HR call 'to plan interviews' anything else to expect?

Hi there,

Possibly you may just have an informal chat - in particular if you are an experienced hire. However they may also ask you standard fit questions. The most likely questions that they may ask are:

1. Tell me about yourself
2. Why consulting
3. Why us
4. Give me an example of when you led a team
5. Tell me about a time when you had to convince someone not agreeing with you
6. What has been your major achievement so far when you started something
7. Why should we hire you

Questions about experiences (4, 5 and 6) are standard at McKinsey, but other companies may ask them as well. To prepare those questions, I would recommend the following checklist:

1. Understand the difference between, leadership, impact and drive areas. You can find a link with their differences here: https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/mckinsey-pei-difference-drive-and-personal-impact-918
2. Identify good stories for each area. Ideally you want to have at least two stories for each area.
3. Use a structure for your story. I would suggest to use the STARR model (Situation, Task, Action, Rational for Action, Results)
4. Identify for each story one sentence clarifying what the story is about and start with it. Think of it as the title of a journal article.
5. Practice live, collect feedback from people listening to you, reiterate until when you get fluent and persuasive

Best,
Francesco

Hi there,

For any interview interactions we need to be prepared for anything! In this case, I imagine this is indeed mostly a scheduling call.

However, you absolutely need to be prepared for some fit/behavioral questions. This means, be sure you know your resume walkthrough, "Why Consulting", and "Why BCG" answers. Make sure you've done your research, know why you're applying, and can talk to anything on your resume.

This call should go smoothly but you always want to be prepared!

Good luck!

Hello!

Honestly it can be either really informational (in McK there used to be calls like this, held by BAs, with a group of candidates to explain the process and do a mock case). Or it can be as you say, a behavioural interview mostly focused on motivational questions. 

If you want to deep dive on the topic, the "Integrated FIT guide for MBB" has been recently published in PrepLounge´s shop (https://www.preplounge.com/en/shop/tests-2/integrated-fit-guide-for-mbb-34)

It provides an end-to-end preparation for all three MBB interviews, tackling each firms particularities and combining key concepts review and a hands-on methodology. Following the book, the candidate will prepare his/her stories by practicing with over 50 real questions and leveraging special frameworks and worksheets that guide step-by-step, developed by the author and her experience as a Master in Management professor and coach. Finally, as further guidance, the guide encompasses over 20 examples from real candidates.

Furthermore, you can find 5 free cases in the PrepL case regarding FIT preparation:

• Intro and CV questions > https://www.preplounge.com/en/management-consulting-cases/fit-interview/intermediate/introduction-and-cv-questions-fit-interview-preparation-200
• Motivational questions > https://www.preplounge.com/en/management-consulting-cases/fit-interview/intermediate/motivational-questions-fit-interview-preparation-201
• Behavioural questions (LEADERSHIP) >https://www.preplounge.com/en/management-consulting-cases/fit-interview/intermediate/behavioral-questions-entrepreneurial-drive-fit-interview-preparation-211
• Behavioural questions (ENTREPRENEURIAL DRIVE) > https://www.preplounge.com/en/management-consulting-cases/fit-interview/intermediate/behavioral-questions-entrepreneurial-drive-fit-interview-preparation-238
• Behavioural questions (LEADERSHIP) > https://www.preplounge.com/en/management-consulting-cases/fit-interview/advanced/behavioral-questions-personal-impact-fit-interview-preparation-239

Feel free to PM me for disccount codes for the Integrated FIT Guide, since we still have some left from the launch!