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Updated Feb 8, 2012 – Interview questions and reviews posted anonymously by interview candidates.

Difficulty Rating [?] Based on 47 ratings

3.9

“Difficult” Interview

Interview Experience [?] Based on 47 ratings

Positive	45%
Neutral	36%
Negative	19%

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3.0

Average Interview

Overall Negative Experience

Interviewed and No Offer

Interviewed Nov 2011 in Chicago, IL (took 2 weeks)

I was an APD candidate and took a 26 question multiple choice test. Then there were breakout sessions with 4 other candidates and a current consultant to work through cases as the case interview was unfamiliar to many of us. It was an odd experience and our invitation for a second interview was based solely (or so they say) on our performance on the 26 multiple choice questions. The word questions were not overly complex but they involved a lot of calcuations and you are not allowed a calculator. Work on basic mental math before you interview!
It was an odd way of being judged and the day I was informed I would not be invited for a second interview I heard an NPR piece on a former McKinsey big muck who was indicted on multiple counts of insider trading.

Interview Questions

skills test

View Answers (1)

Other Details

The interview consisted of a Group/Panel Interview and a Skills Test.

Helpful Interview?

Yes | No

Inappropriate?

4.0

Difficult Interview

Overall Negative Experience

Interviewed and No Offer

Interviewed Oct 2011 (took 2+ weeks)

I applied online after attending an information session for advanced degree candidates at my university. They invited almost everyone to the initial assessment (1st round), which is a written multiple choice test and group cases. The test is supposed to be what matters and the group cases are more of a preparation for the later rounds. The test is similar to the sample on their website. I got an email a few days later saying that I didn't make it.

Interview Questions

Written test similar to the sample on their website.

Answer Question

Interviewer-driven group cases (see case example on their website).

Answer Question

Other Details

I got the interview through a College or University and the interview consisted of a Group/Panel Interview and a Skills Test.

Helpful Interview?

Yes | No

Inappropriate?

4.0

Difficult Interview

Overall Neutral Experience

Interviewed and No Offer

Interviewed Aug 2011 (took a day)

After I appliced for McKinsey Insight Program, although I didn't get in, I got an early interview chance for full-time consultant positioin. The very first test was verbal/numerical reasoning sort of questions, really tight on time. I prepared by studying some GMAT questions. I didn't do well, but good enough to pass. The most important thing is to finish making your choices rather than leaving anything blank.
Starting from next round it was 1:1 interviews about some behavioral and case questions. I fumbled here because I didn't show them that I had a clear structure, which is extremely crucial. You don't have to have really creative ideas or any insightful thinkings, but at least, show them that you have a clear structure in your mind, acturally on the paper too!!!
I failed here. Didn't go to the final office round.

Interview Questions

Squash sports coming back from a bad public relationship

Answer Question

Hotel company going into airplane tickets

Answer Question

Other Details

I got the interview through a College or University and the interview consisted of a 1:1 Interview and a Skills Test.

Helpful Interview?

Yes | No

Inappropriate?

5.0

Very Difficult Interview

Overall Negative Experience

Interviewed and No Offer

Interviewed Dec 2011 in Atlanta, GA (took 2 months)

The interview process itself was very cumbersome for an experienced consultant. I applied, and received an email from the recruiter asking to set up an initial screening. This screening was the only information I was ever given about the position, and it was high level.
McKinsey's interview process centers on case studies, overly so. The first "interview" that was set up was a coaching session on the McKinsey case study. This was an hour case study, with the interviewer being arrogant and even combative. After being berated, the interview ended. Following this was the "true" case study, whereas the interviewer was quite nice and helpful. I was then passed on to a third interview with someone in the Pricing practice, who was also quite helpful. This was the only person to ever really go into my experience, and it was quite high level. Another case study followed, for a total of three up to this point.
I was told that the next phase would get more into my experience and the processes of the pricing practice, but might have some more case studies included. I had to apply and receive a McKinsey American Express in order to expense the costs of my in-person interview. The day prior to the interview I had to email and remind my recruiter I had never received an agenda for my interview.
I show up ten minutes early for the interview, and the receptionist was quite friendly. In fact, she and I spoke for around twenty minutes because the interviewer was late. Finally, the interviewer rushes down. His first question is to go over my experience, but five minutes into this he interrupts me (I didn't even get to half of my job experience), and we go into...yet another case study. The interviewer is friendly, but a little arrogant. In one of my answers he challenged me, saying I was incorrect. When I reiterated my stance, and explained my reasoning, he argued that my assumptions were negligible, and we ended the interview as he had to rush to another interview. I still hadn't any idea about the position I was there for.
When I had first received my agenda, there was a gap of time that I had assumed would be filled with a tour of the office. When the time came, I was told I could stay in the conference room or go to the lobby. I waited in the conference room for an hour until the next interviewer came.
The next interviewer came in and asked me two questions, and then another case study. By this time I was annoyed that I had no more information about the position than when I started this process. I requested we leave time for questions about the position for later in the interview, and thankfully I was able to ask two questions before ending.
My third interview asked me one behavior-type question, and then went into a sixth case study. Not to mention that the office had food catered and our conference room fronted the kitchen so there were over fifty people talking and eating outside of the room while I was being asked to calculate 35% of 15,982,450 by hand to get the answer and then divide by 87 to get yet another number that needed to be divided and then multiplied again. As well, I hadn’t eaten. I completely shut down, and in two instances told the interviewer that I could go through the process with him, but I did not have time to calculate. The interview ended, and onto a test. The test took an hour and consisted of three written cases and 26 questions. The questions required the same as the verbal cases; calculations by hand.
As this ended, I had no want left in my being to work at McKinsey. I know this is a prestigious firm, but as an experienced consultant with over 11 years of experience, 8 of which is in program management/ consulting I was thoroughly not impressed with their process. A total of six cases, all of which require pen and paper calculations which would never occur in the real world (people would use calculators and Excel), and then a written test of three more cases is overkill. I see the value in cases (and after the first three over the phone assumed that I excelled at them), but I also see the value in interview-style techniques. Many of the people who interviewed seemed to have no interview skills and hid behind the case studies, and I as the interviewee never received the comfort level needed for the position I had applied. As well, no one I interviewed with knew where I was in the process.
For the recruiters, if you wish to maintain the “catered toward MBA students” reputation do not appeal to experienced professionals, and if you do, tailor your hiring process to dig into their experience, what they can bring to your practice, and what they can expect at McKinsey. Focusing on whether someone can multiply numbers with a piece of paper and pen while someone is staring at them is not an indication of knowledge or skill, and if you stay with this approach you may miss out on strong consultants who will make other consulting firms stronger in the long run.

Interview Questions

I won't put any case questions down, but focus on market share, revenue, pricing, and being able to compute on the fly

Answer Question

Other Details

I got the interview through a Recruiter and the interview consisted of a Phone Interview, a 1:1 Interview and a Skills Test.

Helpful Interview?

Yes | No

Inappropriate?

5.0

Very Difficult Interview

Overall Positive Experience

Received and Declined Offer

Interviewed Oct 2009 (took 3 weeks)

Great experience overall, although intense. Myself and ~20 others were taken to Chicago, put up in a hotel, and had a whole day of interviews. I had two interviews with two different people. One was to solve a problem of a hospital taking too long to treat its heart attack patients. The other interview centered around how I would make a car company more profitable. I was given a problem statement right there on the fly, and had to ask the right questions and then think out loud for my solutions.