Preparing from the basics

Hi there,

First of all, I am sorry to hear about the rejection with McKinsey!

I think this is an interesting question that may be relevant for many people. I would be happy to share my thoughts on it:

• First of all, I feel that you may not have properly prepared both for your previous interviews with McKinsey and for your upcoming ones thus far. As such, I would highly advise you to reach out to a coach to help you draft a preparation plan and assist you with your preparation.
• In case you still want to prepare on your own - which I would highly advise against in your specific situation - you can use any type of math drills (e.g., the one from PrepLounge) and start practicing case studies with peers as soon as possible. However, depending on the date of your first-round interviews with BCG, you may again not be properly prepared for them.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to address your specific situation, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Hi there,

I agree with the other coaches here - the most efficient way to develop and execute on a tailored prep plan that fits your situation is to involve a coach who can guide you along the way.

In terms of interviews - BCG is typically flexible with the scheduling. In your particular case, suggest you push back proposed slots to a date at least 6-8 weeks away from now, so you can take sufficient time to build your foundations from the ground up.

If you're interested in getting a tailored plan, feel free to reach out to me or any of the other coaches - we'll be happy to help.

Hope this helps.

Regards, Andi

Hi,

preparation is key in order to get into consulting but the fact that you are here is already the right first step. A couple of things to help you prepare:

• Plan for several weeks of preparation ahead of the interview
• Try to get a few more interviews ahead of the BCG interview as “practice interviews"
• Practice math especially mental arithmetic with one of the many apps out there (helped me :-) )
• Get your hands on a case study book with practice cases, frameworks, etc.
• Find a partner to practice cases in a realistic setting
• Prepare your personal fit interview

You can do all of those things by yourself if you think that you have the structure and discipline. It definitely helps to have a coach guide you through the process or at least to practice case interviews that are as realistic as it gets. 

Let me know if you have any questions.

/Marvin

(editiert)

It sounds like you need a coach…

If you failed McKinsey last year, and you have an interview fast approaching where you're starting at the basics, you're unlikely to be ready in time. 

You're basically trying to compete in the Olympics without a personal trainer.

If you do want to go it alone, you should use preplounge drills and rocketblocks for math/charts. For business background you should do daily reading and industry deep-dives. For frameworking/hypotheses you should read this (but, ultimately, many need coaching to learn this properly).

You should be doing case practice with partners yesterday, while simultaneously doing your other prep.

If you can, get your interview date pushed back months.