McK partner round

Hey there,

Congrats!

95% of partner rounds are just as standardized as the first round. The reason why you read about freestyle partner experiences is that they deviate from what people expect, hence they post about it more frequently online, hence giving others the impression it is much more common.

Additionally, partner rounds are often perceived as more challenging, just because it's a partner sitting across the table rather than a more junior colleague. It is purely based on the impression and not on the content. :-)

If there are any deviations from the standard McKinsey interviewer guidelines, expect them to be in the following realm:

• Focus on one or two areas where you were perceived as not as strong in round one, which can be specific case questions or PEI stories
• Only doing a case, only doing PEI instead of both
• Doing two shorter cases in quick succession
• Challenging your answers more
• Not providing any time for you to think about the answer, making it more conversational
• Asking standard fit questions besides PEI

In any case, the most important thing is not to be startled by this and just keep working on the case or the PEI in a calm manner. In order to do that, have a look at the following two articles that I wrote:

Case: https://www.preplounge.com/en/mckinsey-interview

PEI: https://www.preplounge.com/en/mckinsey-pei

There is also this thread that could be helpful: https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/mckinsey-2nd-round-experienced-hire-12714

All the best for your second round!

Cheers,

Florian

Hi there,

Well done on reaching the final round. In terms of your question:

Q: What advice do you have for me?

The final round usually has the same structure as the first (fit + case+ your questions); however in a final round, partners may:

1. Spend more time on fit/PEI and your alignment with the company
2. Ask questions related to the areas of improvement you got feedback on after the first round
3. Not use a "standard" case. Although in most offices McKinsey cases remain standard in finals as well.

To prepare, you can work on the following:

1. Review your PEI stories. Be sure to have at least one backup for each dimension.
2. Work on the areas you got feedback on, if any (eg. structure, creativity, PEI)
3. Continue with your case prep. If you are tracking your performance, do drills for the areas where you are struggling the most / review cases where you made mistakes rather than doing random cases

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Extra reading:

▶ 4 PEI Dimensions You Should Know

▶ 4 Ways McKinsey Interviews are Different

▶ How to Prepare for a Case Interview

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Bonus point: partners might give cases related to the industries they cover. If you know their sectors, it is a good idea to review those industries / read their research papers on that / do cases related to that sector.

Good luck!

Francesco

Woohoo!

Congratulations, thats fantastic!

#1 If they gave you feedback, work on that

#2 if you noticed your own weaknesses, work on those

#3 stay flexible and adaptable. The final round could be anything, so just make sure you're practicing unconventional cases and not going in expecting x

#4 consider coaching, if you are still unsure

Good luck to you!

Here's some more reading too:

The Most Common Pitfalls in Case Interview Preparation
 

Dos and Don'ts in a Case Interview
 

How to Shift Your Mindset to Ace the Case

Tia, 

that's amazing. Congrats!! You're so close. 

Here are a few things to keep in mind for final round interviews:

1. Work on the feedback provided in the previous rounds. Most firms communicate the feedback from the previous rounds to the final interviewer. It's important then to show the final interviewer that you have a growth mindset and are reactive to feedback. This matters immensely. Make sure you are clear on your development areas and that you get the right support to polish them before the final interview.
2. Expect less structure. Senior interviewers already have the confidence that you are a decent candidate, your skills having been already vetted by their younger colleagues. They are rather more interested in your as a person and your way of thinking. So they might present you with an unusual case, or one that is created on the spot or no case altogether. Expect anything.
3. Focus on excellent communication. Senior interviewers care a lot about how clearly you communicate and how you manage to forge a connection with the interviewer. It's important to be top-down and concise as much as possible with your answers, while allowing the conversation to flow in a natural way.
4. Put yourself in their shoes. The one question senior interviewers are asking themselves throughout the interview is what will happen when they'll put you in front of a client they've groomed for years? Make sure that even based on this first impression you seem somebody who can be trusted and who can work with any client regardless of how difficult they might be.

Best,
Cristian

Hi there,

Just relax and keep doing as you have done!

I was doing partner interviews at McKinsey so happy to help you with any final preparation you need. Happy to keep talking about this in private, just send me a message.

Best,

Alberto

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Check out my latest case based on a real MBB interview: Sierra Springs

Given what you say only generic advice. You want to maximize your chances do a session with a good coach that can help you identify any unkown weak spot.