McKinsey PEI & Interview Preparation

The Personal Experience Interview (PEI) is the first part of McKinsey's case study interview, designed to assess your leadership, personal impact, and problem-solving skills through professional and real-life examples. Rather than a general behavioral interview, the PEI focuses on one specific story per question, diving deep into your experiences to understand how you think, act, and drive results.

The McKinsey interview process consists of two main parts:

• Personal Experience Interview (PEI): This segment focuses on assessing your soft skills, personal impact, leadership qualities, and ability to drive change.

• Case Interview: Here, you'll be presented with a business problem to analyze and solve, evaluating your problem-solving abilities and business acumen.

The interview usually starts with broader questions, asking you to walk the interviewer through your resume. This allows them to learn about your potential strength and fit for the position. They then follow up with the standard "Why consulting?" and "Why McKinsey?" questions to assess your motivation.

The core of McKinsey’s PEI section focuses on a single theme per question, explored in depth for 10–15 minutes. Each theme is explained further below. You will be asked a question, and as you tell your story, the interviewer will ask follow-up questions to better understand your actions and assess the relevant soft skills. It's less about what happened and more about how you handled it. Remember - If the story doesn’t fit, it will be rejected, and you will be asked to come up with something else. Come prepared!

Additionally, unlike other consulting firms, with a single interview per candidate, McKinsey holds multiple interviews for each candidate with several interviewers.

There are various goals for how the interview is structured:

1. By asking PEI questions and presenting case study examples, McKinsey gains insight into your personality, motivations, interpersonal skills, and problem-solving approach. As you go through multiple interviews, each covering a different theme, with other interviewers, your consistency, experience and skills build credibility, allowing them to form a clear and reliable picture of who you are and what you bring to the table.

2. McKinsey is all about providing its candidates with a fair opportunity to shine. By creating a highly structured personal experience interview, they offer the same chances to each candidate.

The PEI interview section is designed to delve deep into specific fields of experience that showcase your skills in areas critical to McKinsey's values.​ McKinsey holds four primary themes of PEI questions.

• Personal Impact: Demonstrating your ability to influence others and drive outcomes.​

• Entrepreneurial Drive: Showcasing your initiative, resilience, and dedication to achieving goals.​

• Inclusive Leadership: Highlighting your capacity to lead diverse teams effectively.​

• Courageous Change: Reflecting your adaptability and willingness to challenge the status quo.

Let's dive into each one of these themes, and see questions that align with them.

Personal Impact reflects your ability to influence others, work through disagreements, and drive meaningful outcomes, especially in challenging high-stakes environments.

In consulting, success often depends on collaborating with clients and team members who may hold different views. McKinsey wants to understand how you navigate these situations: Can you persuade others? Do you listen and adapt? Can you create alignment to move things forward?

McKinsey's sample question for this Personal Impact is: "Explain a challenging situation you encountered when working with someone with an opposing opinion."

Such questions revolves around being emotionally intelligent, persuasive, empathic and team-oriented.

• Provide an example of a time you successfully resolved a conflict within a team. What steps did you take to reach common ground?
• Tell me about a situation where you and a teammate had opposing views. How did you handle the disagreement, and what was the outcome?

Entrepreneurial Drive reflects your ability to set ambitious goals, stay motivated under pressure, and push through challenges to deliver results, mainly when resources are limited or the situation is unfamiliar.

This dimension is about demonstrating resilience, ownership, and a willingness to step out of your comfort zone to achieve something meaningful. McKinsey values individuals who take initiative, adapt quickly, and find creative solutions in fast-paced environments. As a consultant at McKinsey, you will have to daily step out of your comfort zone and work alongside top players in fields unfamiliar to you.

McKinsey's sample question for this section is "Talk about a time when you worked to achieve something in a limited period of time that was outside your comfort zone."

In your response, focus on how you approached the challenge, stayed committed despite difficulties, and what you learned from the experience. This shows McKinsey that you can thrive in the demanding, fast-moving consulting world.

• Describe a complex or high-stakes challenge you faced. What steps did you take to overcome it, and what was the outcome?
• Share an example of a time when something didn’t go as planned. How did you respond, and what did you learn from the experience?

Inclusive Leadership reflects your ability to bring together people from different backgrounds, perspectives, and working styles to collaborate effectively and achieve results.

In today’s global and diverse workplace, McKinsey values leaders who can foster a sense of belonging, listen to all voices, and create an environment where every team member can thrive. This includes navigating cultural differences, communication styles, and team dynamics—especially when facing challenges.

McKinsey's sample question for this section is "Share an example where you worked effectively with people with different backgrounds despite challenges".

To answer successfully, highlight how you adapted your leadership approach, encouraged collaboration, and ensured that everyone felt included and valued while working toward a shared goal.

• Tell me about a situation where you had to lead or influence others without formal authority. How did you gain their trust and alignment?
• Share an example of when you brought together people from different backgrounds or perspectives to solve a problem. What was your approach, and what was the result?

Courageous Change is about your ability to stay resilient, positive, and adaptable in the face of uncertainty or disruption. McKinsey looks for individuals who embrace change as an opportunity to learn, grow, and lead rather than something to fear or avoid.

In consulting, unexpected challenges are common, whether it’s a shift in project scope, a new client direction, or changes within your team. McKinsey wants to understand how you react under pressure, how quickly you adapt, and whether you can maintain momentum and clarity despite the unknown.

McKinsey's sample question for this section is "Revisit a time when you experienced a significant change and share the actions you took to adapt to the new circumstances."

When answering, focus on your mindset, the specific steps you took, and how the experience shaped your approach moving forward. McKinsey is looking for professionals who don’t just survive change—but lead through it.

• Tell me about a situation where you had to quickly adjust your approach due to unexpected circumstances. What did you do, and what was the outcome?
• Describe a time when you stepped into an unfamiliar role or environment. How did you handle the transition, and what did you learn?

• Select Relevant Examples: Choose stories that clearly reflect one of the four McKinsey PEI themes: Personal Impact, Entrepreneurial Drive, Inclusive Leadership, or Courageous Change. Ideally, use a mix of academic, professional, and extracurricular experiences to show depth and versatility. We recommend you prepare two stories for each theme.
• Structure Your Story: Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to organize your narrative.​ Keep it concise but rich in detail—McKinsey interviewers will often dig deep, so be ready to expand on every element.
• Be Specific: Avoid generalities. Focus on what you did, how you made decisions, handled people, and contributed to the outcome. Replace phrases like “we decided” with “I proposed” or “I led.” Highlight your thought process and the reasoning behind your choices.
• Reflect: A strong PEI story doesn’t stop at what happened—it shows what you learned. End your story by briefly reflecting on how the experience influenced your leadership, teamwork, or problem-solving approach. McKinsey looks for people who grow from their experiences.

The case interview assesses your analytical skills, problem-solving approach, and ability to think strategically.

McKinsey typically employs an interviewer-led case format, where the interviewer guides the discussion through a series of questions and prompts.​

• Familiarize with Common Case Types: Understand various case scenarios such as market entry, profitability analysis, and mergers & acquisitions.
• Practice with Sample Cases: Engage with practice cases from reputable sources to build confidence and improve your problem-solving speed.
• Develop a Structured Approach: Learn to break down complex problems into manageable components and analyze them systematically.

• Analytical Thinking: Your ability to interpret data and identify key insights.​
• Quantitative Skills: Competence in performing accurate and swift calculations.​
• Communication: Clarity in articulating your thought process and recommendations.​
• Business Acumen: Understanding of fundamental business concepts and frameworks.

Case studies are a critical component of McKinsey’s interview process, designed to test your problem-solving skills, analytical thinking, and ability to structure complex issues. McKinsey case studies simulate real-world business challenges, allowing interviewers to assess how you approach problems, make decisions, and communicate your findings.

McKinsey’s case studies cover a wide range of industries and scenarios, but they typically fall into these categories:

These cases focus on identifying the reasons behind a company’s declining profits and recommending strategies to improve performance. Common sub-categories include analyzing cost structures, identifying market trends, or revising pricing strategies.

In a market entry case, you might be asked how a company should enter a new geographic market or a new product segment. You’ll need to evaluate the competitive landscape, financial viability, customer preferences, and operational challenges.

M&A cases involve evaluating the potential benefits and risks of a merger or acquisition. You will need to analyze synergies, financials, market share, and the cultural fit between the two companies.

These cases assess how a company can expand its business. You may need to recommend strategies for increasing revenue, market share, or geographic presence. This often involves evaluating product lines, customer segments, and market conditions.

Carefully listen to the case prompt and ask clarifying questions. Make sure you fully understand the problem before jumping into any analysis.

Begin with a clear framework to structure your analysis. McKinsey interviewers value logical, structured thinking, so break the problem down into manageable parts. Common frameworks include the profitability framework, the 4Ps (Product, Price, Place, Promotion) for market strategy, or the SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats).

Start with a hypothesis or initial assumption based on the case prompt, then test and refine it as you gather more information. This helps you stay focused on relevant data.

Be ready to analyze both quantitative and qualitative data, such as market research, financial statements, or operational data. Practice mental math and interpreting charts, as you’ll often be asked to make quick calculations.

As you solve the case, clearly communicate your thought process and conclusions. The way you structure your responses, present data, and explain your reasoning is just as important as the final answer. Interviewers are looking for clarity, confidence, and logical flow in your communication.

Once you’ve analyzed the problem, be prepared to provide a clear and actionable recommendation. McKinsey values practical, data-driven suggestions that align with the company’s goals and capabilities.

To excel in McKinsey case studies, practice is essential. Here are some tips for effective McKinsey case prep:

• Work on Sample Cases: Practice with cases from online resources like PrepLounge or Case in Point. Mock case studies will help you refine your approach and build confidence.
• Practice With Peers: Conduct mock interviews with classmates, mentors, or colleagues. Getting feedback on your structure, clarity, and problem-solving approach is invaluable.
• Refine Your Mental Math: McKinsey case studies often involve calculations. Brush up on basic arithmetic and practice solving problems quickly and accurately.
• Seek Feedback: After each practice case, ask for feedback on your performance. What could you have done differently? How clear was your communication? This will help you improve.

To further enhance your preparation, consider exploring the following materials:​

• McKinsey's Official Interviewing Guide: Provides insights into the firm's interview process and expectations.

By thoroughly preparing for both the PEI and case interview components, you'll be well-equipped to demonstrate the qualities McKinsey seeks in its consultants.​