How does Mckinsey's process with office location preference work?

Question

Hi all,

I just completed my Imbellus test for the Mckinsey internship process, and I wanted to ask a quick question about how they use locations during the interviewing process —

Out of my 60 pints, I gave 25 to location X, 20 to location Y, and 15 to location Z.

How is this point preference actually used? Am I applying for all 3 offices at once and being screened by each? Does my top choice get my application first? If I got rejected by one office, do my 2nd and 3rd choices still have a chance to review my materials?

Any insight that you might have regarding this process would be incredibly helpful. Thanks so much!

Answer 1

Hi!

The interview process will be only one. HR will then try to match your preference with their needs and requirements.

Hope this helps.

Best,

Anto

Answer 2

Hello,

HR will work with the recruitment team at all the offices you specified to best match you given the offices' needs and your preferences. The exact process will depend on your situation (e.g. are you applying as an experienced hire/from a target school/during the standard recruiting timeline etc.), but essentially your top choice office will decide whether to invite you to interview first, if they pass then your second choice office will review your candidacy, and so on. If you are applying during the cycle or from a target school, this decision making will be done more or less simultaneously, but in any case at the end of the day you will only be interviewing with one office. If it is not your top choice office, HR may reach out to ask whether you would be fine with interviewing at your second or third choice instead. Having the ability to specify 3 office preferences instead of 1 enables you to cast a slightly wider net in terms of applications, and decreases the likelihood of you getting a rejection simply because your top choice office has a lower hiring need, so it works to your advantage.

Answer 3

Hi there,

Yes, you are evaluated first on your 1st choice, then on your 2nd, then on your third.