Hello!
I’ve recently been informed that I passed Kearney’s initial test and will have my first-round interview in person in approximately 12 days (case interview and PEI). Given the tight timeline, I want to ensure my preparation is as structured and effective as possible.
Background
- Education & Work Experience: Studied psychology and worked for two years in a startup (sales & ops) - not the typical consulting path.
- Previous Applications: Applied to Bain & McKinsey but was rejected in the test phase mainly due to math difficulties.
- Skills & Progress:
- Math: Initially struggled but have improved significantly. Had to work a lot on mental maths for the kearney test as it was without calculator. Still feel uncomfortable under pressure.
- Case Interviews: Have only practiced around six cases so far - still feel I am at beginner level. Have watched some videos from 'crafting cases' to avoid learning the wrong techniques. Also, do you know how Kearney's cases differ from those from MBB?
- Economics Knowledge: Bought Clara Urroy’s package and feel more comfortable but I think I am still behind candidates with an economics background.
Resources available for me to practice cases
- A friend (ex-Bain)
- A friend currently at McKinsey willing to help
- Two former colleagues from my startup who have worked at Kearney
- Preplounge community
I understand that I should be practicing case interviews daily, but I don’t want to approach it without a clear strategy. I am currently not working so I have whole day to practice. Even though I have worked a lot, I still feel unprepared as my starting point was quite low. Given my current level and the limited time, how would you recommend structuring my preparation to maximise my potential and put myself in the best possible position for the interview?
Looking forward to your advice. Thanks in advance for your help!