By January 2022, the guide has sold to more than 4000 customers from 60+ countries. These are typically 4 interviews lasting 1 - 1 hour 15 minutes each. Overall, we look for personal impact, entrepreneurial drive, inclusive leadership and problem solving, and we recognize there are many ways to acquire those skills. Our interviewers are trained to examine candidates' past accomplishments in depth in order to determine if the skills they possess would position them well for a successful career at McKinsey. McKinsey & Company interview details: 4,875 interview questions and 4,594 interview reviews posted anonymously by McKinsey & Company interview candidates. Lastly, you cant use a calculator or anything else, just your natural abilities. During many of our interviews, you will learn more about what this value means in practice at McKinsey. If you want to go deeper to brush up on your math skills, we have created a program with detailed insider learning materials, 25 videos and a guidebook as well as 2,000 practice drills that mimick the McKinsey, BCG, and Bain case interview math as well as the aptitude and analytics test math for you here:the Case Interview Math Mastery. For instance, if you do not pass the interviews, consulting firms will request you wait 12-18 months until you reapply. Good luck with your preparation! If you are an undergraduate student, it is likely that you will have to take one of the McKinsey problem-solving tests (PST or Imbellus) before, maybe, being invited to interviews. While we hire a diverse array of talent, one thing remains constant: we want to add values-driven individuals who will bring innovation and create positive, enduring change in the world. Impress your McKinsey interviewer with a perfect PEI. Instead focus on practicing the types of questions we discussed above (structuring, exhibit analysis, math) only after you have mastered those, you can focus on specific industries or functions in your preparation. Myth 3: Mobile health is the game changer. You can read this article to build your list of smart questions to ask at the end of your interviews. The interviewer will then ask follow-up questions to probe deeper into your example or story. If you really hit it off with someone you met during the McKinsey networking events, you can also ask them. January 12, 2023 | Interview. In other words, the McKinsey PST assesses your ability to do the job: if you do well at the McKinsey PST, it is an indication that you will perform well as an Analyst. We look for distinctive people from a variety of academic backgrounds. Fingers crossed! Additionally, any MDs or Medical residents working or studying in the UK will go through their interview process with an individual hiring location or practice and not through the central UK APD recruiting process. only 1% of the 200,000 applicants receive an offer, people with certain characteristics and skills, if you do well at the McKinsey PST, it is an indication that you will perform well as an Analyst, Calculate X, Y, and Z given the following data, Which of the following conclusions are accurate given the following data, Describe a challenging situation when you have had to work hard to achieve something, in a limited time, outside your comfort zone (, Tell me about a time when you have had to work with someone with an opposing opinion (, Describe the greatest challenge you have had to overcome when working effectively together with a group of people (, McKinsey interviewer led case study interview format, 45-minute practice case study interview with a McKinsey alumnus, 2-hour webinars explaining case study interviews with McKinsey alumni, Clarify the structure of the office, McKinsey, or client engagements. First, your interviewer will present a problem. If you want to get familiar with the best approach on how to solve McKinsey cases, check out our Ready-for-McKinsey video academy, where we give examples of how bad, good and excellent candidates go through the case and what does it take to get maximum points in McKinsey business case interview. In this article, I will remove the mystery of the McKinsey recruitment process, including the resume and cover letter screening, the Problem-Solving-Test (PST), the Imbellus game, the Personal Experience Interview (PEI), and, of course, the case interview. Personal Fit in the second round is similar to round one you will need to tell your stories according to the relevant McKinsey dimensions. The first round typically consists of two 45-minute one-on-one interviews. Usually, it is just one simulation and the dimension is chosen based on what was your weakest Personal Fit performance in the previous round. Remember, management consulting is a destination job for both university programs and experienced hires. The main distinction is that case interviews for the McKinsey Implementation Group may be more focused on execution, implementation, marketing, sales, or operations. There are three different types of networking events: You do not need to attend every event, but some events will be more effective for networking than others. The only difference is that you might get cases with digital or a high-tech content or context (for example, see the NetForm case in our McKinsey-style Case Book). Getting a McKinsey referral basically means that someone at McKinsey will send your name and resume to the McKinsey recruiter that is in charge of the resume reviews. In this way, the video game assessment goes beyond the capabilities of the problem-solving test (PST) which is currently used as part of the screening process. For example, in the Personal Impact dimension simulation, you would need to persuade a client to conduct a reorganization of their department: you would need to demonstrate strong interpersonal skills to succeed. What makes McKinsey interviews different is their very specific use of case as well as personal fit interviews. First, there's a role simulation in which they demonstrate their decision-making and communication skills. To conclude, the most challenging part of this test is the time management. This will most likely be the office that you will be interviewing for. If there was a particular area of the case interview that you struggled with, interviewers may want to test you again on it to make sure that it is not a significant weakness. No preparation is required or expected for this game. The selection process is divided into screening and interviews. You can use this opportunity to learn more about McKinsey and to ask to be put in contact with a McKinsey recruiter. Networking is crucial to giving your resume an opportunity to be reviewed. The McKinsey Problem Solving Game, also known as the Imbellus Assessment (or Imbellus test), is an environmentally themed video game using data science to evaluate problem-solving choices. The case interview may feel more like a discussion where you and the interviewer are discussing your opinions and ideas on a business problem. Use your LinkedIn network to identify former colleagues or school alumni that would be open to chatting with you. There are two goals you should focus on in these networking events: 1. Only full-time candidates will have to go through second-round interviews. We have experience reading academic resumes/CVs, so there is no need to fit your information into a traditional business format. If you attend a top-tier undergraduate or MBA school, McKinsey typically hosts coffee chats to give students an opportunity to ask individual, specific questions. Determining whether to invest in the production and sale of electric trucks for a leading European truck manufacturer. For a detailed article on this type of screening, see our McKinsey Phone Case Interview preparation guide. Your email address will not be published. In the second part of the test, you would need to play a tower-defense-like game that assesses your ability to sift through large amounts of information and think systematically. In this edition of Author Talks, McKinsey Global Publishing's Molly Liebergall chats with Myra Strober, professor emerita at Stanford University and founding director of Stanford's Clayman Institute for Gender Research, about her new book Money and Love: An Intelligent Roadmap for Life's Biggest Decisions . The whole process usually takes 2-3 months to complete, for a job starting about 6-12 months after application. These interviews consist of case interviews and personal experience interviews. With a typical hire rate of less than 1%, interviews with top consulting firms such as McKinsey, BCG and Bain are some of the most challenging in the world. Working toward your advanced degree means you already have many of the skills and strengths you need to succeed here. They will not help or hurt your application but can be good conversation starters in an interview. Meet some of our people here. There are two goals you should focus on in these networking events: 1. 13 pages of useful tips. The McKinsey Problem Solving Game is currently being rolled out globally and has not yet been introduced in all the countries. Did you take the imbellus test? Also, if you want to get to know typical McKinsey business cases on top of what is available on the McKinsey website, check out our McKinsey-style Case Book there we put together 3 very different McKinsey-style business cases for you to practice. Curious about the recruitment process for other top firms? There are no knockout factors, and you need not be distinctive on every dimension. Well go through each step in the interview process so you know exactly what to expect. So, whether Consulting is a thoughtful career choice or an I dont know what to do, lets try career choice, there are many good reasons why Consulting can be a good opportunity. Youll have the opportunity to ask clarifying questions to ensure that you understand the business situation and the objective of the case. You can use the following simple, but effective structure while answering the why consulting question: In addition to being asked why you are interested in consulting, one of your interviewers may also ask why you are interested in working at McKinsey. APD students in other regions of the world will go through interviews with individual hiring teams and the process may vary. Third round: Two to three 60-minute interviews with more senior consultants and partners. Most of the time, this process takes between 2x and 3x months, with often 14 days between steps on average. Here are some ideas for great questions: Make a connection with your interviewer. Competition is strong. Sbastien, Your email address will not be published. The McKinsey cover letter is usually optional. Because the second most important thing that McKinsey wants to know after who you are is: Because McKinsey doesnt want you to leave after 6 months when you would have realized that the consulting lifestyle doesnt fit your objectives. This strategy ensures that you give your answer in a clear and structured way. The application screening. I am a former Strategy Consultant and for the last 6 years, I have helped 200+ people get a job at McKinsey, BCG, or Bain & Company. If you're applying for these roles, the interview process includes: The Quanthub prescreening test, In that regard, the game was similar to the ecosystem creation. To improve your skills in all areas of the interview, check out our targeted offers below. Are you collaborative? The McKinsey careers site provides lots of helpful information on what to expect and how to prepare. We encourage you to add all of these experiences to your CV or resume. Interviewing Interviews Your interview experience will differ depending on the role for which you apply. The interview was my first in the series and was a technical one. If you have a friend or colleague that works or used to work at McKinsey, ask if they would be comfortable giving you a referral. What do you need to do to put yourself in the 1% of applicants that land a McKinsey job offer? I spent the most time preparing for the personal experience interviews; those to me were the most challenging. By understanding the qualities that make people successful at the firm, I could think of the best experiences to share during my interviews. Some candidates receive a phone call with good news on the same day of their final round interview. McKinsey & Company is genuinely interested in your questions. Or they may share examples of how we use the obligation to dissent. How can an Eastern European countrys Department of Education improve their school system? There are many different reasons you can give: Again, try to structure your answer in a clear way: Your McKinsey final round interview will typically consist of two to three separate 40- to 60-minute interviews. They may touch on our formal and informal apprenticeship and mentor programs. Learn more about what we look for in candidates. This is not required to get a McKinsey interview. When you stand out from other candidates, you will get more interviews that turn into job offers. What makes McKinsey interviews different is their very specific use of case as well as personal fit interviews. Most candidates hear back within 2 weeks, however, sometimes it can take up to one month. In fact, the McKinsey recruitment process is considered one of the most competitive processes in the corporate world with just a ~1% acceptance rate. They will want to know exactly what you did, how you thought about the situation, why you did the things that you did, and what you learned from the situation. This gives you a better opportunity to chat and ask questions with a McKinsey representative one-on-one. McKinsey Personal Experience Interview (PEI). Offered an interview but not feeling ready? McKinsey Invitational Lunches and Dinners. For UK APD candidates, interviews are always hosted in the London office regardless of the candidates' destination office. Since McKinsey has significantly increased the variety and diversity of roles over the last couple of years, the TEI can be very different for different roles. Three, your interviewers may read the notes that your interviewers wrote during your McKinsey first round interview. Getting a McKinsey referral also does not guarantee that you will receive an interview. Will the case interview be same for me or will it be different. Your email address will not be published. You can watch the video below for an example of how to solve a McKinsey case interview. These interviews are usually conducted by non-partner level consultants (senior associates to associate principles), however, they are no less challenging than second-round interviews, which are conducted by partners. The cool-off period for McKinsey North America varies depending on the recruiting process and the stage at which you were rejected. Check this article to know how to craft a compelling answer to the why consulting? question. To conclude, the game does not require business and mathematical knowledge, only evaluating cognitive abilities and problem-solving preferences. McKinsey typically hosts several networking events before the McKinsey application is due. As I write in Tell Me About Yourself: How to Answer This Question, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. 1. As former McKinsey consultants and interview experts, we have specialized in helping our candidates to effectively tackle this part of the McKinsey assessment. To conclude, if you pass the resume and cover letter screening successfully, you will receive an email with a link to the digitized assessment and have 7 calendar days after receiving the link to complete the test. 2. McKinsey devotes a substantial amount of time and expense to telling people about the firm and the work they do so they can attract the best candidates to apply to work for the company. Several include an online assessment, others a group exercise; some candidates interview with partners, and the number of colleagues you meet will vary. 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