All questions tagged behavioral interviews - Consulting Q&A - PrepLounge.com

Hi there,

It would be very unusual to have 2-3 rounds of behavioral questions only. I would expect cases as well, but you can clarify with HR just in case.

Market sizing and estimation questions (I guess that's what you mean by guesstimates) are relatively rare at McKinsey but there are still present in some countries (eg Italy), in particular in final rounds.

The PEI at McKinsey is structured around three key dimensions: inclusive leadership, personal impact and entrepreneurial drive. Normally, you receive a question for each dimension in each interview. Since 2020, McKinsey started to use the wording “inclusive leadership” to specifically address the leadership question as related to a diverse team.

Below you can find a description of the three dimensions:

1) Inclusive leadership is about leading a diverse team in a challenging situation and showing team management skills. Example:

• Tell me about a time when you lead a diverse group of people in a challenging situation. 


Here you want to emphasize how you overcome a difficult situation by leading a diverse team.

2) Personal Impact is mainly based on persuading someone about doing/not doing something. Example:

• Tell me about a time when you persuaded your boss to go along with an idea you had.

Here you want to emphasize your influence on someone else, usually in disagreement with you.

3) Entrepreneurial Drive is about starting and implementing something overcoming major difficulties. Example:

• Tell me about a time when you set a major goal and been able to achieve it, overcoming major difficulties.

Here you want to emphasize the fact you started something and achieved it, with details on the process that led you there.

Besides asking questions on the previous PEI dimensions, they may also ask questions like the following:

• Tell me about yourself
• Why consulting
• Why McKinsey
• Why should we hire you

Hope this helps,

Francesco

Hi there,

First, I need to remind you to slow down a bit here. This is the definition of counting your chickens before they hatch. Of course, I hope you do get these offers. But, you may not. Please just be mentally prepared for whatever comes next.

Now, on the same vein of thought, a few other thoughts:

1. Don't worry about how to decide between these companies...until you actually get offers. Then, post here (and we'll answer), and talk to friends and family. For all you know, your decision will be made for you (i.e. you'll get 1 offer)
2. You will probably receive a call with a verbal offer, followed by an email
3. You generally have a number of weeks to sign
4. If the companies that you're interviewing next week are not getting back to you quickly AND you have an offer from EY, then you can let them know you have an offer with a decision deadline...that should encourage them to accelerate the process
   1. Please don't do this if EY is your top choice (it's just rude to them)
   2. Please also don't do this if you don't have an EY offer and you think it will help influence their decision in your favor (it won't)

Hi Anonymous,

indeed, there is a list of questions that tend to appear more frequently; the most likely fit questions and topics you will find are:

• Tell me about yourself (personal overview)
• Why consulting (motivational)
• Why ATK (motivational)
• Give me an example when you led a team (leadership)
• Tell me about a time when you had to convince someone not agreeing with you (impact)
• What has been your major achievement so far (drive)
• Why should we hire you (motivational)

Although the company that emphasize more the fit part is McKinsey, following a preparation including the key areas of leadership/teamwork, impact and drive will have you covered for the other consulting companies as well.

The best way to prepare is to complete the following check list:

1. Understand the difference between, leadership, impact and drive areas. You can find a link with their differences here: https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/mckinsey-pei-difference-drive-and-personal-impact-918#a1780
2. Identify good stories for each area. Ideally you want to have at least two stories for each area. Three would be even better.
3. Use a structure for your story. I would suggest to use the STARR model (Situation, Task, Action, Rational for Action, Results)
4. Identify for each story one sentence clarifying what the story is about and start with it. Think of it as the title of a journal article.
5. Practice live, collect feedback from people listening to you, reiterate until when you get fluent and convincing

Best,

Francesco

Hi,

I recommend the following approach:

1) Start with "Case in point" book - you can download this book for free everywhere. It's not the best guide on how you should approach the cases, however, it will give you the basic understanding.

2) Start practicing cases with partners here or find them locally. !!! Find experienced partners or coaches who can provide a good feedback!!!

3) Purchase and read Viktor Cheng Book (Amazon Kindle store) and listen to LOMS (his website). I recommend to reread the book and listen to LOMS every 15 cases. Every time, having more experience, you’ll be finding something new.

4) Practice fast math

• Learn how to multiply double digit numbers (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ndkkPZYJHo)
• Learn the division table up to 1/11 (i.e. 5/6 = 83.3)
• Learn how to work with zeros (Hint: 4000000 = 4*10ˆ6)
• Use math tools (Mimir math for iOS), Math tool on Viktor Cheng website to practice

5) Below you can find a list of the most common case types and some high-level recommendations on structuring:

• Market sizing - structuring from the supply or demand side. Structuring using a formula or using an issue tree
• Profitability - basic profitability framework. Remember about different revenue streams and product mix
• Market context cases (Market Entry, New product, Acquisition, etc). Always start with the big picture "market". Finish with something specific to the case (e.g. How to enter?"). Structure it as if you are defining the work streams for the real project.
• Operational math problem (e.g. Should we increase the speed of an elevator or just buy a second one? How should we reduce the queues? Etc.) - Structuring as a process / value chain, with inflows, operations, and outflows
• Cost cutting - I provided the recommendations on structuring it here: https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/operations-cases-mck-1105#a2134
• Valuation - Purely financial structure with cash flows, growth rate, WACC / hurdle rate, etc.
• Synergies - revenue synergies (price, qty, mix) and cost synergies (value chain).
• Social / economics cases (e.g. How to improve the quality of life in the city? How to increase the revenues of the museum?) - huge variability. Practice 3-5 social cases before the interview

6) Also, I would try to focus on the most common industries in the following priority(sorted by probability of getting a case): 1-retail and CPG; 2-airlines; 3-Telecom; 4-banking; 5-natural resources; 6-tech

7) ! Important: don't forget about the FIT interview part. Crafting you stories and backups stories will require a couple of weeks!

PS

Here is a good list of articles regarding the different parts of the case:

1) Start with clarifying questions:

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/clarifying-questions-1786#a3956

2) Communicating while structuring. Here is a long post by me on how to communicate the structure during the case study:

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/how-to-communicate-its-structure-for-the-case-study-1313#a2806

3) Using hypothesis. I made a post about hypothesis here:

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/how-to-state-a-hypothesis-and-match-to-the-structure-1156#a2268

4) Communicating while making calculations:

• Always tell the interviewer your approach
• Check with the interviewer that your approach is correct
• Come to the interviewer with some preliminary answers
• Check your assumptions with the interviewer

5) Communicating during the analysis of graphs / tables

• Take a minute to look at the graph. Read the graph title. Look at the graph type and define the type (pie chart, line chart, etc). Look at the legend (ask for clarifying questions if necessary). Identify whats going on on the graph. Look for: Trends, % structures. Look for unusual things - correlations, outliers,
• Make 3-4 conclusions from the graph. Think out loud on potential hypothesis on what could be the root cause / what are the consequences
• Prioritize the most important for your current analysis and move forward with the case

6) Communicating while having questions on creativity

• Ask an interview for a minute to think
• Think of several buckets of ideas (e.g. organic growth / non-organic growth / differentiation). Remember to think as big as possible
• Narrow down to each bucket and generate as many ideas as possible
• Present the structure (buckets) and then your ideas

7) Communicating your conclusion. You can find a good example I've posted here:

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/how-much-answer-first-should-the-conclusion-be-1231#a2493

8) Communicating your FIT stories

Use the top-down approach while communicating your stories. "The Pyramid Principle" is the must-read by ex McKinsey on this topic.

I recommend using the STAR framework:

• In Situation, you should briefly provide the context, usually in 1 or 2 sentences
• Task usually includes 2 or 3 sentences describing the problem and your objective.
• Then you provide a list of specific actions you took to achieve the goal. It should take 1 or 2 sentences per action (Usually 3-4 actions). Note that the interviewer can stop you any minute and ask for more details.
• The results part should have 1 or 2 sentences describing the outcomes. This part is finalizing your story - make sure it can impress the interviewer and stay in the memory.

Best!

Some of the dimensions you'll be rated on will include:

• Are you a good communicator
• Can you present confidently to a client
• Are you a good team player
• Can you take leadership if required
• Are you humble and coachable
• Would you fit well to the culture of the firm

The evaluation methods and specific criteria for these differ by firm and office, so there is no standardized rubrik to share, but this should cover most aspects.

All firms try to be as data driven as possible and reduce personal bias, but ultimately some of these criteria will result in the question Would I want that person on my team (or: the airport test) and bring in some level of personal click with the interviewer as well.

Hello!

This is precisely covered in the FIT guide!

On top of the insights already shared in the post, the "Integrated FIT guide for MBB" has been recently published in PrepLounge´s shop (https://www.preplounge.com/en/shop/tests-2/integrated-fit-guide-for-mbb-34)

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.

Furthermore, you can find 2 free cases in the PrepL case regarding FIT preparation:

• Intro and CV questions > https://www.preplounge.com/en/management-consulting-cases/fit-interview/intermediate/introduction-and-cv-questions-fit-interview-preparation-200
• Motivational questions > https://www.preplounge.com/en/management-consulting-cases/fit-interview/intermediate/motivational-questions-fit-interview-preparation-201

Feel free to PM me for disccount codes for the Integrated FIT Guide, since we still have some left from the launch!

Hi,

Just like the question "How many cases should I practice?", the answer here is it depends. It depends on 1) The content of your story and 2) The body language of your interviewer.

45-60 seconds is a good indicator for what you should aim for.

However, much more important is: Did you tell your story with an appropriate level of detail to demonstrate your thinking and "wow factor" but also stick only to the relevant, need-to-know points?

Hi,

I recommend buying some great books on leadership that have all the relevant frameworks and go through them trying to assess where on that scale you are now. For example:

• The positive leader - John Muhlfeit
• High output management - Grove
• HBS articles on leadership

Best

I answered this question earlier here: https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/do-you-have-any-questions-for-us-4838

This is one of the most important parts of the interview.

It's a chance to demonstrate what you know about the firm, truly understand the office/culture/fit (remember this interview is two-ways!), and also build some rapport with the interviewer leaving on a high.

Good interviewers use this to test candidates EQ (I certainly did, and poor candidates either asked irrelevant questions or didn't have any in the first place)

Certainly do not waste the opportunity by asking silly administrative questions or HR-type questions.

Ask insightful questions related to topics:

• Interviewer - why he/she joined that firm, how their experience has been, what they are working on, what would they change about the firm if they could (consultants love talking about themselves so endow them with the opportunity!)
• Industry - how they have seen the industry change, what the state of affairs is for consulting work, what are the big opportunities in the near future
• Firm - how staffing works, what sectors are known for what kind of work (some sectors do more ops vs. strategy work for example), who the firm competes with, what differentiates it from others
• Role - what to expect in first 6 months, what to expect on first engagement, any advice

I believe it might make sense to adopt the following strategy:

1. Concentrate on proper preparation with excellent case partners/experts

2. Make sure your written applications (CV, cover letters, referrals) are on point!

2. Once you feel really comfortable on fit, cases and your application, apply to all Tier2 firms

3. Continue practicing cases!

4. Schedule interview days with the Tier 2 firms

5. Once T2 interviews are scheduled, apply to MBB

6. Continue practicing cases!

7. Go through T2 interviews and get used to the setting (if you focused your preparation on MBB, you will realize that interview formats and cases might be a bit different at T2 firms, but don't get irritated by that fact). Try to get at least one offer (this is a great psychological help!)

8. Schedule interview days with the MBB firms that invited you

9. Continue practicing cases!

10. Nail interviews with MBB firms and celebrate your offer(s)!

All are feasible options and the way you choose for meeting depends on dialogue between you and the coach. In your case, I would recommend phone but if you choose a coach from another country, roaming fees WILL make you wish you invested in a much better WiFi. In some cases, overseas phone calls for an hour can cost more than coaching fee itself. Thus, be careful.

Hi,

“Tell me about yourself” or “walk me through your resume”- this is how Consultants usually begin the interview. It's an opportunity for them to learn about you and to pick some interesting facts. I recommend providing all the relevant experience (since most of the consultants don't really look at your resume before the interview) and skip only the irrelevant ones

Best,

Vlad

Hi,

"Why this company" is a more specific question and can include the following arguments:

• The general marketing story the company is trying to sell (e.g. Bain is a small "Family" company)
• Brand / positioning / market share in the region
• More clients / projects / expertise in the industry you are interested in
• More well-known stories of success in your city
• Your friends working there
• Your interactions with the other consultants before the interview
• Your prior experience of working with the Firm on a client side
• Office traditions
• Work experience with firm alumni
• etc

Best!

Hi,
Basically it's like introducing yourself but asked in different wording.
So as usual stay structured :

- Give overwiew of your profile and try to build a personal narrative

- talk about each experience at high level (what did you do, learn) and move to the next one

Best
Benjamin