Just wondering what to expect. Round 1 interview with McKinsey scheduled for tomorrow and throughout the recruiting process was told everyone is friendly etc. However I heard from someone who interviewed with a different office a year ago that McKinsey like to stress-test candidates and put pressure on purpose (essentially being a douchebag interviewer).
I am confident I can handle the pressure, but was wondering if this is a common part of McKinsey's interview style?
It's the first time I have ever heard of this being done as part of the formal recruiting process. Some interviewers, out of personal choice, will adopt a more stressful approach to push candidates but the general thesis of a good experienced interviewer is that they are able to draw out the best of that candidate. I wouldn't assume a 'friendly' interviewer but I wouldn't worry about it too much either - the interview is already a stressful enough experience! If you feel the interviewer behaves in a hostile way throughout the interviewer then it's worth flagging to the recruitment team as that is not in line with how McKinsey approaches recruiting.
Good luck!
Hi,
Very unlikely they will act that way throughout the interview process. If they do, then thats a problem. Raise that with HR.
Its very much possible that they could test and challenge you on one or two occasions during the interview. This happens a lot in real life client situations. So here's how to deal with it:
The key thing about human behaviour is this- we end up mirroring the person in front of us. If they are happy, we automatically feel it. If they are angry we feel that too. So in stressful situations if you are rock solid calm the interviewer will mellow down, even if its an act. Practice this a lot please.
Read this book Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss and learn the strategies to negotiate and remain super calm - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Never-Split-Difference-Negotiating-Depended/dp/1847941494
Nope - the entire point of a McKinsey interview is to give you the platform to put your best foot forward. There is explicitly no place to stress test anyone in the 1st round.
Even in the partner interview you will not get someone purposely being a douchebag - the only times I have heard of strange reactions is when the candidate says things that are inappropriate or unnecessarily challenges the partner.
Hi there,
I guess there was a misunderstanding about the story of putting a candidate under intended pressure or acting annoyed. It is not at all a part of McKinsey's style - on the contrary, the interviewer is meant to act professionally and contribute to your performance.
Feeling confident is an important skill to do your best and succeed in the interview because it is already a stressful experience. Therefore, do not worry that your interviewer's going to act inappropriately.
Do you need any further help?
GB
Hi there
It is not an active, conscious tactic used by McKinsey.
However, fundamentally you should be prepared for anything in interviews.
This scenario may still happen. You may just get an interviewer who's a bit of a jerk, who's having a tough day, who just doesn't have time for you, who's sick of their job, etc. etc.
You never know!
Hello !
usually is the opposite, and interviewers try to give u a fair chance to shine and show your best.
However, there is a higly human component here, and each human is unique and different, so you cannot completly discard it.
Hope it helps!
Cheers,
Clara
Hi,
McK may use good cop/ bad cop tactics during the interviews.
In terms of cases:
In terms of Fit:
Here is the list of additional stress related questions:
Can you describe your most difficult client/ colleague and how you were able to handle their needs?
Can you tell me about a time when you were more than halfway through a project and had to pivot quickly due to an unexpected change? How did you handle it?
If one of your close work colleagues stole a $1 item, what would you do?
When given an unfamiliar task, how do you ensure you handle it properly?
If you are given two conflicting priorities from two separate managers, how do you figure out how to proceed?
Give me an example of when you received criticism. How did you respond to the information?
Tell me about a time when you were handling a project that went outside of your scope of work. How did you handle it?
Describe a situation where you had to deal with ambiguity when making a decision.
If a team member wasn’t pulling their weight, what would you do?
How do you handle a missed deadline / productivity target?
Tell me about a time when you failed to meet expectations. What did you do to recover?
Describe an instance where you were overwhelmed while on the job. How did you handle it?
What qualities do you possess that will help you succeed with McK/ BCG/ Bain?
Best,
Anton
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