Hello, I'm struggling with the PEI questions. I don't really know which experiences to mention and which ones are most suitable.

Totally get where you’re coming from — PEI is pretty hard on surface but if you adopt the consulting problem solving approach, it's just another "case" to tackle.

It’s not just “tell me a good story.” It’s more like: walk me through a really tricky situation in full detail, almost like I’m watching it happen. Think replaying the movie scene with full voiceover: what you said, what they said, what you were thinking, how people reacted — all of it.

The bar is depth, not variety. You don’t need 20 examples. You need 2–3 stories per round that run deep, ideally ones where things weren’t going well — like people weren’t cooperating, the team was behind, clients were pushing back, etc.

Pick stories that hit at least 2–3 of the dimensions below (McKinsey is kind enough to tell you exactly what they are looking for - so it's not really supposed to be tricky):

• Drive – pushing through something hard, going above and beyond
• Leadership – owning something, influencing others
• Connection – navigating conflict, aligning different people
• Growth – taking feedback or realizing you had to adjust your approach

The best stories naturally touch on all of these.

Hope it helps and please upvote if you find it helpful! Thanks.

Hi there,

For PEI, you should select stories where your role and impact are clear. In general, the questions will revolve around leadership, teamwork, or problem-solving. You may consider non-professional stories as well, as long as the story shows your personal contribution and not just what the group accomplished. 

Firstly, think of times when you influenced an outcome, overcame challenges, or worked under pressure. 

Then, pick 2–3 strong stories and structure them clearly (situation → action → result) so the interviewer sees your skills in action. 

Thirdly, test out the stories by speaking out loud to see how comfortable you are verbalizing it, and switch the stories up accordingly. 

I suggest you work with a coach if you're still not sure of where to start.

Good luck!

Hi there,

For PEI, the key is to have 3–4 strong stories that show leadership, influence, ownership, and resilience. Choose examples that are:

• High stakes (real consequences for the business or team)
• You-driven (your specific actions made the difference)
• Quantifiable (clear metrics or tangible results)
• Messy enough (real obstacles, pushback, or conflict you overcame)

Use a simple structure: Situation > Complication > Actions > Results > Reflection. Keep your first telling to 2 minutes, then be ready to dive deeper when probed.

Typical buckets that work well:

• Influencing a senior stakeholder
• Leading a team under pressure
• Taking ownership/entrepreneurial drive
• Handling failure or conflict and learning from it

Avoid low-stakes wins, vague “we” stories, or ones without clear outcomes. If you pull together 6–8 experiences, I can help you select the best and shape them into PEI-ready answers.

Feel free to reach out!
 

Best,

Evelina

The right experience depends on the candidate and the specific question. You may want to schedule a coaching session to receive targeted advice and help you tailor your answers.

Hi Claudia,

I would be happy to share my thoughts on your question:

• Contrary to what other coaches have said, I would strongly advise you to work with an experienced coach like me, who understands the very details of the McKinsey PEI, on this. General information is unlikely to help and may even irritate you further.

You can find more on this topic here: How to succeed in the final interview round.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare for your upcoming McKinsey interviews, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Hi Claudia,

I would recommend working with an experienced coach on shaping these stories.
This way you can really shape the PEI answers well, specific to your background.

Happy to help!

Best,
Lukas