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No strong leadership experience to demonstrate at McKinsey PEI

Interview leadership McKinsey PEI
New answer on Sep 13, 2020
5 Answers
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Anonymous A asked on Sep 09, 2019

Hi All,

I am preparing for McKinsey PEI and realize that I have no strong leadership experience to demonstrate.

A bit about myself: I am a consultant at a tier 2 consulting firm, with 2 years experience. I have a Masters and Bachelors degree from a top university.

I had a good leadership experience at a student organization when I was doing my undergrads. but that was 8 years ago. I think interviewer will doubt that if the best leadership experience I can give is 8 years ago, it only proves that I have no leadershp achievement in the last few years.

Also I would prefer to use leadership examples at work since I am an experienced hire (even only 2 years experience). I took initiatives in a few small things but they are not strong evidence at all.

McKinsey PEI is only 10-15 min compared with 35 min case interview, but i heard that the weight of PEI is the same important as case interviews. I want to give some really good examplese in their 3 PEI dimensions - leadership ,entrepreneur drive and personal impact. I've been thinking about my past experience trying to find good stories to tell, but I really can't think of any. At the same time I know I can't fake any story, because interviewers will tell very easily.

Anyone can help with this? thanks.

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Vlad
Expert
replied on Sep 09, 2019
McKinsey / Accenture Alum / Got all BIG3 offers / Harvard Business School

Hi,

I don't believe you have no leadership experience. Think about the moments when you:

  • Found an opportunity and took the ownership of bringing it to reality - that part is simple - you just need to speak about your proactivity
  • Managed stakeholders to achieve it - it can be clients or other consultants whom you had to organize and motivate to achieve your objective.

Best!

Upvotes
Robert
Expert
Content Creator
replied on Sep 09, 2019
McKinsey offers w/o final round interviews - 100% risk-free - 10+ years MBB coaching experience - Multiple book author

Hi Anonymous,

This is a very common issue for most candidates at the outset of their McKinsey PEI preparation. According to experience, there are 2 factors why most candidates have difficulties to finding the right examples (hint: it’s mostly not because they lack suitable examples at all – it’s more about how you start thinking about your examples).

In order to not duplicate content, I will just leave the link to the original blog post here for your reference: https://pei.consulting-case-interviews.com/blog/right-mckinsey-pei-examples/

Hope that helps!

Robert

Upvotes
Anonymous replied on Sep 13, 2020

Dear A!

I also agree with other experts. Please look through the following questions and recollect one story from your life that you could use.

Leadership

  • Tell me about a time you led others.

  • Tell me about a time when you were on a team that had a conflict that was keeping it from achieving its objective.

  • How do you motivate people?

Personal Impact

  • Tell me about a time you had to convince someone to change their mind on something important to them.

  • Tell me about a difficult situation where you had to rely on your communication skills.

  • What do you want to be remembered for and how are you achieving it?

Entrepreneurial Drive

  • Did you ever have a goal that you weren’t able to achieve? What did you do?

  • Tell me about a time that you dealt with a tough problem.

  • Tell me about a failure.

Best,

André

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Clara
Expert
Content Creator
replied on May 11, 2020
McKinsey | Awarded professor at Master in Management @ IE | MBA at MIT |+180 students coached | Integrated FIT Guide aut

Hello!

On top of the insights already shared in the post, next week will be pusblished in PrepLounge´s Shop material related.

In concrete, the "Integrated FIT guide for MBB". It provides an end-to-end preparation for all three MBB interviews, tackling each firms particularities and combining key concepts review and a hands-on methodology. Following the book, the candidate will prepare his/her stories by practicing with over 50 real questions and leveraging special frameworks and worksheets that guide step-by-step, developed by the author and her experience as a Master in Management professor and coach. Finally, as further guidance, the guide encompasses over 20 examples from real candidates.

Here I leave you the link > https://www.preplounge.com/en/shop/tests-2/integrated-fit-guide-for-mbb-34

Feel free to PM me for disccount codes!

Hope you find it useful!

Best,

Clara

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Nirmit
Expert
replied on Sep 09, 2019
I will get you an offer|McKinsey Senior EM|Offers from MBB|100+ interviews at McKinsey|Recruiting Lead|Experienced hire

Hi,

Thanks for your question. Leadership can be as simple yet powerful as changing someone's perspective or influencing someone to see things the way you do. There are innumerable ways in which you have shown leadership, but are not thinking of them. Happy to connect to discuss some of your stories in detail.

Thanks,

Nirmit

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Vlad gave the best answer

Vlad

McKinsey / Accenture Alum / Got all BIG3 offers / Harvard Business School
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