Clarfiying Questions & Assumptions
When given a case interview question, 99% of the time, it is essential to ask clarifying questions before jumping into an answer.
In past articles, I have addressed fishing versus strategic questions. Today I want to talk more about different types of strategic clarifying questions.
There are two ways to “ask” a question.
Simply and directly as the question.
State an assumption and ask if there are any objections.
Example:
Prompt: Design an app to find doctors.
Method 1: Direct
Do you want me to focus on physical health or mental health?
Method 2: Assumption
When you say doctors, I think of doctors focused on my physical health or mental health. Given the rise in mental healthcare issues post-pandemic, I would like to focus on mental healthcare. Are you ok with that assumption?
Which is better?
You can use either approach. I actually like to ask two direct questions and one assumption question, as a general rule of thumb. Mixing in at least one assumption reduces the cognitive load on your interviewer and illustrates your comfort with ambiguity.
That said, most people who do well only ask direct questions. And others I have seen only state assumptions and ask if there are any objections to said assumptions.
Find what works for you
I recommend you experiment with both approaches and find what works best for you.
