495: Setting up scale: How to avoid voltage drop (with John A. List)

It is impossible to read the personality of an interview and we discuss the typical errors candidates make in trying to read too much into the behavior of interviewers: quiet, asking questions, rude, ...

13 Nov 20126min

When interviewing with a partner or associate from a different culture, it is very easy to say something which can offend a person. Our very own clients have said seemly innocent things only to have i...

7 Nov 201215min

Interviewers can only respond to what you say, and poor communication, like in this example, not only wastes time, but is a poor reflection on your candidacy. This is a crucial point to remember. No m...

1 Nov 201211min

The right way to read a graph in a case interview and a set of graphics, is not to look for each insight, but to extract the overall message. Most candidates take enormous pride in reading every insig...

26 Okt 201210min

Brainstorming is the core of a McKinsey case interview. It is tough to pass a case without brainstorming skills. The problem is that it is hard to find a definition and technique to brainstorm effecti...

20 Okt 20129min

There are three phrases which create trouble in an interview: "I think that…" and "In my opinion…" and "But, if I look at my friends…" Not only are they defensive, and arrogant, they are also clear in...

14 Okt 201210min

We produce a significant amount of podcasts with information on case interviews, PEI, FIT, brainstorming techniques etc. This information can be overwhelming and hard to prioritize for the typical lis...

8 Okt 20127min

Many candidates are obsessed with generating correct answers in estimations they must make within cases or standalone estimation cases. This is a poor strategy. By obsessing about the final answer in ...

2 Okt 20127min