Here's exactly how to nail the consulting case interview if you want to stand out and land a job at top firms like McKinsey and Bain & Company

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Case interviews are designed to test your critical thinking skills.

• Every aspiring consultant and MBA grad who is searching for a job should expect to complete a case interview, which is a standardized test that challenges your ability to think on your feet and solve business problems.
• Approaching the case interview in the same way as the SATs, will put you far ahead of the competition.
• But this method of recruiting goes beyond just consulting firms. Major tech companies like Google and Amazon are incorporating the case interview method into their hiring processes.
• Business Insider spoke to three consulting career experts who suggested ways to prepare for the case interview round so that you can avoid making common mistakes and land a job at top firms like McKinsey or Bain & Company.
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How well you do at a case interview can make or break your chances of landing a consulting job at a top firm. And just like the SATs - if you prepare well and study the test, you can almost guarantee success.

Almost every consulting interview, especially at top-tier firms like McKinsey, Bain & Company, and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), follows a standardized process that is broken down into two components: A personal experience interview and a case study exercise.

This method of testing is expanding beyond consulting firms. Major tech companies like Amazon and Google are also adopting the case interview method to their hiring strategies.

"It's a great way to see how people think," said Abigail Kies, assistant dean of the careers development office at Yale's School of Management. "You're giving candidates an opportunity to demonstrate what they're bringing to the table, and that takes away much more of the possibly biased information and gives someone an opportunity to perform."

The case interview portion, in particular, takes about 25 to 30 minutes, and involves math. There are no trick questions in this round - just straightforward prompts that evaluate the critical thinking skills you learned from business school.

Top consulting firms like McKinsey and Deloitte provide case samples online that break down the types of questions and answers recruiters are looking for. These employers emphasize that a case exam is standardized and that you can do well if you practice.

You can find interview samples online, and there are several books that serve as valuable resources. Nevertheless, there's still a lot of pressure that comes with a case interview. You only get one shot to win over a firm.

Business Insider spoke with three consulting career experts on how to best prepare and avoid making mistakes that can jeopardize your chances. And much like a strategy for the SATs, they all recommended simple but effective tips for you to ace your interview.

Here are five best practices to keep in mind while studying for your case exams.