What Does It Take to Get a Job at McKinsey?
McKinsey is interviewing at my school, and I was hoping to get a feel for my shot at an interview. I've previously gotten first rounds w/ Bain and BCG, but I hear McKinsey is more selective than even them.
I was a summer analyst at MS, and I did get an offer. I've got a 3.6 and solid, but not spectacular, ECs at a semi-target. I've also got the diversity thing going, if that matters at all. I'm fairly certain that I can destroy the case; I just need the opportunity.
Given that McKinsey has like a 3.7-3.8 gpa cutoff, should I expect to still get on the closed list, or should I just forget McKinsey? Sweet, thanks guys.
Harder to Get a McKinsey Interview vs. Bain and BCG?
Our users shared mixed opinions about whether it is harder to get an interview with McKinsey than it is to get an interview with Bain and BCG.
If you can get interviews with BCG and Bain, you have a high, high probability of getting a McK interview--it's not as if each company is looking for a different skill set. The diversity thing does help. How many non-Asian minorities do you see at MBB events? Very few. Probably 1 out of every 50 people.The GPA cutoff is just BS. None of the firms you mention has a strict GPA cutoff. It just so happens that grades and test scores are valued by MBB more highly than they are by banks. But so what? That doesn't mean that if you don't have a 3.7 you won't get an interview.
The cutoff is just listed there; it really means nothing. I know many with 3.3s who interviewed with McKinsey. Honestly, there is too much misinformation out there, and people tend to believe "cutoffs" too easily. I have personally reviewed resumes, where 3.75 was the cutoff, but I would let the guy/girl through cause he had good experience. It's just the way it happens; always assume there is no GPA cutoff: if you do, how can it hurt you?
However, some users such as @ihavenomoneynow" shared that they got Bain and BGC but did not get McKinsey interviews:
I will chime in. Got both Bain and BCG first rounds on campus. Did not get a McKinsey first round, despite top internship experience and 3.9+. Ironically enough I was one of the kids invited to apply early to McKinsey (interview date of sept. 5), but chose to forgo it for more preparation time.
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If you can get interviews with BCG and Bain, you have a high, high probability of getting a McK interview--it's not as if each company is looking for a different skill set. The diversity thing does help. How many non-Asian minorities do you see at MBB events? Very few. Probably 1 out of every 50 people.
The GPA cutoff is just BS. None of the firms you mention has a strict GPA cutoff. Personally, I think that's bandied about by students who don't get interviews so that they can feel good about themselves when they find out that they didn't make the cut. It just so happens that grades and test scores are valued by MBB more highly than they are by banks. But so what? That doesn't mean that if you don't have a 3.7 you won't get an interview.
Thanks for the insight. The posting actually explicitly has 3.75 listed as the cut-off, but then again your average 3.6 guy didn't spend this past summer working on billion doller m&a transactions. We'll see, I suppose.
Whoops, must be a thing for semi- and non-targets then. The target I went to had no explicit cutoffs. I have never heard of it occurring at other schools. I find it odd that McK has an explicit cutoff for your school, but Bain and BCG don't. Sorry about the error and good luck with the app.
While I don't recall an explicitly mentioned cutoff either, it seemed to be a fairly widely accepted notion among interviewing students last recruiting season. It may be as you mentioned earlier about kids rationalizing why they didn't get an interview with McK, but I and many others I know interviewed for Bain and BCG but never had a spot to interview for McK.
The cutoff is just listed there; it really means nothing. I know many with 3.3s who interviewed with McKinsey. Honestly, there is too much misinformation out there, and people tend to believe "cutoffs" too easily. I have personally reviewed resumes, where 3.75 was the cutoff, but I would let the guy/girl through cause he had good experience. It's just the way it happens; always assume there is no GPA cutoff: if you do, how can it hurt you?
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From my school, a semi-target for banking, a kid with a 3.3 got a McKinsey offer. He was otherwise a stellar candidate.
I'm with xenowang here. Getting an interview at one of MBB does not mean you will get others.
i will chime in. got both bain and BCG first rounds on campus. did not get a McKinsey first round, despite top internship experience and 3.9+. ironically enough i was one of the kids invited to apply early to McKinsey (interview date of sept. 5), but chose to forgo it for more preparation time
"Even though McK started e-mailing me the summer before recruiting and had myself and one other kid from my school come to meet people at the office, I did not even get a first round interview. That other kid did, so who knows."
lol... my thoughts exactly. visited their office 3 times during the summer... two for panel sessions, 1 exclusive one where it was me and 3 other kids. constant contact with my hr recruiter and NO McKinsey interview. i was initially pretty pissed off
nfg05, was your offer for a Southern Bain office? I think that might explain why you got Bain but not McKinsey. I think for like Atlanta they take slightly more kids from certain targets (non-Ivies, etc.)
just wanted to announce that I GOT A FIRST ROUND WITH McKinsey! Now I have a week to prep for their problem solving test and case interview.
sorry to dig up an old thread, but is McK more lenient on Engineering majors? I had a 3.75 and got Bain and BCG intern interviews this year but it is dropping fast, and I expect it will be around 3.6-3.65 when I apply... do I still have a chance?
better have a good excuse for the drop. from outside it looks like slacking off.
McKinsey interviews fall- getting the message across (Originally Posted: 09/14/2010)
just attended info session at my university. it was packed.
I wonder how can i stand out in such a large pool at a top school.
any resume tips, i have a 4.0 and plenty of leadership, activity, experience, but i still feel like all this is a crap-shoot.
how to stand above the rest?
also if their any successful summer interns out there, how did you prepare, and how did it go.
any and all comments appreciated
thanks
you have a 4.0 at a target and you are applying as either a junior or senior? youre getting an interview unless you get really really ridiculously unlucky
ex-McKinsey guy here : when writing your resume, pay attention to the impact you had, dont just write your day to day duties.
for ex.
Goldman Sachs Summer Intern, M&A Group *created..... *researched.... *prepared......
VS.
Red Cross Fundraising Coordinator *Organized student rallies to collect $5000 for floods in Pakistan
Whatever job u did - even if u were dancer/plumber/actor/writer/number crunching monk or a code monkey, try to show what was ur impact : how did u take something and made it better.
make sure gpa stays 4.0. and look for a book called "Case in Point" on Amazon.com. Best case study prep.
good luck.
i wish i had enough credits to give you but thanks! this really helps :)
You're right - to some extent it is a crap shoot. I strongly believe that the best way to minimise the random nature of applications is by networking. 'Championing' happens, and it's valuable all the way through the application process.
Getting an Interview with McKinsey (Originally Posted: 10/01/2010)
A colleague of mine (non-consultant) was at a McKinsey recruiting event and recommended that I apply. I honestly didn't give it much thought initially as I've been doing quite well for myself. However, my colleague pressed the issue a bit and peaked my interest to the point where I started looking into McKinsey. After researching the company quite thoroughly, I became very interested in landing a position there.
I come from a somewhat non-traditional background and my primary concern is about getting an initial interview. I'm fairly certain I can do well with the case, I just need the opportunity.
I'm a professional with about 8 years of experience leading teams of 5-25 professionals on various projects that I would spearhead. I worked my way up to Director of Operations at my last firm (a smaller start-up style firm) after having been an Executive Account Manager. I have a great deal of leadership experience, interpersonal & communication skills, and an entrepreneurial spirit. I also possess a strong technical background and a very broad understanding of many different fields.
My primary concern is that I attended a non-target school (University of Massachusetts) and finished with a ~3.2 GPA many years ago. However, my GPA doesn't reflect that I was working 40+ hours a week while in school to walk away debt free.
Can anyone offer any advice on how to apply and present myself (resume and cover letter) to get the first interview? Is the application process the same for experienced applicants or does it vary?
FYI: I'm open to working overseas as I fluently speak different languages (i.e. Arabic, etc.)
get a top 5 mba then McKinsey.
The odds of landing an interview by simply submitting your resume and cover letter are slim. Your best bet, like any career switcher, is to either network your way in or get an MBA from a top school. You might want to contact some headhunters and see if they show any interest. Either way you are going to have to show why you should be hired over the Harvard/Wharton/Standford MBA grad who also had 4-5 years of experience before going to Bschool.
3.2 will not get you into McK, no matter what the circumstances. Agreed that you have to go through top B-school to have a shot.
i think it's ridiculous to assume that they'll give a shit about your gpa being low considering your experience. plus, emphasizing your work and debt-free graduation would be very helpful if you could make it an interesting story. but the initial interview really is a tough cookie i hear. try getting into a recruiting event, talking with one of the attending consultants, and handing him/her your resume, if you can't network your way in some more direct way. mba is not always a necessity - it's for the less imaginative ppl :P
oh, but if you can get a high gmat score, that would be good - they want some proof of you being a mental powerhouse.
always try to get a better GMAT. good luck
How can I get into McKinsey & Company? (Originally Posted: 03/13/2016)
How can I get in there?
Just walk in the building bro. You're in! People way over-complicate this stuff.
Just go to Harvard Business School. nbd. Their admission standards are piss poor these days.
You can talk the talk and walk the walk.
Or do the Harlem Shake
https://www.youtube.com/embed/8vJiSSAMNWw
A lot of handies and blowies.
This is true but I just want to point something out. McKinsey's (and MBBs in general for that matter) London office is FUCKING competitive so 'how to land an interview' depends on the location of the office.
-The Visa requirement for the US already cuts out a lot of potential applicants (unless McKinsey sponsors which I don't know)
-Anyone who has great grades, a solid CV and speak business proficient english can apply to the London office. Since pretty much everyone around the world learns english as their 2nd or 3rd language, you compete against many more people
-Local offices have less competition due to this language barrier; a lot of Danes could apply to the London office but not many Brits or International people in London could apply for Copenhagen
I speak from personal experience; I went to a UK target and people from numerous nationalities (German, French, Dutch, Spanish and Italian) all applied to the London offices and their home country offices. None got London, many got at least an interview with their home office.
In a nutshell, what you mentioned is important but be sure to make distinctions between office locations
3.6 with a McKinsey offer. Friend with a 3.0 also got interviewed. I'm from a target school. GPA cut-off is definitely BS.
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