McKinsey Interview Guide

Interview Experiences
by
Abhishek Poddar
Prateek Singhal
V. Bhanu Chandra
IIT Kanpur - Class of 2007

1
Table of Contents
How to use this Guide ........................................................................................................... 3

History..................................................................................................................................... 4
Organization ........................................................................................................................... 6
Recruiting................................................................................................................................. 8
McKinsey Interview – an Insight .......................................................................................... 10
Basic Do’s and Don’ts ........................................................................................................ 13
Standard Resume Format ................................................................................................... 18
Sample Interview Questions ............................................................................................... 21
Chronicle of our Interviews .................................................................................................. 23
Endnote ................................................................................................................................ 43

Interview Guide McKinsey & Company

2
Acknowledgements

No words can express our gratitude to Pranjal Jain and Mukul Tuli from
McKinsey&Company who spent a ton of time getting our resumes right and
ensuring that we are well prepared for the case interviews, personal questions, job
related questions, etc. The Y3 batch truly appreciates your efforts. We would also
like to thank everyone at the Student Placement Office (SPO), especially Jayasree
Chatterjee Mam, for their constant efforts to get us started for a great career ahead.
Last but not least we would like to thank all our seniors who have helped us at
numerous points in time during the last four year addressing our concerns right
from the counselling to taking the right courses and closer to placements making
sure we put our best foot in the interview room.
This is the first edition of the guide and the Y3 batch students would like the
tradition to be carried forward by the future batches and make the coming editions
of this publication a rich source of information for all consulting aspirants.

3
How to use this Guide

This guide is more about “What to Prepare?” rather than “How to Prepare?” The
latter question, we believe, is for an individual to decide. As this guide is being
written at the point of time when only one of the consulting company
(McKinsey&Company) come, you may feel that that this guide would be only
helpful for those aiming at McKinsey. But we would like to clear that all the top
management consulting companies like BCG and Bain have a similar pattern of
selection and have similar case studies in their interviews.
The purpose of this interview guide is to give you a head start for the consulting
interviews preparation. We have listed most of the cases that we were asked during
the interviews here. Some of the cases have suggested approaches. Please treat these
approaches as only representative. There are no right answers as far as cases are
concerned. It is very much possible that you might think of different, more
comprehensive or even better ways of solving the cases that we were asked.
There are also several case guides of other universities available in electronic form. It
is advisable to read those professional guides prior to going through what we have
written. The professional guides will help in getting started as they are very
structured.
That’s all the funda that we can give. Have fun with the preparation.

4
History

McKinsey & Company is a privately owned management consulting firm that
focuses on solving issues of concern to senior management in large corporations and
organizations. McKinseyʹs top strategy consulting competitors include The Boston
Consulting Group, Bain & Co., and Booz Allen Hamilton. Other competitors include
A.T. Kearney, Monitor Group , Deloitte Consulting, Accenture and IBM.
Known internally as ʺThe Firmʺ, James O. McKinsey & Company was founded in
Chicago during 1926 by James O. (ʺMacʺ) McKinsey. McKinsey was a professor at
the University of Chicago who pioneered budgeting as a management tool. Marshall
Fieldʹs became a client in 1935, and soon convinced James McKinsey to leave the
firm and become its CEO; however, he died unexpectedly in 1937.
Marvin Bower, who joined the firm in 1933 and succeeded James McKinsey when he
left, oversaw the firmʹs rise to global prominence. When McKinsey died, the Chicago
and New York branches of the firm split up. In 1939, with the help of the New York
partners, Bower resurrected the New York office and named it McKinsey &
Company. While he always gave James McKinsey credit for the firmʹs success,
Bower established many of its guiding principles. Inspired by his experience at the
law firm of Jones Day, he believed that management consulting should subscribe to
the highest standards, emphasizing professionalism over any other consideration.

5
For many years, McKinsey was the unchallenged leader in consulting, and many of
its alumni went on to head leading companies, often their former clients, generating
further business for the firm. It now maintains offices on all continents (except
Antarctica) and in most major cities; in the last few years, the majority of its work
has derived from non‐U.S. clients.
McKinsey claims its growth to date has been based less on an explicit growth
strategy than on meeting apparent client needs. It says that it will not take on client
work unless doing so will create value for the client.
In 2003, McKinsey made headlines when it hired Chelsea Clinton, daughter of
former U.S. President Bill Clinton and Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Former McKinsey consultants overwhelmingly speak of their experience at
McKinsey in favorable terms. International renowned publications acknowledge
McKinseyʹs qualities: Newsweek called McKinsey the “by far the most influential
consulting firm in the world”. The Financial Times stated McKinsey is “the world’s
leading management consultancy”. The Economist magazine, on the other hand,
always refers to McKinsey as ʺa management consultancyʺ.

6
Organization
McKinsey is formally organized as a corporation, but functions as a partnership in
all important respects. (It dropped the ʺInc.ʺ from its company name in 2001.) Its
managing director is elected for a limited term of three years by the firmʹs senior
shareholders, titled directors. Each managing director can only serve for three terms.
Several committees develop policies and make critical decisions. Geographically
based offices act as the main organizing cells, but the Firm maintains cross‐
geographical practices around industry sectors and management areas. Associates
are invited to join the partnership through an evaluation and election process, and
shareholders who reach a certain age are obliged to sell back their shares according
to a set formula.
McKinsey operates under a practice of ʺup or out,ʺ in which consultants must
advance in their consulting careers within a time frame, or else are asked to leave
the company.
Today McKinsey has over 7,500 consultants in 84 offices across 45 countries. They
help solve strategic, organizational, operational and technological problems, for
some of the worldʹs largest organizations. Clients include three of the worldʹs five
largest companies, two‐thirds of the Fortune 1000, governments and other non‐
profit institutions. McKinsey also performs pro bono engagements for a number of
charitable organizations and government agencies worldwide.

7
A controversial aspect of McKinseyʹs practice is that it is non‐exclusive, and thus a
conflict of interest could arise as different teams of consultants might work for direct
competitors in an industry. This works to the companyʹs advantage, as it does not
require it to rule out working for potential clients; furthermore, knowing that a
competitor has hired McKinsey has historically been a strong impetus for companies
to seek McKinseyʹs assistance themselves. The policy also means McKinsey can keep
its list of clients confidential. However, because of this there is great emphasis
placed on client confidentiality within the firm, and consultants are forbidden to
discuss details of their work with members of other teams.
Traditionally, McKinsey has only revealed involvement with a client either as a
result of legal action, or when the company itself has publicly stated it, which the
Firm discourages.

8
Recruiting

Marvin Bower broke with industry practice in his time by focusing hiring efforts on
recent graduates from the best business schools, rather than among experienced
managers. The premise for this was that analytical rigor and fresh insights were of
greater value to clients than conventional wisdom. McKinsey has been known to
make rare exceptions to this policy by hiring senior staff from industry (John Sawhill
being a noted example).
McKinsey is one of the most sought‐after destinations for graduates of top MBA
programs, having been rated #1 in the Universum survey of most desirable
employers for the past nine years (refer to http://money.cnn.com/magazines/
fortune/mba100/index.html). The firm is the largest single recruiter at the worldʹs
top business schools. It is also the largest private non‐law recruiter at Harvard Law
School and employs more Rhodes Scholars than any organization outside of the
State Department.
Recently, McKinsey has diversified its recruiting base by soliciting candidates from
graduate programs in law, medicine, engineering, science, and the liberal arts as
well as by recruiting ʺexperienced hiresʺ from a variety of professional backgrounds
including the military, law and medicine. Today, roughly half of McKinsey
consultants with a graduate degree are not MBAs. These APDs (ʺAdvanced

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Professional Degree candidatesʺ) attend a ʺmini‐MBAʺ training program before
starting their careers at McKinsey.
McKinsey also recruits very selectively among undergraduates, hiring as ʺBusiness
Analystsʺ recent graduates from top universities to work as consultants alongside its
associates for about 18 to 24 months. The BA program is one of the most competitive
in industry and is coveted by many business‐oriented undergraduates. Some
business analysts choose to stay at McKinsey for an additional year as a BA, often to
join an office abroad or specialize in a given industry. Many business analysts are
sponsored by McKinsey to attend graduate schools, usually for a MBA but
sometimes for other masterʹs or Ph.D. degrees, after their initial two years at
McKinsey and rejoin the firm afterwards. Some are offered a coveted ʺDTAʺ ‐ direct
to Associate offer which means they effectively skip 2 years ahead of their peer
group, but must forgo any educational support from McKinsey.

10
McKinsey Interview – an Insight
A typical McKinsey interview consists of two main parts: the Case Study and the
Experience Interview. The part that most people know about is the case study. It is
a common belief among applicants that the case study is the most important part of
the McKinsey interview, and indeed much time is spent preparing and getting ready
for the case. The case is important, because you need to show us that you have the
right problem solving skills to be a McKinsey consultant. However, it is equally
important for you to show us the right behavioural skills.

McKinsey consultants work in challenging situations involving stretch goals and
tight deadlines, and they interact with people of all types, from experienced CEOs to
front‐line staff. In hiring you, we will want to be sure that you can effectively
manage these situations, interact with these people, and represent our firm well.
We believe that the best way to understand your behavioural skills is to look in
detail at challenging situations you have experienced in the past – situations that
held challenges similar to those you may experience as a McKinsey consultant.
During your interview, you will be asked to spend a significant amount of time
describing one or more specific, challenging experiences that you have had. Your
interviewer will guide you in choosing the right experience to discuss. Some
preparation for this part of the interview is strongly advised. Remember, this is not
simply a polite chat with the interviewer before you do a case. The interviewer has
a specific job of assessing your behavioural skills. You need to help the interviewer

11
by having specific things to talk about that illustrate these skills. Here are some tips
for you as you prepare for this part of the interview:
Prepare: Make sure you understand what they mean. Your interviewer will
be interested in looking at one or more of these three areas and will want to
discuss specific situations from your past where you have had to use these
skills. For each of these areas, have some examples in your mind of times
when you have had to use these skills to overcome significant challenges.
Choose examples that you remember well and can discuss in some detail.
Don’t choose situations that were easy for you, as these situations are
unlikely to demonstrate your true range of skills.
Be specific: When describing something to your interviewer, try not to
generalize. For example, when you make general statements like “I talked to
her and managed to get her to change her mind”, that does not tell your
interviewer a great deal about your skills. However, in this situation, if you
can describe to your interviewer, as best as you can remember, exactly what
you said and how you responded to arguments, it will be much easier for
your interviewer to see your skills.
Focus on your own role: We know that many of the things you have done in
the past have involved other people that you worked with. Of course, we
appreciate this – much of the work of a McKinsey consultant involves
working in teams. However, to help us understand your specific skills, try to
focus on your role and your actions in anything you describe. For example,
saying “We presented the work to the committee” does not help your

12
interview understand what you did. Your interviewer wants to hear about
your specific role and the specific things you did during that presentation to
the committee.
Focus on the process: We use cases to assess problem solving, so when
describing something you are proud of, try not to focus too much on the
problem solving challenge or simply the end result. Your interviewer wants
to hear about the process. For example, telling your interviewer that you
won a prestigious academic award does not help them understand your
specific skills. Similarly, if you resolved challenges in a team by avoiding the
team and doing all the work yourself, this will not reassure your interviewer
about your leadership ability, even though it may have helped in getting the
work completed.
We hope these tips will help you prepare and show yourself in the best light when
you interview with us.

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Basic Do’s and Don’ts

Arrive a little early. If you arrive about fifteen minutes before the scheduled
interview time, you will have time to collect your thoughts, wipe the
perspiration from your hands, and scan the lobby for current company
information. You will also show your interviewer that you value his or her
time.
Do your homework. Know the interviewerʹs name and how to pronounce it
(including proper title: Mr., Mrs., Dr., etc.). Know the companyʹs major
products or services, the organization of the company (divisions, parent
company, etc.), current business news about the company and the companyʹs
major customers and competitors. You can learn most or all of this
information from the companyʹs website, annual report or company
literature.
Bring a Spare Copy of Your Resume in a Briefcase or Folder. This
demonstrates that you are prepared. It also gives the interviewer something
to take notes on.
Expect to Spend Some Time Developing Rapport. Personal chemistry is a
main ingredient in the hiring process. Try to relax and become comfortable
with the interviewer.

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Prepare for basic open‐ended questions. The interview is a process by which
the interviewer gets to know you and judge whether you match the
requirements both academically and as a person. Generally, the interviewer
will throw up some open‐ended question like “Tell me about you”. This is
meant to relax the applicant. This can be used as an opportunity to divert the
interview into your areas of strength. Open‐ended questions like those on
hobbies, achievements, etc reveal a great deal about you as a person. Treat
these questions very seriously.
Listen. Listen to the question before answering it. Understand what the
interviewer is looking for. If you need time to think about the answer,
request for the same. Most interviewers would comply with such a request.
But after you have taken time to think, better come up with a good answer.
Watch Your Non‐Verbal Communication. Maintain an open body posture.
Seat yourself at a reasonable distance from the other person. Smile. Always
maintain eye contact with the interviewer. It shows your confidence. Never
droop in the chair. Sit upright and keep track of your hand movements while
answering questions.
Donʹt Be Embarrassed by Nervousness. Interviewers are human, and they
often become nervous, too. In fact, nervousness is a good sign ‐ it shows that
you are taking the interview seriously. Avoid nervous mannerisms such as
tapping your fingers, feet, playing with pens, etc.

15
Body language is powerful! Good eye contact, a warm, natural smile and a
firm handshake can help you overcome nervousness, develop a personal
rapport and present a confident image.
Donʹt Play Comedian or Try to Entertain the Interviewer. It is important to
be personable, but do not overdo it.
Donʹt Exaggerate or Lie. You might be tempted to embellish your
achievements in the interview, but it will come back to haunt you on the job!
Follow the Interviewerʹs Lead. Donʹt try to take over the interview. Stick to
the main subject at hand, but do not dwell too long on one point. It is better to
deal with many questions rather than just one or two in‐depth questions,
unless thatʹs where the interviewer leads you.
Be Prepared For Personal Questions, Even Some Inappropriate Ones.
Anticipate how you will handle personal questions without blowing your
cool. Some interviewers may not be aware of what they can and cannot
legally ask you. Be sure you understand the question. It is okay to ask for
clarification.
Emphasize the Positive. Be frank and honest, but never apologize for lack of
experience or weaknesses. You can be self‐confident without being
overconfident or flippant. If you are new to the job market, your lack of
experience has one very positive feature: you do not have to ʺunlearnʺ bad
habits or different practices learned from previous employers. Many

16
employers like the idea that you can be taught their individual company
procedures without needing to get rid of other training first.
Donʹt be Afraid to Think before You Speak. Use silence and intentional
pause to your advantage. Time is occasionally needed to think and to reflect.
The interviewer will respect you for taking a question seriously enough to
give it a moment or two of consideration before answering.
Emphasize What You Can Do For The Organization. This means
emphasizing your transferable skills. However, be careful not to reveal trade
secrets from a previous employer. Employers are concerned most with what
you can do for them. Focus on your ability to tackle new situations, your
communication skills, interpersonal abilities, analytical thinking talents, and
other skills developed while in college or in previous positions.
Donʹt give ʺPrepared Answersʺ. Most employers know a these stock answers
when they hear them. This is a good reason to use interview question /
answer guide as just that ‐ guides. If your answers are not personalized to
your situation, they will sound forced and unnatural. You might be surprised
to learn how often interviewers hear the phrase, ʺI really like working with
people.ʺ The phrase is used so often that it has lost its meaning!
Watch Your Grammar and Your Manners. Employers are interested in
candidates who can express themselves properly. Even if you have to slow
down to correct yourself ‐‐ do it! Use slang expressions very sparingly. If

17
your knowledge of rules of etiquette is rusty, take a ʺrefresher courseʺ from a
knowledgeable friend.
Be Prepared to Ask Questions. Almost all interviewers will ask if you have
any questions. You should have some ready and should have at least one that
is related to the conversation you have just completed. This demonstrates
that you are both prepared and interested. Your questions should be related
to details about the company and should be based on the information you
learned from the homework you have done. You should not ask questions
like ʺHow long to I have to wait before I can take a vacation?ʺ Save those
whatʹs‐in‐it‐for‐me questions for later. If you do not ask any questions at this
point, chances are that you may come across as a person who is not keen to
join the company.
Be Careful With the Closing. Do not linger. End quickly and courteously.
Thank your interviewer for the interview. Smile.
Be Yourself! You do not want to get hired on the basis of something you are
not. You want to be hired for who you are! Do not try to be someone you are
not during an interview. Be natural. An interview is a process by which the
candidate and the interviewer get to know each other and the candidate’s
role in the organization is established. Any mask that you may don for the
interview will wear down in no time.
Mock Interviews. It is always a good idea to attend mock interviews and use
the feedback to improve your interview skills.

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Standard Resume Format
This section gives you a typical resume format which you can use to start making
your resume. However, feel free to add anything missing here. But try to restrict
your resume to one to two pages. Be very specific and write only what you adds
value to your resume and not space.
<Name>
<Address>
<E Mail>
<Date of Birth>

Education

Year Degree/ Certificate Institute/ School, City CGPA/ % Rank

B.Tech. <Branch>
Class XII <Board>
Class X <Board>

• Scholastic achievements, if any; year

• Exchange programs, if any; key achievements; period

• Key academic projects undertaken, if any; key achievements; period


19

Summer training(s)

Organization: _____________________ Department: ____________________,
City: _____________, Period: ________________

• What you did:

• What you achieved:
City: _____________, Period: ________________

• What you did:


Work experience, if any

City: _____________, Period: ________________

• What you did:



20
Extra‐Curricular Activities

• Positions of responsibility
Position, Organisation Period Key achievements

• Key extra‐curricular activities/ interests (cultural activities/ sports/
others)
Please include your accomplishments / awards in these areas

Anything else you would like to mention


21
Sample Interview Questions

This section will provide you a list of some sample interview questions which you
should prepare for each and every company. There is no right or wrong answers –
it’s just a matter of how you express yourself. When you are asked anything, the
underlying question is “Why Should We Hire You?” and you should answer each
question in that way. Your answers must be concise and compelling, and must relate
to why you would be a great hire. Position your answers well, but do answer the
question.

Tell me about yourself.
What are your strengths?
What are your weaknesses?
Which adjectives would you use to describe yourself?
What do you know about our company?
Why do you want to work for us?
Why should I hire you?
What past accomplishments gave you satisfaction?
What makes you want to work hard?
What type of work environment do you like best?
Why do you want this job?
How do you handle pressure and stress?
Explain how you overcame a major obstacle.
Where do you see yourself five (ten or fifteen) years from now?

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What qualifies you for this job?
As an entry‐level employee, a lot of the work you do will be very mundane.
How do you feel about that?
Are you more of a leader or a manager?
What is your philosophy toward leadership?
Do you enjoy working in groups?
What Motivates You?
Any questions I could answer for you?
What would you like to improve about yourself?
Also be prepared from some behavioral questions seeking your past experiences to judge
about your future.
Looking back, what would you do differently in your life?
An incident where your work was criticized?
An incident where your work you faced an ethical dilemma?
What have you done that demonstrates leadership?
What have you done that demonstrates teamwork?

23
Chronicle of our Interviews

This section will provide you the narration of each and every interview we had. This
may not contain the exact question we were asked in the interviews, as this guide
has been written tow to three months after the interviews were actually held. But
these excerpts should provide you a brief picture of the actual interview one would
face.
The excerpts could be found below in the order:
1. Abhishek Poddar
2. Prateek Singhal
3. V. Bhanu Chandra
Name Abhishek Poddar
Name of Interviewer
Jatin Pant, Engagement Manager (EM)
and Designation
Round
Round 1, 1st Interview
(First/Second/Third)
I was asked to highlight the two most important things from my resume.
Personal Interview
This is the best opportunity one gets to guide the interviewer to the topics
Questions (With
you wish. So carefully think over such questions and decide atleast two to
Indicative Answers
three topics which you are comfortable with and prepare them well. I took
if you choose to
the interviewer through my resume, basically water polo and academics
share them)
and about the inter‐IIT experience.

24

I was asked to calculate the total cigarette market in India. First I clarified
whether he wants me to include the bidis also or not. He clarified that he
only wants the cigarette market. Then I started from the demand side and
structured the market dividing the Indian population according to age,
income and lifestyle. Then estimated the average consumption in each
sector (making some gross assumptions). I cleared it with Jatin whether he
Narration of the case
wants me to calculate the market in terms of number of units sold or the
interview (please be
in terms of sales (he wanted the sales). So I had to consider the general
as descriptive as
habits of people in each sector (the price of the cigarettes they consume)
possible)
and then add them up. I got a figure in crores of rupees which he asked
me to covert into million dollars just to check how comfortable I am with
numbers (he expected an instant response). Then he finally gave me the
ITC’s sales figure and told me its market share and asked me to calculate
the cigarette market from the supply side. I got a pretty nearby answers
from both the approaches.

The first thing which I think went right was that I was clearly able to
What do you think define myself and my strengths and was able to convince him about that.
went right for you in The second thing was that I was able to properly structure the case and
this interview? made good assumptions about the general habits of people. I was able to
get good figures.

Probably, I was not having an eye to eye contact all the time and also a bit
What do you think
nervous which was visible through my body language. At the end of the
went wrong in this
interview, Jatin asked me to improve on all these. Another small hassle
interview?
was with the numbers, when Jatin asked me get the figures in millions.

It’s very important to introspect yourself before you appear for any
interview. You need to know yourself very thoroughly. Then and only
Any tips for the
then, you will be able to convince the interviewer with your views.
future batches based
Another important aspect about these interviews is that you should know
on this interview
to properly structure your case. It’s not the numbers which are important,
experience?
but the process. So try taking the interviewer through your thought
process so that he can point out if you go wrong at any point of time.


25
Name of Interviewer
Rajat Dhawan, Partner
and Designation
Round
Round 1, 2nd Interview
He was an IIT Kanpur alumni and so we had a pretty informal chat at the
Personal Interview beginning of the interview about the general life style etc. In the process,
Questions (With he was also trying to judge my general awareness about the things which
Indicative Answers happen around me and about how social I am. Then he asked me several
if you choose to questions with regard to my resume (in short). Then he jumped to case
share them) study and at the end of interview, he tried to assess my future plans and
about how serious I am about the consulting job.

The case was to estimate the market of the new 1 lakh car TATA is going
to launch in a short period of time. I felt this was also a bit of stress
interview as he told me not ask him any questions or for any data. Also,
whenever I tried to involve him in the procedure, he asked me to give the
final answer and said that he is not concerned about the procedure etc. I
as descriptive as
did felt a bit awkward at the beginning but soon I realized that he is
possible)
trying to test me how I behave under stress conditions. So at the starting, I
tired to get his inputs but then I started conveying him whatever I was
doing without asking his opinion.

What do you think I think the best thing about this interview was that I was able to cope with
went right for you in the stress he was trying to put on me. I didn’t panic and kept my calm and
this interview? he was quite impressed with that.

I made a lot of wrong assumptions (as I was not able to clarify my doubts)
What do you think
and went on to solve the case using them and finally got an a number
went wrong in this
which you can’t even imagine (market of 10crores ☺ ) but I guess he was
interview?
not looking at the numbers but how I behave under stress.

DO NOT PANIC in stress interviews. Take it this way ‐ this is one of the
Any tips for the
easiest interviews you will be facing because in such interviews, their
main aim is to see that you don’t behave awkwardly. So here its important
on this interview
not to perform badly rather than perform excellently which should be
experience?
easier for you I guess.

26
Name of Interviewer
Prashant, Associate Partner
and Designation
Round

He talked about my background and asked some questions related to the
town where I spent my first eighteen years. Then we had quite a bit of
discussion on Hindalco (where my Dad works), regarding the aluminium
manufacturing process, its sales, its profit and its output etc. I didn’t have
Personal Interview
very clear picture about all these figures. So I made it very clear instead of
Questions (With
just guessing around the numbers. Then he went through my resume and
Indicative Answers
asked about my experiences focusing on the inter‐IIT and Antaragni. He
if you choose to
asked me to explain whatever I did as a coordinator of the Mall and what
share them)
I learned. I between the process, he asked me some involved questions
about the event which I didn’t remember at all. He tried getting out that
several times but at last I admitted that I have a weak memory and so I do
not remember all these minute details.

He asked me to tell a topic on which I want him to make a case. I told him
I am quite interested in cars and would like that to be the point of
discussion. But then he knew that I already had a case on cars (Tata’s
project) and so asked to suggest some other topic. I then chose metals (as I
had a pretty decent knowledge about it, living in a Hindalco township for
18 years). He asked me advice whether he should open up an aluminium
Narration of the case factory at a given place in India or not. He wanted me to first analyze the
interview (please be Indian market, whether the demand for aluminium is going up or down
as descriptive as etc. After I said advised him to open up the factory, he asked the things he
possible) should be concerned about in choosing the right location for the factory. I
pointed out several parameters on which this decision should be taken
(mainly concerned with the raw materials supply, labor supply, power
and demand). It was purely a descriptive case (rather than a problem
solving type). After this we had a small estimation case basically to check
my analytical aptitude (which I do not remember at all at this point of
time. As I said, weak memory ☺ )

One of the best things was that I was very frank in accepting my
What do you think
weaknesses. I accepted that I didn’t have the slightest idea about the
went right for you in
figures he was asking. Also, he was quite impressed with my knowledge
this interview?
about the manufacturing process and inputs in Hindalco.


27

I was quite nervous when I was not able to recall about the Antaragni
What do you think
event which I coordinated. I was not able to thoroughly convince him that
went wrong in this
I played a major part in the coordination of the event and about the
interview?
audacity of the event.

Any tips for the

future batches based Brush up things you write in your resume and have a thorough
on this interview knowledge about it and most importantly your learning through it.
experience?
Name of Interviewer
Tilman Ehrbeck, Partner
and Designation
Round

This was one of the best interviews we had. The interviewer was very
friendly (in general, Germans are, believe me ☺). We talked about my
experience in Germany (I did my intern there in summers of 2006 during
Personal Interview the WC time ☺ ). Then I asked him about how he started his career and
Questions (With the path he followed and his experience with McKinsey till now and his
Indicative Answers future plans. He discussed with me everything very patiently and in the
if you choose to way, kept on advising me what I should do (which I kept asking in
share them) between). I was a nice session overall and I gained a lot of in‐depth
knowledge about McKinsey. He tried to find out what all career options I
have in mind right now and he pretty convinced with my desire to join a
consulting company.

The case study was more of a descriptive one and a typical business case. I
was given a business model in which a credit providing bank ties up with
Narration of the case a retail company (selling washing machines for example) so as to provide
interview (please be the potential customers of the retail company with credit options (like
as descriptive as that of EMI). He asked me to explain the benefits of all the three parties
possible) involved in this case (the bank, the retail company and the customers). I
started highlighting the actual process and went to talk about the benefits
of each of them one by one in detail.


28

Tilman was quite impressed with my clarity of goal which is very
What do you think important to have. He was also impressed with the queries I had which
went right for you in showed that I am very serious about joining McKinsey. Regarding the
this interview? case, he was very satisfied with the way I described the case and the
benefits of all the parties involved.

What do you think
went wrong in this I can’t remember any (good for the last interview of the day ☺).
interview?

It’s very important to know what you want to pursue. Be very clear about
it. Because to convince the person in front you about your decision to join
McKinsey, its necessary that you are convinced. I frankly told them that I
Any tips for the had given CAT and the made them clear about the reasons behind that. Its
future batches based also important to be very frank. DO NOT LIE. Because if at all you do
on this interview that, you might have to make ten more lies to convince the interview
experience? about that and in the end you WILL be caught after which you can safely
assume that you are out of contention. They all have passed through our
stage and they are well aware of the confusion we have, so its better to tell
them about the options you have and ask them to advice you.


29
Name of Interviewer
Shailesh Kekre, Partner and Jatin Pant, Engagement Manager
and Designation
Round
Round 3, 1st Interview (Telephonic Interview)
Personal Interview
What if not McKinsey
Questions (With
Why consulting
Indicative Answers
Why not MBA right now
if you choose to
Several other such questions about career plans.
share them)
No case study this time.
as descriptive as
possible)
As this interview was on 2nd of December and till then we knew the names
of our interviewer, I did a bit of research about my interviewer and found
out a good article he had written. I read the complete article on the net
What do you think
and then went on to ask some specific questions related to that. This
creates a very good impression on the interviewer about you because he
this interview?
too will get excited to answer your queries if you asking him a question in
a field in which he has an expertise. You won’t believe but we had spent
more that 80% of our interview time discussing this question.
I wasn’t prepared for the answer to the question “What if not McKinsey.”
They asked about which other companies I will be sitting for and why
What do you think
those companies etc. etc. You should be prepared for such type of
went wrong in this
questions; you should always say that you have some back‐up. You have
interview?
to be realistic, so you can’t just say that McKinsey is the only company I
want to work for and I won’t work at all I don’t get into it.

Do not take any interview lightly. The interview may sound very friendly
Any tips for the and casual but they may intend to check how professionally you behave
future batches based in such situations. It might happen that its an informal interview but its
on this interview quite possible that if you screw up badly, the interviewers might be
experience? rethinking over their decision and you may then find yourself in a big
trouble.


30
Name Prateek Singhal
Name of Interviewer
and Designation

Round Round 1, 1st Interview

•What did I like about my internships and if given a chance to redo it,
what will I do to improve it, as a team player. oI could inform him about
Personal Interview
my success as a team player by telling him of the B. Tech. project offer
Questions (With
from Max Planck Institute. •Details of .NET Club activities. •Details of
Indicative Answers
business aspects covered in a business plan submitted by me. oI could
if you choose to
explain in a way to showcase my familiarity with the business world
share them)
•One weakness and one quality as a leader which I think has
instrumental in my experience. •Why consulting

Your client wants to begin a big cardiac hospital in a small town, say your
city Gwalior. Estimate the market for it, and list some factors that would
affect the revenues of the hospital. The case was asked in such a way that
made it clear that the interviewer did not want a complete solution to the
problem but wanted to see the thinking process and how I broke the
problem into parts and identify which are the working factors and which
are not. I divided the whole population into age groups (<25, 25‐50, >50)
and calculated the population of each group. Group 1 can be ignored for it
has negligible number of heart patients. I assumed that 20% people in
group 2 have heart problems of some sort, and that 30% people in group 3
have heart problems of some sort, and confirmed with the interviewer.
Narration of the case This gave the local market size. Next, I asked if the hospital aims to attract
interview (please be people from outside. The interviewer didn’t want me to calculate the
as descriptive as market size of non‐locals but wanted me to list some factors that would
possible) affect it. I listed out two most important factors •financial condition of the
customer to traveling to another city •brand image of the hospital The
interviewer next asked me to think of factors that will affect the hospital
revenues and that need to be taken into account by management. I
recalled the list various factors which I usually used to solve a business
case and made notes. Now, I excluded factors like location etc. which
would not be a major issue and came up with three major factors •Brand
name or reputation ‐ the common man would not, in general, come to an
expensive hospital unless he has heard of testimonials. The rich section is
not very big in a small town. •Publicity of the hospital, especially in other


31

cities, because towns like this are not expected to have a huge number of
heart patients. •Competitive rates, as health care facilities are really cheap
in small town as compared to the rates of a typical big hospital. •Other
factors ‐ ease of the customer, amount of formalities required, good
hospitality etc. The Interviewer wanted something more and asked me to
consider two big hospitals of the same kind in the same town and think of
factors driving the customer to choose one. I thought would be the
reputation, the facilities etc. He was looking for something else and asked
me one factor which would decide the choice, given everything else is the
same. I again missed it, and finally he told me it would be the popularity
and fame of the doctors.
•The interview went in a manner in which I could put forward my
leadership experiences in the best possible manner. •I could showcase
familiarity with business world. •I was clear in identifying my strengths,
What do you think
weaknesses and vision. •I think I could convince him that I was
hardworking •In the end I asked him a follow up question on the
this interview?
relevance of the case in real life, which showcased my interest in the case.
He was happy and explained in detail about the practical relevance in
Indian context.
What do you think

•I think I could have structured the case better, in both the parts.
went wrong in this
•Probably my body language wasn’t very good in the first half.
interview?
Know yourself well, do a lot of homework thinking about your
Any tips for the achievements, each of your listed experiences, strengths, weaknesses etc.
future batches based Have a clear vision about yourself, who you are, your life, your plans,
on this interview why are you a fit for the job etc; try to convey it through your answers. Be
experience? interactive in the cases; try to make it a dialogue. Take your time to think
and structure the case. Mind your body language, be energetic.


32
Name of Interviewer
and Designation
Round
Personal Interview •My departmental rank, and why my CPI was low when compared to my

Questions JEE rank. •My career plans. •Why consulting.
Estimate the monthly electricity bill for this hotel (Taj Palace, Delhi). This
was a typical estimation case, and I solved it using the usual MECE
approach. I identified that the hotel’s electricity expenditure is in three
major places •The rooms •The services (background and foreground)
•The lobby and reception Let us take each of these one by one. For the
rooms, I was asked to assume 500 simple rooms. For each room, I
accounted for lights, AC, miscellaneous supplies like ironing/laptops etc.
In this the interviewer helped me in assigning AC power consumption to
each room, as I was unsure of how to do that. For all the rooms, the power
consumption came out to be 30MWh. I divided the services into 3
restaurants, 1 bar, 1 coffee‐shop, 5 shops, 5 office complexes, 3 conference
halls. Services like swimming pool and parking etc. could be ignored as
they don’t take up much electricity. Next, I calculated the power
consumption of all of these one‐by‐one making appropriate assumptions,
by estimating the size of each of these in terms of the size of the room. All
of this was after confirming with the interviewer. Finally, this came out to
as descriptive as
be another 500 rooms, hence another 30MWh for the services. A lobby
possible)
was taken to be roughly the size of 50 rooms. And I assumed 5 such
lobbies in the hotel. This gave another 15MWh. Hence, the hotel spends a
total of 75MWh in one day. This means 75000 units of electricity.
Assuming a price of Rs. 10 per unit, this gives us Rs. 7.5 lacs per day, or
about Rs. 2.5 crore per month. The interviewer said it was good answer
and that the actual expenditure is close to this. Next, I was asked to
estimate the revenues earned from hotel rooms, per month, to see if the
hotel at all recovers this cost. I dashed into the solution at once with 500
rooms, Rs. 15000 per room per night, 30 nights ‐around Rs. 25 crore. But
one factor that might change the rate would be that hotels usually reserve
rooms for businesses, at a cheaper rate. The interviewer pointed out that I
missed the point that all the rooms would not be occupied all the time. I
then assumed 70% occupancy rates, and the revenue came out to be
around 17 crores.

33
•I could justify my unsure future plans, and at the same time sound
What do you think concrete, practical and original. •I could drive the case to the very end
went right for you in and come up with realistic numbers. •I asked him a question on the
this interview? experiences of past business analysts which made me sound serious. The
interviewer explained in great detail, citing particular examples.
What do you think •The interviewer did not think my way of solving the case was the
went wrong in this simplest one, and he suggested a much simpler way. •I missed out on one
interview? crucial point in the second part of the case.
Be realistic and original in your plans, and be able to justify it strongly.
Any tips for the
This works better than cramming up a state‐of‐the‐art career plan and
trying to defend it. Think for the case solution method from various
on this interview
perspectives, and decide upon the most suitable method depending upon
experience?
the type/accuracy of answer desired.


34
Name of Interviewer
Raj Kamal
and Designation
Round
Personal Interview
Questions (With •Asked details about things in my resume. •Questions on personal
Indicative Answers qualities and how they matched with what the firm needed. •Why
if you choose to consulting.
share them)

A bank is worried because the number of ATM users among its customers
is not growing. What could be the possible reasons for this? Also, the bank
wants to open a new ATM. How many customers should serve so that it is
justified by cost concerns? I went to my usual list of possible factors that
could be affecting this case and came up with 3 possible broad reasons for
this: •Product – What is the ATM service design? How the interface is and
what are the facilities provided? How do these compare with the
competitor ATMs? Is the ATM service given at a fee? Is the fee too much?
How does the fee compare with the competitors? •Supply/Sales – Are the
ATM locations in general strategic? Are the competitor ATMs better
Narration of the case located? Is the ATM facility well publicized? •Customers – Who are the
interview (please be customers? Does a major fraction of them fall in classes which don’t
as descriptive as usually use ATMs? I also thought upon other reasons like the bank’s
possible) internal logistics, cost to the bank etc. but they were either irrelevant here
or covered under the above three heads. The interviewer agreed with
most of these. He also suggested one more important reason ‐ do the bank
customers have ATM cards at all? Why? It could so happen that the ATM
card procurement process is expensive/complicated/lengthy and the
costumers do not have ATM cards in the first place. The next part of the
question was a quantitative case. Opening a new ATM will be justified if
the cost to the bank is less than the cost to the bank if all the customers
expected to use the ATM go to the bank and are served by operators. Cost
of ATM = Cost of premises + Salary of Guard + Cost of electricity + Other
Small Costs = Rs. 15000pm + Rs. 10000pm + Rs. 5000 pm = Rs. 30000pm .


35

Similarly, find the cost, if all the people using ATMs have to be served
manually. I was asked to assume the same fixed costs of the bank in both
cases. Hence, the cost in this case was the sum of salaries paid to
employees for the time they serve customers plus some other costs. The
employee salaries could be calculated by finding out the average time
taken to serve a customer, and dividing the monthly salary into this
proportion. Also, don’t forget that all the bank customers would not come
to the bank daily; assume say once a week. Finally by equating these two
costs, the number of ATM users came out to be around 20 each day.
•I could clearly spell out my qualities and strengths and how they fit well
What do you think
to the firm’s requirements. •I did my homework to build some
knowledge about the firm and showcased it, in my answers and by asking
this interview?
questions in the end.
What do you think • I think I assumed some important points in the case myself, without
went wrong in this even letting the interviewer know, which eventually turned out to be
interview? opposite to the interviewer’s expectations.
Any tips for the Don’t be in a haste to solve the case. Rather try to do correctly and
future batches based comprehensively whatever you do; the rest of the case will be probably a
on this interview follow up on your current performance. Try to understand the
experience? interviewer’s intent during the interview.


36
Name of Interviewer
and Designation
Round
•Asked about my other interview experiences oI could bring out a few
good points about myself and few things I enjoyed; in general convey that
Personal Interview I enjoyed the process. •One important thing I observed about McKinsey
Questions (With that day. •Why my academics at school were not as good as that at IIT.
Indicative Answers •Why I wanted to do management consulting despite having done good
if you choose to at academics. oI explained how I had developed an interest other than
share them) technical, and what I was doing to pursue it. oI could discuss my plans
with him and steer the interview, while at the same time emphasizing that
I believed I was suited for consulting and technically good, the same time.
No Case!!
as descriptive as
possible)
•I could clearly spell out my plans and my thoughts on my career and
What do you think
involve the interviewer in it. •I could justify and give reasons for all my
performances in my career. •I could prove that I was serious about
this interview?
consulting, and not just experimenting.
What do you think

went wrong in this • I was confused and a bit uncomfortable.
interview?
Any tips for the Don’t be in a haste to solve the case. Rather try to do correctly and
future batches based comprehensively whatever you do; the rest of the case will be probably a
on this interview follow up on your current performance. Try to understand the
experience? interviewer’s intent during the interview.


37
Name of Interviewer
and Designation
Round
Personal Interview
Questions (With Whole of the interview was focused around – Why did I want to do
Indicative Answers consulting, why was I so sure about it, why don’t I want to continue
if you choose to technically/academically.
share them)
No Case
as descriptive as
possible)
What do you think •I could clearly spell out my plans and my thoughts on my career and
went right for you in involve the interviewer in it. •I could prove that I was serious about
this interview? joining McKinsey and doing consulting.
What do you think

• Stuck a couple of times trying to explain and justify that I love my field,
went wrong in this
as well as confident and enthusiastic about consulting.
interview?
Any tips for the

future batches based Try to be more interactive in a telephonic interview by using appropriate
on this interview phrases and pauses.
experience?


38
Name V Bhanu Chandra
Name of Interviewer
and Designation
Round
The interview started with “Tell me about you” and then continued along
Personal Interview
the various points that I had mentioned in the above question. In answer
Questions (With
to the above question I had mentioned what I had done in the last few
Indicative Answers
years. What all I had learned not only being in the positions of
if you choose to
responsibility but also as an individual how I have bettered than what I
share them)
was before.
The case that I was given was to estimate the size of the cigarette market
in India. At the outset I had asked for clarification as to whether by size
they meant the number of cigarettes sold or the overall cost of the
Narration of the case cigarettes. At this point I was told that they needed the cost of the
interview (please be cigarettes sold. I had started by saying that this can be obtained by getting
as descriptive as the details from the companies which sell most of the cigarettes, but also
possible) mentioned that another way would be to look at the demand of the
cigarettes. At this point the interviewer said that he wants me to calculate
from the demand side. At this I started breaking down the society into
classes and then based on age, sex calculated the size of the market.
What do you think The informal nature of the interview and the way I could break up the
went right for you in case into first classes and then also coming up with reasonably good
this interview? estimates of the numbers involved.
I had started on a bad note in the case when I said a billion is 100 million.
What do you think
At this point I got a little nervous and beads of sweat started appearing on
went wrong in this
the forehead. But then the interviewer was kind enough not to follow it
interview?
up. He let things cool down.
Do the cases well and be natural when the questions in personal interview
Any tips for the
come up. Chalk out a plan for what you would be the content of the
answer which you would give but avoid by‐hearting the exact answer.
on this interview
You might just fumble. But, this is my personal opinion, others need to
experience?
assess it independently.

39
Name of Interviewer
and Designation
Round
The interview started on a very informal note with the interviewer asking
me how was the stay. I just took him through what we did the whole
Personal Interview night and the people we met, also the issues we discussed. After this there
Questions (With was some silence for sometime. The interviewer was not asking any
Indicative Answers questions and I had answered the previous question to its completion.
if you choose to Silence was broken down by the interviewer by starting with the same
share them) kind of interview as the first one. The only thing that differed was that
this time around, I had tried to cover the parts of the resume which I
could not touch upon during the first interview.
Estimate the market of the new 1 lac car TATA is going to launch in a
short period of time. I started with a classification of the population into
classes based on economic status and then went on to solve the case. This
interview was special since the interviewer kept the pressure going saying
as descriptive as
that time is running out for me. He struck to 30 min slot that was
possible)
scheduled. I was expected to give a final number for the given estimation
case.
The way the interview started and also some good estimates from my side
What do you think
made the interview really good. The body language was paid a lot of
attention to. Stands on certain issues were also appreciated and finally
this interview?
the way in which the interview started and my initial responses did good.
What do you think

went wrong in this This could be an overkill but in my opinion nothing.
interview?
Do not cave in for stress interviews. Be cheerful, energetic and be sure of
Any tips for the what you are saying. When the interviewer explicitly asks you to come to
future batches based a number while estimating, not just the process, be careful with the
on this interview numbers at each stage of the breakup so that you do not end up spending
experience? more than the allotted time just trying to figure out what you had just
estimated.


40
Name of Interviewer
Prashant, Associate Partner
and Designation
Round
This interview also started with “Tell me about you” style question and
Personal Interview then went very similar to what the previous two interviews went. But, the
Questions (With only new and I guess important personal question that was asked was
Indicative Answers “What if not McKinsey”. I had simply mentioned another company,
if you choose to joining which I can accomplish my long term goals. I stressed more on the
share them) long term career goals I want to achieve; starting with McKinsey was one
of the good ways of starting the same.
In the career path I had mentioned the idea of a startup. The interviewer
asked me to come up with a product and then estimate the market size for
the same. Later I was to ask him for investment in the said startup in a
as descriptive as
stipulated time of 2 minutes. I had to make a small presentation to him of
possible)
the case.
What do you think Showing them the career path that I want to take by joining their
went right for you in company and also sticking to the same even in the case in which they do
this interview? not take me might have worked for me.
What do you think I did not present my case well. I was more involved in giving the numbers

went wrong in this to the investor rather than just the idea of the product and a mention of
interview? the size of the market.
Any tips for the

future batches based Be sure you have thought of a career path and also stick to it in the
on this interview eventuality of the current company turning you down.
experience?


41
Name of Interviewer
and Designation
Round
Personal Interview
Questions (With This was a very short interview and the only personal question asked in
Indicative Answers this case was to mention a situation where I had worked in a team of
if you choose to peers. What is needed to make such a team successful?
share them)
This was more of a strategy case in which a TV dealer, bank and the
customer are involved. I was asked to predict who gains what and who
as descriptive as
has to pay whom and why.
possible)
What do you think

The fact that I started by saying “Let me start with the customer since I
can identify myself with him more easily” worked well. Reason: see tips.
this interview?
What do you think I started mentioning the work that we did in a team of peers rather than

went wrong in this concentrating on the nature of the team itself. The interviewer had to
interview? bring me back to the topic a couple of times.
Any tips for the

I am of the opinion that the interviewer is looking for how well one
empathizes with the situation. So my first statement should have been
on this interview
spot on.
experience?


42
Name of Interviewer
and Designation
Round
Personal Interview
Questions (With What if not McKinsey?
Indicative Answers Why consulting?
if you choose to Why startup?
share them)
No case study this time.
as descriptive as
possible)
What do you think

went right for you in Again my stand on the career path that I have, worked well for me.
this interview?
What do you think

Being telephonic in nature the interview was less interactive and I did not
went wrong in this
have a chance to gauge the reaction of the interviewers.
interview?
Any tips for the

future batches based Telephonic interviews are weird. Practice for yourself thinking you are
on this interview going to talk to a wall.
experience?

43
Endnote

You can use a lot of resources available freely on the net. Some of the good
casebooks and interview guides are listed below:
WHU Koblenz – Das Consulting Casebook
Wharton Casebook
Tuck University Consulting Club Guide
Kellog University Consulting Club Guide
There are several other case guides of universities like HBS, Columbia etc which you
can refer to. In addition to this, you can refer to the interview guides by some Indian
institutes like ISB and IITB.
Also there are a lot of internet sites which provides sample interview questions,
advices for dressing attires, how to write winning resumes, etc. It is, thus, advisable
to start googling for all such stuffs. Infact, all of the above stuffs written in this
handbook can be found on one or the other site. We have just tried to compile
everything available with us along with our experiences. All we hope is that this
effort of ours be worth your time.
Best of luck!!!

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IIT Kanpur - Class of 2007

How to use this Guide ........................................................................................................... 3

Interview Guide McKinsey & Company

Interview Guide McKinsey & Company

How to use this Guide

Interview Guide McKinsey & Company

organizations. McKinseyʹs top strategy consulting competitors include The Boston

Interview Guide McKinsey & Company

Former McKinsey consultants overwhelmingly speak of their experience at

McKinsey in favorable terms. International renowned publications acknowledge

Interview Guide McKinsey & Company

Several committees develop policies and make critical decisions. Geographically

geographical practices around industry sectors and management areas. Associates

help solve strategic, organizational, operational and technological problems, for

Interview Guide McKinsey & Company

Interview Guide McKinsey & Company

employers for the past nine years (refer to http://money.cnn.com/magazines/

Interview Guide McKinsey & Company

Professional Degree candidatesʺ) attend a ʺmini‐MBAʺ training program before

Interview Guide McKinsey & Company

McKinsey Interview – an Insight

Interview Guide McKinsey & Company

Interview Guide McKinsey & Company

Interview Guide McKinsey & Company

Basic Do’s and Don’ts

information. You will also show your interviewer that you value his or her

information from the companyʹs website, annual report or company

Interview Guide McKinsey & Company

Watch Your Non‐Verbal Communication. Maintain an open body posture.

Interview Guide McKinsey & Company

firm handshake can help you overcome nervousness, develop a personal

Be Prepared For Personal Questions, Even Some Inappropriate Ones.

experience or weaknesses. You can be self‐confident without being

habits or different practices learned from previous employers. Many

Interview Guide McKinsey & Company

communication skills, interpersonal abilities, analytical thinking talents, and

Interview Guide McKinsey & Company

role in the organization is established. Any mask that you may don for the

Interview Guide McKinsey & Company

Standard Resume Format

Interview Guide McKinsey & Company

Interview Guide McKinsey & Company

Position, Organisation Period Key achievements

Interview Guide McKinsey & Company

Sample Interview Questions

Interview Guide McKinsey & Company

Interview Guide McKinsey & Company

Chronicle of our Interviews

Interview Guide McKinsey & Company

Interview Guide McKinsey & Company

Interview Guide McKinsey & Company

Interview Guide McKinsey & Company

Any tips for the

Interview Guide McKinsey & Company

Interview Guide McKinsey & Company

Interview Guide McKinsey & Company