Accelerated preparation

Question

Hi to everyone, it is great to have this platform, getting a lot of help from the community!

I posted about the question about the approach from McKinsey to join an introductory call, and yesterday I have had it with positive outcome. They wanted to reach out to tell that the company is opening an office in Uzbekistan so they are looking to build a team of local consultants. HR told me that if I apply and pass interviews, I will be allocated to Kazakhstan office first to get training and integration into the firm, and the application process starts in October-November. Also HR said that my CV has passed the screening, and now they are interested in me and encouraged apply as soon as possible.

I was looking apply in next summer, after completing winter-spring term of High Bridge Academy, and it seems I need to get prepared and apply very soon.

Is there any other great training courses/coaches that can prepare me best in short term, and the most important, with ISA model, that is available at the High Bridge.

Thank you!

Answer 1

Hi there!

Congrats! That sounds like a really cool opportunity.

The biggest shortcut is to get a coach. This way you get a mentor who is there for you and develops a tailored program for you.

If this is not within your means, then indeed use cohort training or self-training programs.

Additionally, I can share here some expert guides that you might find useful for your prep:

Also, feel free to check a few of these cases to get started (they have interviewer answers):

https://www.preplounge.com/en/management-consulting-cases/interviewer-led-mckinsey-style/intermediate/element-mobile-expands-into-refurbished-phones-mbb-2nd-round-302

https://www.preplounge.com/en/management-consulting-cases/candidate-led-usual-style/advanced/mbb-first-round-soy-technologies-303

Best,
Cristian

Answer 2

First, congratulations are in order! The prospect of joining a new office in Uzbekistan is undeniably thrilling. Below, a few pointers to help you embark on a crash program to move from zero to hero in your preparations for upcoming interviews.

1. Self-assessment. Begin by taking stock of your readiness. Have you previously undergone consulting interviews? Are you familiar with the overarching phases of interviews? Have you engaged in practice through mock interviews? Have you articulated why you aspire to work at McKinsey? Excelling in interviews of this caliber is no small feat. It is essential to first evaluate your current state of preparation to chart a focused and coherent path forward.

2. Time allocation. In your particular case, time is likely the primary constraint to contend with. In this context, it is crucial to determine how many hours you can commit to your preparation. This will provide you with a clear understanding of how to allocate your time across (1) individual preparation, (2) mock interviews, and (3) refining your fit. Establishing structure and rigor in your preparation is the key to making the most of the time available.

3. Practice, practice, practice. Succeeding in a consulting interview is akin to hitting the gym. You must train your skills so that you can effortlessly handle the interview without breaking a sweat. PrepLounge serves as an excellent platform to connect with peers facing similar circumstances who can offer valuable advice and feedback on improving your performance. I often advise those who seek my guidance that conducting mock interviews with peers provides an opportunity to (1) witness how others solve the same case and (2) adopt best practices and strategies from others. Additionally, consider the assistance of an expert coach to create a structured plan and identify effective training methods. Much like a personal trainer at the gym ensures you achieve your goals with proper execution, this step is not mandatory but highly recommended to avoid stumbling blindly through your preparation.

Please don't hesitate to reach out if you would like further discussion or assistance.

Best of luck with your interviews!

Answer 3

Hi Abdurokhman,

Definitely get a coach!

If you have a short prep time and this role really matters to you, it is definitely worth it to make the investment to ensure success.

High bridge: I love highbridge! However, if your timeline is short highbridge won't work (there's an application process, then you're put into a cohort/schedule, and it runs for weeks/months).

By the way, if you or anyone reading this is interested in Highbridge, I have a discount code for Highbridge - fee free to shoot me a message!

Coaching: Find 2-3 that you like. Message them. Have an intro call. Get started ASAP

Here's some reading for optimal case prep (avoid the mistakes of others!): https://www.preplounge.com/en/articles/pitfalls-case-interview-preparation

Some helpful reading on choosing a good coach:

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/why-does-the-pricing-of-case-coach-differ-so-much-how-to-better-utilize-coaching-sessions-11956

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/how-to-find-the-right-coach-15661

Answer 4

Hi Abdurokhman,

Q: Is there any other great training courses/coaches that can prepare me best in short term, and the most important, with ISA model?

Coaching on PrepLounge unfortunately doesn’t work with an ISA model

In terms of general prep tips, I would recommend the following:

Identify the companies interesting to you. Preparing just for McKinsey would be quite risky given the amount of preparation needed. You can create a DB with all the companies you want to target so that you can look for a referral later for them (see point #7).
Define a calendar for your preparation. Identify how many hours you have before your expected interview and allocate the time slots for preparation in your calendar, working on the points below. Many candidates need 100+ hours to be ready before a consulting interview starting from zero so you can keep that as a benchmark.
Start reading good MBA Consulting Casebooks – you can find several for free online (INSEAD is a good one to start). Read the cases and try to apply your structure to solve them. Whenever you see there is something missing, upgrade your structure with the new insights. Try to read a new case per day – in this way you will absorb better the information with constant learning.
After the first 5-10 cases in books/casebooks and basic theory, start to practice live. PrepLounge can be helpful to connect with other candidates for that. There is a relevant part of the interview score that is based on your communication, which you cannot practice at all if you read cases only.
Keep track of your mistakes and see which ones you are repeating. This is extremely important, as otherwise you may do a ton of cases without fixing the real issues. If you find common mistakes, try to identify the reason for them (feedback from experienced partners would be particularly useful for this). Be sure to focus on both the behavioral part and the case part during the mocks. The case part should also cover market sizing, math and graph analysis.
Before your application, be sure to review your CV and Cover, so that they are in the required format for a strategy role.
At least 3 weeks before the application deadline, start networking to find referrals. You can find some tips here.
Before the interviews, be sure to prepare your questions for the interviewer – a great way to show you prepared in advance and to connect with the interviewer for a good final impression. Ideally, try to find out who they are and study their profile to have good questions to ask.

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If you want to cover everything mentioned above in less time, I developed a program precisely for that.

You can check the program at the following link to learn more:

▶ GYM Program

If you have any questions please feel free to PM me.

Best,

Francesco

Answer 5

Hi,

Congrats on passing the screening - this means that the firm thinks that you have what it takes to be a consultant.

The first thing I'd encourage you to figure out is what you need to demonstrate/prove in order to get the offer. A coach can help you do that, but it isn't a silver bullet really or a panacea.

Can a coach add value? Yes!

There are plenty of coaches here with great courses and experience. Ultimately you need to ‘sit in the drivers seat’ and make an informed choice on which coach best suits you.
Read through the coaches profiles, get on an intro call with a couple and choose the one that you think best suits or fits your needs.

But is a coach a must? Not necessarily

There are plenty of people who have passed the interview without coaching
If you are able to figure out what needs to be developed and achieve that without a coach, then you've achieved the outcome that you wanted

All the best!

Answer 6

Preplounge doesn't work with the ISA model - I don't think you are able to find coaches here to support you.

To be honest, I also don't like the model, because for the coaches it is more about finding high-potential, low-risk candidates that don't require a lot of coaching work… than about providing great coaching.

And you are right, the best way to prepare quickly is to find a good coach!