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McKinsey & Company Senior Associate Interview Questions and Answers

Updated 13 Jan 2025

McKinsey & Company Senior Associate Interview Experiences

2 interviews found

Interview experience
4
Good
Difficulty level
Hard
Process Duration
2-4 weeks
Result
Selected Selected

I applied via Referral and was interviewed before Jan 2024. There were 3 interview rounds.

Round 1 - Aptitude Test 

Gaming test to test the analytical problem solving skills

Round 2 - Case Study 

Business problem case study

Round 3 - Case Study 

Business problem case study

Senior Associate Interview Questions & Answers

user image Amandeep Bedi

posted on 12 Dec 2015

I applied via Referral

Interview Questionnaire 

17 Questions

  • Q1. What is lean manufacturing ?
  • Ans. 

    Lean manufacturing is a systematic approach to identifying and eliminating waste in the production process.

    • Focuses on continuous improvement

    • Aims to increase efficiency and reduce costs

    • Involves all employees in the process

    • Uses tools such as value stream mapping and 5S

    • Examples include Toyota Production System and Kaizen

  • Answered by AI
  • Q2. What are your strengths?
  • Ans. 

    My strengths include strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and effective communication.

    • Strong analytical skills

    • Attention to detail

    • Effective communication

  • Answered by AI
  • Q3. What motivates you?
  • Ans. 

    My passion for learning and growth drives me to excel in my work and take on new challenges.

    • I am motivated by the opportunity to learn and develop new skills

    • I thrive in challenging environments that push me to grow

    • I am driven by a desire to make a positive impact and contribute to the success of my team and organization

  • Answered by AI
  • Q4. Examples of Leadership
  • Ans. 

    Leadership is the ability to inspire and guide a team towards a common goal.

    • Setting a clear vision and goals for the team

    • Communicating effectively with team members

    • Motivating and empowering team members

    • Leading by example

    • Encouraging collaboration and teamwork

    • Taking responsibility for team successes and failures

    • Providing constructive feedback and coaching

    • Adapting to changing circumstances and making tough decisions

    • Buildi

  • Answered by AI
  • Q5. What was your contribution? What did you do different?
  • Ans. 

    I introduced a new project management tool and streamlined the communication process.

    • Implemented a project management tool to track progress and deadlines

    • Created a communication plan to ensure all team members were informed and updated

    • Established regular check-ins to monitor progress and address any issues

    • Encouraged collaboration and teamwork to improve efficiency

    • Trained team members on the new tool and communication p

  • Answered by AI
  • Q6. Are you happy with your life path? What would you go and change?
  • Ans. 

    Yes, overall happy but would change some decisions.

    • I am content with my career choice but would have pursued a different major in college.

    • I am happy with my relationships but would have ended some toxic ones earlier.

    • I am satisfied with my current location but would have traveled more in my younger years.

    • I am grateful for my experiences but would have taken more risks and stepped out of my comfort zone.

  • Answered by AI
  • Q7. Why ISB? Why ITC? Why not MBA after IIT?
  • Ans. 

    ISB and ITC offer unique opportunities for growth and development that an MBA after IIT may not provide.

    • ISB offers a diverse and experienced cohort, world-class faculty, and a strong alumni network.

    • ITC is a renowned company with a strong focus on sustainability and social responsibility.

    • An MBA after IIT may not provide the same level of exposure to industry leaders and practical business experience.

    • ISB and ITC align wi...

  • Answered by AI
  • Q8. Biggest achievement! What did you do?
  • Ans. 

    Developed and implemented a new project management system resulting in a 20% increase in project efficiency.

    • Identified inefficiencies in current project management system

    • Researched and evaluated potential solutions

    • Collaborated with team to design and implement new system

    • Provided training and support to team members

    • Measured and analyzed results, resulting in a 20% increase in project efficiency

  • Answered by AI
  • Q9. What other interviews I had and was appearing? Which was the best one till now?
  • Q10. How was Mckinsey’s interview different from BCG?
  • Ans. 

    McKinsey and BCG interviews differ in their approach and focus.

    • McKinsey focuses more on structured problem-solving and case interviews.

    • BCG emphasizes on fit and personal experience.

    • McKinsey interviews are more quantitative and analytical.

    • BCG interviews are more qualitative and behavioral.

    • Both firms have their unique interview styles and evaluation criteria.

  • Answered by AI
  • Q11. Why ISB?
  • Ans. 

    ISB offers a unique learning experience with its diverse student body, world-class faculty, and strong industry connections.

    • ISB's diverse student body provides a global perspective and networking opportunities.

    • World-class faculty with extensive industry experience ensures practical learning.

    • Strong industry connections provide access to top companies for internships and placements.

    • ISB's focus on leadership development a...

  • Answered by AI
  • Q12. Examples of Leadership experience? Your role in it?
  • Ans. 

    As a team leader at XYZ Corp, I led a team of 10 in a project to increase sales by 20% in 6 months.

    • Led a team of 10 in a sales project at XYZ Corp

    • Developed and implemented strategies to increase sales by 20% in 6 months

    • Provided guidance and support to team members to achieve project goals

    • Monitored progress and made adjustments as needed to ensure success

    • Facilitated communication and collaboration among team members

    • Reco...

  • Answered by AI
  • Q13. What is your leadership style?
  • Ans. 

    My leadership style is collaborative and empowering.

    • I believe in involving team members in decision-making processes

    • I encourage open communication and feedback

    • I provide support and resources to help team members succeed

    • I lead by example and set high standards for myself and others

    • I recognize and celebrate team members' achievements

    • For example, when working on a project, I would gather input from all team members and as...

  • Answered by AI
  • Q14. What is lean manufacturing?
  • Ans. 

    Lean manufacturing is a systematic approach to minimize waste and maximize value in production processes.

    • Focuses on continuous improvement

    • Eliminates non-value added activities

    • Involves all employees in the process

    • Uses tools like Kanban, 5S, and Kaizen

    • Examples include Toyota Production System and Just-In-Time manufacturing

  • Answered by AI
  • Q15. Explain a particular point on the resume? Impact of what I did
  • Ans. 

    Implemented a new customer service system resulting in a 20% increase in customer satisfaction

    • Developed and implemented a new customer service system

    • Conducted training sessions for customer service representatives

    • Monitored customer feedback and made necessary improvements

    • Increased customer satisfaction by 20%

  • Answered by AI
  • Q16. Grades: Explain them
  • Q17. Leadership experience from IIT. Was I proud of my performance at IIT…vis a vis ISB?

Interview Preparation Tips

Round: Case Study Interview
Experience: Client is a PSU Bank. Currently the account opening process takes between 60 minutes- starting from the time he comes to clerk counter to the time customer leaves with Passbook, Cheque-book and account number. How will you cut it down to < 10 minutes and still deliver all the 3. Drew a complicated process map.

Basic facts given at start of case:
Current process (60 minutes) : The clerk interacts with customer to provide him the account opening form, does the first round scrutiny, does the KYC, sends form to officer for approval, officer approves, clerk opens account & creates account number & passbook, sends to officer to approval , officer approves, clerk creates the cheque book, sends to officer to approval , officer approves. Clerk hands over the Account Number, Pass book and cheque book to customer.

Facts shared ( shared by Nigel only if you ask)
• Customer is issued form and he submits a filled up form to clerk = 15 minutes
• Scrutiny of form = 10 minutes
• KYC takes 5 minutes
• Each approval loop with officer takes – 10 minutes ( 3 loops=30mins)
• Approval cannot be done by Clerk as per union rules

Key Issues :
Methodologies recommended
a. Break down the process into various smaller steps. Do a time work-motion study to understand the component steps. Then do a Pareto (80/20) and attach the areas which consume the most time.
b. Break down the process into various smaller steps. Classify each step as
1. Adds Value to Customer from a/c opening perspective
2. Non Value Add – can be minimized, not eliminated
3. Non Value Add – can be eliminated.

By experience, 80% of the time is Non Value add ( 2&3). Do a Pareto within that and work out the various ways of reducing time.
Solutions
1. I had recommended an Internet based system where major customer information and checks would happen online and only a mandatory KYC (Know Your Customer) process would take place onsite.
2. McKinsey had (a) Combined the jobs of the clericals and officers (b) Used Pre-printed blank welcome kits with cheque books, pass books & account numbers. (c) Only KYC was done onsite (RBI regulations)..account names were incorporated subject to KYC confirmation.

Ramifications
1. Banking Unions (PSU): How will they react to job rationalisation/ eliminating clerical roles?
2. If you combine the roles (clerk & officer) and make the officer do it…wont your salary bill increase…since the initial clerk to officer ratio (5:1) is now (0:5). What emerged is that in most PSUs, experienced clerks earn similar or more to officers. Hence not much of wage impact.
Tips: 1. Stay Confident & Cool.
2. Take control of the Case discussion. If the interviewer presents information in a user-unfriendly or non standard manner, ask him to do it in the way you want to or ask him to help you out in mapping the information in your framework.

Round: Case Study Interview
Experience: Client is a no 1 boiler manufacturer in India. His profit margins are at 11% while industry expectations are at 15%. Help him out in reaching this target.

Tried to evaluate product mix, profitability etc. – Client makes a wide span of products. But interviewer was not interested in specifics. Wanted me to identify the key cost & revenue drivers.

Costs
1. Are we sourcing Raw material effectively & cheaply? Can we go to china etc?
2. Can we re-evaluate Make vs Buy option for all products in the Bill of Material.
3. Are our products over- designed? Do they consume more raw material than competition.
4. Do we have higher fixed costs- new investments, labour<>variable costs?
5. Do we have economies of scale for all products, parts etc?

Was told to identify sources of revenue to increase margins
1. Change product mix
2. Evaluate newer- more profitable markets
3. Brand your own products (the client is a manufacturer for others, not seller) -> refer to brand and market creation
costs.
4. Service Business – Repair, Spares & Consumables ( Missed this out completely- was finally hinted by interviewer)

Conclusion: Services were neglected by client. Potential revenue source. Client has a large installed base of customers. So he can do this business better, build service model and capabilities.

Options
1. Sell Maintenance contracts with boilers
2. target installed base of boilers

I had added that he can widen his base by targeting all brands of boilers (assuming differences were not significant). Service is a high margin business since operations at units are hampered leading to production losses in the event of boiler failure.
Tips: 1. Stay Confident & Cool even if you miss the above fact. Move on and build on it. Relate the case or elements of it with work and
discuss it.
2. Show Energy during the interview!

Round: Case Study Interview
Experience: Case 1
Client is a music company ( RPG-Saregama). It was not making money.

Revenue side- affected by Music piracy and music channels. They affected price and sales negatively

Cost Side – Producers still sold music rights at higher prices. Since music producers are few- their consolidation hurt the music
industry bad.

Additional facts : All big banners like Yashraj films etc end up making losses for the company due to high music right costs.
Typical successes / margins have been in low (B/C segments with films like Murder etc)

Analysis
Structured case as Customers, Suppliers and Competition.
Option1 – Increase revenues
While analyzing customers- not much information available- no segments -> based on discussion, generated multiple sources of revenues for music industry
a. CD/Cassettes
b. Radio / TV rights – do not provide full song clips to channels. Only teasers. If song is a hit, channels would ask for it and thus can pay for it.
c. Internet- Streaming rights
d. I-pod type devices
e. Ring tones

Told to explore the cost options in details.
Option2 – Decrease costs
Me :Proposed Risk sharing / royalty based mechanisms.
NK : All the big banners do not agree to it
Me : But we can get the smaller producers to agree… (NK agreed that it can be explored)
NK: Why do these companies deal with big producers when they make losses? What is important in the buyer industry structure

After some discussions…arrive at the structure – Big producers (A type) and Small Producers (B&C types)

Possible reasons I could come up with include-
Me: Possible reasons can include
a. Long term relationship in the industry
b. A large number of smaller successes subsidizing the losses from larger ones
c. Association of music companies with big producers offers
them clout in the industry to deal with smaller producers…they can thus negotiate better deals with B&C type producers.
NK : Yes.… the big banners are like loss leaders.... they help music companies in getting better deals from smaller producers. And also, the industry is very relationship driven…some of the deals are purely based on established long working relationships.

Case 2 :
Your client is Tata Motors. The Direct material cost of Tata Indica is ₹150,000. The basic design is same for the 1 lakh car. How can you bring the cost down to ₹75000…outline the basic levers.
Structured it into 4 areas
a. Rationalize the vendor base to get economies of scale and scope.
b. Rationalize parts across platforms of vehicles to get further economies.
c. Rationalize design – Certain parts might be over designed or inefficiently designed leading to increased costs on account of excess materials or additional processing (labour, overhead etc)
d. Evaluate every part from a Make or Buy perspective. This would enable focus on core areas and help gain cost advantage in sourcing items like Tyres, O Rings, Nuts-Bolts etc.

After that he wanted to do a numbers/ quant check on me…so the example was extended to calculate certain % values.
Tips: 1. Prioritize issues for discussions with the interviewer.
2. Be prepared for anything!

Round: Case Study Interview
Experience: Case
Client is a confectionery manufacturer making chocolate bars. In the 1980’s it had a mfg base in UK. However, in early 90s it set up another facility in France. During mid 90’s the business faced decline in revenues and profitability. What could be the reasons / hypothesis and what would you recommend?

Enquired about the basic details
a. Product mix – single chocolate bar
b. Supply- demand check -> Demand has been declining. No problems in supply side.

Discussed the Revenue- Cost equation.

Revenue can go down by the following
a. Competition introducing newer/ better/cheaper products
b. Changing customer behavior- more health conscious people/ availability of substitutes/ imports etc
c. Any changes done to product flavour/ taste etc..which can turn off customers.
Cost :
Discussed the standard Fixed and Variable costs. Was asked to break it down further.
Variable – Raw Materials, Distribution etc
Fixed – Depreciation, Capacity Utilization etc
a. Fixed Costs – New plant – higher depreciation costs. + Degree of capacity utilization ( this was reason 1)
UK – mfg capacity = 15 mn units / year
Actual production = 700,000 units per month approx 55% capacity utilization
France – mfg capacity = 20 mn units / year
Actual production = 650,000 units per month approx 39% capacity utilization.
These numbers were generally thrown around to evaluate my comfort with numbers.
Interviewer himself jumps to part (b)
b.Variable Costs
Fact 1 Raw material costs are 25% of Sale price vs 20% for competition
1/ Asked Oliver on the supplier base (local, import & no of suppliers) and amounts sourced. Decreased revenues could have decreased our sourcing economies. OK with this…wanted more reasons….
2/ Checked if both were importing same quality of material. We could be using better quality products compared to competition.
3/ Checked if we hedged these items while procuring…(Key Point
2) Competition was obviously doing this better and saving costs.
Fact 2 Our Distribution costs are 15% of sale price vs competition 10%

Key differentiators could be…
We have our own trucks ..competition uses 3rd party suppliers
1. More costs on account of people, fixed costs of trucks + empty trucks coming back (Low utilization)
2. We send part loads…competition does not worry since his transporters can optimize on truck load thru other customers.
c. General calculations

Another round of quant check. Thrown some numbers to calculate cost per unit of the 2 factories (UK & France )
Each unit has 200 employees x 40 hrs/week x 50 wks /yr
UK wages = $ 15/ hour
France Wages = $ 20 / hour
After this told to calculate profitability of each unit at both locations given Raw material = 25% of sale price ($ 2/unit).
Total numbers check

Recommendations
1. Rationalize the production quantities at each unit - would depend on the overall inward and outward transportation costs also..apart from capacity utilization. (Excess transport costs in serving new markets would need to be checked for)
2. Use excess capacity for producing 3rd party chocolates. Also evaluate if factory can be re-tooled / flexible to manufacture other products apart from chocolate.
3. Shut down 1 plant. –
a. See how efficient it would be operationally. No backup/excess capacity would then be available as a strategic/contingency resource.
b. Also potential trouble on the political front – example if French unit was shut down, there could be a political fallout as well as French customers might boycott your products. (cited Mittal-Arcelor )
c. Union issues- long term dispute- can dilute brand value of business.
Tips: Be prepared for all sorts of numbers/calculations…take time out in case there are huge calculations…I did that…small calculations
were done verbally.

Interviewer also wanted to check if I could come up with all types of hypothesis on various facts. Be prepared to think creatively and use your common sense to remove non relevant stuff.

Round: Case Study Interview
Experience: Client manufactures auto forgings @ 200 per day. Increase it to 400 per day… How?

Enquired if market demand was justified to double output…Market would be able to accommodate 200 additional units.

Wanted me to identify key levers. After a lot of round-about and false steps…learnt that current capacity utilization was 33% only!!
Interviewer wanted a list of things to check …this is what I discussed..
a. Maintenance time records– Breakdown & Planned
b. Setup/ Changeover times on a/c of high product variety
c. Non availability of Material
d. Non availability of Labour – absence/ unmanned breaks
e. Shut down due to utility failures (electricity etc)
f. Quality related losses.
Tips: Be prepared to be grilled.

Round: Case Study Interview
Experience: This seemed a test of whether I could do hypothesis and do some basic math.
Client is a Financial planning & management software company. 3 product lines + 1 service line.
1. Large enterprises – highly customized, large business customers, direct sales force used, consultants needed, sold at CEO/CIO level.
2. SMEs – industry specific package- sold thru dealers/ distributors etc to anyone who wants to buy
3. Individual customers thru regular retail channels.
4. IT consulting – pre/ post support

Question 1: Revenues are declining. What hypothesis would you generate to identify sources of decline…
g. Along segments mentioned above
h. Geographical segments
i. Industries
j. Existing vs New Customers

Question 2: Assume Enterprise segment is losing revenue. What hypothesis can you generate …(asked to generate 15…came to 11) Just think out aloud and discuss ..some of the hypothesis discussed were
d. Changes in regulations
e. M&A in the industry..customers hesitate to buy.
f. Customers think a better product is in the wings and don’tbuy the existing one.
g. New product is complicated …has greater cost and training needs.
h. Sales force not qualified etc.
Question 3: Suppose you find out that the sales force has been spending more time selling simpler product to SME than attend larger customers…enterprise product needs greater effort. wWat would you do?
1. Track sales and channels actively
2. Change incentive structure…
What actions would you take and implications of those.
Tips: Think out loud with the interviewer.

Skills:
College Name: Indian School Of Business (ISB)

Senior Associate Interview Questions Asked at Other Companies

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Q5. What is the KPI in your organisation?

Interview questions from similar companies

Associate Interview Questions & Answers

PwC user image Anonymous

posted on 10 Aug 2022

I applied via Campus Placement and was interviewed before Aug 2021. There were 2 interview rounds.

Round 1 - Resume Shortlist 
Pro Tip by AmbitionBox:
Keep your resume crisp and to the point. A recruiter looks at your resume for an average of 6 seconds, make sure to leave the best impression.
View all tips
Round 2 - Aptitude Test 

Technical round asking position related questions

Interview Preparation Tips

Interview preparation tips for other job seekers - We aware of Interviewer only ask for your family questions only and 1-2 questions regarding your Position then never join that organization.

I applied via Recruitment Consultant and was interviewed in Nov 2019. There were 3 interview rounds.

Interview Questionnaire 

3 Questions

  • Q1. What kind of projects you have completed?
  • Q2. How handy you are on the tool?
  • Ans. 

    I am quite handy with tools and have experience using various types of equipment.

    • I have experience using power tools such as drills, saws, and sanders

    • I am skilled in using hand tools such as hammers, screwdrivers, and wrenches

    • I have experience with measuring and cutting materials accurately

    • I am able to troubleshoot and fix common household problems such as leaky faucets or broken appliances

  • Answered by AI
  • Q3. How would you rate yourself in that particular tool out of 5?
  • Ans. 

    I would rate myself 4 out of 5 in that particular tool.

    • I have extensive experience using the tool in various projects.

    • I have received positive feedback from colleagues and clients on my proficiency in the tool.

    • I am confident in my ability to troubleshoot and solve problems using the tool.

    • However, there may be some advanced features of the tool that I am not yet familiar with.

    • Overall, I believe I am highly skilled in us

  • Answered by AI

Interview Preparation Tips

Interview preparation tips for other job seekers - It is all about your work experience, your role in previous organization, Project handling etc.

Interview Questionnaire 

1 Question

  • Q1. Be prepared with coding for every concept you have learnt. Be ready to answer regarding exceptions and errors we face generally as a developer.

Associate Interview Questions & Answers

BCG user image Wamika Mimani

posted on 18 Jan 2016

I applied via Referral

Interview Questionnaire 

2 Questions

  • Q1. Indian conglomerate entering the IT space. Prepare a detailed market entry strategy at the start
  • Q2. Cement company losing market share. It has set up new plants too

Interview Preparation Tips

Round: Case Study Interview
Experience: When I outlined that he could opt for a JV, an acquisition or an own set-up, he asked me to probe further into the JV idea. From there on, the case was about identifying specific metrics to ascertain the best JV route. It was a very spontaneous case discussion, and we covered a variety of opportunities, problems and solutions in and around the original problem statement.
Tips: Keep high energy through the interview. Feel confident and remember that, at the end of the day, an interview should most importantly be a good conversation.

Round: Case Study Interview
Experience: I structured the problem in a very detailed manner. I asked relevant questions and took my time. I also got lucky that intuitively I managed to find the root cause of the problem, though it wasn’t expected out of the case. The rapport with the interviewer was good during and after the case.

Skills: Problem Solving Abilties, Case Analysis
College Name: IIM Lucknow

Associate Interview Questions & Answers

BCG user image Anonymous

posted on 29 Jun 2015

Interview Questionnaire 

5 Questions

  • Q1. Quantitative case study questions
  • Q2. Conceptual questions
  • Q3. Why are you interested in the company?
  • Ans. 

    I am interested in the company because of its reputation for innovation and commitment to employee development.

    • The company has a track record of introducing new and exciting products to the market.

    • I appreciate the company's focus on providing opportunities for professional growth and development.

    • I have heard positive feedback from current and former employees about the company culture and work environment.

  • Answered by AI
  • Q4. What are your long term goals?
  • Ans. 

    My long term goal is to become an expert in my field and take on leadership roles to make a positive impact.

    • Continuously learn and develop new skills

    • Take on challenging projects to gain experience

    • Build a strong network of professionals in my industry

    • Seek out mentorship and leadership opportunities

    • Contribute to the growth and success of my organization

  • Answered by AI
  • Q5. What are your short term goals?
  • Ans. 

    My short term goal is to learn new skills and gain experience in my field.

    • Acquire new skills through training and workshops

    • Take on challenging projects to gain experience

    • Network with professionals in the industry

    • Improve time management and organizational skills

  • Answered by AI

Interview Preparation Tips

Round: nETWORKING session
Experience: In the activity, we were given fundaes by senior people about how the work would be, shared their experience working the company. In brief it was more or less like knowing about the company and their work at more closer level. This was in no way related to selection. We were given an opportunity to have a small chit chat with their senior people.

Round: Case Study Interview
Experience: I was asked questions related to quantitative cases. Case studies using quantitative analysis contain elements of the empirical–analytical scientific approach.
Tips: Be good at your logical skills and communication skills.

Round: Case Study Interview
Experience: In the second round I was asked to answer conceptual cases. I felt this round was a bit more testing than the first round. But overall first two rounds are almost similar.

Round: HR Interview
Experience: In the 3rd round there was nothing asked about cases. I was asked questions like Why was I interested in joining this company, What are my long term goals and what are my short term goals. The questions were aimed at knowing about me and my level of commitment towards my future and the company.

General Tips: 1. Practice cases.
2. Watch videos on cases.
3. Choose electives and minors on technical side.
4. Good communication skills.
Skill Tips: 1. Practice cases.
2. Watch videos on cases.
3. Choose electives and minors on technical side.
Skills: Logical Skills, Communications skills
College Name: IIT MADRAS

Interview Preparation Tips

Round: Case Study Interview
Experience: First 5 minutes is taken to analyse your resume and get a feel of you as a person.The problem will be given for you to analyse and it is very important that you style what you speak to carry forward a constructive discussion with the interviewers. They will look at how you apply your knowledge to build a solution.
Tips: The 2 important things that you need to keep in mind are as follows ï Breaking the problem down to the absolute basicï Following a systematic and structured way of solving the problems.It is important to get feedback post-interview and they (the interviewers) would be willing to let you know as well.Important to defend your resume well. Have bullet points ready to speak for 30-45 seconds on them. It should differentiate you from other candidates.

General Tips: Resume should have a narrative of life in insti. Listing your passions and skills. Lookout for spikes in resume. Distinguish your work from other people in institute. Attend resume making sessions to understand how to reflect them in resume. Contact seniors who have joined the company to go through resume and suggest changes. Good Leadership PoRs will be appreciated. Important to quantify achievements in resume as companies like to see spike/impact that you have created. November – Prep for Case interview in a rigorous manner
College Name: IIT MADRAS

Interview Questionnaire 

2 Questions

  • Q1. Why was I interested in joining this company?
  • Ans. 

    I am interested in joining this company because of its reputation for innovation and commitment to employee growth.

    • The company has a strong track record of developing cutting-edge technology.

    • I am impressed by the company's dedication to investing in its employees through training and development programs.

    • I am excited about the opportunity to work with a team of talented professionals who share my passion for excellence...

  • Answered by AI
  • Q2. What are my long term goals and what are my short term goals?
  • Ans. 

    My long term goal is to become a senior associate in the company. My short term goal is to improve my skills and knowledge in the field.

    • Long term goal: Senior associate position

    • Short term goal: Skill and knowledge improvement

    • Examples: Attend training sessions, take online courses, seek mentorship

  • Answered by AI

Interview Preparation Tips

Round: Group Activity
Experience: I had an activity (networking session) before interview. However it was nothing related to selection process. we were given fundaes by senior people about how the work would be, shared their experience working the company. In brief it was more or less like knowing about the company and their work at more closer level. This was in no way related to selection. We were given an opportunity to have a small chit chat with their senior people.

Round: Case Study Interview
Experience: I was asked questions related to quantitative cases. Case studies using quantitative analysis contain elements of the empirical analytical scientific approach.

Round: Case Study Interview
Experience: I was asked to answer conceptual cases. I felt this round was a bit more testing than the first round. But overall fist two rounds are almost similar.

Round: Case Study Interview
Experience: There was nothing asked about cases. The questions were aimed at knowing about me and my level of commitment towards my future and the company.

Skill Tips: I practiced a lot of cases. I had a partner with me, and we used to sit together and practice cases. I spoke to some of the pass-out seniors. Even that helped me a lot. If you ask what helped me more while preparing for interview, having a partner and practicing cases with him helped me and him a lot. You can literally know many things when you speak to someone rather talking to a book. I had no prior intentions for core. I wrote all key points on paper, sticked them to my cupboard and used to go through them. I didn't refer any books or any material or anything. Anyway I had this non-core stuff already in my mind. I choose my minors and electives in the interest of the management side. I started practicing cases very early. I also watched many videos about the cases.
Skills: Logic, Communication
College Name: IIT MADRAS

I applied via Referral

Interview Questionnaire 

2 Questions

  • Q1. Tell me something about yourself
  • Ans. 

    I am a dedicated and experienced consultant with a passion for problem-solving and helping clients achieve their goals.

    • Over 5 years of experience in consulting industry

    • Strong analytical and communication skills

    • Proven track record of successfully implementing strategies for clients

    • Passionate about finding innovative solutions to complex problems

  • Answered by AI
  • Q2. Why BCG?
  • Ans. 

    BCG offers a unique blend of challenging work, global opportunities, and a strong focus on personal development.

    • Global opportunities for exposure to diverse industries and markets

    • Strong emphasis on personal development through mentorship and training programs

    • Challenging and impactful work with top clients in various sectors

    • Culture of collaboration and teamwork

  • Answered by AI

Interview Preparation Tips

Round: Case Study Interview
Experience: The interview began with a quintessential -“Why don't you tell me something about
yourself?”, The case in round one was about potato chip manufacturing company. Didn't . really end up cracking the case/
Tips: You really need to be calm and only then will the analytical skills and creativity really show. But do not worry - the interviewer shall go out of his/her way to make you feel so.
Just be you and try to establish connecting with the interviewer. A smiling face comes in handy too.
Also, there is a lot of buildup on campus to the start of day zero- just remain calm during that time. It‟s easy to feel over pressurized, especially with all the short-lists coming in, but just relax. It‟s going to be fine.

Round: Case Study Interview
Experience: Case:The client is a large cement company with the highest market share. The second close player is cutting prices. To match the prices the client has also reduced its prices and is facing declining profits. The client has given us 3 weeks to solve the problem.
Structure:
I asked him about the dynamics of the industry. He explained that there is not much difference between the products as well as the cost structures of the company. This meant that even the competitor is losing money by the price war.
I suggested 2 alternatives to solve this: first involved analyzing the cost structure and trying to reduce costs. But the interviewer told me that the client has used all the cost efficiencies possible (this indicates that the interviewer does not want me to go deeper).
Second option that I suggested involved was the Game Theory approach. This involves indicating to the competitor that we will not reduce our prices even if he does so. This I suggested could be done by issuing some way of communication to the competitor. But he said that the competitor is not willing to talk. I could not think of what could be done so he suggested that the client should increase the prices. This will show to the competitor that the client is serious.
Then the interviewer said that after one week, the sales of the client had declined drastically and the competitor had not reduced its prices. This created a problem of inventory.
To solve this data was collected geographically and analyzed. It was found that some dealers had reduced the stocks of the clients cement. The clients did this as they expected the price increase to be temporary and thus wanted to postpone the purchase. I suggested increasing the prices again. This will signal to the dealers that the price increase is not temporary.
Finally he asked me to give some suggestions about the same. I suggested that the dealers should be given discounts based on the average volumes they generate every week and month. This will help in inventory planning. Secondly whenever the price is increased they should be increased all at once and any decrease should be spread over a larger period. This will not allow competitors and dealers to pre-empt the client.
Tips: Even though the ideas might sound outlandish, get them across, they will give you the benefit of thinking out of the box. Try to involve the interviewer in the case as much as possible, if he is interested he will point you out more and more in the right direction.

Round: Case Study Interview
Experience: Started directly with the case. At the end of the case asked me about LBO (Leveraged buyout) and asked me to give an example in the Indian markets .
Case:I was travelling in a taxi when the driver asked me about switching his car and joining the radio cab service such as Meru. What is your advice?
Structure:
I said that we will compare the profits of the two methods and make our decisions based on that. I asked about the revenue and costs of the two and calculated the profit.
I proved that joining the radio cab was better. But the interviewer told me that was the wrong answer. He asked me to go back.
I took the current taxi and approached the different line items one by one. I suggested that if the driver installed an AC he will be able to charge more. But the interviewer asked me to suggest something else.
If the engine of the cab (which was currently diesel) could be replaced by CNG (the radio cab used CNG) the fuel cost reduced drastically making the current cab more profitable. I showed him the calculations.
Tips: Try to be receptive to the hints given by the interviewer in the process. They are extremely important to get to the solution quickly.

General Tips: Do not lose your calm even if you answer wrong.
Skills:
College Name: IIM Lucknow

McKinsey & Company Interview FAQs

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McKinsey & Company interview process usually has 3 rounds. The most common rounds in the McKinsey & Company interview process are Case Study and Aptitude Test.
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