All of our consultants, regardless of background, begin with a formal training program that helps introduce the core consulting skills before working on an engagement. These skills include structured problem solving, client communications, influencing, analytics, etc. The focus for most of your first year will be on building and rounding out these core skills as they will be important to your long-term success as a consultant.

Once the client work begins, the staffing process focuses primarily on what will be optimal for your development. While we usually try to place Experienced Professionals on projects that leverage some aspect of their background, we will also intentionally give you opportunities to solve problems you haven’t encountered before. We have found this to be valuable in building the general problem solving skills necessary for success at the firm.

How can I leverage my knowledge when I join?

While certain aspects of your experience and knowledge may come in handy on your first engagements, the most important thing to focus on when starting at McKinsey is building core consulting skills. Initially, staffing will focus on finding opportunities for you to (further) develop these skills, which may or may not involve a topic or industry you are familiar with.

After building a solid base of consulting skills, Experienced Professionals can choose to craft a program that leverages their background and experience, or they can choose to focus on completely new client topics.

Are there differences in progression and advancement for Experienced Professionals?

McKinsey operates as a true meritocracy where consultants advance when they are ready based on their own abilities, not based on a predetermined timeline or your background. The learning curve at the firm can be a rigorous process. However, while we do not expect Experienced Professionals to progress faster than campus hires, we do see more rapid advancement in certain cases because of experience.

What type of special training and development should an Experienced Professional expect?

Training and development is a constant at the firm across all tenure levels. A consultants attend regular programs tailored to accommodate their specific needs and roles. In addition to the programs intended for their respective role, Experienced Professionals will within their first year attend a workshop aimed specifically at facilitating Experienced Professionals’ successful integration in McKinsey.

Do interviewers ask Experienced Professionals different questions than other candidates?

No. The interview format is the same for campus and Experienced Professional candidates. For the case interviews, cases are designed such that candidates from any educational or work background can solve them.

Are interviews for Practice candidates (e.g., BTO, Operations, Organization) different than those for generalist candidates?

McKinsey holds the same bar on personal and analytical skills for all consultants. In addition to these skills, Practice candidates (e.g., BTO, Operations, Organization) will also be assessed on their Practice-relevant knowledge.

How is work experience taken into account during the hiring process?

To be selected to interview with us, you must have a background that indicates strong personal and analytical skills gained from work, education and/or other experiences. As Experienced Professionals are hired directly into an Associate position, it is important that in your work experience you have acquired skills that help you in this role. If you are interviewing for a position in one of McKinsey’s Practices (e.g., BTO, Operations, Organization), the depth and breadth of the knowledge gained in that specific field will be an additional focus area for the interviewer.