Hi there,

Q: Here is the question: how long should the story be? 

For your part only, 5 mins could be fine. In general it is more important that you structure the story correctly rather than stick to an exact timeframe.

The interviewer will likely ask clarifying questions so the whole answer with that could take 10-12 min.

Please be aware that McKinsey started to pilot a new PEI dimension (Courageous Change) together with the other common ones (Inclusive Leadership, Personal Impact, Entrepreneurial Drive).

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

▶ 3 PEI Dimensions You Should Know

▶ 4 Ways McKinsey Interviews are Different

▶ McKinsey Final Round Tips

Good luck!

Francesco

Hi there,

Anywhere from 5-10 minutes is fine…it depends more on the story itself (how “big” it is). The most important is that it is answering their question and that is it super structured (while also flowing and being not overly robotic/rehearsed). Make sure you're prepared to answer questions from them (deep-dive questions asking you to elaborate or talk through something related).

Hi there, 

I usually recommend to candidates to aim for 6-7 minutes and to apply a slightly different structure than the STAR one that is commonly suggested (instead emphasing more the problem and the action so as to create contrast). 

Reach out if you need more tailored support here. I provide my candidates with questions from actual interviews as well as a recording of a successful interview PEI story, so you get an idea of what good looks like in terms of length, structure, depth and questions from the interviewer. 

Best,
Cristian 

It should be around 3 to 5 minutes, but with a few “hooks” that create curiosity and allow you to deep dive on some of the aspects of the situation and what you did. Overall you should be ready to have a 10 minute conversation about it.

You want to keep it a conversation. Meaning that it cannot be a too long monologue in the beginning, and also that you have interesting content to keep the conversation going.

So generally I recommend 3-5 minutes and then be prepared to talk really in depth about particular areas which the interviewer will pick out. You want to open by giving a quick blurb to check that the story is the right type of story, then lay out your answer clearly. 

I like using the STAR framework for this - what was the:

Situation: what is the context? 
Task: what did you have to do?

Action: what did you do? 
Result: what was the outcome? 

The PEI can sometimes feel like a grilling but they’re just trying to get you to explain how you behaved and what was driving that behavior - so be prepared to go deep and answer questions like: what were you thinking when you did that? Give me a play by play of that conversation as if it was a film script; and what was their reaction to that situation? What was your reaction?

Good luck! 

Hey there! 8-10min is good as you should also expect few follow-up questions from the interviewer about specific people and events in your story. 

In general, there are structures to follow in the PEI ensuring you have 8-10min to talk about. These include summarizing not just the answer but the situation you were in, the problem/task, the actions you took and the impact you had. Happy to chat more. 

Hi,

Great you're invited!

From my experience, take your time. Put enough details on the particular dimension but don't overcomplicate with details from other dimensions and technicalities. Duration of 8-10 min is totally normal. For example, one of my stories is some 5 min but it's very intensive (this one is very well accepted), others tend to 10 min.

In any case, be prepared for the questions. Those will be asked if something is unclear regarding the particular dimension you're asked about. So get all the moments from your memory in the tiniest details to tell them if asked.

Good luck!

(edited)