Questions about PEI

Hi Robert,

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

• First of all, you are right to say that it is “50/50” in the sense that you have to excel in both. However, this doesn’t mean that you can balance one part of the interview with the other.
• Moreover, perfectioning your case study skills typically takes more time than the PEI situations. Therefore, spending the same amount of time would either result in being underprepared for the case studies or completely overprepared for the PEI situations.
• Lastly, I would advise you not to overthink the situation and instead spend your energy on what really matters.

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

Hey, 

Excelling in McKinsey’s Personal Experience Interview is essential, but doing only "okay" on case interviews might still make landing the job difficult. While people often mention a "50/50" split between PEI and case performance in terms of importance, from my experience in interviewing McKinsey places considerable weight on both aspects during evaluation. Here’s why:

1. PEI’s Importance: McKinsey wants to assess your leadership, personal impact, and ability to navigate tough situations. Excelling in the PEI can create a "spike" that demonstrates strong soft skills and fits with the firm’s values. These are non-negotiable qualities, but they typically don't replace technical competence.
2. Cases Still Matter: The case interview is where McKinsey evaluates your structured problem-solving abilities, quantitative skills, and business acumen. The firm has high expectations here, and even an average performance on cases could hurt your chances if the competition excels in both dimensions.
3. Holistic Assessment: McKinsey takes a balanced view, looking for candidates who can demonstrate both hard and soft skills. While a strong performance in PEI could make up for slight weaknesses in cases, consistently doing "okay" on the latter might not be enough. They expect candidates to perform well across the board.

In short, while PEI is critical, investing a disproportionate amount of time on it instead of focusing equally on case prep could hurt your chances. Aim to develop well-rounded competency in both areas. That's always my recommendation to my mentees :)

Good Luck! 

Alessa

Hi Robert,

The strategy would not work. It's not 50/50 - this is a common myth. A weak or average case performance cannot be balanced by a strong PEI or vice versa.

You need to excel in both within one interview and across several interviews to receive an offer.

All the best,

Florian

Case performance is not the average of both parts.

You need to pass both PEI and case. If you are undergrad or entry level, PEI is even more important. You need to score at least one spike in your stories.

All profiles must score a spike in the case.

While nailing McKinsey’s PEI is essential, succeeding only in the PEI won't be enough without strong case performance.  McKinsey expects high standards in both areas.

• PEI Focus: McKinsey uses the PEI to understand your leadership, adaptability, and personal impact. Strong soft skills are crucial to showcase your fit with the firm’s values, but they won't replace the need for solid technical skills.

• Case Interviews: The case portion evaluates your analytical thinking, problem-solving, and quantitative abilities. Even if your PEI stands out, average performance in case interviews could limit your chances, especially when others excel in both aspects.

   

Key takeaway: Don’t prioritize PEI preparation at the expense of case prep. Strong performance in both areas is necessary to stand out as a top candidate.

No. It's not 50/50.

It's 100/100. In other words, you have to be good at both. Average casers will not even pass to second round.