Mckinsey Final Round

Final Round McKinsey McKinsey Final Round
Neue Antwort am 30. Sept. 2023
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Anonym A fragte am 1. Juni 2021

Hi!

I just had the first interview of the final round at McKinsey and I'm not sure if i will make it. I'm currently working in another sector (at a law firm) but my dream job was always McKinsey.

The feedback I received from previous rounds was that my PEI was incredibly strong and I was really good at math but sometimes i rushed on calculations and I should take a pause and do it slowly.

Then, the first interview of the final round happened:

PEI: I told a story about how i faced one of the biggest problem my office had to face and i came up with a conclusion that not only saved the day but changed the way the whole industry works (not only our client). The partner asked me what was the complex part in that because the way i told him seemed pretty easy. I somehow managed to say that simple ideas usually seem easy a posteriori, but wasn't at that moment (i.e Facebook).

Case: did pretty well until the maths. i had to calculate three diferrent things then add them together and compare it with other data. I asked for 30 seconds to think the approach and realize i needed one extra data; which he provided me. I started the calculations and everything was smooth until the last thing i had to calculate. I came up with a equation (which was correct) and screw up multiplying something like 3x2 so the answer didn't make sense which i said outloud. I asked for a second and change my mind and design another different equation and solved it well but the partner told me that it was better the first one so i went back at it, realized where i made the mistake and solve it perfeclty and connected the numbers with my framework and other data. Everything else was correct.

Edit: i guided my interviewer during all my calculations and stated the things i was going to do before even starting to do them

Did i bomb the interview?

(editiert)

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Francesco
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Content Creator
antwortete am 2. Juni 2021
#1 Coach for Sessions (4.000+) | 1.500+ 5-Star Reviews | Proven Success (➡ InterviewOffers.com) | Ex BCG | 10Y+ Coaching

Hi there,

The truth is, no one knows for sure (but the partner ;)). The perception of a candidate is often subjective. You may feel you have done great and be rejected and the other way around.

There seem to be improvements in both PEI and case, but hard to say if they can lead to rejection without having seen your overall performance live.

In any case, trying to guess the outcome can't really help at this point. I would focus instead on the improvements you already identified on PEI and math and on doing your best in the last part of the final.

Good luck!

Francesco

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Ken
Experte
bearbeitete eine Antwort am 6. Juni 2021
Ex-McKinsey final round interviewer | Executive Coach

Never speculate! But if you want us to, I would say you haven't "bombed" it, assuming other sections of the case went well.

If I were in your shoes, I would definitely spend time refining the 'story telling" for your PEI. It's quite common that strong candidates tell their story in such a simplified way where an interviewer does wonder "was this really the most challening situation when you did x?". A good story always needs a little drama and emotion!

On the maths, it sounds much more like your mindset than capability. Having said that, the only way to regain your confidence is most often more practice. I would find a practice partner (or coach) and just spend an hour or two just going through the verbal quant sections of McKinsey type cases. It's done the trick with many candidates I've worked with who were in your exact shoes :)

Good luck!

(editiert)

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Anonym B antwortete am 2. Juni 2021

From your description, sounds like you did well. I think you're overthinking.

However, I think the partner's expression to your problem-solving process reveals a lot more about your interview than random strangers guessing on the internet.

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Alberto
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antwortete am 30. Sept. 2023
Ex-McKinsey Associate Partner | +15 years in consulting | +200 McKinsey 1st & 2nd round interviews

Hi there,

It sounds pretty solid from what you said. Self-identifying a mistake over your math is usually something good in an interview and show you have some sense over the numbers if your first answer doesn't make sense to you.

Best,

Alberto

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Gaurav
Experte
Content Creator
antwortete am 8. Juni 2021
Ex-Mckinsey|Certified Career Coach |Placed 500+ candidates at MBB & other consultancies

Hello there!

Based on what you wrote, it is difficult to assume that you did well or bad, but considering what you mentioned, in my subjective opinion, you did an excellent job. If you feel unsure about something, just work on these improvement zones. In any case, any experience is an experience, good or bad. And as your story shows, it is definitely worth to go through, because you are already in the final with one foot. Good luck to you!
 

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Ian
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antwortete am 2. Juni 2021
#1 BCG coach | MBB | Tier 2 | Digital, Tech, Platinion | 100% personal success rate (8/8) | 95% candidate success rate

Hi there,

I'm really sorry but we truly have no idea what will happen next - only you and the interviewer were there, not us!

However, it does sound as if you did well. Did you do well enough? Time will tell.

Regardless, the fact that you've made it to the final round of such a prestigious firm is already something to be proud of in-and-of-itself.

Fingers crossed for you, but if you don't make it, please don't get dismayed...you clearly have a lot going for you!

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Antonello
Experte
Content Creator
antwortete am 2. Juni 2021
McKinsey | NASA | top 10 FT MBA professor for consulting interviews | 6+ years of coaching

Hi, it looks like a good performance :) Let's cross the fingers

Best,
Antonello

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Florian
Experte
Content Creator
antwortete am 2. Juni 2021
Highest-rated McKinsey coach (ratings, offers, sessions) | 500+ offers | Author of The 1% & Consulting Career Secrets

Hi there,

From your description, it seems to be an ok performance. However, it is hard to tell if you were not there for several reasons

  1. I am not sure if the story you are telling hits one of the three PEI dimensions. It could very well be that you had a significant impact in an industry, yet if the story misses the exact dimensions that McKinsey is looking for it could still lead to rejection.
  2. The way you are explaining the math issues you faced does not necessarily warrant a rejection, however, it depends on the overall feedback through all rounds. If you have been told to pay close attention to this since it has been already flagged and discussed by several interviewers before it could be a potential issue
  3. You leave out all other parts of the case. From experience, candidates often have a hard time self-evaluating. It could very well be that in the eyes of the partner math went excellent, however, on the structuring side of things, for instance, they were not happy

A lot of unknowns. My hunch is that it went fine, however, without actually being there it is very hard to tell. You should soon know!

Fingers crossed!

Cheers,

Florian

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Francesco

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