Case interview

Demonstrate your ability to structure thinking, respond to complex or ambiguous problems, and reach sound conclusions with limited facts in a short time

We believe the best way we can assess your problem-solving skills is to discuss a typical McKinsey business problem with you, using a case study during your interview.

Case interviews are broad, two-way discussions, rather than one-way tests and there is no perfect answer. You will be assessed more on how you go about dealing with the problem, rather than on the specific answers you come up with.

As you work through the business case with your interviewer, you will also become better informed about our firm and the kinds of problems we solve. Most candidates enjoy the cases and the business issues they raise. Your approach to the case and the insights you reach will give you an opportunity to demonstrate your problem-solving abilities and help us get a sense of your potential.

Practicing before a case interview

Practice at case study discussions is recommended, especially if you are inexperienced at interactive problem-solving discussions. To help you prepare for your interview, we've put together some interactive case studies and the team leader game, a game about working on an engagement team.

Why we use case studies

Your abilities in dealing creatively with complex or ambiguous problems in unfamiliar businesses, in structuring your thinking, and in reaching sensible conclusions with the available facts in a short time are critical to being a successful consultant.

Since no particular background or set of qualifications necessarily prepares you to do this, we've come to rely upon the case study as an integral part of our interview process. The case study gives us an opportunity to see how you think about problems and whether you can reach a well-supported conclusion. It also gives us an opportunity to gauge your sense of prioritization and judgment within a business context.

From your side, the case study should give you a real insight into the type of work that our firm does. If you enjoy the case discussion with your interviewer, it's likely that you will enjoy working at our firm.

Learn about techniques and tricks that can be helpful in a case interview.