Working in MBB - Intellectually difficult or just demanding?

One of the many obstacles to overcome on the path of pursuing your consultant career at McKinsey is the written problem-solving game. Of course, practicing for your case interview should always be the focus of your case prep, as even the best problem-solving game results cannot compensate a bad case interview performance. However, because of the extreme time pressure you face during the problem-solving game, a good level of preparation and exercise is necessary here, as well. Sadly, many candidates make the mistake of completely neglecting the problem-solving game preparation and thus, fail in landing their dream McKinsey job offer. There is only so much practice you can do and so it’s more about developing a strategy to ensure you don’t lose against time. This can be frustrating and hard work, but it will be worth it to get you that McKinsey job offer. Follow our guide and ace your McKinsey Problem Solving Game!

The BCG Online Case is a web-based chatbot that mimics a real case interviewThe BCG Online Case has now been rolled out globally and has replaced the BCG Potential Test in all but a few offices. So if you're applying to BCG, you'll probably have to take the new BCG Online Case.In the BCG Online Case (also called the Chatbot Interview), a chatbot named Casey presents you with a real case, similar to the one you might receive from human interviewersHowever, because it's a chatbot interview, the case is not guided by an interviewer, which means you have little to no control over the process.The case contains 8 to 10 questions that are asked through an instant messenger-like interface and must be solved in 25 to 30 minutes. These questions take 2 forms:Multiple-choice questions where candidates must select what data they need to move forward, what analysis they want to do next, or what their findings/conclusions areOpen-ended questions where candidates must explain their answers to the previous multiple-choice questions or answer a math or creative questionAfter this procedure, there is a one-page video interview question at the end where you are asked to make a recommendation. You have 1 minute to prepare and another minute to present your conclusion to the client. Because there are open-ended explainer questions, your score is not as easy as other, more traditional screening tests like the McKinsey Imbellus and the BCG Potential Test. Instead of a standardized score (i.e., how many questions a candidate answered correctly), you will likely be evaluated holistically on the key consulting competencies mentioned earlier, and your performance will be compared to that of other candidates.You will receive your results within 2 weeks. In some cases, the test is given as part of the first round interviews. Your performance in the test will be evaluated together with your performance in the case interview. You will then be notified of the results accordingly.You only have one chance to pass the new test - if you don't pass, you can't try again for another 1 to 2 years. Therefore, it is important that you prepare yourself very well to master the case.The differences from the BCG Potential Test are as follows:Calculators are allowedOnly 25-30 minutes to solve the case instead of 45 minutes8-10 questions instead of 23Open-ended questions instead of multiple-choice questionsIt ends with a video summary*box-open* In our shop you will find everything you need to prepare for your case interview at BCG! Among other things, you can get the helpful BCG Online Case Combo and the BCG Online Case Secrets. *box-close*The skills that will be assessed are math skills, structuring, interpreting graphs, business acumen, and synthesisBCG's basic hypothesis in introducing this test is that if you do well in these areas, you should also do well in a real case interview and in live situations with the client.You should master the following key skills:Structured Thinking: You must be able to break down complex problems into smaller, manageable pieces and develop a clear structure for solving the problem.Analytical Skills: You must be able to quickly analyze and interpret data to gain insight and make informed decisions.Creativity: you must be able to develop creative solutions and find alternative approaches to solve complex problems.Communication: You must be able to communicate your thoughts clearly and concisely, and explain complex concepts in an understandable way.Time Management: You must be able to plan and prioritize effectively to make efficient use of the time available.Collaboration: you must be able to work with others and foster effective teamwork to develop collaborative solutions.If you master these key skills and prepare specifically for the BCG Online Case interview, your chances of a successful interview are good.

The McKinsey Imbellus Game (or Imbellus Solve) replaces the PST that McKinsey used until recentlyThe McKinsey Imbellus Game has proven to be very effective in providing a more holistic assessment of applicants. At the same time, it reduces bias against those unfamiliar with standardized testing and helps expedite recruitment during pandemic-related closures. As of May 2020, this has resulted in 15,000 McKinsey applicants being tested in more than 30 countries. Those numbers have undoubtedly grown exponentially since then as more cohorts take the test and McKinsey expands it to the rest of its network of firms.The Imbellus Game is based on the use of simulations that measure candidates' cognitive abilitiesThe McKinsey Imbellus Game typically includes 4 parts:  Digital Skills: This part tests your skills in using technology and digital tools. You have to solve tasks like sorting files and performing simple programming tasks.Abstraction: This part is about recognizing abstract patterns and relationships. For example, you identify a series of shapes and match them up or solve abstract problems.Spatial reasoning: This part tests your ability to process and manipulate spatial information. Tasks such as designing 3D objects or solving spatial problems are included.Behavioral skills: This part tests your ability to interact with other people and your emotional skills. You have to solve tasks like recognizing emotions in facial expressions or interpreting social interactions.In summary, the McKinsey Imbellus Game is a comprehensive test that measures applicants' cognitive abilities in various areas. The McKinsey digital assessment is played on a desktop, not on a smartphone like other games. It looks and feels like a PC game and is very intuitive for the user.*box-open* In our shop you will find everything you need to prepare for your case interview at McKinsey! Among other things, you can get the McKinsey Imbellus Solve Combo and the helpful McKinsey Imbellus Solve Game Secrets.*box-close* As with the BCG Online Case, the Bain Sova Test or the Pymetrics Game, the McKinsey Imbellus Game tests a wide range of skills and attributes of the applicantQualities and skills that are still tested in the McKinsey Digital Assessment are:Critical ThinkingDecision makingMetacognitionSituational AwarenessSystems-oriented thinking