McKinsey 2nd Round Interview

Hello!

If you make it through the 1st round already, means that you are in very good shape. 

2nd round interviews can be tough a bit more unstructured, be really prepared for anything! 

Furthermore, FIT tends to be longer and more relevant. If you want to deep dive on the topic, the "Integrated FIT guide for MBB" has been recently published in PrepLounge´s shop (https://www.preplounge.com/en/shop/tests-2/integrated-fit-guide-for-mbb-34)

It provides an end-to-end preparation for all three MBB interviews, tackling each firms particularities and combining key concepts review and a hands-on methodology. Following the book, the candidate will prepare his/her stories by practicing with over 50 real questions and leveraging special frameworks and worksheets that guide step-by-step, developed by the author and her experience as a Master in Management professor and coach. Finally, as further guidance, the guide encompasses over 20 examples from real candidates.

Furthermore, you can find 3 FREE Expert Articles on PreLounge, in a sreies dedicated to preparing for the different parts of FIT:

1. https://www.preplounge.com/en/articles/cv-interview-questions

2. https://www.preplounge.com/en/articles/motivational-fit-interview-questions

3. https://www.preplounge.com/en/behavioral-interview-questions

Feel free to PM me for disccount codes for the Integrated FIT Guide, since we still have some left from the launch

Hope it helps! 

Hi there,

Well done getting to the final Partner round! 

Format of the Partner interview should theoretically be the same as 1st round. In practice, it often feels quite different. That's because Partners sometimes shoot from the hip, use their own made up cases that are more interviewee led, skip the case and just focus on PEI, or do something different altogether. They shouldn't do this but who's going to stop them? They're ultimately running the show and therefore take these liberties.

Purpose of the Partner round is two-fold:

• Getting to know you: Partners will have an interest in getting to know you personally. Hence, these interviews can be a lot more informal and conversational as opposed to 1st round, which is more rigid and follows a certain protocol. Hence, make sure you can let go of any anticipated structure and roll with the Partner to have a great conversation. If you come across as competent, confident, and likeable, you're almost there!
• Dispel any doubts: It's common for good candidates to have both “spikes” and low performance across the different dimensions that McKinsey is looking for. Partners will focus on the low performance areas and drill down on those. In order to prepare, you must get detailed feedback from HR. If you haven't got any yet, ask for it! Feedback can take two forms, both of which should be actionable and taken on board:
  • Very generic e.g. “communicate clearer” or “show more creativity”
  • Very specific e.g. “prioritize better when doing equations and execute math with more speed” or “provide clearer structures and avoid generic 'Other' buckets”

Hope this helps a bit! If you'd like some support with this feel free to reach out. Best of luck!

Hi there,

#1 Fix your weaknesses

#2 Be prepared for anything (build your fleibility/adaptability)

Some reading for the case: https://www.preplounge.com/en/articles/how-to-shift-your-mindset-to-ace-the-case

Some reading for fit: https://www.preplounge.com/en/articles/tell-me-about-yourself-interview-question

Fit/Behavioral

You should be more prepared for a pretty in-depth fit interview. I highly recommend you expect "loose" or "random" questions and practice this scenario with a coach. They are less likely to just ask you 20 "tell me about a time" questions. They may have a bit more of a chat, ask you to brainstorm, ask things like "How would you setup x type of project", etc. etc. You need to prepare to be flexible here!

Broader topics/case variability

In terms of being MECE, try out a wide range of "unique" questions to test your MECE structure!

For example, if you were a farmer and had to pick between buying a cow, chicken, or pig, how would you think about which to buy?

Or, if you were a thief, which store between a, b, c would you rob?

Practice breaking these down into MECE structures so that the concept really hits home.

Hey there,

Congrats on passing the first round!

95% of partner rounds are just as standardized as the first round. The reason why you read about freestyle partner experiences is that they deviate from what people expect, hence they post about it more frequently online, hence giving others the impression it is much more common.

Additionally, partner rounds are often perceived as more challenging, just because it's a partner sitting across the table rather than a more junior colleague. It is purely based on the impression and not on the content. :-)

If there are any deviations from the standard McKinsey interviewer guidelines, expect them to be in the following realm:

• Focus on one or two areas where you were perceived as not as strong in round one, which can be specific case questions or PEI stories
• Only doing a case, only doing PEI instead of both
• Doing two shorter cases in quick succession
• Challenging your answers more
• Not providing any time for you to think about the answer, making it more conversational
• Asking standard fit questions besides PEI

In any case, the most important thing is not to be startled by this and just keep working on the case or the PEI in a calm manner. In order to do that, have a look at the following two articles that I wrote:

Case: https://www.preplounge.com/en/mckinsey-interview

PEI: https://www.preplounge.com/en/mckinsey-pei

All the best for your second round!

Cheers,

Florian

Hi there,

Well done on passing the 1st round!

The final round has the same structure as the first (fit + case+ your questions); however in a final round, partners may:

1. Spend more time on fit/PEI and your alignment with the company.
2. Pay more attention to your communication (eg how you react to challenging questions).
3. Not use a "standard" case. In some countries for example you may have market sizing questions, which are normally uncommon at McKinsey. Having said that, in most offices cases remain standard in finals as well.

To prepare, you can work on the following:

1. Review in detail your PEI stories. Be sure to check them with experienced candidates or consultants and to have at least one backup for each dimension.
2. Get feedback on your communication (reaction under pressure, how to gain time when you do not have a structure ready, connect with the interviewer, etc). This is something you can do almost exclusively during mocks.
3. Prepare cases as you did for the first round. If you got feedback on a specific area, focus more on that part.

Bonus point: partners often give cases related to the industries they cover. If you know their sectors, it is a good idea to review those industries / read their research papers on that / do cases related to that sector.

Best,

Francesco

1.  Work through any feedback you got from round 1

2.  Focus on your strengths where you stand out from your peers

3.  Try to speak with as many McKinsey consultants where you will feel and come across as someone who is already working at McKinsey, not a candidate

Good luck!

Hi there, 

That's a great question!

Make sure that you work on the feedback received after the first round. That is one of the areas they will be specifically checking to understand your ability to respond to feedback and improve between the rounds.

If they have not proactively provided you with feedback, then reach out and ask for it. 

Hello, 

Congratulations for passing the first round! What tips do you have for the first round? 

Thanks :)