McK Interview PEI

Hi there,

I find everyone here is trying to memorize and plan for every single step. You need to be ready for anything.

From a McKinsey offeree of mine yesterday: "You called it on the PEI’s… one of the partners was like, 'I’m going to go off script for this because I don’t like the one they gave me'"
 

Pictures speak a thousand words:

Yes, prepare your stories, but please be flexible and adaptable. 

You need stories that cover about 10+ scenarios. This doesn't mean you need 10 stories. Create a series of stories that you can adjust and adapt based on the question. Please don't go in expecting x and y thing to happen...because then you'll be stuck when it doesn't.

Generally they try to manage the interviews so that each interviewer focuses on a different question - so you should get one on each. It can sometimes be a little bit difficult to differentiate which one is which, so make sure you listen to the prompt carefully. Also, there is a fourth category now - courageous change - so you'll want a story for this as well. Good luck! 

Hi there,

Q: Will each interviewer ask the same theme for the stories? 

Normally they will ask for one dimension in each interview. I had recently a candidate who got the same dimension twice. She notified she already got that dimension and the interviewer asked for a different one.

In any case, you should still have backup stories (so that overall you have 2 stories per dimension) for a couple of reasons:

1. The interviewers may still ask for the same dimension in the same round (it is not common but may happen). Presenting two different stories would be better in case they discuss them.
2. The interviewer may not like your initial part of the story and ask to switch to a different one. You can then switch to the other you prepared.
3. Some stories may fit better a particular question (eg tell me about a time when you had challenges as a leader vs tell me about a time when you had to manage a conflict in a team).

You can find a few extra tips on PEI and case interviews at McKinsey below:

▶ 3 PEI Dimensions You Should Know

▶ 4 Ways McKinsey Interviews are Different

▶ McKinsey Final Round Tips

Good luck!

Francesco

Hey there,

The short answer is yes, all of these are probable. To ensure you diversify stories, I would recommend preparing a summary table with stories as lines and skills as columns. Note down 3-4 stories that are cross cutting across most of the skills, and make sure you note down in each intersection of the table the talking points of that skill (e.g., in story 1, how do I show leadership, how do I show problem solving etc.,) 

The end goal is to have flexible stories in a way that you don't use the same story twice in the same batch of interviews, even if both interviewers ask about the same skill. 
 

Hi there,

Each interviewer will discuss 1 unique story. However, to be on the safe side I would always prepare a backup story for each dimension.

To learn more about the stories, the relevant content ideas, and communication, read the article I wrote on the PEI here: https://www.preplounge.com/mckinsey-pei

Cheers,

Florian

Hi there,
congrats on getting to the last round, step with the highest chances (approx. 40%) of all steps so far ?

Yes they can perfectly ask you the same question, and it is OK to give the same response, but think that there are many different questions, so just make sure you have your story ready for any common type of questions, you feel comfortable with them and they transmit all the key capabilities the firm look for. I would recommend testing with someone who has a completely different background to see if they understand what you want to say

You can mock the interview with peers and eventually invest in an hour with a coach.

All the best!
Lucie
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They will not repeat the stories, as the entire point is to get a perspective from you on each of these skills. But as Florian said it is better to have 2 stories each to ensure you are well prepared in case they do not like a story you pick.