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McK Interviews with associates for associate role

I’m interviewing for the associate role at McK and both my round 1 interviewers are associates..is that weird? I’d have imagined it’d be engagement managers. Would these people have gone through the interviewer training?

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Top answer
Udayan
Coach
on Mar 08, 2022
Top rated Case & PEI coach/Multiple real offers/McKinsey EM in New York /12 years recruiting experience

Yes this is very normal. A lot of us are interview trained as Associates and will have gone through the exact same process as EMs.

Ian
Coach
on Mar 05, 2022
Top US BCG / MBB Coach - 5,000 sessions |Tech, Platinion, Big 4 | 9/9 personal interviews passed | 95% candidate success
Florian
Coach
on Mar 05, 2022
1400 5-star reviews across platforms | 600+ offers | Highest-rated case book on Amazon | Uni lecturer in US, Asia, EU
Allen
Coach
on Mar 04, 2022
Ex-McK Experienced Hire and EM - I show you how to perform at your best

Hi there,

No, not weird.  I started interviewing when I was an associate.  Everyone who has been with the Firm for longer than 12 months can interview and you can only interview after you've done interview training.

I have found, if anything, that this might work in your favor, since less-experienced interviewers tend to stick to the script a little more, so you know what to expect.

Also, they may be just as nervous as you are!  I remember I was so nervous before I did my first interview…

Hope this helps,

Allen

Moritz
Coach
on Mar 05, 2022
ex-McKinsey EM & Interviewer | 7/8 offer rate for 4+ sessions | High impact sessions + FREE materials & exercises

Hi there,

That is not weird at all. In McKinsey, Associates with certain tenure i.e. seniority in the Firm can become interviewers (did it myself).

They will 100% have gone through all the necessary training and there‘s no difference to interviewing with an EM.

Best of luck!

Ken
Coach
on Mar 05, 2022
Ex-McKinsey final round interviewer | Executive Coach

I agree with you it's slightly weird, although its not the case for all offices.  Your interviewer is interviewer trained and will have been at McKinsey for a minimum one year.  Usually the associate would be paired with an EM, who would also be a more experienced interviewer too.

Pedro
Coach
on Mar 08, 2022
Bain | EY-Parthenon | Former Principal | 1.5h session | 30% discount 1st session

Not weird, happens more often than you immagine. Particularly now that there's a shortage on managers :)

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