Interview nerves

approaching a case
New answer on Apr 01, 2022
9 Answers
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Anonymous A asked on Mar 31, 2022

Hi All, I suffer from interview nerves some of the time and this of course impacts the performance in a case interview situation. I understand that practice helps improve it…just wondering do people have any tips to overcome it and stay calm in the interview?

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Francesco
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replied on Mar 31, 2022
#1 Coach for Sessions (4.000+) | 1.500+ 5-Star Reviews | Proven Success (➡ InterviewOffers.com) | Ex BCG | 10Y+ Coaching

Hi there,

As a first step, I would recommend to understand why you are getting nervous:

  • Is it because you get stuck with math? 
  • Is it because you don’t know how to structure a question? 
  • Is it because you are not used to talk with strangers as you don't have much interview experience? 

Until you understand what makes you feel nervous, it will be difficult to fix the issue.

In terms of what to do if you go blank and don’t know what to do, this is what I would recommend:

  1. Do a recap of your findings so far in the case
  2. Repeat the question you have to answer
  3. Ask for one minute to think
  4. If you still cannot find an answer: state the reasons why you cannot see a connection between the information received and the objective. This should lead the interviewer to help you

Hope this helps,

Francesco

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Paul Matthew
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replied on Mar 31, 2022
Ex-BCG Interviewer | Stanford MBA | 1st Consultant Hired in BCG Philippines | 100+ students coached

Hi, 

Doing more practice cases aside, my advise is:

  • Treat your interview as a conversation and not just a test! - It's a two-way date… it's a chance for you to see whether the firm is a fit for you as much as the firm is assessing whether you're a fit for them. Ask, engage, connect. The interviewers are not as scary as you think! 
  • When in doubt, feel free to pause - If you need a moment to collect your thoughts or restructure your points, don't be afraid to ask for a few minutes. It's better than fumbling around. (You'll also need it as a skill when you work with tough clients in the future!)
  • Before interviews, try to do routines which elevate your mood - This one could be different for each person. Personally, I like to swim the day before or morning of my interview as it calms my nerves. Then, right before the interview, I like to look at the mirror and cheer myself on (haha!)

Hope this helps!

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Anonymous replied on Mar 31, 2022

Hi there,

I completely understand, I used to get extremely nervous interviewing, presenting or even conversing with seniors, and I still do. 

I agree with Francesco in that it is essential to understand the root cause of the problem, and you have to find it either yourself or with a therapist. Thus, for instance, 

- If the nervousness stems from low self esteem, there are strategies and techniques that will help you boost it (I literally put post-its with my positive qualities on the wall in front of me that I was looking at while interviewing with BCG over Zoom);

- if it stems from anxiety over the outcome, it is helpful to think in terms of “what's the worst that can happen/ so what even if I don't get the position” mindset;

- etc.

So I think it is best to find a lasting solution after identifying the root cause, rather than patching it up. But some easy fixes I found useful could be:

- No caffeine before the interview

- No case practicing or going over your consulting prep 2 hours before the interview 

- No empty stomach at the interview 

Anyway, it is totally human to be nervous, I've seen project leaders get very nervous at client presentations, and those still went well. What's more, you can always sell nervousness as enthusiasm, so it works out even better.

You got this!

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Cristian
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replied on Mar 31, 2022
#1 rated MBB & McKinsey Coach

Hi there, 

Practice helps, of course. There are a few other things that help too:

1. Get +8h of sleep before the interview. 

2. Hydrate

3. Take the day before the interview off, enjoy time outside, connecting with friends and family

4. Don't see this interview as an end in and of itself, but as a stepping stone.   

5. Don't approach the interviewer as a gate-keeper, but as someone who wants you to pass and with whom you need to work to show your best

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Ian
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replied on Apr 01, 2022
#1 BCG coach | MBB | Tier 2 | Digital, Tech, Platinion | 100% personal success rate (8/8) | 95% candidate success rate

First, realize that this is the most important thing in your life....until the next one

It's not a big deal. You'll do the interviews. You may ace all of them. You may bomb all of them. Big whoop...life will go on!

Some Options/Changes

  1. You might be experiencing burnout. Were you nervous when you first started, or did you enjoy it more? If you used to be better (i.e. more focused on the interesting aspect of the case etc.), then you need a break. Forcing this won't help. Stopping for a week or so in between interviews may actually let your body/mind recharge and get out of the fight-or-flight mode you might be in.
  2. Realize the interview is not a big deal. You might completely fail the interview. Totally bomb it. No job offer from McK. Ok...so what? Is your life over? Not even close! You have plenty of opportunities ahead of you and lots of great things on the horizon. It doesn't matter if it's McK or anyother company. Play the worst-case-scenario game. Life goes on.
  3. Realize your little case mistakes are not a big deal. Ok...you forgot to ask something....so what? I've never ever seen a perfect case. I've seen plenty of exceptional candidates. If you miss an item or two, but you're generally personable, drive towards to solution, communicate in a structured way, etc. it really doesn't matter...they've already decided they like you! Don't sweat the little things.

Freezing Within a Case

You have 2 options when this happens:

1) Ask for a moment to gather your thoughts and think about your approach

2) Recap the case, starting with the objective. This buys you time and helps you jog your thinking.

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Andi
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replied on Mar 31, 2022
BCG 1st & Final Round interviewer | Personalized prep with >95% success rate | 7yrs coaching | #1 for Experienced Hires

Hi there, 

great advice was given already by the other coaches. 

I'd like to add that for many candidates, it's purely a mindset issue. An interview is not an exam, it's conversation where both sides can establish whether they are a good fit for each other - if you're able to change your angle here, it will take out 80% of the nervousness already.

Best of luck!

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Moritz
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replied on Mar 31, 2022
ex-McKinsey EM & Interviewer | 7/8 offer rate for 4+ sessions | 90min sessions with FREE exercises & videos

Hi there,

This is very typical and interviewers are trained to spot this. At McKinsey, we try to put people at ease for that matter, as opposed to creating even more stress.

How do you get control of your nerves? Practice isn't quite right, but almost. It's having the confidence to solve any problem because you actually know what you're doing. Will you get there from peer practice? Probably not so much, because you'll often get conflicting feedback and ultimately it's the blind leading the blind.

Coaches can truly help you build that confidence to keep nerves in check because they actually know what it comes down to, which is ultimately very coachable and the reason we're here.

Other than that, people often take veeeeery mild natural products like valerian root extract, which seems to help them a lot. However, big disclaimer - I am obviously not a physician and am not proposing anything. Just talking about other people's experience…

Let me know if there's anything I can help with! Best of luck!

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Adi
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replied on Mar 31, 2022
Accenture, Deloitte | Precision Case Prep | Experienced Interviewer & Career Coach | 15 years professional experience
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Clara
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replied on Apr 01, 2022
McKinsey | Awarded professor at Master in Management @ IE | MBA at MIT |+180 students coached | Integrated FIT Guide aut

Hello!

I never ever got nervous in exams, presentations, etc. And the interviews with McK literally made me physically shake, so I totally get you! It´s very intimidating!

The more you do, the better you get, and the less anxiety. 

Furthremore, doing more interviews in general helps a lot. Hence, if you can have other job interviews to practice, I would 100% go for it. 

Cheers, 

Clara

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Francesco gave the best answer

Francesco

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