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Where else can you learn from ex-McK, BCG et al. senior partners?


Learn from the people who make the final hiring decision in the final round of interviews.

Consulting case interview

Case interview training to break into McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte, et al.

Case interview training to break into McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte, et al. Break into McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte, et al. by using a structured case interview training process, learning from ex-partners, and working with ex-MBB coaches. We help aspiring graduates, young professionals, and experienced hires prepare for their job interviews with the world's major consulting firms. We place a specific focus on preparing for case interviews with McKinsey & Company, Boston Consulting Group (BCG), and Bain & Company. However, if you are targeting a different firm, please raise it with your coach. There are a number of very good firms that are, in some ways, better than MBB for their specialization. However, generally, if you are prepared for MBB, you are prepared for interviews with most consulting firms. The case interview is the hardest interview you will do in your life. And there are a lot of things you don’t know that you don’t know. The only way for you to know the things you don’t know is to have access to experienced case interview guidance. It will help you: - identify and fix your weaknesses - highlight your strengths - learn what to say and not to say - learn what McKinsey, BCG,…

Consulting case interview

Case interview training to break into McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte, et al. Break into McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte, et al. by using a structured case interview training process, learning from ex-partners, and working with ex-MBB coaches. We help aspiring graduates, young professionals, and experienced hires prepare for their job interviews with the world's major consulting firms. We place a specific focus on preparing for case interviews with McKinsey & Company, Boston Consulting Group (BCG), and Bain & Company. However, if you are targeting a different firm, please raise it with your coach. There are a number of very good firms that are,…

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Consulting case interview

Joining McKinsey as an experienced hire is not always a step up

Joining McKinsey as an experienced hire is not always a step up Are you an experienced hire, preparing for consulting case interviews?  If yes, this article may open your eyes to something very important. My name is Kris Safarova. I was recognized among World's Top 30 Management Professionals for 2023 along with Tom Peters, Philip Kottler, James Collins, and Gary Hamel. If you are an experienced hire, you need to keep in mind that when joining McKinsey, BCG, or a similarly top-tier firm, many applicants, especially senior applicants, will take a salary cut. It may not be the majority but it's a sizable minority. A CPG (also known as FMCG) SVP coaching client once wanted to apply to McKinsey. She would have joined as a senior associate, and possibly, and this was a stretch, as an engagement manager.  When we pointed out her likely McKinsey salary, and what she would lose in her stock options, it was a tough pill for her to swallow.  It was even worse when we showed her, on LinkedIn, the levels at which engagement managers joined her CPG employer.  They were all at a level below her.  She was giving up a lot if she left.…

Consulting case interview

Joining McKinsey as an experienced hire is not always a step up Are you an experienced hire, preparing for consulting case interviews?  If yes, this article may open your eyes to something very important. My name is Kris Safarova. I was recognized among World's Top 30 Management Professionals for 2023 along with Tom Peters, Philip Kottler, James Collins, and Gary Hamel. If you are an experienced hire, you need to keep in mind that when joining McKinsey, BCG, or a similarly top-tier firm, many applicants, especially senior applicants, will take a salary cut. It may not be the majority but it's…

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Consulting case interview

10 Case Interview Prep Myths

10 Case Interview Prep Myths There are ten myths surrounding the consulting case interview prep process that are important to recognize. Much of this advice is expanded in The Consulting Offer, where we teach participants in more depth why these misconceptions exist and how participants can increase their chances of succeeding in consulting case interviews. Case Interview Myth #1 - The more unique your profile, the easier it is to network with associates and recruiters from consulting firms. This is a myth because experienced hires, by definition, have an unusual profile. In a pool of case interview applicants, experienced hires tend to stand out, not only because there are fewer of them but also because they have about seven years of experience. In some instances, there may be case interview applicants who are just one level below that of an executive at a major company. It is logical that candidates with such unique profiles will need adjustments to a typical case interview prep process. This unique profile can have the opposite of the desired effect because you may not fit the typical mold or template that recruiters are trained to look for.  First-stage resume reviewers at major consulting firms are usually junior…

Consulting case interview

10 Case Interview Prep Myths There are ten myths surrounding the consulting case interview prep process that are important to recognize. Much of this advice is expanded in The Consulting Offer, where we teach participants in more depth why these misconceptions exist and how participants can increase their chances of succeeding in consulting case interviews. Case Interview Myth #1 - The more unique your profile, the easier it is to network with associates and recruiters from consulting firms. This is a myth because experienced hires, by definition, have an unusual profile. In a pool of case interview applicants, experienced hires tend…

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Consulting case interview

Case interview math (mental math) tools, formulas and tips

Case Interview Math (Mental Math) Tools, Formulas and Tips Consulting case interview mental math practice is a must as part of one's overall consulting case interview preparation. All management consulting firms, and certainly McKinsey, BCG and Bain, expect candidates to be very comfortable with quantitative data, statistics, and the ability to make decisions and client recommendations based on data. Management consultants at firms like McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte spend a lot of time working with numbers, charts, calculations, financial models in excel and other math work, often mental math work. So any consulting case interview mental math test, and there are really multiple mental math tests scattered throughout the consulting case interview process is something you have to be well prepared for. This does not mean that you need to have a math degree to have the right level of consulting case interview mental math skills. But you do need to know what is expected of you and you do need to practice mental math a lot. FREE GIFT #1 BONUS TUTORIAL DOWNLOAD 20 Brain Teasers With Answers And Explanations How is consulting case interview mental math different from academic math? Because management consulting is all about solving difficult problems,…

Consulting case interview

Case Interview Math (Mental Math) Tools, Formulas and Tips Consulting case interview mental math practice is a must as part of one's overall consulting case interview preparation. All management consulting firms, and certainly McKinsey, BCG and Bain, expect candidates to be very comfortable with quantitative data, statistics, and the ability to make decisions and client recommendations based on data. Management consultants at firms like McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte spend a lot of time working with numbers, charts, calculations, financial models in excel and other math work, often mental math work. So any consulting case interview mental math test, and there…

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Consulting case interview

Image copyright attributions

Under creative commons best practice, we have provided attributions for images used on the site. Image is from Herry Lawford under cc by 2.0 / no edits Image is from Masahiro Ihara under cc by 2.0 / no edits Image is from Alpha du Centaure under cc by 2.0 / no edits Image is from Natalie Maynor under cc by 2.0 / no edits Image is from Natalie Maynor under cc by 2.0 / no edits Image is from USACE Afghanistan Engineer District under cc by 2.0 / no edits Image is from Dave Lundy under cc by 2.0 / no edits Image is from Toru Watanabe under cc by 2.0 / no edits Image is from Himy Syed under cc by 2.0 / no edits Image is from Robert Taylor under cc by 2.0 / no edits Image is from Neal Jennings under cc by 2.0 / no edits Image is from Chung Ho Leung under cc by 2.0 / no edits Image is from Wilson Hui under cc by 2.0 / no edits Image is from Emilian Robert Vicol under cc by 2.0 / no edits Image is from Ralf Peter Reimann under cc by 2.0 / no…

Consulting case interview

Under creative commons best practice, we have provided attributions for images used on the site. Image is from Herry Lawford under cc by 2.0 / no edits Image is from Masahiro Ihara under cc by 2.0 / no edits Image is from Alpha du Centaure under cc by 2.0 / no edits Image is from Natalie Maynor under cc by 2.0 / no edits Image is from Natalie Maynor under cc by 2.0 / no edits Image is from USACE Afghanistan Engineer District under cc by 2.0 / no edits Image is from Dave Lundy under cc by 2.0 /…

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Consulting case interview

Choosing the Right McKinsey Office

https://youtu.be/yVDx54luAkI Choosing the Right McKinsey Office Question: “I've been told that the office locations you select on your full-time consulting job application can significantly impact your opportunities. I am considering applying to my hometown office (I am from the US) or applying to another country to get international experience. What is your advice on thinking about this and making a decision?" Today, we will answer a common question about how to determine office location preference to include on the consulting job application with firms like McKinsey, BCG, and Bain and when applying to firms like Deloitte, PwC, KPMG, et al. While most members of the FC community are senior leaders and not looking to join consulting, the thinking process will also be applicable when considering taking a leadership role in various parts of the world versus selecting a role in your hometown or closer to home. Answer: Choosing the right McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte, PwC, et al. office … ... This is a critical question. Given you are only considering between hometown and other countries, you have 4 office choices: Staying in the hometown. Applying to another country with an established office. Applying to another country where an office will need…

Consulting case interview

https://youtu.be/yVDx54luAkI Choosing the Right McKinsey Office Question: “I've been told that the office locations you select on your full-time consulting job application can significantly impact your opportunities. I am considering applying to my hometown office (I am from the US) or applying to another country to get international experience. What is your advice on thinking about this and making a decision?" Today, we will answer a common question about how to determine office location preference to include on the consulting job application with firms like McKinsey, BCG, and Bain and when applying to firms like Deloitte, PwC, KPMG, et al.…

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Consulting case interview

Consulting interview questions (FIT)

Consulting Interview Questions (FIT) Consulting interview questions include two broad types, FIT and case questions. FIT questions, also called personal experience interview or behavioral interview questions, test your fit with the firm. Case questions are generally sanitized versions of real client problems. They are usually 20 to 40 minutes in length and test your ability to solve problems, come up with insights, and think critically and creatively. They also test your business judgement. Solving the problem is not as important as the rigor of the process of solving the problem. For firms, consulting interview questions related to FIT are as important as case questions. You may be a phenomenal problem solver but if the interviewer will conclude your profile, personality, and/or communication style will not work well with clients, you will not be hired. FIT is actually the primary reason candidates get declined, in our experience. Moreover, candidates usually, to a large degree, ignore preparing for consulting interview questions related to FIT and instead spend most of their efforts preparing for cases. Both are important and neither of them should be neglected. The skills firms will test for when asking questions related to FIT are communications skills, leadership / ability…

Consulting case interview

Consulting Interview Questions (FIT) Consulting interview questions include two broad types, FIT and case questions. FIT questions, also called personal experience interview or behavioral interview questions, test your fit with the firm. Case questions are generally sanitized versions of real client problems. They are usually 20 to 40 minutes in length and test your ability to solve problems, come up with insights, and think critically and creatively. They also test your business judgement. Solving the problem is not as important as the rigor of the process of solving the problem. For firms, consulting interview questions related to FIT are as…

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