McKinsey Interview Portion

Hi there,

Good questions. Let me provide my views:

1. The “size of content” of a case study is bigger than that of a PEI. In a case study, you get tested in multiple aspects such as structured thinking, numerical skills, synthesizing, etc. In a PEI you are to share 1 - 2 stories to demonstrate certain qualities in depth.
2. A candidate will not pass by excelling in just PEI or case study. You need to at least meet some expectations for both, with excellence in certain aspects.
3. Think personality as MBTI, you'll be rejected simply because you're a introvert. For presentation skills, it is not the way you tell a story super well matters, but the “content” matters – not saying communication isn't important, just think about you're doing an expert interview, you don't expect the person to provide a super good synthesis but you definitely want the expert to get to the point quickly and tell you everything you need to know with few iterations.

Hi! I will share below my personal view:

I'm assuming here that for problem solving you mean solving the case. Let me start by saying that the two parts are not equally important. In general, most interviewers will give more importance to your ability in solving the case. This is because (and I'm simplifying here of course) your problem solving skills are more relevant than your ability to tell a good PEI story. I guess this answers to Q1.

Q2: In line with my answer to your Q1, you can expect them to be more forgiving on a OK performance on PEI when there is a strong performance on the case rather than the contrary. However, this does not mean that the PEI part is irrelevant. On the contrary, it gives you the possibility to demonstrate 1) your achievements/ skills and 2) your ability to communicate effectively - both elements are very important.

Q3: My personal interpretation is that the company will try to be as background agnostic as possible in evaluating candidates. Having said this, your communication skills are important, since this is what you will be doing all day when working on a client project. If you think about it, the interviewer will be asking himself/ herself “Could this candidate be a great consultant?”.

This is my personal view, I hope this helps!

Hi there! 

In my mind the answer is much simpler: companies such as McKinsey have such an impressive pool of truly excellent candidates that they can easily find (more than) sufficient profiles that do both parts really well. 

That was my personal experience as a BCG interviewer. We had so many outstanding candidates, that I was never in the position to choose between someone average in both cases and PEI or only great in cases. I don't mean to make this sound elitist, but just to give a sense of the reality of recruiting. 

You can also think about it this way: you are a McKinsey partner and need to bring in front of your hard earned client a new consultant. Would you bring someone that is lacking problem solving or someone that is lacking personal skills? I can tell you for sure you would not bring such a person at all in front of your client :) 

Now, everyone, in interviews and in consulting will have peaks (areas that come natural to them and they excel in) and areas of improvement. But the basis is quite high for both. 

I know this is a more general answer to your Q1 and Q2, but I think it is very important to understand the “why” behind those parts of the interview rather than to get a total made up share of how much each matters relative to each other. 

To your Q3, I think by saying not considering personality and presentation skills is more to the effect of: I would not score lower someone because they know English as a 2nd language and maybe their language skills are not as sharp as those of a native (but nevertheless is able to clearly send their message across). Or someone has a competitive personality (e.g., shown by participating in a lot of sports competitions) but I couldn't care less about sports and I personally don't like competitive people (these is just a very very random example). But how you present yourself & your experience (how clearly, how structured, how good is the example) will totally matter. 

I hope this helps in some way, 
Ariadna 

Hello there,

Thanks for the question. It is an interesting one. First of all BOTH CASE AND PEI CARRY EQUAL WEIGHT IN YOUR FINAL SCORE. There is some subjectivity but for the large part the evaluation is very very objective (see details below).

1. Why does the problem-solving interview typically take 2-3 times longer than the PEI if both are considered equally important in McKinsey's interview process?

It is simply because you are solving a problem that you have not encountered before. In PEI you are narrating your past experiences. Something that you have already accomplished plus something that you should have already rehearsed a few times before the interview

2. I believe that the best candidate would excel in both problem solving and PEI. But, how does McKinsey assess candidates who excel in 1) problem solving only, 2) PEI only, or 3) average performance in both areas? What are their considerations? Which type of candidate is more likely to receive a positive response?

Both the Case Interview and the Personal Experience Interview (PEI) utilize a scoring matrix to assess your performance across three distinct dimensions. Specifically, there are three evaluation areas for your Case Interview (such as structuring) and three evaluation areas for each of your PEI stories (3 areas for Personal impact, 3 areas for Inclusive Leadership etc).

Each area is graded on a four-level scale, akin to A, B, C, D grades, with A representing the highest level of performance and D the lowest. The standards are rigorous, and merely average performance is insufficient. To secure an offer, you must achieve at least two A grades in each area of your Case Interviews and PEI stories. Although there are exceptions, typically, securing two A’s is a minimum requirement. This stringent grading system contributes to the notably low acceptance rates at top consulting firms. I am not suggesting that this method is fool proof. It does result in false negatives. I am aware of many capable individuals who were rejected by MBB firms yet would have excelled as consultants. BUT THE BAR IS HIGH FOR GETTING AN OFFER. PERIOD

3. McKinsey's official video suggests they do not judge based on personality and presentation skills for PEI. How important are storytelling skills in this context, and what does McKinsey mean by not considering personality and presentation skills?

I concur with the points already made about this topic. When it comes to the McKinsey Personal Experience Interview (PEI), a relevant premise, decent communication and a thorough understanding of your story, are crucial. Even if your storytelling or presentation skills aren't fully polished, if your premise is rich (it covers all the things McKinsey is looking for), McKinsey interviewers are skilled at guiding the conversation to uncover the necessary details (that's why they interject to ask questions). As long as you present a solid premise and are well-versed in the specifics of your experiences, you're set for success.

Regarding personality traits, there's a common belief that only extroverts make successful consultants because they confidently express their opinions. However, McKinsey employs many introverts who might speak less but still excel as consultants. Their ability to listen deeply and provide thoughtful insights makes them equally valuable in the consulting field.

Hope this helps.

Best

Nilay
 

Hi there,

1. The PS Interview lasts around 25 minutes, and the PEI 20 minutes (can be shorter if the story is well structured). Many more dimensions are evaluated during the PS compared to the PEI.
2. You need to excel in all parts of the interview across all interviews. If you are average in one or both, you are usually rejected. The right profile is someone who shows performance spikes in certain areas and a robust performance in others (which translates to no real weaknesses and a few outstanding areas).
3. Storytelling skills can help you deliver your story in a more engaging and structured way, all things that can help you make the right impression and hit the right talking points concisely. Hence, there is an impact, albeit indirectly.

For more, check these articles out:

McKinsey Case Interview

Personal Experience Interview

Cheers,

Florian
 

They are equally important because if you don't show both, you don't get an offer. I believe this answers almost all of your questions.

But let me take a stab at them anyway:
1. It takes 2-3 times longer because it takes 2-3 times longer to test it. Because one needs to test for consistency. And because these are more rare skills. They take 2-3 times longer to test, and you should spend 20-30 times more preparing for the problem solving.

2. Yes, you are right. None of those 3 theoretical candidates would not get an offer. None would be considered.

3. Communication skills are relevant, and storytelling is part of this, but… structured communication is much more relevant. Personality… they don't care if you are more extraverted vs. introverted, or a thinker vs. feeler (check “Myers Briggs” personality type if you don't understand what I mean here). Presentation skills… sure, they don't care if you draw a nice table or know how to use powerpoint… they'll teach you how to do that.

Great question - My take on the 3 parts

Duration

• Problem Solving: The problem-solving interview typically takes longer (2-3 times) compared to the PEI because it involves rigorous assessment of analytical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and structured thinking. McKinsey values these skills highly as they directly relate to a consultant's core responsibilities. Some things just take more time to evaluate vs others
• PEI: While shorter in duration, the PEI is crucial as it evaluates a candidate's personal experiences and behaviors, assessing qualities such as leadership, teamwork, personal impact, and entrepreneurial drive. Despite being shorter, it is equally important because it provides insight into how a candidate handles real-world situations and demonstrates desired leadership qualities.

Assessment

In my experience - if you do amazing at the case and ok at PEI you have a better chance of making it vs if you do amazing at PEI but bomb the case. However it is all highly subjective (for example case matters more in the earlier stages and PEI/ability to converse and communicate effectively is tested deeper in the final rounds)

3. Storytelling and PEI

McKinsey's emphasis on not judging based on personality and presentation skills for PEI refers to a focus on substance over style. While storytelling skills are important in conveying experiences effectively, McKinsey values the content of the stories — the specific actions taken, the outcomes achieved, and the insights gained.

• Importance of Storytelling: Effective storytelling helps candidates articulate their experiences clearly, demonstrating key competencies such as leadership, problem-solving, and teamwork. It involves structuring answers logically, highlighting personal impact, and showcasing learnings from each experience.
• Not Judging Personality: McKinsey's approach means they are more interested in the behaviors and skills demonstrated through experiences rather than subjective impressions of personality traits or superficial presentation skills.
   

Hope this helps,

Udayan