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Summary

Applying to McKinsey in 2024? Look no further than this guide to accelerate your McKinsey online assessment test practice.

The text below provides a full candidate recruitment, assessment and preparation guide and practice for those applying to jobs, internships and graduate programs at McKinsey.

Our website provides scientifically validated practice assessments tests, interviews and assessment centre exercises that can be used to practice and prepare for the recruitment and assessment process. 

Check here for Free and Premium aptitude assessment tests, video interviews and game assessments to practice and prepare for McKinsey recruitment.

If you are aiming to apply to McKinsey or have a McKinsey assessment test coming up, our text below is the best place to start.

Not sure if you should practice to prepare for McKinsey and Company assessment tests? Many large employers are leveraging gamified assessments as part of their recruitment processes (Institute of Student employers, 2018). A few of these major companies include Unilever, HSBC and RBS.

Applicants report higher levels of process satisfaction, perceived fairness and organizational attractiveness when the gamified assessment method are used compared to the traditional version (K. Georgiou & I. Nikolaou, 2020)

McKinsey Application Process Glossary

PSTProblem Solving Test
PSGProblem Solving Game
PEIPersonal Experience Interview
McKinsey recruitment process in a nutshell

How to prepare for McKinsey assessment tests, PST, PSG, digital and get the job?

  1. Impress in your application. 

Here are our Key McKinsey Application Tips: 

  • Update your resume, listing any non-curriculum related activities presenting specific skills acquired that McKinsey seeks from candidates. Include examples of your problem solving and critical thinking skills, and your ability to think on your feet and persevere.
  • Match your application to the McKinsey Core values and corporate culture by linking your experiences to their values
  • Use the key words from the job description in your resume and application form
  • Include and bold your additional education, academic, or sports achievements, PhD, sports tournaments, etc. McKinsey is looking at the applications from the top 5%, not the top 25%. They are looking for top performers. Ensure your application and resume reflects this.
  • Show your hard and soft skills in the McKinsey Problem-Solving Imbellus Game

If your application to McKinsey gets shortlisted, you will be required to complete a game assessment, commonly known as the Problem-Solving Game developed by Imbellus as the second stage of your McKinsey & Company recruitment process. 

For many years McKinsey has used the PST (Problem Solving Test) in their recruitment process. As of 2024 the PST has been gradually replaced across the globe by a McKinsey Problem Solving Game (PSG).

  1. Quick McKinsey PSG preparation tips:
  • Practice game assessments to get familiar with this new assessment format and develop your own strategies
  • Exercise to relax before the test and take the game assessment in a place with fast internet connection where you won’t be disturbed. You will be measured on how you behave under pressure
  • Discover what is being measured in each of the games. That way, you know what competencies to practice ahead of time
  • Be ready with a calculator, paper and pen before starting the test to take notes and workings
  1. Crack the McKinsey & Company First and Second Interview like a pro!

The first round of interviews with McKinsey may be conducted through telephone or video conferencing. However, the second interview will be conducted in a local McKinsey & Company office.

How to crack the McKinsey & Company Interview? 

Here are a few pointers that will help you ace your McKinsey Interviews. 

  1. Run mock interviews answering typical interview questions for consultancy. For McKinsey interview practice, use:
  2. Use the STAR technique for your answers and practice each answer several times for the McKinsey Personal Experience Interview
  3. Always record your answers and watch them to develop: your interview technique, timekeeping, and words used. Repeat recordings until you feel satisfied.

So, stay put and read on to know the answers to the most critical questions such as:

  1. What are the stages of the McKinsey & Company recruitment process? 
  2. How is PSG different from McKinsey PST (Problem Solving Test)? 
  3. How to pass McKinsey Problem-Solving Game?
  4. How to pass McKinsey & Company Interviews?

Throughout the course of this text, you will get answers to many more questions as well.

So, without further ado let’s get going!

Why do you need to practice for the McKinsey Assessment process?

According to research, only 20-30% of the candidates pass the McKinsey aptitude tests, and only 1% of the 200,000 applicants receive an offer. It is proven that practice increases your chances of getting hired.

A recent study (Bradley et al, 2019) found that candidates who do not practise assessments, tend to fail at the first hurdle of psychometric assessments (54%-84%). This study looked at the Top 100 global employers.

How does GF help you to get a job with a leading management consultancy such as McKinsey? 

GF offers a range of assessment tools such as aptitude tests, personality tests, video interviewing tool, question identifier tool, etc. Down below, you can see the various tests that you may come across in one way or the other in your McKinsey Assessment Process. 

Relevant Assessments to McKinsey & CompanyStart Practicing 
Game-based AssessmentsStart Practicing Now!
Video Interview Practice Start Practicing Now!

We will take care of all your requirements of practice tools for your coming McKinsey Assessment Tests, but first let’s take a look at the table of contents. 

Contents: 

  1. Who is McKinsey & Company?
  2. McKinsey & Company Recruitment Process
  3. McKinsey Student Programs and Internships
  4. McKinsey & Company FAQs

Before we dive into the McKinsey interview process, let’s find out a little bit about the company first!

Who is McKinsey & Company?

McKinsey & Company is a leading worldwide management consulting firm. It conducts qualitative and quantitative analysis in order to evaluate management decisions across the public and private sectors. McKinsey employs over 14,000 staff in 110 offices scattered all across the globe. 

Since McKinsey is regarded as a top organisation for careers in management consulting, competition for each spot is fierce. This is why you need to perform your best at each stage of the recruitment process. 

What job roles can you apply for at McKinsey & Company?

There are several roles that you can apply for at McKinsey & Company: 

  1. Consulting: Integrate your problem-solving skills, proprietary tools and industry expertise to help your client and leave a long lasting impact. 
  2. Client Capabilities Network/ Research: As a researcher you will be required to research, run asset-backed rapid diagnostics, support workflow and evaluate. 
  3. Analytics: Work and create impacts as analysts, data scientists, data architects, and advanced-analytics consultants.
  4. Implementation: Work with consultants to improve metrics such as productivity, cost, quality and time to market. 
  5. Transformation and Turnaround: Work with clients to track their progress, make presentable results and sustain performance. 
  6. Digital: Combine data science, human-centred science and rapid development techniques to help clients deliver breakthrough products and businesses.
  7. Design: Design products, services and experiences to differentiate and drive growth to clients. 
McKinsey Job Fields
Source: McKinsey & Company

Now, let’s go into further detail of all the stages of McKinsey Recruitment Process 

McKinsey & Company Recruitment Process

What is the McKinsey application process?

McKinsey & Company recruitment and assessment process consists of three stages:

  1. The McKinsey Online Application Form 
  2. The McKinsey Problem Solving Game (PSG)
  3. The McKinsey First and Final Interviews

McKinsey Online Application Form

What is the McKinsey online application?

The McKinsey Online Application is your first step of the McKinsey & Company assessment process. Your McKinsey Online Application form is your first opportunity to impress your employer, so make it count!

What should I include in my McKinsey online application?

The online application requires you to fill in the basic details such as: 

  • Personal details : Your name, contact, address, etc.
  • Work preferences: Show how they align to the McKinsey role’s job requirements. Consider communication.
  • Educational history
  • Work history
  • You are required to upload your resume/CV before you start with the actual application process. 

Below are some questions that you need to answer while applying at McKinsey & Company. 

McKinsey & Company Online Application
Source: McKinsey & Company

How to improve your McKinsey & Company online application

To improve your McKinsey & Company Online Application it is crucial to have the following prepared.

  • Be sure about your location preferences: You’ll get four preferences of where you want to work. Include your initial preferences in these top four location preferences.
  • Work permits and Visa applications: Consider where you are legally authorised to work. Because visa applications and final approval is out of control and may hamper your ability to start as planned. So, it’s critical that you make these arrangements before-hand
  • Cover letter: A cover letter isn’t required, but you need to alert your employer of any unusual circumstance you may be going through. 

When it comes to submitting your completed application, earlier is always better – often candidates are assessed on a rolling basis, so submitting early increases your chances. Always double-check the application form for any mistakes before submission.

Important: Make sure you have a copy of all the information you have provided. You may be asked for details during the interview. 

Know your CV inside out. If the information in your application and information shared during the call are different, your application may be disregarded for future processing.

In order to get selected at McKinsey & Company, you need to build a strong resume that stands out, because that’s what is going to sell you in the end. But how are we going to do that? 

We’ve got you covered with our tips below! 

6 Key Tips to get your resume shortlisted at McKinsey

To get your resume shortlisted at McKinsey, keep in mind the following tips. 

  1. Don’t go for the traditional business format of the resume. A simple list of achievements and background should work just fine.
  2. Highlight the PhDs, PostDocs, sports or community achievements in bold on the top. 
  3. Include your GMAT, GRE, SAT, LSAT, MCAT, etc., even if they are low. Along with that you can also put your undergraduate performance scores.
  4. Any work experiences outside of business, it can be some volunteer work or service or part-time and full-time internships or military service.
  5. Do not submit personal references or research papers. 
  6. Add entrepreneurship examples. If you have ever tried to create a brand, etc. 

Important: Your McKinsey application, i.e., your CV/ Resume is the first and primary evidence of your written communication skills, so present it in a thoughtful and compelling manner. 

For more tips and tricks on how to write an eye-catching resume or CV for McKinsey, visit our website, or watch the video below:

3 CV Mistakes You Must Avoid (Resume Tips) | CV Writing Guide #shorts

So, with that we come to an end of the McKinsey & Company application process. Let’s move on to the next stage of the McKinsey online tests: The McKinsey Problem Solving Game. 

McKinsey Problem-solving Game (PSG)

What is the McKinsey Problem-Solving Game?

The McKinsey Problem-Solving Game is a game-based assessment developed by a company called Imbellus, which uses puzzle and strategy games with highly complex mechanisms, overwhelming data and uncertainties. 

These McKinsey tests assist the recruiter with making unbiased decisions, as the traditional Problem-Solving Tests (PSTs) had more reasoning questions which were an added advantage for the candidates who were familiar with the standardized tests such as GMAT, GRE, SAT, etc.

McKinsey & Company PSG Example
McKinsey PSG
Source:
McKinsey & Company

How long is the McKinsey Problem Solving Game?

This McKinsey test takes around 60-80 minutes depending on scenarios included, which may vary per candidate. You will have 71 minutes on an average to complete the McKinsey online assessment test.

What does the McKinsey problem solving test measure?

The PSG intends to measure the consultancy traits and qualifications of the candidates. These traits and qualifications are then compared to a real consultant in the company. If the traits are similar or better than those of the consultant, the candidate qualifies the PSG. 

How does it measure these? We’ll cover this after the breakdown of the McKinsey PSG assessments.

What scenarios will I face in the McKinsey Problem Solving Game? 

The McKinsey PSG will propose 2 of the 5 scenarios. You will have to solve each of the problems within these scenarios. Before you begin, you will have an untimed tutorial for each game. Make sure to read all instructions carefully!

The 5 game scenarios include: 

  1. Ecosystem Balance
  2. Plant Defence
  3. Disaster Management
  4. Disease management
  5. Migration management

Let’s get into a little detail on each of these PSG Scenarios. 

1. McKinsey Ecosystem Balance Game

What is the McKinsey Ecoystem Balance game?

The McKinsey Ecosystem Balance game is a PSG Mini-game wherein you have to build a sustainable ecosystem with 8 species from a list of 40.

How long is the McKinsey Ecosystem Balance game?

The PSG Ecosystem Balance game can take up to 35 minutes to complete.

What will the McKinsey Ecosystem Balance game involve?

The main tasks or objectives of Ecosystem Balance mini-game:

  • Create an ecosystem with a continuous food chain
  • There should be a calorie surplus for every pair of predator and prey
  • There should be suitable living conditions for all the species

Key tip for the McKinsey & Company Ecosystem Balance Game: Remember you have to take into account the terrain requirements of each species. For example, how much oxygen, calories, temperature, etc. is suitable for a particular species. Therefore, there is going to be a lot of data to deal with.

Below is a picture from the PSG Ecosystem Balance Game window, from which you can get an idea of what kind of information you are going to deal with. 

McKinsey PSG Ecosystem Balance
McKinsey PSG Ecosystem Balance
Source:
McKinsey & Company
2. McKinsey Plant Defence Game

What is the McKinsey Plant Defence game?

PSG Plant Defence is a mini-game in which you have to protect plants from invasive species.

How long is the McKinsey Plant Defence game?

The Plant Defence minigame takes about 12 minutes for each of the 3 stages, so 36 minutes in total.

What will the McKinsey Plant Defence game involve?

The main tasks or objectives which you will have in this Plant Defence scenario:

  • Save the plants from invasive species by putting predators and obstacles in the way 
  • Both you and the invasive species will have their turns. 
  • Every time the number of invasive species increases. 
  • Thus, you will get overrun eventually, but you will be assessed on how long you can hold up and what your strategies are. 

3 key tips to crack the McKinsey & Company PSG Plant Defence game 

1. Use contingency planning to prepare for future invaders during later turns and adapt your strategies as the game progresses.
2. Make multiple layers of defenders, wherein you put your resources closer to the plant first. 
3. Use the inside-out approach to place defences closer to the plant. This method takes less resources. 

Take a look at the picture below to understand the game better.

McKinsey PSG Plant Defence
McKinsey PSG Plant Defence
Source: YouTube
3. McKinsey Disaster Management Game

What is the McKinsey Disaster Management game?

The Disaster Management PSG is a mini game in which you must analyse and identify key similarities quickly.

What will the McKinsey Disaster Management game involve?

In this Disaster Management mini game you will have 2 tasks:

  • Recognise the Disaster 
  • Relocate the ecosystem by ruling out the specifications that are similar to the ongoing disaster.

3 key tips to crack the McKinsey & Company PSG Disaster Management game

1. In this game you can diagnose the problem by making an issue tree. 
2. Search for data to create a hypothesis and then test that hypothesis by mining all the data available in the game. 
3. Ruling out specs similar to the disaster remains your second step. However, the remaining work can be done by using a spreadsheet where you list all the terrain requirements of the species.

4. McKinsey Disease Management Game

What is the McKinsey Disease Management game?

The Disease Management PSG is a game which will give you 3-5 factors about the species and 3 snapshots of the disease spread.

What will the McKinsey Disease Management game involve?

In this Disease Management PSG game you will have 2 main tasks:

  • Identify the infection patterns, i.e., identify the rules of infection
  • Predict the next individual to be infected. 

2 key tips to crack the McKinsey & Company PSG Disease Management mini-game 

1. First, this is again a problem-diagnosis game and thus an issue tree will prove to be helpful
2. Skim through the disease snapshots, (time 1, time 2 and time 3) to predict the next individual to get infected. 

5. McKinsey Migration Management game

What is the McKinsey Migration Management game?

In this Imbellus game: You will direct a group of 50 animals from one location to the next per turn

What will the McKinsey Migration Management game involve?

In this Migration Management PSG game you will have the following key tasks:

  • Animals and resources deplete each turn based on the route taken
  • There are 15 stages with around 3 to 5 turns per stage
  • The goal is to keep the highest number of animals and resources as possible at the final location

3 key tips to crack the McKinsey & Company PSG Migration Management game

1. Plan the best route for each turn that sustains the greatest number of resources and animals. Adapt your strategy based on the multipliers and changes to the number of resources and animals.
2. Refine your numerical reasoning skills to determine how many animals and resources you will have in advance of each turn. Use a calculator, a pen and some paper to make notes and calculations where needed.
3. Collect additional resources and animals along the most favourable routes. Rule out incompatible routes using your notes to find the optimal path.

What does the McKinsey Problem Solving Game measure?

  • As the name suggests, the PSG looks for the candidate’s problem-solving skills.
  • This McKinsey assessment test will measure the results of each candidate as well as the thought process through which the candidate reaches their results. 
  • The PSG tracks every behaviour of the candidate to grade them using different criteria.

The McKinsey Problem Solving Test also aimed at measuring these skills, but it is being gradually replaced country-by-country by the McKinsey PSG (Problem Solving Game).

Why did McKinsey replace PST (Problem Solving Tests) with PSG (Problem Solving Game)?

What is the difference between McKinsey PST and PSG assessments?

McKinsey PSG (Problem Solving Game)McKinsey PST (Problem Solving Test)
The PSG is a computer-based gamified test.The PST was a standardized paper-based test.
It enables candidates to take the test at home.These McKinsey tests had to be conducted at designated test sites.
Measures the candidate’s skills through a simulated environment and rules out biases caused by familiarity of some candidates with standardized tests.Used to give added advantage to candidates with experience in standardised analytical tests such as SATs, GMAT, etc.
It measures the product of each candidate as well as the process (the strategy and plans used) which brought them to the product.It focused only on the right answer, i.e., the product.

As you can understand that the PSG will consist of overwhelming data, and you will be required to skim through that immense amount of data to find the meaningful information. 

Thus, it is important that you prepare to process such a wide range of information. Other than that, there are some important pointers that will help you stay at ease while taking the PSG Assessment. What are these? Let us discuss.

6 Key Tips to Pass the McKinsey Problem-Solving Game

  1. Be ready with a notepad: Although the PSG is a game-assessment, it is still a test and will have overwhelming data which has to be taken into account and processed. Therefore, make sure you have a pen and paper ready
  2. Try to stay calm when attempting the mini-games: mini-games such as Plant Defense and Disaster Management include a lot of information to see your selectiveness and your behaviour under pressure.
  3. Be comfortable with incomplete information: Start working with the limited information provided and don’t waste time looking for the info that you don’t have.
  4. Don’t take guesses: You will be evaluated on the quality of your plans and strategies. So, plan every move and make problem-solving strategies to overcome the proposed issues. Tackle the problems and manage data one at a time
  5. Practice processing data quickly and accurately under time pressure by solving 15 unique full Numerical Reasoning tests with unique questions provided by GF.
  6. Ensure you practice your basic maths skills so that you don’t get stuck. You will not be provided a calculator
How can I practice for the McKinsey Problem Solving Games?

First, find out which types of game you could be playing. By knowing the main scenarios and demands of each game, you will feel more confident and familiar with the game, and therefore better able to focus on tasks.

We offer several practice games that can help you get familiar with how McKinsey’s PSG games assess your skills:

GF TestRelevant McKinsey PSG Game/sRelevant Skill/s Practiced
Cognition-A™Ecosystem Balance/Disaster ManagementAttention
Cognition-M™Disease Management/Ecosystem BalanceMemory
BARTDisease Management/Plant DefenceRisk-Taking
i-EQ™Emotions
MTA-Tray™Migration ManagementOrganising, Attention, and Multi-Tasking
MathBubbles™Disaster/Disease ManagementMental Arithmetic
Flanker TaskDisaster ManagementAttention
PassCode™Plant DefenceAttention and Resilience
GF Practice Game Assessments

If you want to know more about game-based assessments such as how they’re used and what they assess, watch the video below: 

What are Memory Game Assessments by Arctic Shores, Pymetrics, HireVue? | Ace PwC, Unilever Games

How to pass the McKinsey PSG?

There are 3 key factors that you can do beforehand to increase your chance at success at this McKinsey online assessment test.

  1. Do the Game Research: The game assessments you will face will likely be conveyed to you by the employer using HireVue, or indeed any other employer you are applying to. Gaining information about the assessments can help remove the shock-factor you may get when first seeing this unique style of test.
  2. Get Familiar with Game assessments: With the game information in place, why not start your practice? You may do so in a safe environment such as a mobile app, computer game, or indeed on the Graduates First platform.
  3. Have a stable internet connection: This may seem obvious, but it is also vital. Many of these game assessments require attention and have continuity. If you have poor internet connection that interrupts your flow, this could effect your result. So, be sure to check this before you start.

Discover a better understanding of solving data-based problems in game assessments used by McKinsey with our video below:

How to pass game assessments | by Arctic Shores, HireVue & Assess Candidates #shorts

If you are successful with your McKinsey and Company PSG game assessments then you will move to the McKinsey & Company Interviews.

McKinsey First and Final Interviews

How long is the McKinsey interview process?

The McKinsey interviews collectively consist of 4-8 interviews, divided into two rounds. Each round of interviews has 2-4 interviews

McKinsey First Round Interview

What is the McKinsey First Round interview?

The McKinsey First round interviews consist of 45-minute one-on-one interviews with Associates and Engagement Managers. These interviews may be conducted over the telephone, through Video Conferencing or face-to-face at a local McKinsey office.

Important Note: If you’re applying as an experienced hire or from a school which is not targeted by McKinsey & Company, you will have a short telephone call before the actual First round of Interview

McKinsey’s First Round of Interviews will consist of two main parts:

  1. McKinsey Personal Experience Interview which will focus on your experiences and motivations
  2. McKinsey Case Interview which will expose you to a real-life problem and require you to solve it
McKinsey Personal Experience Interview (PEI) 

Anything that you included in your CV might be discussed in the McKinsey Personal Experience interview. This is why it is so important to look through your CV and make sure that you are able to evaluate any points that you have made. 

However, unlike the typical CV experience interview, the Personal Experience interview will not have a lot of questions related to your CV. The interviewer typically asks just one or two questions, and has a short 10 minute conversation with you.

Your interview will be competency-based (CBI). Be ready to discuss specific examples in which you demonstrated certain skills: determination, teamwork, leadership skills, etc.

Check out our short video below for how you can answer McKinsey interview questions

How to Answer Competency-Based Interview Questions (STAR Technique) #shorts

Your McKinsey and Company interview questions will typically be around your previous projects and experiences – whether they stem from your professional, academic, private or fitness-related life experiences.

How to Prepare for my McKinsey Personal Experience Interview? 

The best way to prepare for your McKinsey Interview is to practice.

For the best interview practice, use the GF video interview preparation tool. Here, you will get AI-based feedback and guidance on your emotional responses to critical competency and consulting industry questions in a video interview similar to McKinsey.

How to ace your Personal Experience Interview? 

By tailoring the best response for these answers. How do we do this? Simple! Here are a few possible ways to answer some of the below example McKinsey PEI questions

7 Common Questions asked in the McKinsey Personal Experience Interview: 

  1. Why are you interested in McKinsey?
  2. Why do you want to work in consulting? 
  3. Tell me about a time when you went above and beyond.
  4. Tell me about a time when you were able to persuade a co-worker to build a new perspective on one they had
  5. Tell me about a time you had a difficult challenge at work and how you resolved this
  6. How were you able to resolve a conflict with an associate?
  7. When have you showcased strong leadership skills?

How to Answer why are you interested in McKinsey? 

  1. Focus on McKinsey’s reputation
  2. Tell them what interests you the most about the firm using recent news and accomplishments of the firm 
  3. Align your skills and traits with McKinsey’s core values, vision and mission statement.
  4. Research about the ongoing or future projects of the company and demonstrate how you can help achieve these goals.

How to Answer why do you want to work in consulting?

  1. Tell them what motivates you about your profession.
  2. Establish your knowledge in the field evident throughout the conversation.
  3. Tell them what drove you to choose Consulting as a career. 

How to Answer tell me about a time when you went above and beyond 

  1. Explain what the particular situation was, what task you were faced with, what action you took and what the result was (the STAR method)
  2. Do not spend too much time explaining what the problem was, instead focus more on explaining what course of action you chose, because that’s what your interviewer is really interested in. 

Want to know more questions that could come up in your interview? Check out our video below:

5 Most Common Interview Questions #shorts

Once you’ve impressed in your Personal Experience Interview, you’ll be invited to the McKinsey Case Interview

McKinsey Case Interview 

The McKinsey Case Interview takes up 80% of the time of your interviewing process. Here, you will be required to demonstrate excellent problem-solving and critical thinking abilities by evaluating a business case study in front of your assessor.

Not many go beyond this stage, so you need to bring your best game to stand out. Preparation for the McKinsey Case Study exercise is key.

Before we prepare for the McKinsey Case study interview…

What is the McKinsey Case Interview? 

In the McKinsey Case Interview, you will be presented with a number of case studies which are simplified versions of problems that your assessors have been through and have solved. They will tell you about a situation and then ask questions about the situation.

You will need to show how you take into account the information presented, select key factors and show your reasoning. At the end, you will need to reach a conclusion and be able to defend your decision.

What does the McKinsey Case Interview measure?

The McKinsey Case Interview aims to assess the following 4 criteria:

  1. Personal Impact
  2. Inclusive Leadership
  3. Problem Solving
  4. Entrepreneurial Drive

Important: Solving case-studies is a very particular skill that is impossible to be mastered without practice. Ensure you practice as many case studies as possible to develop a consistent method. You can also practice these with your friend as that will offer you a different point of view. Ask your friend to critically assess you.

The following tips will help ace your McKinsey Case Interview!

4 Tips to practice and ace your McKinsey Case Interview

  1. Practice numerical calculations beforehand, this will ensure you are ready to perform quick mathematical functions when required.
  2. Develop a standard method to help with all cases by practicing a lot of cases (dozens) from different industries and backgrounds.
  3. Improve you ability to express out loud your answers or outcomes in a presentable manner, this is critical to show that you understand how to present your view or solution rather than just reaching to the solution.
  4. Become more thoughtful in your practice. The quantity of cases you practice does not have to do anything with your quality of preparation.

This interview is very similar to case-study exercises many employers use during their assessment centres. Get ahead with your McKinsey case study practice using our assessment center package.

McKinsey seeks candidates with excellent written and spoken communication skills. To ensure you stay ahead of your fellow candidates and stand out for your McKinsey Case Interview, refine your English communication skills with GF’s Spelling and Grammar tests and Word Checking tests.

McKinsey Final Interview

Congratulations – you are almost there. The Final Interview is the last stage of the McKinsey application process. You just need to focus on a few more things.

For your Final McKinsey interview, do as much extensive research as you can about McKinsey and its corporate culture. You need to have a high level of understanding of McKinsey’s mission statement, any relevant recent big news and its future developments. Think about the industry as a whole too – do you see any structural changes that you could talk about?

Our Top 4 Tips to ace your McKinsey & Company Final Interview:

  1. You should practice answering questions that typically come up in interviews for consultancy jobs. 
  2. Your answers need to be smooth and timely, avoiding filler words. 
  3. Your verbal communication should be convincing, demonstrating how your winning characteristics match the job at McKinsey. 
  4. Hone your technique for your final McKinsey interview to showcase your:
    • in-depth background knowledge
    • understanding of the role requirements
    • business acumen
    • passion for the industry
    • critical thinking, problem-solving and ability to think on your feet

Practice for your McKinsey Interview using our Video Interviewing platform which is tailored to provide you personalised feedback to your responses to consultancy interview questions to improve your interview technique.

What questions will I face at my McKinsey final interview?

What consultancy interview questions might McKinsey ask? Here’s 5 example McKinsey interview questions that you can use to practice:

  1. Explain a challenging situation you encountered when working with someone with an opposing opinion
  2. Discuss a time when you experienced a significant change and explain the actions you took to adapt to these new challenges
  3. Talk about a time when you worked outside your comfort zone to achieve a goal
  4. Examine a hypothetical client situation to show how you structure challenging and important issues, manage facts and data to come to a conclusion to provide recommendations
  5. Provide an example where you have effectively worked together with people from different backgrounds

Be aware, you may also be asked technical questions depending on the role you applied for!

McKinsey Interview Key Tip: Remember to structure your answers using the STAR method!

What questions can I ask in my McKinsey interview?

The Final Interview at McKinsey and Company is also your opportunity to find out more about the company and the team you might be working with. They want to see your genuine interest to work for McKinsey, rather than someone who comes across as just another ‘job seeker’.

A great way to show your genuine motivation and enthusiasm to work for the company is by asking thought-provoking questions to your interviewer. Don’t be afraid to ask them about their personal experiences with the company, as well as their career path. 

Watch this short video below to discover our 5 best questions to ask during your McKinsey interview: 

5 Best Questions to Ask in a Job Interview #shorts

If you’ve followed all our amazing tips and aced your McKinsey interview, you’ll soon receive an offer. Congratulations!

Before you go…

Although there is plenty of space for experienced professionals at McKinsey, there are plenty of entry level opportunities for students and graduates too.

Let’s take a look at some of the Internship opportunities that McKinsey & Company offers. 

McKinsey & Company: Student Programs and Internships.

McKinsey & Company offers student programs for students from all backgrounds and entry levels. Whether you’re a fresh graduate, student in your second or third year of college and or an undergraduate student, McKinsey has many opportunities for you to get a head start. 

Let’s see some opportunities McKinsey has in store for you.

For Undergraduate degree candidates:

Roles available: 

  1. Generalist Consulting and Practice Consulting 
  2. Technology roles such as- data scientists, software engineers, product managers, data engineers, designers, agile coaches, or digital marketers. 

What will you gain? 

  1. You will build business knowledge and skills
  2. You will get permanent guidance and mentorship as an integral part of your development at McKinsey
  3. Your peers will provide feedback and mentors will provide support for you to grow.

For MBA Candidates:

The MBA program prepares you as a problem solver. These MBA graduates join as associates at first and work either as generalist or practice consultants in any area of their choice and later join the McKinsey analytics, digital or tech teams. 

What is the Application process for McKinsey Student Programs

The recruitment process for McKinsey Student Programs is given below:

  1. Attend and impress at McKinsey Events: McKinsey conducts coffee discussions and dinners before starting its application process. Attending these events will give you a head start in understanding the firm and its culture better. Also, it will provide you an opportunity to impress your employers
  2. McKinsey Application Form: Fill in the McKinsey Online application form with your basic details in it. Also, attach an eye-catching resume.
  3. Ace the McKinsey Problem-Solving game: The McKinsey PSG test measures your cognitive abilities and reasoning. So, make sure you go well prepared. 
  4. Ace McKinsey & Company Interviews: Practice answering interview questions and impress your interviewers by expressing who the true you are. 

Look for more info on McKinsey Student Programs by visiting the McKinsey Student Careers website.

So, this was all about the McKinsey & Company recruitment process. With our comprehensive guide you are well on your way to success on your application journey. 

Still have questions? We have answers to your key questions in our FAQs section below! 

McKinsey & Company FAQs

How much time does the McKinsey Problem-Solving Game take?

The McKinsey Problem Solving Game takes on average around 60-80 mins to complete with an untimed tutorial, depending on which 2 of 5 scenarios you are tasked with completing. 

How long does the McKinsey Recruitment process take?

The McKinsey recruitment process usually takes around 5-8 weeks to complete from the application form to the final interviews. This may depend on the: number of applicants, location and entry level

What is the McKinsey interview process?

How many times can you apply to McKinsey?

McKinsey does not accept re-application up to 2 years after your initial screening. Therefore it’s important to impress in your application first time.

How long is the McKinsey Internship?

The McKinsey internship lasts for 10 weeks in summer. The applications for summer internship start at least 7 months prior to the commencement of the internship.

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