McKinsey & Company Advanced Professional Degree Interview: Complete Guide
Key Insight: Interviewer-Led Format
McKinsey uses an interviewer-led format, which means the interviewer controls the pace and direction of the case. Unlike candidate-led firms, you'll receive specific questions rather than driving the analysis yourself. For Advanced Professional Degree candidates, this means demonstrating flexibility and rapid adaptation to interviewer pivots.
What Advanced Professional Degrees Do at McKinsey
Lateral entry for professionals with advanced degrees (JD, MD, PhD) and significant work experience. APDs join at a senior level with specialized expertise.
- •Leveraging domain expertise
- •Leading specialized workstreams
- •Expert client advising
- •Thought leadership development
- •Mentoring case teams
Interview Process
Experienced hire interviews at McKinsey for Advanced Professional Degree positions are rigorous:
- •2+ rounds over multiple days or weeks
- •Deeper cases with industry-specific elements matching your expertise
- •Heavy emphasis on leadership and impact stories
- •Partner-level interviews assessing long-term fit
Skills Tested
What Makes McKinsey Different
Solve Game
McKinsey's gamified digital assessment (~70 minutes) testing problem-solving through ecosystem building and data analysis modules.
PEI
Personal Experience Interview assessing three dimensions: Personal Impact, Entrepreneurial Drive, and Inclusive Leadership.
Interviewer-Led Cases
The interviewer controls the pace and direction, asking specific questions rather than waiting for you to propose next steps.
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