All questions tagged first - Consulting Q&A - PrepLounge.com

Hi Shahmir,

Remember that the interview is not only about cracking the case.

1) First you need to secure your interview invite. For that, you need to work on your application (CV and Cover Letter - you can have them both checked by a professional) and you can network and have a referral.

2) Your company might have a test to check your problem solving skills and logical thinking

3) Fit part interview: Behavioral questions can be:

• Why consulting? / Why company XX? / Why are you the perfect fit for this position?

• Describe a time when you disagreed with a team member

• Tell me about your biggest mistake at workplace

• Name three improvements you made in your most recent position

• Entrepreneural drive stories

You can find other questions online, just pick some of them and start answering them in a way that makes sense:

• Keep it short (1.5 minutes max)

• Use storytelling techniques (Structure your speech!)

• Try to get the interviewer to participate, e.g. while telling about your experience in place XX, ask them whether he has been there

The more questions you practice, the easier it becomes for you to come up with a nice and suitable answer.

4) Case part: Here is a good preplounge article on case solving:

https://www.preplounge.com/en/bootcamp.php/interview-first-aid/crack-the-case-interview/approaching-a-case

Start by studying this one but don't waste your time studying plain theory, because case solving is all about PRACTICE.

Here are some cases you might wanna check out:

For Beginner level:

Laundry Chain - Revenue Increase

https://www.preplounge.com/en/management-consulting-cases/interviewer-led-mckinsey-style/beginner/laundry-chain-revenue-increase-215

Launching Caskets in North Africa

https://www.preplounge.com/en/admin/cases.php?action=preview&id=225

For Intermediate level:

Grain Co-operative – Brand Launch

https://www.preplounge.com/en/management-consulting-cases/interviewer-led-mckinsey-style/intermediate/grain-co-operative-brand-launch-217

Case with a twist: Chinese Alloy Wheels – US Market Entry

https://www.preplounge.com/en/admin/cases.php?action=preview&id=226

I suggest you start with the intermediate level after you are confident with the beginner ones.

Hope it was helpful! Feel free to contact me if you have any questions, I am happy to help.

Cheers,

GB

Hi Anonymous,

Obviously lots of speculation involved in answering, since nobody of us was really involved in the process.

In general an offer to re-apply in a year does not mean that much as most candidates would like it to be. In conjunction with your additional input that the interviewer offered personally to stay in touch and that McKinsey will reach out again, it sounds already a bit better!

Still there is no point from McKinsey's perspective to be 'unfriendly' in whatsoever way to a candidates - you don't know what future brings and where pathes might cross again in future (also possible from client side later in your career).

So take this offer with a grain of salt, but maximize your chances by staying in touch and ensure to re-apply later based on that offer (if it still fits into your life at that point).

Hope that helps - if so, please be so kind to give it a thumbs-up with the green upvote button below!

Robert

Hi,

You may have either Online Test or Written Case (pls check with an HR)

I've uploaded some samples here:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/zor4m49eyx5qxal/AABeUN6mtiGkWhEklRjszX2Oa?dl=0

(ask me for a password)

As for particular recommendations for online test:

1. Try to find as many people in your country as you can who have done the test. Ask them for the topic, industry, and questions they remember. For example in one of the countries there was a test about airlines and reading a couple of articles / company reports / wikipedia articles with industry terms could significantly improve performance
2. Try to practice tests with strict time-management. McKinsey PST from the official web site and all mck and bcg -like tests you can find online
3. Additional resources can be GMAT Integrated reasoning from the official guides and apps if you feel that you are not p[erforming well
4. As far as I remember calculator is allowed on BCG test. Make sure you know how to simplify calculations and use it fast

The best way to prepare for the written case is the following:

1. Check if the calculator is allowed. So far it was. If not - you have to train mental math. I posted the main tips here: https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/tips-to-do-big-multiplications-in-my-mind-726#a1422
2. Prepare for a regular case interview - it helps a lot. Basically, prep lounge website is about it
3. Practice making slides. Look for publically available MBB presentations for reference. Good books are "Pyramid Principle" and "How to make it with charts"
4. Practice reading cases fast and prioritizing the information. I found useful two sources:

• Written cases you'll be able to find in google or in case books. I've seen a couple in "Vault Guide to the Case Interview" and "Insead Business Admission Test"
• Harvard cases - either buy or try to find online. You can find a couple of MIT cases here for free: https://mitsloan.mit.edu/LearningEdge/Pages/Case-Studies.aspx Unfortunately free cases don't have the prep questions.

The appropriate structure for BCG written case is:

Slide 1: Context, Objective, Recommendations

Slide 2-4: Analysis (Usually 1 slide with a table, 1 slide with graphs and 1 slide with pros and cons)

Slide 5: Next steps or risks & mitigation

Good luck!

For NAR on-cycle hires:

First day is really just logistics: get laptop, phone, picture, badge, etc. 8am-5pm with evening event

First week is training and is a time for bonding and getting to know people. 8am-6pm with evening events

Second/Third week is when you either are working on "business development/proposals" or you are "helping a team out" or you are "staffed" on a case. This is ramping up to regular consulting hours 12/14 hours a day. Definitely an adjustment if you come from school, especially in managing your time to develop acceptable slides (assumption is that the analysis is already outstanding :) ) and to deliver them in a timely fashion to your team. Depending on personality this can result in various degrees of excitment or anxiety. If you never travel frequently for business before, there is an adjustment to the travel life of a consultant.

Have fun out there!

Andrea