Any MBB offers after maths mistakes?

Hi there,

I would be happy to share my thoughts on your situation:

• First of all, I would highly advise you to simply wait and see about the outcome instead of contemplating about whether you will receive an offer or not.
• Moreover, yes, there are thousands of candidates who made math errors and still received an offer. However, it’s important that this did not become a pattern across the interviews.

You can find more on this topic here: How to deal with a rejection from a consulting company.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on your specific situation, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Hi 

This happens to the best of us and whilst it's nice to crush a case with no mistakes, usually ‘small’ mistakes are forgiven. 

I made 1 calc mistake in one of my partner rounds at McK (and it was such a simple calc) but I was given a quick nudge to check it and I was fine. 

As an interviewer I don't think of it as a ‘binary’ outcome - i.e. “2 mistakes they are dead”..  I think more holistically about the quant performance:

1. Did you walk through a clear and concise logic beforehand?
2. Did you talk through your calcs out loud to help the interviewer follow along (and give them a chance to nudge you back on course)?
3. Did you sense check your answer?
4. Did you tie back your answer to your ingoing hypothesis?
5. Did you think about what's next? e.g. “seems the market is quite large, but I'd like to understand what's actually addressable and obtainable for our client”
6. Overall, did you show comfortability with numbers?

From your answer, and given you made it to the final hurdle, it doesn't sound too bad. Good luck!

Hi,

Yes there have been stories of people who have made mistakes and passed the final round. On the other hand, there are also instances of people who have failed because of math mistakes.

Whether or not you pass the round ultimately depends on the interviewers evaluation of you, and that is something that you cannot speculate - you just have to wait for the final result. 

All the best!

Hi there,

I can feel where you are coming from. I also had a math glitch in one of my final-round interviews, yet here I am.

Generally, there is no clear rule, and mistakes do not automatically lead to a rejection.

What counts for the interviewers is the overall picture based on the things Peter mentioned as well as how you perform in all areas of the case and across all cases + how you deal with the mistake (big one).

To give you a realistic insight: The fact that you have already received slightly negative feedback on your math during the first round could point to a bigger issue here that could make a difference.

In sum, it's not clear-cut - it could go both ways.

Fingers crossed in any case!

Florian

It is difficult to go through the math of a case interview flawlessly. Here are a couple tips to help you out to avoid / minimize the impact of mistakes:

1. Walk Through Your Math Methodically: It's important to articulate each step of your mathematical reasoning clearly. This not only helps you stay organized but also allows the interviewer to follow your thought process. If you make a mistake, they can guide you back on track. Start by giving a high-level overview of your approach before delving into the calculations, which can provide additional clarity and prevent errors.
    
2. Simplify Numbers When Possible: In scenarios like market sizing, it's beneficial to work with rounded numbers that are easier to manage. Precision is less critical than demonstrating a logical approach and clear thinking. If you're unsure whether rounding is acceptable, simply ask the interviewer, "Is it okay to round here?" Most of the time, they'll agree, as the focus is on your problem-solving skills rather than exact numbers.

By implementing these strategies, you can reduce the likelihood of math errors and demonstrate your analytical capabilities effectively. Good luck with your interviews!

Yes - plenty of people make silly mistakes and get offers. What is important is that you are coachable, you understand that you made a mistake and you are quick to correct course. Of course the entire interview is evaluated holistically but small mistakes on their own are not usually a sufficient reason to deny you an offer.