Is it better to choose a story about a different/ interesting activity like a sport or vacation or something for a personal impact? Or one from a professional setting is good enough? as a graduate I am not sure I have any major impact in an internship that would be very impressive.
Also, for an entrepreneurial drive - what are important aspects to consider?
Hi there,
I think you are mixing up the dimensions.
Personal Impact is not about a success you had (that would be Entrepreneurial Drive) but about a situation when you were able to convince someone.
For this dimension, you will be asked to tell a story in which you influenced or persuaded an individual. This can either be about them adopting a certain idea or plan of yours, helping you with achieving your own goals and driving something together, etc. Focus on stories that showcase how you
For Entrepreneurial Drive, the interviewer will ask you about a situation where you set a goal for yourself and achieved it against all odds. You need to demonstrate
If you want to learn more about how to structure, position, and communicate your stories, have a look at the following article: https://www.preplounge.com/de/articles/mckinsey-pei
Cheers,
Florian
It should be something from a professional environment, and as close as possible to what one would face in a consulting or corporate setting. Can be work, internship, entrepreneurial, volunteering or competitive sports (because it can be seen as similar to a professional activity).
Academic is second best compared to these.
Vacation, non-competitive sports, not appropriate at all.
Great question! The story can come from anywhere, but it has to be one which had a high level of ‘challenge’ for you. I.e., where you were under pressure or had a high potential to fail. Organising an event for a society which has a lot of people attending; or dealing with a difficult financial situation can be really high challenge situations. It doesn't have to be from a professional setting.
For entrepreneurial drive you want to find a situation where you went above and beyond what was expected of you. Where you found an opportunity to take the initiative, even if you didn't have the relevant expertise in the area.
Good luck!
Thank you, Emily - that is quite helpful. I am using an international competition story for leadership and a project with a new team at my internship for the personal impact story - do you have any ideas to highlight the challenges for these?
Hi Parnita,
1) Is it better to choose a story about a different/ interesting activity like a sport or vacation or something for a personal impact? Or one from a professional setting is good enough?
I think you are prioritizing the wrong element.
For personal impact, you should focus on a story that clearly shows the skills to convince someone who was not agreeing with you, and use the best story you have related to that dimension. A professional experience is totally fine for that. Whether another setting may apply, it depends on the story itself and it is difficult to judge without knowing the story.
If you have multiple stories and cannot decide between them, you can post them to get feedback.
2) Also, for an entrepreneurial drive - what are important aspects to consider?
You should present an experience where you started and implemented something overcoming major difficulties.
You can find more on the PEI below:
▶ 4 PEI Dimensions You Should Know
Good luck!
Francesco
Hi there,
Please don't do a vacation. Please also stay away from “interesting activities”. Sport *might* work if it's particularly impressive (leading a varsity team, being an Olympian, etc.).
If it's not the above then it does need to be from a professional setting. Think through your past internships/jobs, school projects, entrepreneurial endeavors (launching a club, starting a side hustle, etc.). Use these!
Based on your question my gut tells me you could seriously use a coaching session or two to craft your stories. Consider making the investment in order to optimize your chance of success in the interview!
