How to tell PEI in a structured way if they are always interrumpting?

Hi there,

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

• First of all, I would advise you not to use the STAR framework as it is too simplistic and does not include all the necessary aspects of such a story.
• Moreover, and contrary to what other coaches have said, McKinsey interviewers will not always interrupt you when you are telling your PEI story. Some will do so because they prefer it, but more often they will do so if they feel you are not sharing enough at that particular moment. Either way, your job is to just keep telling the PEI story after the interruption.

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 pre-interview assessment and/or interviews, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Hi there!

As in any type of situation when you’re telling a story, there may be interruptions or not. That shouldn’t change the flow of the story you’re telling, specially if it follows a logic or chronological sequence. 
STAR works for that purpose, however I believe PARADE is way much more impactful.

If you’re insecure about communication in this case, training your stories with a partner / coach will help - ask them to make questions to the topics that are unclear or need more details so you can experience something similar to the scenario you mentioned. In my experience, interviewers interrupt a few times only, if they do, to make sure they understand what a candidate is telling, not to disrupt or arbitrarily confuse you. Usually they actually want to help :-)

You got this, choose your method and good luck! 
Feel free to DM me if you have further questions or would like professional guidance - I have a lot of experience with PEI subject and would love to help you to stand out!

Best,

Mari

Hi there,

1. I would recommend the SCORE Framework - makes for a nicer story arc: Personal Experience Interview

2. If you get interrupted or not depends on the interviewer. It's not always the case. Some might not ask a single question, some micro-manage the interview (annoying!) and others are somewhere in-between.

3. If you get interrupted, make sure to answer their question, then ask if you have answered it or they want more details (follow their input here). Once they are okay with your answer, continue with your story (the letter of the SCORE framework).

Cheers,

Florian

It's important to understand why McKinsey tends to interrupt your story. They do this not to challenge your approach, but to dive into the details and rigorously pressure-test your narrative. This doesn’t conflict with any method you choose to use.

From a preparation standpoint, you need to ensure that:

1. You know the details of your story inside out.
2. You have a strong rationale for the decisions you made within your story.

In other words, McKinsey uses this approach to assess whether you demonstrate structured and rational problem-solving beyond just your case interview.

Hey there, 

The purpose of interviewers interrupting is because they want certain information. The simple way to go about this is to answer the question they ask and then go back to the structure of your story. 

From my interviewing days with McKinsey, the problem I saw with most candidates is that after receiving a question, they answer the questions and then get lost in the details of what they were answering and thus destroyed their plan for giving the story

PEI is one of my specialties. DM me if you'd like to chat more about how to master and navigate it well!

All the best

Hey!

Yes, STAR works, but I always recommend Situation, Problem, Resolution, Impact to my mentees, and it works well. Since McKinsey interviewers often interrupt, keep your answers concise and structured from the start. Deliver key points upfront and be ready to adapt based on their questions. The interruptions are a sign they’re engaged—just stay calm and focused! ?

Happy to help you out :) 

Alessa 

Hey,

In order not to get lost when interrupted it's better to come well-prepared: rehearse your stories multiple times in advance and do a mock fit interview with your peers or with a coach. You can even do a mock stress interview where an interviewer always interrupts you and asks provocative questions regarding your career. It will be fun and good practice.

Good luck!
Nick