McKinsey First to Second Round Process and Prep

Question

Hi everyone! I just had my first round with McKinsey and had a few questions about what typically happens next:

How long does it usually take to hear back after first round interviews, whether it's a rejection or an invite to second round?
What’s the typical time frame between first and second round interviews (a few days, a week, etc.)?
How should I approach preparing for the second round differently from the first? For example, do partners tend to expect quicker responses or more "on-the-fly" thinking compared to first round interviewers?

I know things are relative and probably vary a lot between offices and candidates, but any insight into what’s most common or generally expected would be super helpful. Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

Hi there,

First of all, congratulations on the progress in the application process with McKinsey thus far!

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

First of all, based on my coachees' experience, most candidates hear back within 1-2 weeks after the first interview round. Sometimes it takes a bit longer. While you can certainly follow up politely, it won't speed up the process.
Moreover, the timing of the final interview round seems to depend on the country and office. For many Central European offices, the dates of the first and final interview rounds are communicated before applying. For other regions, the final interview round is scheduled on a more situational basis. If you have a compelling reason to schedule the final interview round earlier, e.g. a competing offer, I would strongly advise you to reach out to the recruiter to explain your situation. Otherwise, I would advise you to wait and see the outcome.
Lastly, the final interview round generally won't differ from the first one. However, interacting with partners may differ slightly from your first-round experience. I have written an in-depth article on this topic that you can access here.

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 final-round interviews, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Answer 2

Hey!

You usually hear back within 1–3 business days after the first round, and if you're invited to the second round, it's often scheduled within a week—sometimes even just a few days later. The second round usually involves more senior interviewers (often partners), and yes, they tend to test more spontaneity, top-down thinking, and your ability to drive the case proactively. They might be less structured in their case style, so flexibility and strong judgment become even more important. Keep polishing your mental math and structure, but focus even more on synthesis, crisp communication, and confidence in ambiguous situations.

Feel free to reach out if you’d like help preparing for that round!

best, Alessa :)

Answer 3

1. It can take anywhere from 1-4 weeks, in most cases

2. It really depends on where you are and what role you’re applying for. In some offices, they like to do it back-to-back, I.e., second round a couple weeks after first round. When I applied, I had to wait for 6 weeks - and then McK rented out a hotel and interviewed all the second round candidates on the same day!

3. The interview format and criteria for success are the same. However, you might get some slightly harder cases.

To the above, let me know if you want to practice a hard McK-style case.

Answer 4

Hi there,

1) How long does it usually take to hear back after first round interviews, whether it's a rejection or an invite to second round?

Usually they let you know within one week, occasionally longer.

2) What’s the typical time frame between first and second round interviews (a few days, a week, etc.)?

Usually 1 to 3 weeks, occasionally longer.

3) How should I approach preparing for the second round differently from the first?

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

Spend more time on fit/PEI and your alignment with the company.
Ask questions related to the areas of improvement you received feedback on after the first round.
Not use a "standard" case, although in most offices, McKinsey cases remain standard in finals as well.

To prepare, you can work on the following:

Review your PEI stories. Be sure to have at least one backup for each dimension.
Work on the areas you received feedback on, if any (e.g., structure, creativity, PEI).
Continue with your case prep. If you are tracking your performance, do drills for the areas where you are struggling the most or review cases where you made mistakes, rather than doing random cases.

Good luck!

Francesco

Answer 5

Hi there,

Great questions. Let me take them one by one.

1. In 90% of cases, the candidates hear back within max 2 weeks.

2. It can be anything, but typically is 1-3 weeks.

3. A few things to have in mind:

Work on the feedback provided in the previous rounds. Most firms communicate the feedback from the previous rounds to the final interviewer. It's important then to show the final interviewer that you have a growth mindset and are reactive to feedback. This matters immensely. Make sure you are clear on your development areas and that you get the right support to polish them before the final interview.
Expect less structure. Senior interviewers already have the confidence that you are a decent candidate, your skills having been already vetted by their younger colleagues. They are rather more interested in your as a person and your way of thinking. So they might present you with an unusual case, or one that is created on the spot or no case altogether. Expect anything.
Focus on excellent communication. Senior interviewers care a lot about how clearly you communicate and how you manage to forge a connection with the interviewer. It's important to be top-down and concise as much as possible with your answers, while allowing the conversation to flow in a natural way.
Put yourself in their shoes. The one question senior interviewers are asking themselves throughout the interview is what will happen when they'll put you in front of a client they've groomed for years? Make sure that even based on this first impression you seem somebody who can be trusted and who can work with any client regardless of how difficult they might be.

Best,
Cristian

Answer 6

Hello there,

Congratulations on making this far!

In addition to what was said, I highly recommend you to keep studying as if you had passed. McKinsey’s final round may have some unconventional cases, make sure to look at those ;-)

I am a former McKinsey consultant and have helped many applicants to the Firm to understand what interviewers are looking. If you are interested in having a 90min detailed coaching session, covering absolutely every part of a case interview, I’ll be happy to work with you!

Best,

Mari