Hi,I just received feedback from my Interview at McKinsey (London office). Unfortunately I didnt pass to the next round. It is my objective to apply in a couple of years and during this time I want to religiously follow a plan to polish my weak points. If you have had this experience with McKinsey or other strategic management consulting firm, what plan did you create & follow? Were you successful the second time you tried?FYI - the "negative" feedback that I got was: A) For the personal experience:- I need to provide clearer examples of challenges and leadership experiences. (I would like to understand what McKinsey is looking for as what could be challenging for them might not be challenging for me - or viceversa) - Any thoughts?B) For the case:- I need to highlight interdependencies between drivers.- Need to be more confident with numbers and improve speed.I would appreciate any recommendations regarding the feedback and if you could share your experiences / learnings on the matter described above.Furthermore, I have the chance to ask them more questions this week about my interview. I would like to ask them for specific examples from where they get the negative feedback. Any other suggestions?Thank you in advance.Regards,Peter

You don't need years. But from their feedback, you didn't do well on both fronts - you might want to focus on a firm that doesn't evaluate the way they do (no offense meant - just saying that beceause you seem really intent on getting into McKinsey).As for the personal experience portion.Just read through your resume and review, internally, your lifetime highlights. Synthesize those into strong clearly stated experience stories when asked about it. Mckinsey looks for those 4 things, achievement ,impact, leadership? and sometihng else.just focus on a story that highlights some or all of those characteristics. Consider your resume and anticipate what they will ask you. Be able to talk about your experiences in depth but succintly without wasted words.Analytical skills slow. Just practice math. Keep your brain sharp. Get a GMAt book. go thru case study guides and just learn to process market sizing questions..at the root of it all..all the quant questions are just breaking down the math.

Thanks Hiya. For me there is no other better strategy mgm. consulting firm (this is a personal opinion). For this reason I want to take a couple of years to prepare. The objectives of my post were two:1) Get additional questions that I might ask to the interviewer (McKinsey) in relation to the feedback to my interview.2) Understand how to improve the personal experience and case (a.k.a. know what they are looking for)The GMAT is NOT a good method to train the case. I agree that it is good to practice math but not to get better on the numbers part of the case.Any more thoughts?Thanks!!!!

McKinsey is considered the best MC by pretty much everyone, whether it's true or not is by the by as they've built up such an aura that very few will challenge it.However, I'm a bit confused as to why you'd wait 2 years to go there. What are you going to do fro 2 years? Remember McK takes its pick of high flyers and acheivers, effectively doing nothing or some dead end job will close your options off not open them up. And going travelling doesn't count as valid experience either.As for preparation, well, it may be a harsh message but there's only so much you can do. If it doesn't come naturally after reading so many online examples then maybe, just maybe, it never will. Consultancies want people who can think on their feet, not just recite case studies verbatim. My advice would be to go and apply to a dozen strategic consultancies and see how you get on. If you get through to final round and even get job offers then you can then use that as a yardstick to getting to McK. All these companies will be full of bright people using very similar methodologies, so the quality of your career will be the same as at McK even if the perceived prestige isn't quite as good.

Thanks bri500.I said two years because I have been offer a senior role in an industry leading company. That is the minimum time that I will stay there.I believe that in life nothing comes natural except the body/genetics - The brain is very capable of achieving what many believe comes from genes. Of course to some people it would take more or less time... ultimately is a matter of time, drive and commitment.If during two years I focus on my goal - I do believe that what is not natural now it will become natural in the future. I did not practice any cases for the interview ... but now I want to prepare as I am expecting to perform. Let me know what your recommendations are.Thanks!

Didn't practise cases? For me, good preparation made a significant difference.1. Have a search on the web for behavioural questions. Write answers for these using the "STAR" method. The aim is to practise the skill of delivering the information they're looking for.Going through a fresh set of questions en route to the interview is a good way of warming up. Practising standard interview questions is also a good idea.2. Read through the MBB websites and Vault, Wetfeet and other guides. I synthesised their advice and turned it into a diagrammed case interview process, with factors to remember at each point.3. Practise setting up the framework for the case interview. You don't even need case interview questions for this - just read the papers for stories about troubled companies.4. Practise full case interview questions with your friends. BCG's case interview transcripts are particularly useful for preparing your friends for this. If your friends are management consultants, all the better.5. Practise with any friends who are involved in running businesses. Get them to ask you a question about that business, then use the case interview methodology to answer it.6. Since you're going for McKinsey, check out this weblog for the diary of a fellow who successfully went through a similar experience: http://marquisweblog.blogspot.com/.Sample Behavioural QuestionsDescribe a situation in which you were able to use persuasion to successfully convince someone to see things your way.Describe a time when you were faced with a stressful situation that demonstrated your coping skills. Give me a specific example of a time when you used good judgment and logic in solving a problem. Give me an example of a time when you set a goal and were able to meet or achieve it. Tell me about a time when you had to use your presentation skills to influence someone's opinion. Give me a specific example of a time when you had to conform to a policy with which you did not agree. Please discuss an important written document you were required to complete. Tell me about a time when you had to go above and beyond the call of duty in order to get a job done.Tell me about a time when you had too many things to do and you were required to prioritize your tasks. Give me an example of a time when you had to make a split second decision. What is your typical way of dealing with conflict? Give me an example. Tell me about a time you were able to successfully deal with another person even when that individual may not have personally liked you (or vice versa).Tell me about a difficult decision you've made in the last year.Give me an example of a time when something you tried to accomplish and failed.Give me an example of when you showed initiative and took the lead.Tell me about a recent situation in which you had to deal with a very upset customer or co-worker. Give me an example of a time when you motivated others. Tell me about a time when you delegated a project effectively. Give me an example of a time when you used your fact-finding skills to solve a problem. Tell me about a time when you missed an obvious solution to a problem. Describe a time when you anticipated potential problems and developed preventive measures.Tell me about a time when you were forced to make an unpopular decision. Please tell me about a time you had to fire a friend.Describe a time when you set your sights too high (or too low).

Peter - the top 8-10 strategy firms all work for the same top-tier pool of clients. You don't have to be at McKinsey to work on Board-level strategy assignments for brands like Sony, Virgin, Marks & Spencer, BP, HSBC, etc. And many of the other top firms are populated by people who chose to go there rather than McKinsey - so there's arguably no difference in the calibre of people you'd be working alongside and learning from.Going back to McKinsey in two years' time is a risky strategy. Good candidates have bad days. Good candidates get interviewed by people with whom they just don't click. It's quite conceivable that in two years' time you could be very well prepared and still fail to get through the interview rounds. If your aim is to get into strategy consulting then your odds are far better if you try to apply to all the top firms now. You win either way - if all goes well you'll have some strategy consulting job offers to choose from; and if none of the firms want to take you then that should be a warning that maybe strategy consulting is not for you.Good luck. Tony