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Scheduling for 2nd Round Interview

Hope everyone is well. I have just been informed that I pass 1st round of one of the MBB. I have got a couple of questions

1. They offered me to do 2nd round next week. But I prefer to do it next month as I need more preparation and want to take quick break first. How should I explain to them ? Is it common to have one month break between round ?

2.When I asked about feedback from 1st case, the HR did not respon on that issue although they replied my other unrelated question. How should I approach so I can get that feedback ? Should I directly email my interviewer if I dont get from HR ?

3.I am performing (relatively) well on my 1st round. Although not sure how it will go with partner-level question later. How long should I take break ? 

4) Any advice on preparing 2nd round ?

Thank you very so much for your advice.

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Top answer
Ken
Coach
on Jul 13, 2021
Ex-McKinsey final round interviewer | Executive Coach

Congrats!

1. I guess this ones a tricky one in the times of virtual interviewing when you're never really fully "unavailable". I would encourage you to express your preference but you may have to just go with what they are proposing if you want the job

2. Who gives you the feedback depends on the firm and office so it's hard to comment generically but if HR didn't have it then likley you will just have to wait to hear from one of your interviewers

3. There's no such thing as a "partner-level question". Having been a McKinsey interviewer for both first and final round, if a candidate is very strong, unless they are unlucky, your perfromance should be consistent and there's not need to take time between

4. I would say work on your round 1 feedback but in the absence of that, I would find a coach or case partner who can be give you more constructive feedback on things you can work on as well as your strengths that are going to help you secure the offer

Good luck!

Florian
Coach
on Jul 13, 2021
1400 5-star reviews across platforms | 600+ offers | Highest-rated case book on Amazon | Uni lecturer in US, Asia, EU

Hey there,

Congrats on passing the first round. Now onto the next one!

1. You can ask them to reschedule if you provide a clear reason why next week is not possible. Generally, this should not be an issue if it's for a position that is recruited on a rolling basis. If its a position with a deadline, you might not be able to extend it much longer as you could be interviewing vs. other candidates

2. I would ask HR again and if you do not receive an answer, I would reach out to your interviewer.

3. If your interview is next week, take 2 days off, then get to it again. If it's in a month, take off a couple of more days now, and every few days take a break as well to stay fresh.

4. Keep up with what have been doing since it worked out so far. Put more emphasis on your perceived weaknesses (or on the points that will be mentioned during the feedback call). Prepare by doing a mix of

  • structure, math, exhibit drills
  • live case practice
  • rehearsing and tweaking your personal fit or PEI stories (https://www.preplounge.com/en/mckinsey-pei)

All the best!

Cheers,

Florian

Udayan
Coach
on Jul 13, 2021
Top rated Case & PEI coach/Multiple real offers/McKinsey EM in New York /12 years recruiting experience

Hi,

1. You can always reach out to HR and ask for more time to prepare. Especially if you have other things going on currently like an internship/job they are usually quite understanding

2. Reply to the email HR sent and politely ask them if they can also provide feedback from the first round as it will help you prepare better for the final round of interviews. Also ask in the email if they prefer you reach out to the interviewer directly before doing so yourself.

3. In my opinion if you have done well in your first round you really do not need more than a week or 2 weeks to prepare. There is nothing new you will be learning, but you will need to focus a lot more on your stories, PEI etc.

4. Know everything on your CV, prepare to have in depth conversations with partners on topics and work on your feedback

Best,

Udayan

Pedro
Coach
on Jul 13, 2021
Bain | EY-Parthenon | Former Principal | 1.5h session | 30% discount 1st session

1. If you passed 1st round that means you are ready. 

2. It is ok to delay a few days. But postponing a full month is difficult to understand. Whatever you say it will seem to be either lack of real interest or lack of self-confidence. None of those is great.

So, in your case, I would suggest “settling” for a few days postponement and do your best in the time you have left. If you have for example exams or booked a trip it is perfectly fine to ask for a few days later.

on Jul 14, 2021
#1 Coach for Sessions (4.500+) | 1.500+ 5-Star Reviews | Proven Success: ➡ interviewoffers.com | Ex BCG | 10Y+ Coaching

Hi there,

  1. Just ask them if there is the option to reschedule as it would be difficult to organize it next week. If that’s possible they are usually happy to accomodate
  2. You can send a followup to HR. If you don’t get a response again you write to the interviewer
  3. I think this is impossible to answer without seeing your performance live ;) It also depends on how much time you can put between now and the interview every day
  4. You can find some tips here: https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/how-do-i-improve-creativity-and-how-different-is-mckinseys-final-round-from-round-1-8484

Best,

Francesco

Ian
Coach
on Jul 13, 2021
Top US BCG / MBB Coach - 5,000 sessions |Tech, Platinion, Big 4 | 9/9 personal interviews passed | 95% candidate success

Hi there,

Congrats on passing the 1st round!

1. You can absolutely ask to postpone, though I'm truly confused as to how a "quick break" is 1 month and why you need that. It is not common at all to have a 1 month break.

2. If they didn't respond to your request then you should drop it. I would highly recommend getting a coach if you want real deep-dive feedback!

3. I honestly think you should take 1 week, 2 weeks max. 1 month is a lot.

4. I would say incorporate your feedback, but you don't have any! (That's not that uncommon btw). As such, I think you would benefit greatly from doing a mock interview + assessment with a coach. Other than that, you can try to self-identify your weaknesses (both by reflecting on your interview and by doing cases with other preploungers), then work to improve them.

Good luck!

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