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I got interviews with MBB but didn't make it past the first round.Other than waiting 1-2 years, what else would people recommend so I get another chance?
I didn't have the experience of applying for a second time but as a Partner that led recruiting for McKinsey's Boston office and can tell you what I saw and looked for. I didn't hesitate to look for candidates that reapplied. I did have a record of their first application and all of the notes of why they were a turndown in the first place. This included:
Strength of resume
Interaction with recruiters and consultants
Notes of their 1st / 2nd round interview performance (if they had one)
Office preferences
For their “rebound”, I looked at the following:
Growth: What has the candidate done in the previous years to improve upon their skills that would be helpful as a consultant?
Company / Position: What was the company / firm they worked for? Was it a Fortune Global 500 company? Was it a highly entrepreneurial company? Did the candidate have a highly visible position?
Drive/Achieving: Has the candidate shown significant drive / achieving attributes that warrant an interview?
Interest: Has the candidate networked and stayed in touch with the consulting ecosystem?
Goals: Why does the candidate want to leave her/his position to join consulting? And, is she/he willing to start over at the junior level as an Associate?
Just like other consulting firms, BCG has also its test – the BCG Potential Test (also known as BCG Online Case). The standard version of the BCG Potential Test is computer-based, meaning you will have to deliver your results directly on the computer screen. The BCG Potential Test is peculiar, since, unlike other tests, you are penalized if you provide the wrong answer. Thus, guessing is not much welcome if you run out of time.
The McKinsey Imbellus Game has proven to be very effective in providing a more holistic assessment of applicants. At the same time, it reduces bias against those unfamiliar with standardized testing and helps expedite recruitment during pandemic-related closures. As of May 2020, this has resulted in 15,000 McKinsey applicants being tested in more than 30 countries. Those numbers have undoubtedly grown exponentially since then as more cohorts take the test and McKinsey expands it to the rest of its network of firms.The Imbellus Game is based on the use of simulations that measure candidates' cognitive abilitiesThe McKinsey Imbellus Game typically includes 4 parts: Digital Skills: This part tests your skills in using technology and digital tools. You have to solve tasks like sorting files and performing simple programming tasks.Abstraction: This part is about recognizing abstract patterns and relationships. For example, you identify a series of shapes and match them up or solve abstract problems.Spatial reasoning: This part tests your ability to process and manipulate spatial information. Tasks such as designing 3D objects or solving spatial problems are included.Behavioral skills: This part tests your ability to interact with other people and your emotional skills. You have to solve tasks like recognizing emotions in facial expressions or interpreting social interactions.In summary, the McKinsey Imbellus Game is a comprehensive test that measures applicants' cognitive abilities in various areas. The McKinsey digital assessment is played on a desktop, not on a smartphone like other games. It looks and feels like a PC game and is very intuitive for the user.*box-open* In our shop you will find everything you need to prepare for your case interview at McKinsey! Among other things, you can get the McKinsey Imbellus Solve Combo and the helpful McKinsey Imbellus Solve Game Secrets.*box-close* As with the BCG Online Case, the Bain Sova Test or the Pymetrics Game, the McKinsey Imbellus Game tests a wide range of skills and attributes of the applicantQualities and skills that are still tested in the McKinsey Digital Assessment are:Critical ThinkingDecision makingMetacognitionSituational AwarenessSystems-oriented thinking