How to Land a Job at McKinsey (2024)

Management consultant company McKinsey is well known for its world-class services. Jobs at McKinsey are coveted by both business professionals and new graduates. However, the company is strict when hiring candidates, so we’ve compiled a guide to help you learn how to get a job at McKinsey.

Below, we will review the consultancy’s achievements, as well as the application and interview process you’ll have to pass to land a job at McKinsey. To secure a position at this top firm, you must know how to prepare for an interview and how to avoid small mistakes that could cost you the job.

McKinsey: Company Background

McKinsey & Company was founded by University of Chicago professor and management accounting expert James O McKinsey in 1926. In 1933, Marvin Bower joined the team as managing director with an obligation to advocate for the truth, which is one of the company’s core values.

By the 1950s, the company committed to offering its professional services for free to the Red Cross and other non-profit organizations. This part of the company culture is still intact today.

By 1970, McKinsey had opened offices in nine countries, including England and Japan. In the past decade, the company has opened an office in Africa, focused on creating an outreach program to develop the next generation of leaders.

Today, McKinsey has 300,000 employees in 150 cities. It also boasts 38,000 graduates of its education and employment program Generation, which helps people learn new skills in a bid to reduce global unemployment.

McKinsey is a champion of inclusivity and racial equity. For example, the firm established the McKinsey Institute for Black Economic Mobility to help Black leaders accelerate economic development.

What It’s Like to Work at McKinsey

The work environment at McKinsey is highly regarded. Many established consultants want to join the firm due to its reputation for cultivating a positive workplace. The company was even voted 10th among the World’s Top 50 Most Attractive Employers by Universum in 2019.

Below are some of the things you can expect when working at Mckinsey.

Challenging Projects

As McKinsey is an international consultancy, you will be dealing with serious issues. Your clientele will bring up a wide range of problems that you must find a way to solve. To work for such an organization, you must be a critical thinker and a hard worker. Former employees say it is an intense but rewarding experience.

Growth

At McKinsey, you must put your best foot forward every day, as you will constantly face new challenges. To help you rise to the occasion, McKinsey provides many professional growth opportunities. You will be encouraged to attend training programs or workshops to enhance your skills.

Talented Colleagues

McKinsey has a rigorous hiring process and employs only the best in the field. They place a particular emphasis on finding consultants who have exceptional soft skills.

Long Hours

Working at Mckinsey will require you to put in long hours to finish your work. If you aren’t committed to overtime, it will be nearly impossible to succeed at this firm. The company’s research and fact-checking processes can take weeks to complete. But, the quality of service the company provides means it’s the best in the industry, so the effort will be worth it if you want to be on top.

Prestigious Networking Opportunities

Working at McKinsey almost guarantees that you will land in a leadership role if you choose to move on to another firm. You will gain extremely valuable experience at the company, and in the process, will meet high-end clients from around the world. You can create important networking contacts from multiple industries while working at McKinsey.

Getting a Job at McKinsey

If you want to work in consultancy, then a job at McKinsey is an invaluable experience. The company guarantees job security, plenty of benefits, and a very reasonable salary. That being said, most applicants who aspire to join this highly-regarded firm do not succeed.

To get the job, you must conduct thorough research and familiarise yourself with McKinsey’s mission, vision, and values.

There are several ways you can go about securing a job at this consulting firm. You can either apply online or attend a company networking event to try to make important connections that may lead to intel about job openings. McKinsey hires many of its employees through referrals

How Hard Is It to Land a Job at McKinsey?

According to a recent interview, the firm accepts only 2,000 out of 200,000 applications. This means you only have a one percent chance of getting hired. However, this should not deter you if you feel you have the right skills and experience.

If your application is accepted, you will go through a series of interviews to determine if you are the right fit. Make sure that you have adequately prepared for these interviews due to the competitive nature of the positions.

Applying for a Job at McKinsey

The company only accepts applications through its official website. This webpage outlines what the resume and cover letter must include, so follow the guidelines carefully.

McKinsey Application and Interview Process

The first screening at McKinsey aims to eliminate unqualified applicants. Most companies that receive a large number of applications use an ATS to help shortlist candidates. This software automatically removes the resumes that do not contain the keywords that a company requires.

If you pass this initial screening, there are two interviews. In the first interview, you will be tested on your intelligence and problem-solving abilities. The questions you will be asked are diverse and unpredictable. Prepare to answer anything related to increasing profits, restructuring, market-entry, pricing, and investment.

The intention of the second interview is mainly to establish your past achievements, so you can use this opportunity to showcase your skills.

McKinsey Career Opportunities: Job Titles and Descriptions

Now that you’re familiar with McKinsey’s background and application process, you can decide whether you’re ready to apply. Below are some of the job opportunities you can go for if you feel your skills are up to par.

Senior Data Engineer

• Salary: $80,000 to $100,000
• Benefits: Competitive salary, comprehensive benefits package, paid leave
• Level: N/A
• Required experience: 5 to 7 years
• Required education: Bachelor’s degree

To qualify to become a senior data engineer at McKinsey, you must have exceptional coding skills. Extensive knowledge of large data handling using the programming language SQL will be crucial in completing your tasks. You will also need to have a deep understanding of data manipulation, data warehousing, and data lake concepts and visualizations.

Your main role will be in data identification and extraction, for which you’ll be utilizing third-party data. Experience with data models and data engineering are important in this role because you will need to build efficient data pipelines.

Be sure you prepare for your interview by becoming familiar with common data engineer interview questions.

Solution Architect

• Salary :$100,000 to $150,000
• Benefits: Competitive salary, comprehensive benefits package, paid leave
• Level: N/A
• Required experience: 8 to 10 years
• Required education: Bachelor’s in computer science or equivalent

This position will require you to work on the technology team in McKinseys’ Boston, Chicago, or New York office. Your main job will be to create SAP solutions for deployment and configuration. You will also be required to shape and implement strategic products and solutions to propel growth.

To qualify for this job, you should have a background in all aspects of SAP, and will also need to have strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

Software Architect

• Salary: $150,000 to $200,000
• Benefits: Competitive salary, comprehensive benefits package, paid leave
• Level: N/A
• Required experience: 11 to 15 years
• Required education: Bachelor’s or master’s in computer science

To qualify for this position, you must have an in-depth understanding of software engineering, including design patterns, continuous integration, and application security.

This role also requires that you have leadership skills to help the company develop products, technologies, and processes. Communication skills are also necessary, as you will need to interact with the company’s stakeholders to explain the technical developments.

Office Services Manager

• Salary: $80,0000 to $100,000
• Benefits: Competitive salary, comprehensive benefits package, paid leave
• Level: N/A
• Required experience: 5 to 7 years
• Required education: Bachelor’s degree

This is a leadership role in a team of three building maintenance employees. In this role, you will supervise office services, renovations, reception, parking, maintenance, emergency response, and events support. You’ll be working in collaboration with other departments in the office to ensure smooth operations.

To qualify for this role, you will need to have a high level of integrity. You should also have strong management skills, as you will be tasked with many responsibilities and will need to multitask.

What Does It Take to Get a Job at McKinsey?

The company is looking for candidates who are problem solvers and can work in a fast-paced environment. McKinsey is a leading consulting firm with global recognition and attracts clients from all over the world.

The company is committed to diversity, social responsibility, and sustainability, so make sure that you exude these values in your job application. It receives hundreds of thousands of job applications which means chances are slim that your application will be successful.

However, if you have an excellent academic record, and can prove you have strong communication and analytical skills, you just might make the cut.

The hiring process at McKinsey is quite intense. You will need to adequately prepare for the interviews. The hiring managers will be very keen to answer all of your inquiries, but you also must display confidence when engaging with the panel.