Case Interview Hub Blog

In 1926, an accounting professor started a firm. 100 years later, it designed the White House, invented the barcode, produced 70 Fortune 500 CEOs — and paid $1 billion for the opioid crisis. Former McKinsey consultants tell the full story.

Two candidates. Same university, same GPA, same case. One gets the offer, the other doesn't. Former McKinsey interviewers who scored hundreds of cases reveal the 7 patterns that separate a hire from a reject — often within the first five minutes.

How much does it actually cost to hire McKinsey, BCG, or Bain? Former McKinsey consultants break down the three fee models, actual per-diem rates by seniority level, and what a typical 8-week MBB project costs — with numbers from real proposals.

Is a career at McKinsey, BCG, or Bain still worth it? Former McKinsey consultants break down the financial and non-financial benefits, the real downsides, and exit opportunities — so you can decide for yourself whether MBB consulting is the right move.

How can a 22-year-old advise Fortune 500 CEOs? Short answer: they don't — at least not alone. Former McKinsey consultants walk through what a typical week actually looks like, from Monday morning check-ins to Thursday evening flights home.

The McKinsey PEI gives you one question and 20 minutes to answer it. Most candidates aren't ready for that. Former McKinsey interviewers break down the 7 qualities being tested, the three types of questions, and how to build stories that stick.

How many hours do MBB consultants actually work? We break down three real sample weeks — a great week (54 hours), a typical week (67 hours), and a week from hell (100 hours) — plus the drivers and red flags that determine which one you get.

Job cuts, beached consultants, delayed promotions. The consulting industry has been in a slump since 2023 — and 2025 brought a fresh wave of layoffs. Former McKinsey consultants explain what's really going on at MBB and whether consulting is dying.

How do you actually get staffed on projects at McKinsey, BCG, or Bain? We break down the official models, the four factors that really determine where you end up, the "staffing black market" nobody talks about, and how it all changes as you get more senior.

Lilli is the proprietary GenAI tool of McKinsey. Lilli has the ability to access McKinseys "KNOW" database. "KNOW" is McKinsey's knowledge database where all the knowledge from years of projects work is cofidied and classified in an easily accessible way for McKinsey consultants. Lilli has direct access to the "KNOW" database and thus can access all the project knowledge of McKinsey. It makes it a lot easier for consultants to draft quick letters of proporsal or structure a p

Regular trianing is a staple at McKinsey especially in the first year on the job. McKinsey offers many world-class trianing programs with the goal of speeding up the development of the juniors. Besides the mandatory training in the first year, there are many optional offerings like excel and powerpoint training. But there are also offerings to develop soft skills like team room presence and giving & getting feedback.

Consultants at the MBB firms (McKinsey, BCG, Bain) get fired for several reason. Some firing can be explained by the up-or-out principle. It means that if you don't climb the hierarchical ladder and progress in your career, you are fired. This is closely linked to bad performance. Later on as a consultant gets more senior, a reason for being fired can also be that they don't have the backing of partners. A partner is filling the project pipeline and if she doesn't bring you a

McKinsey, BCG, and Bain are notorious for the up-or-out principle. So the fact that people get fired if they don't progress in the career ladder. In reality, most people leave consulting on their own terms and only a minority is getting laid-off. So the up-or-out principle is a thing but it is rarely executed.

McKinsey, BCG, and Bain all hold many recruiting events. Many students and young professionals attending these events wonder whether they are evaluated. And the short answer is: Yes! But no worries, the large events will not be evaluated. But the small events with prior CV screening are evaluated. So make sure you make a good impression as your performance in the event will decide whether you will be invited to join one of the talent programs. For example McKinsey Firsthand o

All major consulting firms, ranging from MBB (McKinsey, BCG, Bain) ot the Big 4 (Deloitte, EY, PwC, KPMG) have on thing in common and that is a bad repuation. This is driven by multiple factors. Consulting firms are taking the blame if a project fails - this comes as a service to the clients/customers. But there are also many scandals in the consluting world.

There are many interesting reads for (soon-to-be) consultants. The content of the books is not only relevant for the work at McKinsey, BCG, and Bain but also quite intesting and helpful in general.