Hi there,

In general, the structure of the round is the same (fit + case+ your questions); however in interviews with Partners there is usually more emphasis on communication and fit.

Specifically, the main differences you may find in a final round with partners is that at that stage they:

1. Spend more time on fit questions and your alignment with the company.
2. Check more closely your communication (eg how you react to challenging questions).
3. May not have a “proper” structured case to present – during one of my MBB finals I had one interview which was made by two market sizing questions and a brainteaser, without any business case. That's because during the final they know you can structure and crack a case (you passed 1 or 2 rounds already) and are more interested in your logic, personality and fit with the company.

So in order to prepare I would concentrate on the following:

• Review in detail your fit stories – they could matter more than in the first round. In some finals I had almost exclusively behavioral questions.
• Work on your communication (reaction under pressure, how to gain time when you do not have a structure ready, connect with the interviewer, etc). This is something you can do almost exclusively in interviews with peers.
• Prepare cases as you did for the first round. If you got feedback on a specific area, focus more on that part.

Bonus point: partners focus often on cases related to the industries they cover. If you know the sectors they specialize in, it would be a good idea to review those industries / do cases related to that sector.

Best,

Francesco

Hello!

Overall rule: anything can happen in a partner round, haha. Cases can be much more unstructured, so be ready for anything. 

Furthermore, there is more emphasis in the FIT part, that normally lastst longer. If you want to deep dive on the topic, the "Integrated FIT guide for MBB" has been recently published in PrepLounge´s shop (https://www.preplounge.com/en/shop/tests-2/integrated-fit-guide-for-mbb-34)

It provides an end-to-end preparation for all three MBB interviews, tackling each firms particularities and combining key concepts review and a hands-on methodology. Following the book, the candidate will prepare his/her stories by practicing with over 50 real questions and leveraging special frameworks and worksheets that guide step-by-step, developed by the author and her experience as a Master in Management professor and coach. Finally, as further guidance, the guide encompasses over 20 examples from real candidates.

Furthermore, you can find 3 FREE Expert Articles on PreLounge, in a sreies dedicated to preparing for the different parts of FIT:

Feel free to PM me for disccount codes for the Integrated FIT Guide, since we still have some left from the launch

Hope it helps! 

Hi there,

Short answer: Yes.

Jokes aside, please stop trying to predict what will happen! I completely understand the sentiment, but it can genuinely be anything - a 1 hour case, a 5 minute case, all brainstorming, all charts/exhibits, no case and all fit, etc.

Just be prepared with anything and be flexible/adaptable to whatever comes your way. I recognize this is easier said than done, but, ultimately, that's what you'll have to do on the client site as well!

The “most” likely is a standard case with a bit more “free flow” and a bit more brainstorming/testing of assumptions.

Good luck!

Yes, you should expect all of those. You're trying to narrow down the possibilities but the truth is that at the partner round, the possibilities broaden up. You have to be prepared for a regular case, or for a simple discussion - about you, a business problem, or the business world.