Goldilyn Limsey
Former Manager, McKinsey
Contents
Contents
One of the oldest and best-known programs covering consulting case interview prep is the Victor Cheng Look Over My Shoulder Program. Of course, nothing good comes free.
So, is it worth the price?
In this article we’ll give you the pros and cons of the Look Over My Shoulder (LOMS) program and tell you about other programs that can teach you to case as well, if not better, than Victor Cheng’s; which could potentially provide you with better value for your money.
Let’s get started!
What Does the Victor Cheng Look Over My Shoulder (LOMS) Program Include?
The Victor Cheng LOMS Program has evolved over the years. But at its core, it remains an audio podcast resource meant to provide aspiring consultants a sense of what it will take to pass case interviews and get into their dream firms.
The audio podcast resource is aptly named Look Over My Shoulder (LOMS), as it allows you to listen in on case interviews conducted by Victor Cheng, a former McKinsey consultant who has extensive experience both preparing for case interviews and conducting the actual case interviews.
The podcast itself consists of 8 cases provided to different caliber candidates, resulting in 20 hours’ worth of audio recordings and equivalent transcripts. This translates to roughly ~2.5 hours worth of material per case.
The length of time is because of the following:
- Each case is given to three different candidates, to better illustrate the difference in style and allow for more opportunities to see what good casing looks like.
- Beyond the actual interview, Victor Cheng also provides detailed commentary on every mistake made by the candidate and what they should have done instead.
Aside from the podcast resource, Victor Cheng also offers additional resources for an additional fee. These resources include:
- Cover Letter Toolkit
- Resume Toolkit
- Comprehensive Guide to Case Math
- Mental Math
- Case Interview Coaching Session
- Guide to Personal Experience Interview Toolkit
Now that you have a good idea of the Victor Cheng LOMS program, let’s discuss the pros and cons you should be aware of.
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What Are the Pros of the Look Over My Shoulder Program?
1. Exposure to Good Quality Cases
As mentioned, the Look Over My Shoulder Program offers 8 cases for your reference. These cases cover a variety of industries, including retailing, commodities manufacturing, and logistics.
A good mix of problems are also covered, taking into account the case types candidates most often come across in actual case interviews, such as profitability improvements, revenue growth, market entry, and mergers & acquisition.
For a beginner caser with zero background on what to expect from case interviews, exposure to this set of solid cases provides an advantage since it allows you to focus on high-probability scenarios you yourself might face in an actual interview.
2. Exposure to Thoughtful Feedback Distinguishing Between Good & Distinctive Casing
Victor Cheng is a highly reputable case interview author, coach, and workshop leader. So there is value in hearing his “voice over” commentary for each case interview, as he provides on-the-spot feedback the exact second someone gets it right or wrong, and what else they could have done to make it better.
This type of commentary is invaluable especially if you’re starting out and are unsure on what “distinctive” casing looks like.
3. Unlimited and Convenient Access to the Program
Unlike certain programs, the Victor Cheng LOMS Program is yours forever.
Upon purchase, the program is delivered digitally and users can start using the program immediately. Once you have access to the program, you can download all the files and transcripts, so you have offline access.
Likewise, because of its audio podcast format, it makes it incredibly convenient to listen and learn on the go whether you’re driving to work or walking home.
You can rewind and re-listen to each case multiple times, and really internalize best practices covered or errors to avoid as many times as you want.
What Are the Cons of the Victor Cheng LOMS Program?
1. Heavy Emphasis on Passive Learning Versus Active Learning
There is no doubt that listening to other people doing case interviews provides greater familiarity on the structure and format of a case interview.
However, without active practice, you don’t actually get the chance to put into action the knowledge you’ve learned. Studies show that learning from your own mistakes first-hand results in deeper insight versus those obtained through pure listening.
The consensus is clear: Simply listening to the Look Over My Shoulder podcast isn’t enough to prepare YOU for a real case interview encounter. Good quality live practice and implementing constructive feedback obtained are the key to becoming a distinctive caser.
2. The Look Over My Shoulder Program Does Not Provide a Curriculum for Learning
What you hear is what you get. As a resource, this audio podcast is great for you to get a sense of what a case interview is like, and the right or wrong approach taken by the candidate within the context of the case they’re tackling.
While you can come up with pretty good casing tips from the podcast, there is no clear curriculum for teaching you what steps to do and what specific skills to learn (e.g. exhibit reading, maths, brainstorming, market sizing) in order to really ace a case.
Likewise, if you’re coming from a non-business background, simply using the Victor Cheng Look Over My Shoulder program will not be enough to get you up-to-speed on the core business concepts you should be familiar with, such as basic business terminologies or knowledge of different industry business models.
3. It does not cover all interview formats
The two most common case formats are the candidate-led case format (most common, utilized by BCG and Bain) and interviewer-led / command-and-control case formats (utilized by McKinsey).
The Look Over My Shoulder (LOMS) program recognizes this, and it actually gives you the option to purchase:
What to Purchase | Inclusive | Price, as % of Full LOMS Package |
McKinsey Case Format |
| ~40% of Full LOMS Package |
BCG and Bain Case Format |
| ~60% of Full LOMS Package |
Full LOMS Package |
| 100% of Full LOMS Package |
However, these aren’t the only interview formats being utilized by consulting firms nowadays.
First off, the Personal Experience Interview (otherwise known as the Behavioral Interview) is utilized by consulting firms to test whether or not you’d be a good cultural fit for the company.
Victor Cheng does offer a Guide to Personal Experience Interview, but it is only included in the Ultimate Case Interview Program, which costs roughly ~3x the Full LOMS Package.
Second, more dynamic case formats are starting to be adopted by consulting firms. These include written cases and panel interviews. While the basic problem solving toolkit remains the same, additional skills are also being tested here and must be prepared for.
4. The Program Isn’t Updated Often
While it is certainly true that the value any user attains is largely dependent on the amount of time spent practicing and learning from their mistakes, we also recognize that the consulting landscape is continually reinventing itself and the way it recruits top talents.
For example, many consulting companies are now utilizing Online Tests and Games (e.g. BCG Pymetrics Test, Bain Online Assessment, McKinsey Problem Solving Game) to quickly screen candidates as step one of the interview screening process.
As such, while the Look Over My Shoulder program certainly covers the more traditional aspects of the case interview, it may not be wholly relevant for the newer formats and tests that are coming out today.
5. The Audio Format May Not Be for Everyone
Depending on preference and learning style, the audio format may not be the best learning format for everyone. Some people learn better visually, and may easily get distracted from a purely audio learning experience.
Other Products that Can Help You Master Consulting Case Interviews
At the end of the day, Victor Cheng’s Look Over My Shoulder Program remains a good resource for case preparation, especially for beginners who are starting out in their casing journey.
However, it is certainly not a comprehensive resource as evidenced by the concerns highlighted above. Keeping that in mind, what other resources can you actually take advantage of?
My Consulting Offer’s Bootcamp Program
Here at My Consulting Offer, we recognize that getting into consulting requires concerted effort and investment on your part. So to help you along, we want to make sure you have access to the best and most comprehensive resource available – namely the My Consulting Offer’s Consulting Bootcamp.
This Bootcamp makes use of a proven, step-by-step system, built by our team of global ex-McK/BCG/Bain recruiters and consultants, and utilized by thousands of applicants before you who now have added consulting to their resume.
Purchasing the MCO Get Into Consulting Bootcamp will give you access to the following:
- 14-value packed training modules (16+ hours of video lessons) ranging from recruiting to interviewing to preparing for consulting life once you get the offer.
- Exclusive access to our Facebook community.
- Access to exclusive bonus materials worth ~$4,000 in value including:
- Masters of Casing: Live mock cases to showcase average versus distinctive casing in practice.
- Consulting Industry Guides: Industry cheat sheets from Private Equity to Aerospace Defense, which will get you up-to-speed quickly.
- “Think Like a Consultant” Homework and Drills.
Because we have so many materials on offer, which we update regularly, there is no expiration date to the MCO Bootcamp. Our goal is to provide you with the best value for your money.
How is the My Consulting Offer “Get Into Consulting Bootcamp” Different from LOMS?
1. One-stop Resource Useful for Everyone, Regardless of Background or Location
It is important to note that the MCO Bootcamp was built as a resource for ALL consulting applicants, whether you are:
- Applying for generalist vs specialized consulting
- Going through campus recruiting vs experienced hire recruiting
- Applying for different locations across the globe
As such, MCO Bootcamp provides a clear step-by-step curriculum that is meant to walk you through:
- How to get an interview, including crafting a winning resume and networking into an interview.
- How to prepare for the case interview, broken down by case type and key skill areas tested.
- How to prepare for the behavioral interview, broken down by the most common themes asked.
- How to wow from Day 1 at your new job.
Our track record speaks for itself. 85% of our clients receive an offer at their dream firms. Our client base is not just people with top GPAs at Ivy League Schools. We prove that you can get a job in consulting even if you attend a non-target school, have a low GPA (e.g., 2.9), are a Ph.D candidate, are an MBA candidate, or are already working and want to switch to the consulting industry.
2. Heavy Emphasis on Active Learning vs. Passive Learning
Here at MCO, we believe that quality practice is key.
Beyond the comprehensive curriculum, purchasing MCO Bootcamp also gives you access to resume and cover letter templates, industry guide cheat sheets, proprietary homework and exercises for each critical skill area. All of these are meant as a resource for you to apply what you’ve learned in the video modules, so you can quickly build up the required skillset to ace your application and interviews.
Equally important, you’ll get access to our exclusive MCO community ensures you can easily find case partners of similar caliber and commitment as you. Nothing beats end-to-end case and behavioral practice with live partners.
Last but definitely not least, our team frequently checks and responds to questions about the course material, so all queries are answered in a timely manner.
3. Our Program Is Updated for Each Hiring Cycle
We recognize that the consulting landscape is continuously changing. We review, update, and expand our offerings to ensure relevance. We can do this because we keep in touch with clients who are now in consulting, recruiters at the firms we help our clients get roles with, and other public and internal updates.
Case in point, our Bootcamp has had new content releases every year since it was created. When there are changes in firms’ hiring plans or processes, you’ll know about it.
Regardless of your background or the consulting firm you’re trying to get into, we guarantee our Bootcamp can help.
Interested to know more? Click here.
My Consulting Offer’s Free “Pass the Case Interview” Video Series
If your budget is tight, you may also consider our free “Pass the Case Interview” video series. In this 3-part training series, we cover tips on how to pass the case interview in a week, as well as our tried-and-tested approach to both the case interview and the behavioral interview.
Add your email here to gain instant access.
In this article, we’ve covered:
- The pros of the Victor Cheng Look Over My Shoulder program,
- Cons of the LOMS program, and
- Alternative Case Interview Prep programs that can provide more bang for your buck.
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Still have questions?
If you have more questions about consulting interview prep programs, leave them in the comments below. One of My Consulting Offer’s case coaches will answer them.
Other people prepping for consulting case interviews found the following pages helpful:
Help with Consulting Interview Prep
Thanks for turning to My Consulting Offer for advice on case interview preparation. My Consulting Offer has helped almost 85% of the people we’ve worked with to get a job in management consulting. We want you to be successful in your consulting interviews too. For example, here is how Suhani was able to get her offer from McKinsey.
[EXCLUSIVE FREE TRAINING]
Nail the case & fit interview with strategies from former MBB Interviewers that have helped 89.6% of our clients pass the case interview.