MBB interview - only 20 minutes

Question

Hi everyone,

Recently I completed one of the MBB case interviews (without any behavorial portion).

I did not complete the entire case but I did answer all the questions given during that 20 minutes with minimal guidance. (Note: scheduled interview was 30-minute long)

There were no feedback from the interviewer during (e.g. good. How about the next question?) and at the end of the interview.

Would this be normal? Thanks!

M

Answer 1

Hi M,

Apart from your interview performance, there could be other external factors influencing the timeline (e.g., interviewer has an unexpected client call).

For now, you can only wait till the provide feedback, which is normally within 2 weeks.

If they did not provide you with feedback by then, you can send a polite follow-up email/phone call.

Mattijs

Answer 2

hey!

Yes, it's quite normal. Some MBB interviewers keep it concise and avoid giving feedback to maintain objectivity. The shorter duration could mean you were efficient in answering, or the interviewer had what they needed to assess you. No feedback isn't necessarily a bad sign—just focus on how you felt about your performance. Let me know if you have more questions!

Alessa

Answer 3

Hi!
The length and the fact the case interview lasted 20min is ok. However, the fact that there was no behavioral interview is uncommon.
Have you prepared enough for this interview and feel that you delivered a good performance? If you have, I would contact HR kindly mentioning you would like to know when the behavioral interview will happen.

Best,

Mari

Answer 4

Hi there,

First of all, congrats on finishing an interview! I wonder if you are an experienced hire, and if this is intended to be a case-interview only or it is a legitimate round 1?

When I was interviewing with McKinsey as an experienced hire, there were three additional rounds that I had to pass through compared to a new grad:

A code interview (as I was applying for an expert consulting role as ASO equivalent). This round is only applicable to expert track
A 30min technical interview. Also only applicable to expert track
A 30min case interview, just to see the level of casing before going into round 1, as lots of experienced hire folks do not have case experience. Usually the results of this round is some casing feedback, HR may even give another chance if the candidate is decently close to pass. As far as I am aware, most experienced hire consulting roles in McKinsey require a round like this before going into round 1

I personally have never heard or seen an official round 1 without behavior round, though from other coaches’ response it may vary based on the firm, location, and roles. So still possible.

Happy to answer more questions through a separate chat too!

Best,

Han

Answer 5

Hi there,

Your experience is typical for an MBB case interview. Interviewers often remain neutral and provide minimal feedback during or after the case to evaluate you objectively, so silence doesn’t indicate poor performance. If the interview ended early, it likely means they gathered enough information, which isn’t inherently positive or negative. Completing the case is less important than demonstrating clear structure, logical problem-solving, accurate calculations, and effective communication.

Best,
Evelina

Answer 6

Hey,

Regarding the short interview duration - yes, this can happen sometimes. The interviewer was probably pressed for time, hence it ended so quickly.

Regarding no feedback during the interview - that's standard practice. It's quite rare that you get your feedback during or right after an interview. The interviewers usually take their time with it.

Good luck!
Nick