Looking for advice on McKinsey’s hiring process
I recently submitted my application to McKinsey for a senior consultant position. I have about 8 years of work experience after finishing my degree. The day after I applied, I received an invitation to take their problem solving game, but I haven’t heard from any recruiter yet.
This has me wondering about a few things:
• Should I expect a phone screening before the assessment, or is it normal to jump straight to the online test?
• Does everyone who applies get access to this assessment tool, or does receiving the invitation mean something positive about my candidacy?
I’m asking because a colleague of mine went through this process at a different McKinsey location about a year ago, and they got both a recruiter call and the game invitation at the same time. Just trying to understand if each office handles things differently or if my experience is typical.
Any insights would be really helpful!
Congrats on passing initial screening! Getting Solve without talking to a recruiter first is totally normal now. Your background’s solid enough to move forward. Stay confident and knock out that assessment soon!
Went through McKinsey’s process 6 months ago - same thing happened to me. Getting the Solve game without a recruiter call first is totally normal now, so don’t overthink it. The game’s not bad if you’ve done consulting before, just different from case interviews. Practice the ecosystem building part - that’s where most people mess up. My recruiter only reached out after I finished the game, then everything moved fast. With 8 years experience you should be fine. Just don’t wait too long - I think you’ve got 2 weeks to complete it.
From a recruiting angle, your experience matches what McKinsey’s doing now. No recruiter call before getting Solve? That’s actually their streamlined process for experienced folks. They’ve figured out that senior people usually have solid qualifications, so why waste time on preliminary chats like they do with new grads? Your eight years probably hit their automated screening and skipped the usual phone rounds.
Getting Solve means you passed their resume screen, but don’t celebrate yet - it’s basically their new first interview. Your colleague had different timing because McKinsey keeps tweaking their process across offices. Doesn’t matter though. What counts now is how you perform, not the process differences.
Knock out the assessment quickly but don’t rush it. McKinsey watches how long you take, and dragging it out looks like you’re not interested. Your consulting background helps with the analytical stuff, but treat the ecosystem-building parts like something totally new - they’re nothing like regular case work.
each office def does their own thing. got my solve invite 3 days after applying too - no recruiter contact either. think that’s just how they handle experienced hires now. the game itself isn’t too hard, but that redrock study part can be tricky if u haven’t seen it. i wouldn’t read too much into getting the invite - just means your resume passed the first cut.
lol the whole “am I special for getting this invite” thing is pretty funny. McKinsey throws these Solve invites around like candy now - it’s just their screening filter before wasting recruiter time. Your colleague probably hit a different office or different timing. Each office does whatever they want anyway. Don’t overthink getting the invite, but don’t blow it off either since you still gotta pass it. With your experience, they’re treating you like any other experienced hire. Just finish it quick - they track how long you take.
McKinsey’s hiring process varies by office and region, which means your experience is quite normal. The problem-solving game (Solve) is not sent to every applicant; you typically need to pass initial screenings first. Being invited for it indicates you’ve made it past that first hurdle, but it’s not a certainty that you’ll advance further. Many offices now prefer to send out Solve invitations before any recruiter contact, especially for senior roles, as a way to streamline the process. Your colleague’s simultaneous invitation may just reflect the practices of their specific office. To give you a reality check, around 60-70% of candidates who receive the Solve invitation don’t progress. It’s a positive sign, but focus on excelling in the assessment. If you meet their score criteria, you can expect a recruiter to reach out within 1-2 weeks after you complete the game.