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McKinsey Video Conference Interview

McKinsey mckinsey 1st round interview
New answer on Aug 15, 2020
4 Answers
2.5 k Views
Anonymous A asked on May 22, 2019

I have my round 1 interview with McKinsey coming uo and it looks like it's going to be through video conference- from home. Any went through that? Is there going to be exhibits since it'snot face to face? How shoukd I prepare for that?

Thanks

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Anonymous replied on Aug 15, 2020

Dear A!

Below you can find some tips for the call:

  • Prepare the place for the call. A quiet environment is a must-have. Pay attention to what the interviewer will see in the background (sometimes when I do coaching via Skype with you I can see really strange stuff;) )

  • Prepare on the wall in front of you the material you might need (structures, tips for the fit part, etc) so you won't have to look for it during the interview

  • Prepare your own questions. Relevant questions at the end are a great way to show your interest in the company and get additional points. This is particularly important in a phone/video interview, as the interviewer will naturally connect less with you.

  • Smile during the call. Even if they cannot see you it's a good way to show energy

  • Use numbers when communicating your structure. This applies to both face-to-face and video interviews, but it is particularly important for the video ones. Good communication will make it easier for the interviewer to follow you since he/she cannot see you. As an example: “In order to help our client, I would like to focus on three main areas. First, I would like to focus on [FIRST TOPIC], secondly on [SECOND TOPIC], finally on [THIRD TOPIC]. Let me start with the first one."

Hope this helps and speak soon,

André

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Vlad
Expert
replied on May 22, 2019
McKinsey / Accenture Alum / Got all BIG3 offers / Harvard Business School

Hi,

Here are some general recommendations:

  1. First of all, check whether they are providing a conference room in a local office
  2. If not - find a place with good internet speed and test it multiple times before the interview. Also, think of nice room / proper light for the video conference if you do it from home
  3. You should be dressed the same as for the regular interview
  4. Don't hesitate to ask clarifying questions if there are problems with connection or you were not able to hear something
  5. Don't forget to look at the camera and smile - same as you do on a regular interview

Best

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Anonymous B replied on Aug 15, 2020

I also have the interview coming up and attended a webinar in June. What I was told in Europe they reduced the number of exhibits (so I think from 3 to 2 or something like that) and it's going to be shared on the screen so - in their words - it's simpler than the traditional interview. You can still show the notes to the interviewer, my recruiter suggested just turning the paper around but apparently some candidates did a quick powerpoint (there's no strict rule on that).

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Jorit
Expert
replied on May 22, 2019
First session -50%| Former BCG | Kellogg MBA | 200+ coaching session| Flexible scheduling

Hi,

A video interview is not that different from an actual interview. Make sure you prepare the following things:

- Technical setup. Make sure that you have a stable internet connection (+ maybe a backup like a phone with a stable 4G connection) and a working computer (+ a backup never hurts). Also make sure that you ask what the videoconference software is going to be, so you can test the software. Test the software with a friend to make sure that the video/audio is working correctly for both sides.
- Behaviour during a video interview. I would advise to at least do a full interview via video and make sure you record it and watch it back (Skype now has this feature). You want to make sure you have a neutral background, you have an active posture, make enough eyecontact (e.g. look in the camera not the middle of the screen) and you sound energetic throughout.the interview.

Finally it might be a bit easier to establish a connection in a real interview (for example if you grab a coffee together), so make sure you try to build a connection with the interviewer.

Hope this helps.

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