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How to improve "to the point communication"

Actively preparing for interviews at McKinsey and BCG business acumen communication

Hello,

Unfortunately, I did not make it to the next rounds in my previous interviews and thus I am looking for ways to improve my performance.

The usual feedback mainly targeted two areas.

  • Communication: Too wordy and not “to the point communication”; interviewer sometimes get lost where I am in the case
  • Business judgement: Especially the use of sanitary checks could be improved, e.g. is that number I just calculated too high or too low? Here I sometimes miss a good reference point.

Thanks for your tips in advance

Hello,

Unfortunately, I did not make it to the next rounds in my previous interviews and thus I am looking for ways to improve my performance.

The usual feedback mainly targeted two areas.

  • Communication: Too wordy and not “to the point communication”; interviewer sometimes get lost where I am in the case
  • Business judgement: Especially the use of sanitary checks could be improved, e.g. is that number I just calculated too high or too low? Here I sometimes miss a good reference point.

Thanks for your tips in advance

 New answer on Aug 31, 2020
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Great points and common areas of improvement!

Communication

It's easy to make something complicated, hard to make something simple. How to fix this?

Take a few seconds - gather your thoughts. Perhaps right them down. Take a quick breather to better formulate and then articulate your thoughts

Use signposting - Always preface what you will be saying. For example, when brainstorming you can say "I'm thinking about this in three main ways: A, B, and C. Within A we can look at..."

Practice with a coach - Other PrepLounger are fantastic practice but they are generally too nice! you need a coach who will really hit back and work with you to improve your answers.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Business judgement

Daily Business News/Thinking: Financial Times

Larger Thinking/Trends: The Economist

Crash course: BCG Insights, McKinsey Featured Insights

For the past decade I have read The Economist and the Financial Times daily. This built-up knowledge was instrumental in ensuring I had the right thinking+base knowledge for casing.

Also to improve your business judgement:

  • Reading through (and fully understanding cases)
  • Working on a mindset shift (happy to teach you a session in this)

Great points and common areas of improvement!

Communication

It's easy to make something complicated, hard to make something simple. How to fix this?

Take a few seconds - gather your thoughts. Perhaps right them down. Take a quick breather to better formulate and then articulate your thoughts

Use signposting - Always preface what you will be saying. For example, when brainstorming you can say "I'm thinking about this in three main ways: A, B, and C. Within A we can look at..."

Practice with a coach - Other PrepLounger are fantastic practice but they are generally too nice! you need a coach who will really hit back and work with you to improve your answers.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Business judgement

Daily Business News/Thinking: Financial Times

Larger Thinking/Trends: The Economist

Crash course: BCG Insights, McKinsey Featured Insights

For the past decade I have read The Economist and the Financial Times daily. This built-up knowledge was instrumental in ensuring I had the right thinking+base knowledge for casing.

Also to improve your business judgement:

  • Reading through (and fully understanding cases)
  • Working on a mindset shift (happy to teach you a session in this)
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Hello!

Honestly I disagree, since these are the classical feedback points that they tell most people and are not super insightful.

In any case, totally agree with the advises Ian gave - altought as I said, the feedback is too generic to be useful to action-.

Hope it helps!

Cheers,

Clara

Hello!

Honestly I disagree, since these are the classical feedback points that they tell most people and are not super insightful.

In any case, totally agree with the advises Ian gave - altought as I said, the feedback is too generic to be useful to action-.

Hope it helps!

Cheers,

Clara

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Hi, communication is one of the most important skills assessed during interviews in consulting and unfortunately, it is possible to seriously improve it in a short time only by simulating cases with senior people, former consultants or coaches, in order to have an experienced feedback and continuously work on it

Best,
Antonello

Hi, communication is one of the most important skills assessed during interviews in consulting and unfortunately, it is possible to seriously improve it in a short time only by simulating cases with senior people, former consultants or coaches, in order to have an experienced feedback and continuously work on it

Best,
Antonello

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Dear A,

I agree that feedback is too generic. So you can either skill up yourselsf in the interviews with a coach and apply to aother companies or start working on improving you CV in order to apply again after some time.

Best,

André

Dear A,

I agree that feedback is too generic. So you can either skill up yourselsf in the interviews with a coach and apply to aother companies or start working on improving you CV in order to apply again after some time.

Best,

André

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