PSS interview + Case interview

Question

So I made to the 2nd and final round for my data scientist 1 role at McKinsey, my recruiter explained to me what it entails for me but now my biggest concern is that I have ZERO case experience and knowledge. Can someone give me some pointers because meeting up with a coach now would be a waste of time. Potentially a pathway before meeting up with an interview coach.

Thanks

Answer 1

Hi Rholane,

Given that you’re already in the second and final round and have no prior case experience, the most important thing is to start practicing with a coach as soon as possible. With limited time, coached practice will help you get the right direction early, avoid building bad habits, and focus only on what matters for the interview.

In the next one to two days before booking a coach, keep things very lightweight. Read a short overview of McKinsey case interview structure, familiarize yourself with basic concepts like issue trees and hypothesis driven thinking, and watch one or two example interviewer led cases, Victor Cheng’s online practice videos are a good reference to understand flow and expectations. Avoid deep drilling or trying to memorize frameworks at this stage.

After that, moving to a coach is the most efficient step. A coach can help you structure cases correctly from day one, practice under realistic conditions, and prioritize what will make the biggest difference in the limited time you have.

Happy to draft a plan on how to make sure you’re ready by then and put yourself in the best position to get the job.

Best,
Evelina

Answer 2

Hey Rholane,

First of all: don’t panic. This situation is stressful, but it’s manageable, even with limited case experience.

A few steps I’d recommend:

1) Clarify scope with recruiting.
Since you’re applying for a Data Scientist / Expert role, reach out to the recruiting team and ask whether they can narrow down the case type (e.g., data-heavy, analytics-driven, expert-style case vs. classic generalist case). This can significantly focus your preparation.

2) Buy time if you can.
If the interview date isn’t fixed yet or if there’s flexibility, I’d reach out to recruiting asap to see whether you can push it back slightly. You don't want to go into the interview unprepared!

3) Practice as much as possible, but efficiently.
With limited time, prioritize quality over quantity:

Targeted sessions with a coach can be very effective to quickly identify gaps, set a clear approach, and avoid practicing the wrong things.
In parallel, practice with peers as much as you can to build basic structure, confidence, and flow.

4) Focus on making the most of the next few days.
You won’t master everything, and that’s okay. Focus on clear structuring, logical thinking, and communicating your reasoning, especially leveraging your data background where relevant.

Fingers crossed it all works out - let me know if you'd like to talk through how to make best use of your time :)

Answer 3

Rholane,

Go on youtube and search 'mckinsey consulting interview case'. Click one of them just so you get a sense of what to expect.

In parallel, reach out to your recruiter to confirm whether for the DS role you'll be doing DS-focused cases or generic / any industry cases. That will help you prioritise the prep.

Try a few cases from the case library here on PrepLounge.

Then do get a coach. Why? Because instead of spending days / weeks / months trying to find your way, you'll get a clear idea of where you are now (innate strengths and areas of development), what is the gap to interview readiness, and what is the most effective way to close that gap. It's a bit like getting a swim coach at the start of your career, not one week before your swimming competition.

If you have any specific questions, don't hesitate to reach out.

Best,
Cristian