McKinsey PEI - Growth

Question

I’ve just graduated from university and I’m preparing for consulting interviews, especially McKinsey’s PEI with the focus on Growth.

My background: I had some teamwork experience at university, worked two years in a small accounting company, and did an audit internship at a Big4. During that internship, I had to learn IFRS from scratch very quickly and apply it in real projects. I also managed to prepare for a tough business law exam in one intensive week, but I’m not sure if experiences like these are strong enough for a PEI story.

I’m struggling to translate my experiences into “skills” or impactful stories that fit what McKinsey looks for in Growth .

What kinds of skills or angles could I emphasize to make my experiences resonate better with the PEI criteria? or what other skills you think I could think of?

Thanks a lot for any advice!

Answer 1

Hi there,

For McKinsey PEI “Growth,” they want to see personal development—times when you stretched yourself, learned quickly, and showed resilience. The emphasis is less on big “heroic” achievements and more on evidence that you can adapt, upskill, and thrive outside your comfort zone.

From your examples, you already have good material:

IFRS learning curve (internship): Show how you picked up a complex technical framework quickly, applied it in client projects, and built confidence. Emphasize adaptability, resourcefulness, and discipline
Business law exam prep: Highlight how you managed time pressure, built an efficient study plan, and delivered results. This shows grit, focus, and ability to handle steep learning curves
Teamwork at university / small accounting firm: Even if not flashy, these can illustrate how you sought feedback, improved collaboration skills, or grew into taking more responsibility

Key angles to frame as “growth”:

Rapid skill acquisition (technical/analytical).
Stepping into unfamiliar environments and proving yourself.
Turning feedback or initial struggles into strengths.
Building confidence and independence.

Your stories don’t need to be dramatic—what matters is you clearly articulate challenge > what you did to grow > how that growth made you stronger. That’s exactly what interviewers look for.

Happy to help you prep and refine your answers – feel free to reach out!

Best,
Evelina