When you reach a final-stage case task, you’re not just being tested on technical ability — you’re being assessed on how you think, communicate and collaborate under pressure. I’ve reviewed dozens of assignments and coached candidates who went all the way to an offer. In this article I’ll share a scripted approach with exact timings that mirror UK interview expectations, so you can convert that case task into a job offer with calm, clarity and conviction.
Before the task: set yourself up to win (30–60 minutes)
Preparation beats panic. Even if the employer gives limited prep time, a short, structured warm-up dramatically improves your performance.
Read the brief carefully (5–10 minutes). Highlight the objective, constraints, audience and deliverables. I mark these in three colours: green = objective, amber = constraints, red = deliverables/outputs.Clarify assumptions and questions (5–10 minutes). If the employer allows Q&A, prepare 3–5 concise questions that show commercial awareness. Example: "Can I assume we prioritise X customers for the first six months?"Plan your approach (10–20 minutes). Choose a clear framework you’ll actually use — SWOT, 4Ps, MECE problem tree, or a simple Situation–Action–Result structure for recommendations.Set a rehearsal run (10–20 minutes). Time a 5–8 minute oral summary you can deliver if asked to present. Practice aloud, ideally recording on your phone.There’s value in restraint: don’t overproduce a report they didn’t ask for. Focus on clarity, insight, and practicality.
During the task: structure your work (exact timings for a 2-hour task)
Below is a working timeline I use with candidates. Adjust proportionality if you have more or less time.
| Phase | Duration | What to do |
| Read & Clarify | 0–10 mins | Read brief, note objectives, ask clarifying Qs (if allowed). |
| Diagnose & Prioritise | 10–30 mins | Rapid problem tree, identify 3 key issues to tackle. |
| Analyse & Generate Options | 30–80 mins | Do calculations, create 2–4 practical options, test assumptions. |
| Decide & Prepare Slides/Notes | 80–100 mins | Choose recommended option, prepare supporting evidence and slide deck/notes. |
| Rehearse & Final checks | 100–120 mins | Practice delivery, simplify language, check formatting and appendices. |
This timeline is intentionally front-loaded on diagnosis and options. Interviewers want to see how you prioritise and think, not whether you can create 20 pages of pretty slides.
Presentation script: exact wording for impact (5–8 minute presentation)
Use this script as a template and personalise the language. Keep each section tight.
Opening (30 seconds): "Good morning — I’m Éloïse Durand. I’ll first summarise the brief and assumptions, then outline the diagnosis, present two recommended options with pros and cons, and finish with my recommendation and next steps."Brief & assumptions (30–45 seconds): "The objective is to X for Y stakeholder within Z constraints. I’ve assumed A, B and C — if any of these are incorrect, I can adapt."Diagnosis (60–90 seconds): "The core issue I identified is… This is driven by three factors: 1) ..., 2) ..., 3) .... The most urgent is factor 1 because…"Options (90–120 seconds): For each option: "Option 1: [Name] — what it entails, expected impact, rough cost/time, risk. Option 2: [Name] — same structure."Recommendation & next steps (60–90 seconds): "I recommend Option X because it balances impact and feasibility. Immediate next steps: a) confirm stakeholder buy-in, b) run a 6-week pilot, c) measure A/B metrics. Key success metrics would be …"Close (15–30 seconds): "Happy to take questions — I’ve prepared a short appendix on assumptions and calculations."Practice this to 5–8 minutes. Shorter is fine if you cover essentials — interviewers appreciate concision.
Handling questions and pushback (timings & scripts)
Q&A decides offers. Use a structure: Acknowledge, Answer, Evidence, Offer follow-up.
Acknowledge (2–5 seconds): "That’s a great question."Answer (10–30 seconds): Give a concise response. Use phrases like "The short answer is… The reason being…"Evidence (10–20 seconds): Refer to a data point or a logical rationale. "Based on my calculations (see appendix slide 3), this option delivers a 15% improvement."Offer follow-up (5–10 seconds): "If you’d like, I can run sensitivity analysis on that assumption post-task."If you don’t know, say so and offer a plan: "I don’t have that data here — I would validate by doing X in week one and adjust accordingly." That honesty, paired with a plan, reads as professional judgement.
Written deliverable: structure and language
Most UK employers expect crisp, scannable documents. I recommend this structure:
Executive summary (1 paragraph, 40–60 words)Key issues & diagnostics (bullet points)Options considered (table comparing impact/cost/risk)Recommended approach (step-by-step, 90–150 words)Implementation timeline (Gantt-like bullets for first 12 weeks)Appendix with calculations and assumptionsWrite with active verbs and simple language. Replace "will be implemented" with "we will implement". Use bold headings and short bullets. If a table is suitable, include it — hiring managers skim for evidence and clarity.
After the task: follow-up email (within 24 hours)
Send a polite, concise follow-up that reiterates your interest and summarises one high-impact point you didn’t get to emphasise in the presentation.
Use this template:
Subject: Thank you — [Role] case taskOpening: "Thank you for the chance to complete the case task and for your time today."One-line value reminder: "I’m excited by [company/team challenge] and confident my recommendation to [single-sentence summary] will deliver [key benefit]."Offer to follow up: "I’m happy to share the working file or run further analysis on any assumption."Sign-off: "Best regards, Éloïse Durand"Keep it under 150 words. This reinforces professionalism and keeps you front of mind.
Common pitfalls I see (and exact recovery scripts)
Over-detailing: If you’ve created a 25-slide deck, say: "I focused on concise recommendations in the first slides; I have additional detail in the appendix if you’d like to dig in."Wrong prioritisation: If a panel pushes back on your focus, pivot gracefully: "That’s a helpful angle. I prioritised X because of [reason], but I can shift to Y and outline a quick 6-week plan now."Getting defensive: Use the phrase "That’s a useful challenge — here’s how I’d test that assumption."These short scripts defuse tension and show coachability — a key trait UK employers prize.
If you want, I can draft a personalised 5–8 minute script and a follow-up email tailored to your upcoming case task. Send me the brief and I’ll outline the structure and exact timings you should follow.
