I went through McKinsey’s interview process and reached the last stage but unfortunately didn’t get selected. They mentioned I should stay connected and try again next cycle. My PhD will be finished in a few months and I have a job offer from the company that funded my research. I’m considering taking that position and then applying to McKinsey again after a year. Would I still be eligible for their APD track? Has anyone here tried both the APD path and the experienced professional route? I’m curious about which one might give me better odds of success.
look, it’s pretty clear McKinsey’s not fussed about your track. they just want people who can get the job done. if you’ve got industry experience after your PhD, going the experienced hire route might actually be the smarter move since APD is really for fresh grads. but let’s be real, if you flopped the first time, just sitting around for a year won’t magically change their mind unless you totally revamp your case prep and stories. that “stay connected” nonsense is code for “thanks but no thanks.”
Yes! That industry experience will be gold for your McKinsey reapp. You’re building exactly what they wanted to see more of. Stay optimistic and keep growing!
You’re in a solid spot! I did something similar - bombed my first McKinsey interview fresh out of PhD, worked corporate for 18 months, then came back as experienced hire. Completely different experience the second time. Having real project management under my belt and actual business problems to talk about made the behavioral questions way easier. The APD window’s pretty generous (2-3 years post-PhD I think?), but don’t get stuck on that track. Experienced hire might work better for you now, especially with industry backing from your research sponsor. Just don’t apply again too soon - give yourself time to actually develop new skills and stories.
You’ve got an interesting choice here. McKinsey’s APD program takes people within two years of finishing their PhD, so timing won’t be a problem. The real question is whether you can show meaningful growth since your last application.
Taking that industry job could actually help your chances a lot. Real-world experience gives you solid examples for behavioral interviews and shows you can actually use what you learned in your PhD. Plus, the experienced hire track might work in your favor - different evaluation criteria and less competition from fresh grads.
Since you made it to the final stage before, you’ve clearly got potential. You just need to figure out what went wrong - case methodology, communication, leadership examples, whatever. A year in industry should naturally fix those gaps while giving you new achievements to talk about.
I’d suggest staying in touch with McKinsey people during this time and doing some informational interviews. Shows you’re serious and keeps you updated on what they’re looking for.