https://caseinterviewhq.com/Free, current guides to case interviews, McKinsey Solve, BCG and Bain online tests, consulting resumes and cover letters, plus three practice books by Stephan Spijkers.en https://caseinterviewhq.com/case-interview-books/https://caseinterviewhq.com/case-interview-books/Mon, 19 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTThe best case interview books in 2026 cover four needs: a method (Case Interview Secrets or Cracking the Case), broad orientation (Case in Point, 12th edition, 2024), communication (The Pyramid Principle) and firm culture (The McKinsey Way). Add a timed written-case test for online screens. Disclosure: I wrote three of the seven books on this list. https://caseinterviewhq.com/case-interview-examples/https://caseinterviewhq.com/case-interview-examples/Mon, 19 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTThe best case interview examples are the firms' own: McKinsey publishes five practice cases with suggested answers, Bain two, PwC two with sample answers at two levels, and Deloitte an online tool. Run those first, then practice on original cases that train each format: an interviewer-led case with an exhibit, a candidate-led deal case and an open creative case. https://caseinterviewhq.com/case-interview-practice-partner/https://caseinterviewhq.com/case-interview-practice-partner/Mon, 19 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTPractice case interviews with a partner by alternating roles in 45-minute sessions: about 30 minutes of case, 10 minutes of scored feedback and 5 minutes to log one fix. The interviewer reveals data only when asked and scores six dimensions on a 1-3-5 scale. Over four to six weeks, 30-50 cases with good feedback prepare most candidates. https://caseinterviewhq.com/consulting-brainteasers/https://caseinterviewhq.com/consulting-brainteasers/Mon, 19 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTBrainteasers are rare in McKinsey, BCG and Bain interviews in 2026: prep providers report that MBB almost never use them, while some tier-2, Big Four and boutique interviewers still do. The skill behind them, catching a fast wrong answer, is tested daily in online assessments and case math. Solve one by restating it, naming the trap, testing small cases and thinking aloud. https://caseinterviewhq.com/public-sector-case-interview/https://caseinterviewhq.com/public-sector-case-interview/Mon, 19 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTA public sector case interview asks how a ministry, municipality or agency should reach a policy goal within a fixed budget and legal limits. Define the public outcome and how it is measured, cost each option over several years, map who must agree and who is affected, then test whether it can be delivered. Recommend the option with the best outcome per euro that stakeholders can accept. https://caseinterviewhq.com/case-interview-frameworks/https://caseinterviewhq.com/case-interview-frameworks/Mon, 19 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTA case interview framework is the structure you use to break the client's question into parts you can analyze. Firms such as McKinsey, Deloitte and PwC ask for tailored, simple structures over memorized templates. Learn five building blocks (value identity, segments, market, feasibility, decision test), then combine and cut them to fit each client's question. https://caseinterviewhq.com/growth-strategy-case-interview/https://caseinterviewhq.com/growth-strategy-case-interview/Mon, 19 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTA growth strategy case asks how a client can reach a revenue target. Size the gap first, subtract what market growth delivers on its own, then size each lever: selling more to current customers, winning new customers, new products, new markets, and buying or partnering for growth. Combine levers until the gap closes within the client's margin and investment limits, then recommend one plan. https://caseinterviewhq.com/issue-tree/https://caseinterviewhq.com/issue-tree/Mon, 19 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTAn issue tree breaks a problem into smaller questions, level by level, until each branch can be answered with data. Use a diagnostic (why) tree to find causes, a solution (how) tree to generate options, and a hypothesis tree to test a likely answer fast. A good tree is MECE, uses one logic per level, and ends in branches you can test. https://caseinterviewhq.com/operations-case-interview/https://caseinterviewhq.com/operations-case-interview/Mon, 19 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTAn operations case asks how a process can produce more, faster or cheaper. Map the process step by step, calculate each step's capacity and find the bottleneck, because the slowest step sets the output of the whole system. Then use utilization and Little's law (L = λW) to link queues to waiting time, size the fix, and check where the bottleneck moves next. https://caseinterviewhq.com/pricing-case-interview/https://caseinterviewhq.com/pricing-case-interview/Mon, 19 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTA pricing case asks what a client should charge or whether to change a price. Set three anchors (a cost floor, a competitor reference and a customer value ceiling) and pick a point between floor and ceiling. Then check how much of list price survives discounts and rebates, test how much volume the change can lose, and recommend one sized number. https://caseinterviewhq.com/big-four-consulting-interview/https://caseinterviewhq.com/big-four-consulting-interview/Mon, 19 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTBig Four consulting interviews combine an online assessment with behavioral and case interviews, and in Europe often an assessment day with a group exercise. Deloitte and PwC run 30-45 minute business cases for consulting roles, EY screens with a timed SHL assessment, and KPMG UK uses scenario-based online stages before a half-day event. The strategy arms run MBB-style case rounds. https://caseinterviewhq.com/mckinsey-vs-bcg-vs-bain/https://caseinterviewhq.com/mckinsey-vs-bcg-vs-bain/Mon, 19 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTMcKinsey is the largest of the three by reported headcount and revenue, BCG is close behind with 33,500 people and USD 14.4 billion in 2025 revenue, and Bain is a little over half BCG's size. For candidates the bigger difference is the process: McKinsey screens with Solve and runs interviewer-led cases, while BCG and Bain use office-specific tests and candidate-led cases. https://caseinterviewhq.com/tier-2-consulting-firms/https://caseinterviewhq.com/tier-2-consulting-firms/Mon, 19 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTTier-2 consulting firms is candidate shorthand for the strategy firms outside McKinsey, BCG and Bain, chiefly Oliver Wyman, Roland Berger, Kearney, L.E.K. and Strategy&. Most screen with a timed numerical or cognitive test, then run two interview rounds that combine a case with fit questions. The final round is where they differ: written cases at L.E.K. and Oliver Wyman, a group case at Roland Berger. https://caseinterviewhq.com/consulting-networking/https://caseinterviewhq.com/consulting-networking/Mon, 19 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTConsulting networking means short, prepared conversations with consultants, alumni and recruiters before you apply. It works through four channels: coffee chats, alumni outreach, recruiting events and referrals. Done well, it gives you office-specific knowledge, a named contact for your cover letter and sometimes a referral. It does not replace test and case performance, which still decide the offer. https://caseinterviewhq.com/consulting-recruiting-timeline-europe/https://caseinterviewhq.com/consulting-recruiting-timeline-europe/Mon, 19 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTFor September 2027 starts, most European MBB offices take graduate applications between July and October 2026, with interviews running into December. Internship windows for summer 2027 run from fall 2026 to January 2027. Tier-2, Big Four and Dutch specialist firms mostly recruit on a rolling basis. Deadlines vary by office and change every year, so confirm each one on the careers page. https://caseinterviewhq.com/how-to-get-into-consulting/https://caseinterviewhq.com/how-to-get-into-consulting/Mon, 19 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTPeople get into consulting through five routes: campus recruiting for bachelor's and master's students, the same campus route from a non-target school, advanced-degree tracks for PhDs, doctors and lawyers, career switching (often via an MBA) and experienced hiring. Every route passes the same funnel of application, online test and two interview rounds, and offers reach an estimated 1-2% of MBB applicants. https://caseinterviewhq.com/consulting-career-path/https://caseinterviewhq.com/consulting-career-path/Mon, 19 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTA strategy consulting career runs through five stages: analyst, workstream owner, project manager, pre-partner and partner. At McKinsey these are Business Analyst, Associate, Engagement Manager, Associate Partner and Partner. Reported timelines put each step at about two to three years and partner at 8-12 years at MBB, 12-15 at the Big Four. Most consultants leave earlier, mainly for tech, finance and corporate leadership roles. https://caseinterviewhq.com/consulting-fit-interview/https://caseinterviewhq.com/consulting-fit-interview/Mon, 19 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTThe consulting fit interview tests whether you have the personal qualities a firm hires for, such as drive, leadership and influence, and whether your motivation is credible. Prepare five detailed stories that each show your own actions and reasoning, a two-minute why consulting answer and specific questions for the interviewer. Expect follow-ups until the detail runs out. https://caseinterviewhq.com/consulting-assessment-tests/https://caseinterviewhq.com/consulting-assessment-tests/Mon, 19 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTMost strategy firms now screen with an online test before the first interview. McKinsey uses Solve, BCG uses Casey, the CCA or an office-specific test, and Bain uses SOVA or TestGorilla. Kearney, L.E.K. and Oliver Wyman run timed numerical tests. Three sub-skills cover nearly all of them: reading exhibits, calculator-free math and logical filtering. https://caseinterviewhq.com/mergers-and-acquisitions-case-interview/https://caseinterviewhq.com/mergers-and-acquisitions-case-interview/Mon, 19 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTAn M&A case asks whether a client should buy a company and at what price. The deal creates value only when the target's standalone value plus realistic synergies, minus integration costs, exceeds the price paid. Check the market, the target, the synergies and the price, value the target with a multiple, haircut revenue synergies, and finish with a walk-away price. https://caseinterviewhq.com/case-interview-preparation/https://caseinterviewhq.com/case-interview-preparation/Mon, 19 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTEffective case interview preparation takes about six weeks at 8-12 hours per week. Spend week one on the method and math, weeks two to five on 30-50 live cases with partners plus online assessment practice, and week six on mock final rounds and rest. Prepare four or five fit stories alongside the cases. https://caseinterviewhq.com/consulting-cover-letter/https://caseinterviewhq.com/consulting-cover-letter/Mon, 19 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTA consulting cover letter is a one-page, 250-400 word note that answers three questions fast: why consulting, why this firm (proven with a named contact or event), and why you, backed by three concrete proof points. Networking comes first because a referral or conversation gives the letter its strongest line. Many offices now treat the letter as optional, so check each application. https://caseinterviewhq.com/consulting-salary/https://caseinterviewhq.com/consulting-salary/Mon, 19 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTReported 2025 figures put US entry-level base pay at McKinsey, BCG and Bain at about $110,000-112,000 for undergraduates and $190,000-192,000 for MBA hires, with $30,000 signing bonuses and performance bonuses for MBAs of up to $40,000-63,000. Strategy firms pay a premium over most other consulting. European packages are lower; UK master's hires report about £50,000. https://caseinterviewhq.com/ai-case-interview/https://caseinterviewhq.com/ai-case-interview/Sun, 18 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTIn October 2026, most consulting case interviews are still run by humans without AI. McKinsey and BCG officially forbid AI during live interviews and online tests. McKinsey is reported to pilot exercises with its Lilli tool and an AI client avatar, and candidates report a short ChatGPT segment in some Bain final rounds. None of these pilots is confirmed on a careers page. https://caseinterviewhq.com/case-interview-charts/https://caseinterviewhq.com/case-interview-charts/Sun, 18 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTTo read a case interview chart, check the title and source, then the axes and units, then find the one number that stands out, and finish with what it means for the client's question. Say each step out loud. Done in about 60 seconds, this routine works for live exhibits, McKinsey Solve, BCG's Casey and the table and graph sections of tier-2 tests. https://caseinterviewhq.com/group-case-interview/https://caseinterviewhq.com/group-case-interview/Sun, 18 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTA group case interview puts 3-6 candidates on one business problem while assessors watch, usually with about 10 minutes of reading and 20-30 minutes of discussion or a short group presentation. It appears mainly at Big Four firms and in European assessment centres. Observers score structure, collaboration and quality of contribution, so building on others beats talking the most. https://caseinterviewhq.com/case-interview-recommendation/https://caseinterviewhq.com/case-interview-recommendation/Sun, 18 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTA case interview recommendation states your answer first, then gives two or three reasons backed by numbers from the case, names the main risk and proposes one next step. Delivered in about 60 seconds, the same script works for a live partner close, BCG's recorded Casey video and the summary at the end of an AI-assisted exercise. https://caseinterviewhq.com/market-sizing/https://caseinterviewhq.com/market-sizing/Sun, 18 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTA market sizing question asks you to estimate a number, such as annual sales of a product, from first principles in 5-10 minutes. Clarify the definition, choose top-down or bottom-up, split the problem into a few multiplicative drivers, calculate out loud with round numbers, then sanity-check the result. Interviewers score the logic and the check more than the final figure. https://caseinterviewhq.com/written-case-interview/https://caseinterviewhq.com/written-case-interview/Sun, 18 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTA written case interview gives you a pack of 20-40 pages of client data and asks you to build a few slides with a recommendation, then present and defend them. Candidates report it at BCG (about 2 hours, calculators allowed) and Bain (about 55 minutes, no calculator) in selected offices. Spend about half your time framing the question and verifying numbers, then build three slides. https://caseinterviewhq.com/market-entry-case-interview/https://caseinterviewhq.com/market-entry-case-interview/Sun, 18 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTA market entry case asks whether a client should enter a new market and, if so, how. Answer four questions in order: is the market attractive, can the client win there, do the economics clear the client's hurdle, and what could go wrong. Then compare entry modes (build, partner, acquire) and close with a go or no-go backed by breakeven and payback numbers. https://caseinterviewhq.com/profitability-case-interview/https://caseinterviewhq.com/profitability-case-interview/Sun, 18 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTA profitability case asks why a client's profit fell or how to raise it. Start from profit equals revenue minus costs, cut first by customer segment or product, then by price, volume, variable cost and fixed cost. Quantify which branch explains the gap, check how much price leaks through discounts and rebates, and close with a recommendation sized in euros. https://caseinterviewhq.com/consulting-jobs-netherlands/https://caseinterviewhq.com/consulting-jobs-netherlands/Sun, 18 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTStrategy consulting jobs in the Netherlands sit mostly in Amsterdam, at MBB, European strategy firms and Dutch specialists such as Gupta Strategists and Berenschot. Most generalist roles require Dutch, with Bain reported as the most open to English-only hires. Non-EU graduates need a salary above IND thresholds (EUR 4,357 a month under 30 in 2026), and the 30% ruling drops to 27% in 2027. https://caseinterviewhq.com/case-interview-questions/https://caseinterviewhq.com/case-interview-questions/Sun, 18 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTThe best case interview questions to practice cover all eight common types: profitability, market entry, M&A, pricing, growth, operations, market sizing and public sector. Below are 20 original practice prompts, each with a one-line structure hint. Use them with a partner who plays the interviewer, invents reasonable data and pushes you to a recommendation in 25-30 minutes. https://caseinterviewhq.com/mckinsey-pst-dress-code/https://caseinterviewhq.com/mckinsey-pst-dress-code/Sun, 18 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTFor consulting interviews and assessment days, wear business formal unless the invitation says otherwise: a dark suit, a plain shirt or blouse and clean shoes. Video interviews follow the same rule from the waist up. The McKinsey PST is retired; Solve is taken online at home, so it has no dress code, but any video interview does. https://caseinterviewhq.com/mckinsey-test/https://caseinterviewhq.com/mckinsey-test/Sun, 18 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTThe McKinsey test in 2026 is Solve, a gamified online problem-solving assessment taken alone, at home, without outside tools or AI. Candidate reports describe a 65-minute version (Redrock Study and Sea Wolf) and an 85-minute version that adds Sustainable Futures Lab. It replaced the paper-based PST, and McKinsey publishes no cutoff. https://caseinterviewhq.com/what-happens-when-i-fail-the-mckinsey-pst/https://caseinterviewhq.com/what-happens-when-i-fail-the-mckinsey-pst/Sun, 18 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTIf you fail McKinsey's screening test, your application ends for that cycle and you typically wait 12-24 months before reapplying. McKinsey does not publish a fixed rule, so confirm your date with the recruiter. The PST is retired and Solve now fills that role. Use the gap to strengthen your profile and apply to BCG, Bain and other firms. https://caseinterviewhq.com/case-study-interview/https://caseinterviewhq.com/case-study-interview/Sun, 18 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTA case study interview is a consulting interview in which you and the interviewer work through a real business problem, such as falling profits or a market entry, in about 30 minutes. Firms use it to predict on-the-job performance. You pass by being hypothesis-driven, breaking the problem into segments, and doing fast, accurate math without a calculator. https://caseinterviewhq.com/mckinsey-pst-sample/https://caseinterviewhq.com/mckinsey-pst-sample/Sun, 18 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTBelow is an original PST-style sample: a short client brief about a coffee roaster, one exhibit and three multiple-choice questions (profit per unit, a cannibalization calculation and the client's real objective), with worked answers. A strong candidate finishes it in about 7 minutes without a calculator. The PST is retired, but this format still trains Solve skills. https://caseinterviewhq.com/mckinsey-pst-download/https://caseinterviewhq.com/mckinsey-pst-download/Sun, 18 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTThere is no current official McKinsey PST download, because the PST is retired. In 2026 the official practice sources are McKinsey's Solve page and its interviewing page with sample cases, BCG's case interview preparation and interview process pages, and Bain's case interview page with two practice cases. Combine them with timed written-case practice tests. https://caseinterviewhq.com/bcg-potential-test/https://caseinterviewhq.com/bcg-potential-test/Sun, 18 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTThe BCG Potential Test was a legacy multiple-choice written case used by some BCG offices before case interviews, scored +2 for a correct answer, 0 for blank and -1 for a wrong answer. BCG now has no single global test: depending on the office you may get the Casey chatbot case, the Consulting Career Assessment, a numerical test or Pymetrics. https://caseinterviewhq.com/mckinsey-pst-cutoff-score/https://caseinterviewhq.com/mckinsey-pst-cutoff-score/Sun, 18 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTMcKinsey never published a PST cutoff. My estimate, based on my own test and the candidates I coached, was about 19-20 correct answers out of 26 (roughly 75%). The PST is now retired. McKinsey Solve also has no published cutoff; prep providers report it scores outcomes and process, with percentile feedback available on request. https://caseinterviewhq.com/mckinsey-pst-practice/https://caseinterviewhq.com/mckinsey-pst-practice/Sun, 18 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTA solid written case practice plan takes four weeks at about five hours per week: week 1 builds business reading, week 2 calculator-free math, week 3 exhibit interpretation, and week 4 full timed sets with error review. The McKinsey PST is retired, but these skills prepare you for McKinsey Solve, other firms' tests and case interviews. https://caseinterviewhq.com/mckinsey-problem-solving-test-pst/https://caseinterviewhq.com/mckinsey-problem-solving-test-pst/Sun, 18 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTThe McKinsey Problem Solving Test (PST) was a paper-based written case: 26 multiple-choice questions on a few business cases, 60 minutes, no calculator and no penalty for wrong answers. It sat between the resume screen and the first case round. McKinsey has retired it and now screens candidates with Solve, a gamified digital assessment. https://caseinterviewhq.com/mckinsey-pst-how-many-pass/https://caseinterviewhq.com/mckinsey-pst-how-many-pass/Sun, 18 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTIn the PST era, about one in three test takers passed: of roughly 200,000 applications in 2012, about 1% received offers. Today about 300,000 candidates take McKinsey Solve each year, and prep providers estimate that 20-30% advance to interviews. McKinsey publishes no official pass rates, so every stage figure is an estimate. https://caseinterviewhq.com/the-bain-case-interview/https://caseinterviewhq.com/the-bain-case-interview/Sun, 18 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTA Bain case interview is a candidate-led business problem, usually drawn from a real Bain engagement, with a heavier load of calculator-free math than most firms. Many cases carry a private equity or due diligence flavor. Most candidates first pass an online screen (SOVA or TestGorilla), and interviewers judge fit by asking whether they would staff you on their team. https://caseinterviewhq.com/consulting-resume/https://caseinterviewhq.com/consulting-resume/Sun, 18 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTA strong consulting resume fits on one page and proves four things in a 30-second scan: strong academics, leadership, measurable impact and at least one distinctive spike. Every bullet follows action, scope and result, with a number. Use a clean single-column layout with standard headings so both the applicant tracking system and the human screener find your evidence fast. https://caseinterviewhq.com/bain-and-company-history/https://caseinterviewhq.com/bain-and-company-history/Sun, 18 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTBain & Company was founded in Boston in 1973 by Bill Bain, a BCG vice president, with a small group of colleagues. It stood out by serving one client per industry and staying through implementation. It spun off Bain Capital in 1984 under Mitt Romney, survived a near-collapse around 1990 and now employs roughly 19,000 people in 65+ cities. https://caseinterviewhq.com/case-interview/https://caseinterviewhq.com/case-interview/Sun, 18 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTA case interview is a 30-45 minute conversation in which a consulting interviewer hands you a business problem and watches you solve it live. You clarify the question, build a structure, state a hypothesis, analyze data and math, and close with a recommendation. McKinsey, BCG and Bain use cases in every interview round, always paired with a fit interview. https://caseinterviewhq.com/consulting-mba/https://caseinterviewhq.com/consulting-mba/Sun, 18 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTNo. McKinsey, BCG and Bain hire undergraduates and master's graduates as business analysts or associate consultants, and many of them later get a firm-sponsored MBA. An MBA gives a second entry point at associate level with higher pay. If you want MBB, apply before you start an MBA; the MBA route makes sense when your first attempt fails or you need a career switch. https://caseinterviewhq.com/case-interview-mistakes/https://caseinterviewhq.com/case-interview-mistakes/Sun, 18 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTThe case interview mistakes that most often end an interview are eight repeatable patterns: reciting a generic framework, calculating in silence, dumping data without a conclusion, never synthesizing, arguing with the interviewer, telling rambling fit stories, spiraling after a math error and ignoring hints. Each one has a simple, trainable fix. https://caseinterviewhq.com/bcg-case-interview/https://caseinterviewhq.com/bcg-case-interview/Sun, 18 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTA BCG case interview is usually candidate-led: you build the structure, state a hypothesis and steer toward the data you need. Cases are often open-ended and creative, though most still contain real math. Before interviews, most candidates complete an office-specific screen such as the Casey online case or the CCA, and some offices still use a written case. https://caseinterviewhq.com/boston-consulting-group-bcg-history/https://caseinterviewhq.com/boston-consulting-group-bcg-history/Sun, 18 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTThe Boston Consulting Group began in 1963, when Bruce Henderson set up a consulting unit inside a Boston bank. BCG built its name on ideas: the Perspectives essays, the experience curve and the growth-share matrix. Employees bought the firm out by 1979. In 2025 BCG reported $14.4 billion in revenue and 33,500 employees, with over 40% of revenue from tech and AI. https://caseinterviewhq.com/minto-pyramid-principle/https://caseinterviewhq.com/minto-pyramid-principle/Sun, 18 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTThe Minto Pyramid Principle is a method for structuring communication top-down: state your conclusion first, then group the supporting arguments beneath it, with each group MECE and each point summarizing the ones below. Barbara Minto developed it at McKinsey after 1963. Consultants use it in reports, emails and case interview recommendations because listeners grasp the answer immediately. https://caseinterviewhq.com/consulting-resume-scanners/https://caseinterviewhq.com/consulting-resume-scanners/Sun, 18 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTConsulting firms screen resumes in layers. An applicant tracking system collects and parses every application and can filter on keywords or required fields. A recruiter or consultant then scans each surviving resume for roughly 30-60 seconds, looking for academics, leadership, impact and a distinctive spike. AI tools increasingly assist, but humans still make the interview decision. https://caseinterviewhq.com/mece-pyramid-principle/https://caseinterviewhq.com/mece-pyramid-principle/Sun, 18 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTMECE stands for Mutually Exclusive, Collectively Exhaustive. It is the consulting rule for grouping information: each item belongs to exactly one group (no overlap) and the groups together cover every relevant option (no gaps). Barbara Minto coined the term at McKinsey. In case interviews, a MECE structure shows the interviewer you can break a problem down without double counting or missing a driver. https://caseinterviewhq.com/mckinsey-case-interview/https://caseinterviewhq.com/mckinsey-case-interview/Sun, 18 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTA McKinsey interview pairs an interviewer-led case with a Personal Experience Interview (PEI) in every round. In the case, the interviewer controls the sequence: you structure the problem, read an exhibit, run calculator-free math and give a synthesis. The PEI probes one deep story on connection, drive, leadership or growth. Most candidates first pass Solve. https://caseinterviewhq.com/mckinsey-pst-problem-solving-test/https://caseinterviewhq.com/mckinsey-pst-problem-solving-test/Sun, 18 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTTo beat a written case test such as the old McKinsey PST, read each question before the exhibit, extract only the numbers you need, calculate by hand with rounded figures, and pick the answer that serves the client's underlying objective. The PST is retired, but this method still works for Solve, written cases at other firms and data-heavy interviews. https://caseinterviewhq.com/mckinsey-history/https://caseinterviewhq.com/mckinsey-history/Sun, 18 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTMcKinsey & Company was founded in Chicago in 1926 by accounting professor James O. McKinsey. After his death in 1937 the firm split, leaving the Chicago practice to become A.T. Kearney. Marvin Bower then built the modern McKinsey around professional values and top-management clients. Today it is the largest MBB firm, with an estimated 40,000-46,000 people. https://caseinterviewhq.com/how-many-hours-does-an-associate-consultant-work/https://caseinterviewhq.com/how-many-hours-does-an-associate-consultant-work/Sun, 18 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTAn associate consultant at a strategy firm typically works 55-70 hours a week while staffed on a project, concentrated Monday to Thursday. Weeks between projects or in training drop to around 40 hours, while deadline and due-diligence weeks can reach about 80. Travel models, office culture and team norms explain most of the variation between firms. https://caseinterviewhq.com/case-interview-math/https://caseinterviewhq.com/case-interview-math/Sun, 18 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTCase interview math is the arithmetic you do by hand during a consulting case: multiplication, percentages, ratios, growth rates and break-even, usually with large numbers and no calculator. You get faster by splitting numbers into friendly parts, converting percentages to fractions, tracking zeros with scientific notation and drilling 15 minutes a day for four to six weeks.