Vilde Lovise Wittingsrud

"If you wonder whether case activities might be something for you – just try it out. You can be sure to learn a lot, and it gives you great insight that can help you explore your options when contemplating what to do with your career."

When were you an active case student at BI and at which campus?
I was active at campus Oslo from 2016 until the end of my bachelor in 2017.

Why did you decide to join BI’s case activities?
I wanted to engage in an activity besides my studies that would be relevant and beneficial for my professional career. I was eager to lean and develop my skills, and chose to dive into what seemed like a challenging but highly useful extracurricular activity. I also saw BI case activities as a great opportunity to socialize and collaborate with engaged students all wanting to learn. In addition, I wanted to see whether consulting could be something for me to pursue as a career.

What was the name of your case team and how did you find your teammates?
I went to the first case training session on my own and teamed up with the ones sitting around me that day. As time went by, some team members dropped out and my team was merged with another team. In total, I was part of three different teams, the last two put together by the case activity organizers for the different competitions I attended. I learned a lot from being part of several team constellations and collaborating with people with different skillset

Did you have a specific role on your team?
We did not have predefined and absolute roles, but collaborated on most domains. We all did research, developed hypotheses, conducted analyses, drew conclusions and created slides. However, over time I was often responsible for the final power point presentation with regards to the design of the slides and the overarching structure of our presentation.

Which case competitions did you take part in?
I took part in the U.Porto Case Competition – FEP, at the Universidade do Porto in Portugal the fall of 2016, and BI International Case Competition the spring semester of 2017. My team also attended trial competitions with other BI teams, hosted to select a team to attend these competitions.

What is your best memory from your case journey at BI?

The first international case competition I attended in Portugal. I was amazed of how much I learned that week, how talented and engaged all the participants were, and how extensive the case environment was on a global sale. I also made friends I still keep in touch with.

What are your top three takeaways from case training and competitions?

1. The cases you solve are relevant real-world challenges.
   
   The first case we solved was about Netflix and we recommended them to create more original content in several languages, especially Spanish, to extend their reach. In the years to follow, Netflix did just that. Although we are not professional consultants, how we learn to work and attack a problem can yield the same conclusions acted upon in the real world.
2. A great way to explore career opportunities
   
   When being part of BI case activity, we solved cases from different industries, with different focus. That enabled me to get insight into a variety of markets, roles and industry characteristics. It made me aware of what industries I found more interesting than others and shaped my career choice.
3. The skills you acquire are useful in several spheres
   
   Critical thinking, an analytical mindset, performing under time pressure, mastering to get a group of people with different skills to work together, as well as getting comfortable with public speaking, are all beneficial skills to possess in the professional as well as the private sphere.

What skills did you learn from participating in case which were relevant to your development/career and how?
Being part of BI case activities helped me develop an analytical mindset and taught me how to explore complex problems in a structured way. Additionally, as we frequently presented cases, I got increasingly comfortable with public speaking. I also improved my Excel and Power Point skills. Acquiring these skills helped me succeed in sequential courses at BI. It has also been highly beneficial to possess these skills before entering the professional marketplace. 

Do you have any advice to students who are curious about case?
When I attended my first case training, I did not know whether it was a good fit. However, my time solving cases at BI significantly shaped my way forward. I discovered solving business cases to be a fun and social way of working, while it at the same time pushed me to dive into topics and industries I did not know anything about from before. I had to learn new things fast and be able to present it with confidence. It turned out this was the perfect combination for me. I moved on to pursue a master majoring in strategy, and I now work as a business consultant in the IT industry. So, if you wonder whether case activities might be something for you – just try it out. You can be sure to learn a lot, and it gives you great insight that can help you explore your options when contemplating what to do with your career.