Within the School of Accounting and Finance (SAF), students can apply to the SAF External Subsidy Program. This is a fantastic opportunity for students to compete in case competitions hosted by other schools. When we got the notification that we were selected to compete, we were ecstatic.
This competition was different than a typical accounting and finance focused competition because we had to deliver a strategy to a company on how they can better implement services beyond their current service offering. This competition required more outside of the box thinking. For of some us, this would be our first time competing in a university level case competition. However, after coming away with our third place win, we wanted to share a few tips that helped us be successful!
1. Teamwork makes the dream work
Before, none of us had met each other before. Suddenly being put in a situation where you had to create a deliverable can be very intimidating with a new team. An open mind along with cooperation, ensured that our whole processes went smoothly.
2. Practice, practice, practice, then practice some more
As a team, we knew that it did not matter what our slide deck looked like if we did not have a solid presentation. We took time to run through our presentation repeatedly, as well as brainstorm potential questions from the judges. This helped us become more confident and have a better flow with our presentation.
We hope these tips encourage you to take your first step in competing in case competitions! No matter what the outcome, small steps can set you up for success. Good luck!