McKinsey Case Interview: Everything You Need to Know

McKinsey & Company’s interview process is among the most selective and structured in the consulting industry. Known for its rigorous problem-solving tests and interviewer-led cases, McKinsey evaluates candidates on clarity, logic, and communication under pressure.

If you have an upcoming McKinsey interview, this guide will walk you through every step — from the case structure to the personal experience interview — and show you how to prepare effectively using free and premium tools from case-prep.com, including MBB-style cases, math drills, exhibit analysis exercises, and a networking hub to find partners to practice with.

McKinsey Interview Rounds

McKinsey interviews usually consist of two rounds, each designed to test your problem-solving ability, business judgment, and communication skills.

First Round:

• Two 45-minute interviews with Associates or Engagement Managers.
• Each includes one interviewer-led case interview and one Personal Experience Interview (PEI) question.

Final Round:

• Two to three interviews with Partners or Associate Partners.
• Focuses more on judgment, synthesis, and leadership potential.
• PEI questions often go deeper and cases may be more ambiguous.

What Makes McKinsey’s Case Interview Different

McKinsey’s case interviews are interviewer-led, meaning your interviewer controls the flow of the discussion and guides you through structured questions. Unlike Bain or BCG, where you lead the exploration, McKinsey expects crisp, direct answers supported by logic and quantitative reasoning.

A typical McKinsey case follows this flow:

1. Clarify the problem and objective.
2. Structure your approach into clear, MECE buckets.
3. Answer targeted questions the interviewer asks (quantitative and qualitative).
4. Interpret charts or exhibits provided mid-case.
5. Synthesize your findings and provide a concise recommendation.

The 6 Steps to Solve Any McKinsey Case Interview

Although McKinsey’s interviewer-led format is distinct, every case can be tackled effectively by mastering these six core steps.

1. Understand the Case

Listen carefully to the prompt and restate the objective to ensure alignment. McKinsey interviewers value precision, so confirm what success looks like for the client. Take clean notes and clarify ambiguous terms early.

2. Structure the Problem

Develop a logical framework to approach the problem. Your structure should be MECE (mutually exclusive, collectively exhaustive) and tailored to the prompt — not a memorized template.

To practice, try the Framework & Brainstorming Drills on case-prep.com, designed specifically for McKinsey-style cases.

3. Answer Targeted Questions

Since McKinsey interviewers guide the conversation, be ready to dive into discrete questions like:

• “What factors would drive profitability here?”
• “How would you size this market?”
• “What insights can we draw from this chart?”

Each answer should start with your structure, followed by data-driven reasoning.

4. Solve Quantitative Problems

McKinsey places heavy emphasis on quantitative rigor. You may be asked to compute revenue growth rates, margins, or market share shifts — often under time pressure.

→ Strengthen your mental math with Case Math Drills. They’re built around actual McKinsey-style data questions and let you track speed and accuracy over time.

5. Interpret Exhibits

You’ll often receive graphs, tables, or charts with dense information. McKinsey expects you to extract the “so what” quickly — describing what the data shows and why it matters to the client.

Try some Exhibit Analysis Drills to sharpen this skill.

6. Deliver a Clear Recommendation

McKinsey prizes structured communication. End the case by directly answering the client’s question, summarizing key findings, and suggesting next steps. Keep your tone confident and concise.

McKinsey Personal Experience Interview (PEI)

In addition to the case, each McKinsey interview includes a PEI — a deep behavioral discussion about one specific story from your past. Typical PEI themes include:

1. Leading a team
2. Overcoming a challenge
3. Managing conflict
4. Influencing without authority
5. Driving change

Each story should be structured using the Situation – Task – Action – Result – Reflection format.

Need a partner to practice with? Check out our Peer Partner Hub, free for all users. It’s built to connect candidates prepping for McKinsey, BCG, and Bain.

McKinsey Case Interview Examples

Some examples can be found on McKinsey's website; check out this article for more details. Past candidates have reported topics such as:

• A pharmaceutical company losing market share in oncology drugs
• A bank exploring digital lending opportunities
• A consumer goods firm entering a new geography
• A logistics company improving fleet efficiency
• A tech company monetizing a new AI platform

For more MBB-style cases, check out our Case Library, which has cases that mirror McKinsey’s interviewer-led style and include example responses.

Possible McKinsey Behavioral Questions Outside PEI

1. Why McKinsey?
2. Why consulting?
3. Walk me through your resume.
4. Tell me about a time you led a team.
5. Describe a time you faced a difficult challenge.
6. Tell me about a time you influenced someone senior.
7. Describe a time you failed and what you learned.
8. Tell me about a time you had to persuade someone.
9. Describe a time you worked with someone difficult.
10. What questions do you have for me?

McKinsey Interview Tips

Tip #1: Master interviewer-led logic.
Focus on answering questions clearly, not overexplaining frameworks. Each answer should move the discussion forward.

Tip #2: Practice mental math under time pressure.
McKinsey interviewers often test calculation speed. Use structured equations and explain your steps out loud.

Tip #3: Be data-driven in your synthesis.
When summarizing, quantify your findings whenever possible.

Tip #4: Prepare 3-4 detailed PEI stories.
Each story should demonstrate leadership, resilience, or impact.

Tip #5: Use realistic practice materials.
The closer your practice is to the real thing, the faster you improve.

Proven Tools to Help You Land Your McKinsey Offer

Landing a McKinsey offer is tough — but with the right preparation, you can dramatically increase your odds. These tools were built for that exact purpose.

1. MBB Case Library – Real McKinsey-style cases with guided answers and data exhibits.
2. Case Math Drills – Targeted quantitative practice modeled after McKinsey’s difficulty.
3. Exhibit Analysis Drills – Learn to extract insights quickly from charts and data tables.
4. Brainstorming & Market Sizing Drills – Build structured creativity and estimation speed.
5. Networking Hub – Find partners to practice cases and PEI questions with, globally.

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Next: Bain & Company Case Interview Guide

While McKinsey’s process is highly structured and interviewer-led, Bain takes a more conversational, candidate-led approach. You’ll be expected to take ownership of the case from start to finish — structuring the problem, driving the analysis, and steering the discussion toward insights. In the next section, we’ll cover exactly how Bain’s interview format differs, what types of cases they favor, and how to approach Bain’s data-heavy charts and practical business questions.