Mckinsey CV screening and roles confusion

Question

Hello everyone,

I have been working in boutique consulting firm for 2.5 years. 50% DD and 50% rest of the projects.

I had applied for the PEPI position at McKinsey and was invited to take PSG but got rejected after the test. This was around 11 months ago.

I am planning to apply for the McKinsey implementation practice and am not anymore interested in PEPI due to brutal hours and after speaking with many people from Mck PEPI practice.

I am planning to get into implementation practice.

1 - Is the bar same for McKinsey implementation and McKinsey generalist position?

2 - I have done less implementation work but have done 2-3 cases at my current firm.

Do you think I have fair chance of getting into implementation or should stick to generalist and then move to implementation? I have heard getting into generalist is more harder then getting into implementation. Is this true?

3 - Is it possible to switch from implementation to generalist track in the future?

4 - I had passed the CV screening for the PEPI role. Will I be able to pass the CV screening again for the generalist practice or implementation practice or I can still get rejected?

I am reaching out to folks from my network but due to holidays I am not getting many replies so thought to ask the questions here so that I can apply as soon as possible :)

Answer 1

Hi there,

First of all, it is great to hear you are so persistent regarding your goals!

This is indeed an interesting question which is probably relevant for quite a lot of users, so I am happy to provide my perspective on it:

Generally speaking, it is equally hard to enter McKinsey as an implementation consultant as opposed to a generalist yet the specific criteria you will be assessed on might be slightly different.
I would advise you to simply try if you can pass the screening test with 2-3 implementation projects at your current employer. Obviously, unless we would be able to look at your application files, it is very hard to tell. Please feel free to contact me directly in case you want a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare your application files for success.
From the experiences of coachees of mine and my personal network, it seems to be very hard to switch from implementation to general consulting and vice versa.
See my second bullet - unless we would be able to look at your application files, it is very hard to tell. Please feel free to contact me directly in case you want a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare your application files for success.

In case you want a more detailed discussion on how to best decide about your next career steps, please feel free to contact me directly.

I hope this helps,

Hagen

Answer 2

Hi there,

First of all, don't “waste” your reach outs now! They may never get back to you because your email will be lost in holiday email, and you can't send 2 emails if they didn't reply to the first. Please hold off on sending any more emails until the 2nd week of Jan.

1 - Is the bar same for McKinsey implementation and McKinsey generalist position?

It's the same in terms of caliber but what they look for is different (i.e. implementation would want implementation experience)

2 - I have done less implementation work but have done 2-3 cases at my current firm.

Do you think I have fair chance of getting into implementation or should stick to generalist and then move to implementation? I have heard getting into generalist is more harder then getting into implementation. Is this true?

There's no harder or easier to this. It depends on your background. Given your background isn't implementation, it's going to be harder for you.

3 - Is it possible to switch from implementation to generalist track in the future?

Possible yes, but just be careful on the track you pick. If you're picking implementation you should intend to stay that way. If you're picking generalist strategy then you should intend to stick to that.

4 - I had passed the CV screening for the PEPI role. Will I be able to pass the CV screening again for the generalist practice or implementation practice or I can still get rejected?

You need to re-apply. There are no guarantees here - you can absolutely get rejected. That said, if you're interested, you may as well apply!

Answer 3

Answers below

1 - Is the bar same for McKinsey implementation and McKinsey generalist position?

The bar is same but different - implementation associates have to meet the same hiring criteria in the interview process but they are often recruited from a much diverse range of backgrounds and with differing experiences. Your school and the prestige of your job matters less for an interview for an implementation associate vs a generalist associate. Consequently your exit options are also different once you leave McKinsey, so be prepared for that too.

2. I have done less implementation work but have done 2-3 cases at my current firm.

Typically you will need to showcase your implementation work to be an experienced hire in the implementation practice. Otherwise there is no incentive for them to hire you for your skills in implementing projects. You are optimizing for getting into McKinsey instead of optimizing for the role. Gaming the system will not get you anywhere, even if you get implementation what if you hate it given that you don't know you enjoy it yet? What is the point in that case? Don't be fooled into thinking that implementation projects do not involve hard work and long hours. Almost all projects inevitably involve those.

3 - Is it possible to switch from implementation to generalist track in the future?

No - absolutely do not count on this

4 - I had passed the CV screening for the PEPI role. Will I be able to pass the CV screening again for the generalist practice or implementation practice or I can still get rejected?

No one can predict this. My strong recommendation is to apply with a partner referral. That will ensure you have the highest chances of being invited to interview.

I think you need to reflect a bit more on why you want to get into McKinsey and what in particular you want to solve for. You will definitely have long hours wherever you go and you should not join McKinsey just because you really want to get in, aim for the practice that will be most beneficial for you and your career not the one that is easiest to get into.

Best,

Udayan

Answer 4

Hi there,

1 - Is the bar same for McKinsey implementation and McKinsey generalist position?

In theory, the bar should be the same. In practice, it also depends on demand and supply for the specific position in a particular office and country. I would expect lower demand for implementation (you usually need to have some domain expertise compared to a generalist position and may not be as appealing as a generalist one) but also lower supply (fewer slots available compared to generalist) so it is difficult to say unless you have insider information for that office and practice.

2 - I have done less implementation work but have done 2-3 cases at my current firm. Do you think I have fair chance of getting into implementation or should stick to generalist and then move to implementation? I have heard getting into generalist is more harder then getting into implementation. Is this true?

As for answer 1, it depends on demand and supply. I would recommend applying for what is more interesting for you right now, assuming you satisfy the requirements for both. If you want to have detailed information, you will need to speak with insiders in the office you are targeting.

3 - Is it possible to switch from implementation to generalist track in the future?

I would clarify it with HR/insiders for your specific office. Personally, I have never heard of such a case. In any case, I would just apply for the practice more interesting for you, unless you manage to get insider information that can direct your choice differently.

4 - I had passed the CV screening for the PEPI role. Will I be able to pass the CV screening again for the generalist practice or implementation practice or I can still get rejected?

You can still get rejected. However, given you passed the screening before, you have good chances if you detail well your last experiences.

Best,

Francesco

Answer 5

You are not approaching this correctly. First, think about what you want / what you like to do. The person that likes PEPI is not the same that likes strategy nor the same that likes implementation work. It's different type of work and different skillset (actually, more a kind of continuum from PEPI - Strategy - Implementation). Focus on what you enjoy.

Regarding your questions:

The height of the bar is the same. But it is a different bar (i.e., different criteria)
Should be harder to become a generalist as the required skillset is more rare. You need people who are super strong analytically.
Short answer no. Long answer: might be possible, but I would guess it is unlikely as you have a different skillset.
Unlikely you are rejected for generalist. But you may be rejected for implemetation, particularly if you are looking for an experienced role. I don't see you as having a strong background for implementation work.

Hope this helps!

Answer 6

Good on your for not giving up! However, a small word of warning: any consulting role in McKinsey has brutal work hours. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

Now, as to your questions:

Yes, in terms of interview. However, backgrounds of candidates are typically different.
You could have 0 and get in. You will be trained at McKinsey (after being thrown in the deep end)
Yes, I have seen it happening. Requires some work, a good standing and support from Partners.
Hard to say but if McKinsey takes interest in someone the role is secondary. So I would say yes!

Hope this helps! Best of luck!