What to expect from PEI Soty follow up questions?

Question

I've heard that McKinsey PEI interviews go very deep into the story, and interviewers tend to ask many questions to drill into the details.

Are there any tips you could share on how to prepare to answer follow-up questions? What are the typical questions that I may get as a follow-up? Lastly, any tactics in framing the initial reply, such as guiding the interviewer to ask what you have prepared?

Thank you!

Answer 1

Hi,

Are there any tips you could share on how to prepare to answer follow-up questions? What are the typical questions that I may get as a follow-up?

In my opinion, it doesn't make sense trying to predict and prepare for every type of question you might be asked. Instead, I would rather concentrate on preparing all the standard fit stories and making sure they are watertight. You should be prepared to elaborate on every part of your stories and your motivation and reasoning for each decision should be crystal clear to you.

Lastly, any tactics in framing the initial reply, such as guiding the interviewer to ask what you have prepared?

Not only such an approach is useless, I would strongly suggest refraining from trying to manipulate or guide your interviewer in any direction. Apart from most likely failing, an attempt of applying such tactics will likely result in a rejection.

Regards,
Nick

Answer 2

Drawing from my experience as a McKinsey interviewer, I want to emphasize the critical nature of anticipating detailed and sometimes interrupting questions regarding your motivation and your capacity to exhibit emotional intelligence.

It's important to understand that the questions posed to you will vary depending on the particular aspect of the Personal Experience Interview (PEI) you're being assessed on. To enhance your chances of success, it's crucial that you recall your stories vividly and convey them with authenticity.

To further bolster your readiness, I highly recommend practicing your PEI stories with a coach or peers who have effectively navigated the PEI process. This collaborative effort can be incredibly beneficial.

I extend my best wishes to you as you prepare and undertake this important journey. Good luck!

Answer 3

Hi,

Based on my experience as a trained McKinsey interviewer I would like to stress the importance to anticipate detailed questions (potentially interrupting) on your underlying motivation and your ability to demonstrate emotional intelligence.

Certainly the questions you will receive will differ based on the dimension of the PEI you are interviewing. Make sure that you remember the story vividly and can share detail authentically.

In order to increase your chances of success I strongly recommend practicing the PEI stories with a coach or peers who have successfully passed the PEI.

Wish you best of luck,

Philipp

Answer 4

Hi there,

Practice, practice, practice.

There is literally no other way. Get your peers to simulate the interview and ask follow-up questions. Remember, just like with casing, peers are helpful, but they will likely be “too nice” and not know exactly what to ask.

If you want optimal practice, hire a coach. They'll make sure you truly get the full simulation.

Be ready for things like:

Random interuptions
Asking you to explain how you did x
Asking you to define/explain a concept
Asking why you did x
Asking how x person reacted
etc.

You can't predict the questions. Rather, practice being agile/adaptable to any question they ask.

Answer 5

Hi there!

Wow, great question. Something that doesn't get asked sufficiently.

Yes, you should basically have a sparring partner or two.

Ideally, find somebody from within your field (maybe your case partner could double as a pei partner) and somebody from outside your field (e.g., your mom).

You could tell the story to both (separetely) and they could both probe with questions. The questions from the former will help you understand technically what the interviewer might ask (e.g., but how exactly did you convince this particular person of this thing) while the former will help you with clarity (e.g., what does this acronym mean).

It's important to get outsiders to hear your stories because oftentimes you can get so absorbed by them that you don't realise what doesn't work about them.

Best,
Cristian

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Answer 6

Hi there,

On top of other great response, for preparing your McKinsey PEI I would add:

Prepare 2-3 good stories for each dimension
Make sure your stories are relatively recent (no more than 2-3 years old) to remember as much details as possible
Before the interview, practice how to share your stories using a situation-complication-resolution framing (starting with context, explaining the challenge and detailing how you solve it)
During the interview, start high level giving 1-2 minutes overview of the situation and the big steps you took to solve it
From there you can ask your interviewer if he/she wants more context or would like to focus on a specific part. Then share your story as you practice before (situation-complication-resolution)

Good luck with your preparation!

Alberto

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Answer 7

Hi there,

McKinsey's PEI is indeed the gold standard here to really go deep and assess real personal experiences and qualities vs. made up high level stories. Happy to jump on a quick call and give you a rundown on the typical question technique. Else find my PEI guide here: https://www.preplounge.com/de/shop/fit-guide/pei-fit-guide

Warm regards

Frederic