McKinsey hiring decision

Question

1. Will 1st round interview performance be taken into consideration when McKinsey final round interviewers are deliberating on a hiring decision?

For example a candidate who had an exceptional first round with multiple distinctive scores but maybe made calculation mistakes in one of the two final round interviews.

2. Will first round interviewers be present in the decision room to provide any input?

Thanks in advance :)

Answer 1

Hi there,

below some general feedback based on my personal experiences on how recruiting decisions are typically made:

No - the first round performance was the reason that the candidate made it to the second round (or final round depending on the individual recruiting process). The following rounds are usually independent and evaluate only the performance as showcased in said rounds
No (most likely) - the interviewers from the first round already provided their positive assessment by advancing the candidate to the next round to be tested further. There may be cases in which they could be consulted again should a “high hopes” candidate be on the fence after the subsequent rounds but giving the first round interviewers the additional power to influence the final decision is not really in line with the principles of a stage-gate process like a recruiting funnel. Each round is its own little universe so to speak.

Best

Answer 2

Hi there,

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

First of all, performance from the first-round interviews typically only plays a role for the final-round interviews in the form of the input that is being provided to the partners.
Moreover, first-round interviewers typically play no active role in the final decision, even if it is holistic.

You can find more on this topic here: How to succeed in the final interview round.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare for your upcoming McKinsey interviews, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Answer 3

The first round is taken into account based on the feedback provided to the final round interviewers (they can see it in their file). However, it's unlikely that the all first round interviewers are in the room when the decision is being made. How you perform on the final round day has the biggest impact in terms of getting an offer.

Answer 4

Hi there,

Yes, it's the overall performance throughout all interviews that counts. You need to demonstrate consistency here.
Unlikely, especially since interviews are now spread across days often with virtual interviewing and the interviewers are not even in the same location. They will rely on notes from previous interviewers.

Fingers crossed!

Cheers,

Florian

Answer 5

1. Yes, all interviews are considered. But 2nd round interviews have, in practice, heavier weight as those interviewers will be the ones making the decision. They will take in consideration all the information they have, and a calculation mistake only leads to a clear rejection if it is not an isolated incident.

2. No, 1st round interviewers will not be in the room. Very unlikely they are part of that decision (because of logistics, seniority, and time management)

Answer 6

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Answer 7

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Answer 8

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