Hi there,

2-3 minutes in general for a story-based answer.

But, remember they might simple ask “what makes a great leader” which, of course, should be a 20 second answer.

Or, they might say “explain nuclear energy to my 7 year old daughter”. Which, again, would be a 20-40 second answer.

Remember, it depends.

It's like you're about to go on a date and you're asking me “how long should my answers be and how should I rsepond". It depends…on your date…their questions…their demeanor…if they're paying attention or not…if your answer/story has a lot to it or a little.

Make sense?

Don't anticipate these things. Practice being flexibility to any question that comes your way (like we do in….LIFE!)

(edited)

Hi there,

1) What should be the average duration of the fit interview answers for firms excluding McKinsey who usually have longer PEI interview answers? 

For most firms, the fit part takes 5 to 15 minutes. With some firms (eg Bain), sometimes there is no fit at all as part of an interview.

The length of the answer depends on the question but in general:

1. For “non-story” types (eg “Why us”) around 2-3 minutes for your part should be fine
2. For “story” types (eg “Tell me about a time when…”) around 4-5 minutes for your part should be fine

These are general guidelines and it could be totally ok to talk more or less than that depending on the question.

2) When to expect interruptions, how much of the answer should prep if you cannot anticipate where the interview will interrupt? 

If you mean whether you should prepare more details for the story for possible follow-ups, yes, I would prepare for that. They might not ask any but better to be prepared.

Best,

Francesco

Hello,

The fit interview will typically take up around ⅓ of total interview time (so anywhere from ~5-10 mins for a first round to ~15-20 mins for a final round). You should absolutely be prepared for the interviewer to interrupt, as you suggest. I would prepare a 2-3 min spiel for each answer that you would be prepared to give uninterrupted. Then, also work on developing some details than you can go into if prompted by the interviewer.

Hi there, 

thanks for your question. In general, there are no hard rules & strict guidelines on how to conduct a fit interview for most firms. Here some thoughts regarding your questions..

1. Duration - across most firms, this can usually last anywhere between 5 and 15min. This very much depends on interviewer style. Some want to cover it more, some less. 
2. Structure, interruptions? - same here, interviewers at BCG, Bain and many Tier 2s don't follow detailed guidelines on this, so can be anything from a very casual conversation to understand your motivations and CV to specific behavioral questions ("tell me about a time.." stuff). Also, some people don't interrupt, while others dissect every statement you make. You really can't predict this and there's no point. Just be genuine, structured and well-reflected in your answers and you'll be fine.

In essence, would not try to anticipate too much, as the way fit part is conducted can vary signficantly from interviewr to interviewer. 

If in general you don't feel confident about fit questions and would to practice common fit questions, feel free to reach out to me or any of the other coaches. A structured simulation of most commonly asked questions can help you build the confidence & comms skills required to master this part in any interviw.

Hope this helps.

Regards, Andi 

Hi there,

This is a very good question. 

In general, the whole personal fit / PEI part takes 15-25 minutes (depending on the interviewer). 

You should prepare stories that are 5-8 minutes long. 

The higher end of the range for McKinsey - where the stories need to be deeper. 

The lower end for the other firms. 

Best of luck!
Cristian