Case Competition has always been a buzzword that you will hear in business school, but what exactly is it? It wasn’t an easy question for me to answer when I was in my first year of university, with no prior experience in joining any kind of case competition. However, under the influence of my friend, I decided to apply to HKUST Case Analysis Team (CAT) which somehow kickstarted my case competition journey.
 
It was a very steep learning curve for me as a new member, as I needed to absorb everything from how to analyze a case company and the industry it’s in, ways to come out with brilliant ideas to solve the issue they are facing, and a number of financial frameworks to project the impact that could be generated. To be honest, I struggled a lot, especially in my first year, and the results weren’t that ideal at first.
 
However, after attending numerous training, workshops, and mock case competitions, I finally participated in my first International Case Competition (ICC) - the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology International Case Competition 2021 (HKICC). It was never easy for us as a team of 4 juniors with no prior experience in ICC. However, with days and nights of training and discussions and also, a little bit of luck, we got to bring back a champion trophy with us. It was the moment I truly realized how I appreciated the give-and-take culture of CAT and GBUS, where I received a lot of guidance and support from the seniors. The seniors had been trying their best to prepare our team for the competition, and the passion and dedication that they have shown inspired me to take up the Head Committee role in CAT. Since then, my role changed a little bit as I have to take a more holistic perspective to guide and share my experience and knowledge with the junior members.

After years of experience in joining case competitions, I truly think there is no shortcut nor a winning formula to excel in case competitions. It’s always those training, preparation, and dedication that bring you a decent result. It’s undoubtedly very challenging to get through all those milestones, but I am really grateful that I decided to step out of my comfort zone and give it a try. Despite the industry knowledge, you can equip yourself through joining case competitions. I think what is more sustainable is the ability to perform in an intense and high-pressure environment, forcing yourself to think logically and in a structured way when facing issues. I think it’s a valuable skill that you can bring along with you to outperform as a fresh graduate, a senior employee, and a leader.
 
So, if you are looking for something to stand out in your CV, I would say joining a case competition is definitely not your only way out. But if you are looking for something challenging and fruitful, as well as making you a bunch of good friends, definitely consider joining one.