Mckinsey-PEI

Hi There,

Congratulations on getting a final round interview! For the PEI portion it is not end of the world if a story is a few years old and frankly they usually are not asking the year your story took place if that is your concern.

I would really write out bullet points and go into depth and see which of the two stories you feel the most comfortable speaking and which is the strongest. That story is the one you should use. I would try to avoid asking your interviewer which story as it may be looked negatively on you depending on who your interviewer is.

Personally, I like the second story more as it goes into diversity and teamwork. At McKinsey you definitely will work in diverse teams during your tenure there so it hits on multiple values; however, I would need to actually see you talk through these stories more in-depth to give a more accurate recommendation.

Hope this helps and happy to chat and work with you on your PEI stories!

Best of luck!

-Ankit A

Hi Shashank,

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 question:

• First of all, contrary to what other coaches have said, while the first situation is clearly too old, it is impossible to tell whether the second situation would truly be well-fitting, as this depends heavily on the specific details. Therefore, I would strongly advise you to work with an experienced coach like me on your PEI situations.
• Moreover, please remember to have two situations per dimension prepared, in case the interviewer does not like your preferred one.
• Lastly, however, you should certainly not offer both and let them choose - you should still take the lead to a certain extent within the two parts of the interview.

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

Hello there,

I would go with the second one, ideally you should focus on the last 2 years. 
You should have done something meaningful related to the McKinsey dimensions in recent times, showcasing you're aligned with its values and way of working. 

The logic: If you focus on a story of +5 years ago, you may give the impression that that was a unique event, and you actually don't perform like this in your day-to-day.

Best,

Mari

Hi there,

I’d go with the second story – it’s recent, fits the Leadership dimension well, and shows how you managed a diverse team and adjusted your strategy to succeed. The first story is solid too, but being more than 5 years old makes it slightly less relevant, unless there’s a very compelling reason to bring it in.

That said, what really matters is how deeply you can describe the situation, your specific actions, and your thinking throughout. McKinsey wants to understand how you lead — not just that you led. Be ready to explain what the main challenge was, what others did, and what you personally did to influence the outcome.

If you want to take it further, I’m happy to offer in-depth PEI coaching and help refine your stories together and get you an offer!

Cheers,

Kevin
 

Hello!! Congratulations on getting to the second round, you’re almost there!! My first interviewer for McK did ask me to introduce two stories and he chose the one that was most relevant, so keep this in mind as it can happen. Both stories are amazing but I agree with the other coaches that the second one is not only more recent but more powerful for the work. It shows leadership, drive and impact all together, that’s so awesome! Please focus on how you tell the story and what you tell (it’s key to practice out loud and with someone that has done this before) and you’ll be great!! 

They are both good stories, but the second one is likely better. McKinsey wants you to show who you are now, rather than who you were 5 years ago, so there is some merit in choosing more recent stories.

Don't forgot the most important thing: your story is a datapoint that McK consultants will use to predict how you will act in future (with clients, teams, etc.). 

You need to really explain your thought process and decision-making - including understanding others' motivations and needs - at all stages of the story.

Hi there,

Congrats on reaching the final round for McKinsey’s PDP role. Regarding your PEI prep, both stories have merit, but here’s how I’d suggest thinking about them:

1. The soccer leadership story (2019–2020)
   Yes, it’s slightly older, but if it’s your most compelling example of leadership under adversity, it’s still usable. McKinsey cares more about depth of impact and clarity of reflection than strict recency, especially if the story shows real team motivation, perseverance, and tangible outcomes. The fact that it led to a professional contract adds credibility.
2. The Google case competition (2025)
   This is more recent and also strong — especially if the focus is on team leadership, managing diverse personalities, delegation, and strategic pivoting. If you can show how your leadership directly led to the win, it’s a solid PEI story as well.

My recommendation:
Don’t ask the interviewer to choose between the two. Instead, pick one story per PEI dimension and go deep. If you’re using these for “Leadership” or “Personal Impact,” select the one where your role was more central and the challenge more nuanced. If both fit the same dimension, go with the more recent and business-relevant one (likely the Google competition), unless your soccer example is far stronger emotionally or in terms of leadership arc.

Also, be sure to practice articulating why you made certain choices, how you managed others, and what you learned — that's what McKinsey interviewers really care about.

Happy to help you prep – feel free to reach out.

Best,
Evelina

Don't let the interviewer choose. Have a proposal. This is also the type of feedback you'll receive from your manager once you start in consulting - have an opinion, and argue for it. 

Don't use stories from 5 years back. Why? Because you might make them wonder whether you haven't done anything worth sharing in the last couple of years that you have to reach so far back. Ideally, always stay within the last 3 years.

Btw, I've developed an in-depth PEI course that you might want to consider:

• Video Course: Master the McKinsey PEI

Best,
Cristian