but not sufficient. The playbook focuses on the other half: how to open, how to narrate, how to handle the moments where you don't know what to do next. These are the skills interviewers actually score you on.
Four skills that matter.
Pacing
Know how long each phase should take and when you're falling behind.
Communication
Narrate your thinking so the interviewer follows your process and is impressed by it.
Composure
Handle ambiguity, unexpected data, and moments of genuine uncertainty without freezing.
Synthesis
Pull scattered analysis into a sharp recommendation that sounds like a consultant wrote it.
Read in order. Practice out loud.
Each module is a standalone coaching session: read the technique, study the worked examples, then run the self-check against your last real case. Module 01 also has a 90-second timer to practise the opening pause against.
How to open a case
The first 90 seconds set the tone for everything. A learnable, repeatable 4-step sequence that signals control from the first sentence.
Thinking out loud
The interviewer doesn't just want your answer. They want to watch you get there. Three narration modes that make your thinking followable in real time.
Picking the right framework
The framework isn't the answer; it's the lens. How to read a prompt, match it to the right structure, and adapt when the first choice doesn't fit.
Handling curveballs
New data that contradicts your hypothesis. A question you didn't expect. The interviewer pushing back. How to absorb the hit and keep moving forward.
Knowing when to move on
The difference between thorough and stuck. How to read the interviewer's signals, know when a branch is exhausted, and transition cleanly to the next area.
Delivering the synthesis
The last two minutes matter more than you think. How to pull scattered analysis into a recommendation that sounds decisive, structured, and consultant-grade.
Doing the math without freezing
Mental math in an interview isn't about being a calculator. It's about rounding smart, narrating your logic, and catching mistakes before the interviewer does.
Learn the technique. Then practice it.
The playbook gives you the skills. The cases give you the reps. Combine both and you'll walk into your interview ready.
Try a case