Are McKinsey cases really interviewer-led?

Actively preparing for upcoming interviews with Mckinsey
New answer on Dec 30, 2020
5 Answers
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Anonymous A asked on Dec 01, 2020

Hi,

Is the stereotype of McKinsey cases being interviewer-led actually true or is it outdated? Is it worth only practicing interviewer-led cases for a McK interview, or is there still a good chance that it might be candidate-led?

This is for first round cases.

Thanks!

(edited)

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Gaurav
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replied on Dec 01, 2020
#1 Career Coach for Aspiring, Practicing & Ex-Consultants|The Only 360° Coach - Ex-Mckinsey, Certified Coach & Recruiter
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Clara
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replied on Dec 02, 2020
McKinsey | Awarded professor at Master in Management @ IE | MBA at MIT |+180 students coached | Integrated FIT Guide aut

Hello!

I have always found this one of the most misleading and non-important parts of the prep for MBB.

People obsess over it and loose focus on what they should indeed focus.

Cases are business problems, just focus on being proactive and problem-solve with the interviewer to solve it.

Hope it helps!

Cheers,

Clara

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Vlad
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updated an answer on Dec 01, 2020
McKinsey / Accenture Alum / Got all BIG3 offers / Harvard Business School

Hi,

  1. It's not true, McKinsey has both types of cases. 2nd round will be mostly candidate led. In the 1st round, chances are still high that some cases will be candidate-led.
  2. You should practice mostly in candidate-led format since they are simply harder
  3. If you practice in a candidate-led format, you prepare yourself for both types

Best

(edited)

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Ian
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replied on Dec 01, 2020
#1 BCG coach | MBB | Tier 2 | Digital, Tech, Platinion | 100% personal success rate (8/8) | 95% candidate success rate

Hi there,

Put simply, it is never worth only practicing interviewer-led...ever.

I'd also take the comment a step further and say, it is never worth only practicing/expecting one specific thing...ever!

Mck does indeed provide a variety a styles. Furthermore, if you practice candidate-led, that lends itself much more to also being able to do interviewer led.

You may as well learn to bike without training wheels, then with, so to speak :)

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Antonello
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replied on Dec 30, 2020
McKinsey | NASA | top 10 FT MBA professor for consulting interviews | 6+ years of coaching

Hi, I confirm candidate led cases can happen in McKinsey (more than 25% of the times) and interviewer led cases can happen elsewhere

best

Antonello

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Gaurav gave the best answer

Gaurav

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#1 Career Coach for Aspiring, Practicing & Ex-Consultants|The Only 360° Coach - Ex-Mckinsey, Certified Coach & Recruiter
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