Formulas for consulting interviews

McKinsey & Company consistently ranks among the best consulting companies in the world. Standing out among the many applications and receiving an offer is, therefore, no easy task. Our Case Coach Antonello has put together a guide that summarizes what qualifications an applicant needs, how the application process works, and he provides you with some general tips as well as some interesting ones regarding your CV and cover letter.

The 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 interviewers.However, 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.