Preparing for the McKinsey Case Interview

What McKinsey is listening for

McKinsey interviewers are relentlessly structured. They want to hear a crisp hypothesis in the first minute, a mutually exclusive breakdown of drivers, and math that lands on a business recommendation. Your tone should be confident but curious—invite the interviewer into your thinking without waiting for permission to move forward.

Signals that stand out:

• You anchor every framework in the client's objective rather than a memorized tree.
• You translate data into implications for the CEO instead of restating numbers.
• You manage the conversation. Ask for exhibits, summarize inflection points, and flag open questions you plan to resolve.

Build a day-of plan

1. Launch with intent. Rephrase the prompt, state the outcome metric, and offer a hypothesis that hints at the path you'll investigate.
2. Buckle your framework to the problem. For profitability, outline revenues by customer model, then costs by capability layer. For growth, split the path into core expansion, adjacent plays, and M&A.
3. Keep math conversational. Narrate assumptions before you calculate, give a point estimate, then pressure-test its logic.
4. Close with a C-suite recap. Deliver a headline recommendation, two supporting insights, and a risk with next steps.

Practice drills that compound

• Hypothesis sprints: Start 10 different cases and stop after the opening minute. Focus on clarity and pace.
• Chart walk-throughs: Explain exhibits aloud in 60 seconds using the "what, so what, now what" structure.
• PEI reps: Prepare three leadership stories and rehearse them in Soreno with a timer on screen.

How Soreno helps

Soreno's McKinsey case pack mirrors Bain and BCG difficulty, but the interviewer adapts to your answers with follow-ups and pushback. After each session you'll see scores on structure, math, synthesis, and executive presence, plus targeted drills to close any gaps.

Ready for another round? Book a Soreno mock interview and keep the momentum going.