Get Active in Our Amazing Community of Over 451,000 Peers!

Schedule mock interviews on the Meeting Board, join the latest community discussions in our Consulting Q&A and find like-minded Case Partners to connect and practice with!

Best questions to ask recruiting manager after an interview

1st round interview BCG Bain McKinsey
New answer on Oct 17, 2023
5 Answers
1.6 k Views
Anonymous A asked on Aug 12, 2020

Hi,

I have an upcoming interview with McKinsey recruiting manager, am wondering what is the (best) questions we can ask a recruiting manager to show we are interested but not asking too simple questions which can find answer from the website.

I have a list of questions to the consultants about their project life, but i dont think i can ask the same to recruiting manager.

Thanks for your help!

Overview of answers

Upvotes
  • Upvotes
  • Date ascending
  • Date descending
Best answer
Allen
Expert
replied on Aug 12, 2020
Ex-McK Experienced Hire and EM - I show you how to perform at your best

Most important to me, is that you don't ask something that you can find elsewhere. If you have their ear, take advantage of the opportunity by asking them something only they can answer.

Example:

+ What do you feel make the best candidates? (allows you to interject a story about yourself that demonstrates this)

+ What do you believe are the traits that makes someone successful for the long term (shows that you're focused on the long term and not just getting hired, also make sure to demonstrate this on your resume!)

Does this help?

Was this answer helpful?
Anonymous replied on Aug 12, 2020

Dear A,

To my mind the best question to the project manager might be smth like this

"Now, look at your career XX long, what is the one project assignment, by looking back, makes you very proud of accomplishing smth great?"

Hope it helps,
André

Was this answer helpful?
6
Benjamin
Expert
Content Creator
replied on Oct 17, 2023
Ex-BCG Principal | 8+ years consulting experience in SEA | BCG top interviewer & top performer

Hi,

If it's to the recruiter (HR role and not a consultant role), then I would ask questions either around:

  1. Perspective on what a good candidate looks like
  2. Their POV on what makes the firm great (always useful to get first hand insight to shape your opinion on the overall firm)

If its to a consulting team interviewer, then I would ask questions that I genuinely am interested in finding out that would make me either understand

  1. If i really would like consulting
  2. If i really would like to work at this firm

Hope this helps!

Was this answer helpful?
Robert
Expert
Content Creator
replied on Aug 13, 2020
McKinsey offers w/o final round interviews - 100% risk-free - 10+ years MBB coaching experience - Multiple book author

Hi Anonymous,

The correct starting point is to think about questions giving you additional insights and making you learning new things about the firm.

What I actrually appreciate is candidates asking also "tough" questions providing them a more realistic insight than nice bla-bla questions. Examples range from more personal-related questions like what your interviewer would change at McKinsey to make daily consultant's life more bearable if he could, to questions circling around market position of the firm in specific areas compared to the major competitors and any differentiations McKinsey wants to develop/sustain.

Just as a few examples - hope it clarifies the idea outlined in the beginning.

Hope that helps - if so, please be so kind and give it a thumbs-up with the green upvote button below!

Robert

Was this answer helpful?
Ian
Expert
Content Creator
replied on Aug 13, 2020
#1 BCG coach | MBB | Tier 2 | Digital, Tech, Platinion | 100% personal success rate (8/8) | 95% candidate success rate

Ask about them

People love to talk about themselves. Just ask them what they've worked on recently or what their journey at BCG has been like. Importantly, do your research beforehand - find out what they've done and try and pick something from their past that looks interesting to you. Tailor your questions just like they tailor their FIT questions to your resume."So, how did you end up in the Industrial Goods sector?"

Ask insightful questions

Ideally, your questions should also show them that you're insightful, inquisitive, bright, thinking about current topics, etc. For example:

"I saw you worked on a big digital transformation for a financial services company - I experienced one myself and it seemed so hard to move such a big organisation. What did you see as the major challenges and breakthrough moments?"

"I know that x big trend is happening. I also know that y types of companies exhibit z traits. How do you reconcile this difference when ensuring y companies adopt x trends?

Summary: Ask about THEM and ask insightful questions!

Was this answer helpful?
Allen gave the best answer

Allen

Ex-McK Experienced Hire and EM - I show you how to perform at your best
206
Meetings
1,892
Q&A Upvotes
8
Awards
5.0
72 Reviews