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McK PST for Engagement Manager Candidates

For Engagement Manager level, experienced hire candidates who are interviewing at McKinsey, are Problem Solving Tests (PST) usually required to be taken by such candidates? 

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Top answer
Jacopo
Coach
on Dec 19, 2017
Principal BCG, Bain and A.T. Kearney / 200+ real interviews

Hi,

MBB generally use written tests for entry-level candidates. I have personally gone through the McK recruiting process for a Senior Engagement Manager position (at a European office) very recently and I was not asked to take any test but I started straight with the case interviews. From my understanding, that is the general rule for experienced hires but exceptions might exist depending on geographies or your background (in my case I had previous consulting experience).

You could also confirm that by contacting the recruiting team of your target location.

I hope this helps,

Jacopo

on Dec 19, 2017
Thanks! That is very helpful.
Vlad
Coach
on Dec 21, 2017
McKinsey / Accenture Alum / Got all BIG3 offers / Harvard Business School

Hi,

EM candidates usually don't have to write the PST test. But I don't know that many cases of direct EM hire. You should always be prepared that they may downgrade your application to the associate level unless you have tons of experience.

For experienced hires applying for the associate roles the general rule is the following:

  • Top MBAs with recruitment on campus - no PST test
  • Non-Top MBAs - PST test
  • Non-MBA hires - depends very much on your experience. I know the cases of the both. Also McKinsey may hire some of the experienced hires for a fellow associate if the candidate does not have enough experience bur applied for an associate. You should expect the PST test then.

Best

on Dec 23, 2017
Thanks! That helps to clarify the use of PST a lot.
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