TIPS for McKinsey PEI & 2nd Round of Interviews

Congrats on getting to the second round.

PEI is not necessarily about having crazy 'wow' stories.

It's about having stories that are very relevant to the themes being tested. And then being able to succinctly and thoughtfully explain 'why' and 'how' you undertook a series of actions in your story, to drive a positive outcome. 

Basically, they want to understand how your decision-making works so that they can trust you with clients/projects in future.

Try and write your stories using the STAR framework to keep them focused and relevant. Once in the right format, it won't take your too long to learn them.

You may benefit from a brainstorming session with a coach to help identify the correct stories and work on your delivery.

Let me know if helpful to discuss further.

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, I would advise you not to worry about finding “wow” stories - what matters is showing how you act, think, and feel, not impressing with flashy experiences. Even small projects or student initiatives can work if you delve into them.
• Moreover, contrary to what other coaches have said, using the same situation for the same dimension is typically not well received. Also, the final interview round is neither more nor less difficult than the first.
• Lastly, contrary to what other coaches have said, I would strongly advise against using the STAR framework, as it is overly simplistic and doesn’t accommodate the complex, lengthy situations you need to talk about in a McKinsey PEI.

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 PEIs, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Firstly congrats on getting through the first round!

McKinsey has some official guidelines on this around the themes that they're looking for: https://www.mckinsey.com/careers/interviewing

You are allowed to repeat stories from round 1. You are just not encouraged to repeat the same story within the same round (e.g., same stories across two interviewers in the same round)

The 2nd round is not much more difficult than the 1st in that the criteria are the same. It all depends on the personality of the interviewers you meet. 

If you need help crafting or refining your stories, feel free to reach out.

hey!

Second round is usually tougher, interviewers expect sharper structure, quicker insights, and deeper personal stories. For PEI, they don’t want “wow” stories, they want depth, clarity, and reflection. Pick moments where you drove something, faced tension, or made a tough decision.

Focus on one story per dimension (leadership, personal impact, conflict, etc.), and go deep. Use Situation–Approach–Outcome–Reflection to structure it. If you’re unsure what story fits, think of: leading a team, pushing back, solving a crisis, managing conflict.

Give yourself at least 4–5 focused prep sessions just for PEI. And happy to spar on stories if you want!

best,
Alessa :)