McKinsey's Recruitment Programs: What You Need to Know

Each year McKinsey opens a variety of programs to recruit talented employees. 

Read this article to know more about 3 levels of McKinsey recruitment: undergraduates, MBA, and advanced professionals degree candidates. We also discover seven McKinsey’s recruitment programs for these levels, define which one is most suitable for you, and receive further advice on what you should do to become a McKinsey consultant.

Overview of McKinsey’s recruitment programs

McKinsey & Company - a global consulting firm

McKinsey & Company is a global consulting firm that helps businesses and organizations solve complex problems and improve their performance in a wide range of industries all over the world. 

It was founded in 1926 in Chicago and has since grown to have offices all around the world. The company is now headquartered in New York City.

Purpose of McKinsey’s recruitment programs

McKinsey's recruitment programs aim to find and develop talented individuals who have the potential to become successful consultants. 

McKinsey looks for people from different educational backgrounds, including undergraduate students, MBA graduates, and those with advanced professional degrees.

For undergraduate candidates, McKinsey seeks individuals who have shown excellent academic performance, have strong leadership abilities, and have gained valuable experience through work or activities on or off campus. 

For MBA candidates, McKinsey focuses on finding people who are not only good at solving problems but can also think strategically. These candidates are skilled in developing hypotheses, gathering and analyzing data, drawing meaningful conclusions, and making recommendations that can help businesses improve.

For those with advanced professional degrees (like PhDs, JDs, or MDs), McKinsey values their specialized knowledge and looks for candidates to apply their expertise to solve complex business challenges. 

Purpose of McKinsey recruitment programs

McKinsey’s recruitment activities

McKinsey's recruitment activities include events and workshops aimed at connecting with potential candidates and helping them develop essential skills. 

These activities feature Diversity and Inclusion programs to support candidates from various backgrounds, and skill development workshops that focus on key consulting abilities like problem-solving and data analysis.

McKinsey’s recruitment programs

McKinsey's recruitment programs are designed to attract and hire talented individuals from diverse backgrounds, whether they are students, professionals with advanced degrees, or experienced professionals.

For campus recruitment, McKinsey engages with universities globally through on-campus events, career fairs, and partnerships, offering both internships and full-time positions for students.

For those transitioning from academia or specialized fields into consulting, McKinsey opens the Advanced Professional Degree (APD) Program providing additional training and mentorship to integrate their skills effectively.

For experienced professional hires, the focus is on candidates with relevant industry experience. They apply through resume submission, followed by interviews and case studies to assess their expertise and fit for McKinsey.

McKinsey’s recruitment programs

McKinsey’s recruitment channels

McKinsey recruits candidates through two main channels.

First, individuals can apply directly through McKinsey's careers website, where they can find and apply for open positions online.

Second, referrals from current employees play a key role. Employees can recommend potential candidates, which often helps those candidates stand out during the hiring process.

McKinsey’s recruitment channels

Recruitment programs for undergraduate or masters applicants

Recruitment programs for undergraduate or masters applicants

Business Analyst Recruitment 

The Business Analyst Recruitment at McKinsey is designed for individuals who are either in their final year of undergraduate study or have graduated within the last three years. The program targets students majoring in a wide range of disciplines, including commerce, business, economics, science, technology, engineering, math, law, medicine, and the arts. 

In terms of qualifications, candidates should have either an undergraduate degree, a master’s degree, or at least one year of work experience after completing their undergraduate studies. Specific requirements may also vary depending on the country or practice area.

Besides qualifications, candidates need to acquire some typical skills such as:

• Problem-solving through quantitative analysis

• Effective team collaboration

McKinsey values individuals who can collaborate effectively in teams and contribute to an inclusive environment.

• Strong communication skills

Candidates must be able to communicate clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing, in English as well as the local language of the office where they are applying.

Business Analyst Recruitment

Summer Business Analyst Internship 

The Summer Business Analyst Internship at McKinsey is open to students from various majors, including both business and non-business fields. This program is specifically for students who are graduating between December and August each year.

To qualify, candidates should be in their penultimate year of studies, either in a bachelor’s or master’s program. McKinsey gives a preference to those currently enrolled in a BSc or MSc program in fields such as computer science, telecommunications, or other engineering and technical disciplines. It’s also important for you to have a proven record of leadership in whether work experience or extracurricular activities.

The program seeks candidates with strong leadership skills, analytical abilities, and a positive attitude. These skills are crucial for successfully navigating the challenges of the internship and making a meaningful impact during their time at McKinsey.

Summer Business Analyst Internship 

Fellow Recruitment

The Fellow Recruitment at McKinsey is designed for final-year undergraduate students or recent graduates who have completed their studies within the last three years. This program is open to students from a broad range of disciplines, including commerce, business, economics, science, technology, engineering, math, law, medicine, and the arts. 

To be eligible, candidates should either have an undergraduate or master’s degree or possess 1-3 years of work experience after completing their undergraduate studies. 

Key skills that candidates need to acquire include:

• A demonstrated aptitude for analytics 

• Strong problem-solving skills through quantitative analysis

• Effective team collaboration

• Effective communication skills

Fellow Recruitment

Recruitment programs for MBA degree applicants

Recruitment programs for MBA degree applicants

Associate Recruitment

The Associate Recruitment at McKinsey is aimed at individuals who hold a bachelor's degree and preferably have an advanced graduate degree or around five years of relevant work experience. Specific requirements might also vary depending on the country or practice area.

McKinsey expects candidates applying for this program to have several essential skills:

• The ability to lead an independent workstream while being part of a larger team project.

• Strong problem-solving skills through quantitative analysis

• The ability to comfortably work in dynamic and ambiguous situations

• Effective communication skills

• Effective team collaboration

Associate Recruitment

Fellow - Young Leaders Program

The Fellow - Young Leaders Program (YLP) at McKinsey is a two-year, full-time consulting program designed to develop outstanding young talents into future leaders. Participants in this program work as part of a client project team, collaborating with colleagues and clients to tackle challenging business problems.

At the end of the program, high-performing fellows have the opportunity to advance into a Business Analyst role.

To qualify for the YLP, candidates should have an undergraduate or master’s degree with a strong academic record and less than one year of continuous work experience. 

Key skills include exceptional analytical and quantitative problem-solving abilities, effective teamwork, and the capability to communicate complex ideas clearly, both verbally and in writing.

Fellow - Young Leaders Programs

Recruitment programs for advanced professional applicants

Recruitment programs for advanced professional applicants

Experienced Professionals Recruitment

The Experienced Professionals Recruitment at McKinsey is designed for professionals who are ready to bring their expertise and leadership qualities to McKinsey's consulting teams.

McKinsey recruiters seek creative thinkers and problem solvers who bring unique perspectives from their diverse backgrounds.

In evaluating candidates, McKinsey focuses on four key aspects:

• Personal impact - the ability to make a significant and positive influence.

• Entrepreneurial drive - a proactive approach and motivation to drive change.

• Problem-solving skills - Strong skills in analyzing and solving complex issues.

• Inclusive leadership - The capacity to lead and foster an inclusive environment within teams.

Experienced Professionals Recruitment

Advanced Professional Degree (APD) Program

The Advanced Professional Degree (APD) Program at McKinsey is typically for people with advanced degrees, such as PhDs, MDs, JDs, PharmDs, or non-MBA master’s degrees. For non-MBA master’s candidates, they need at least four years between their undergraduate and graduate degrees to join this program. If they have less than four years, they would qualify for business analyst roles instead.

In the APD Program, participants can work as full-time associates either as general consultants or in specialized roles. 

Advanced Professional Degree (APD) Program

McKinsey recruitment process

The McKinsey recruitment process involves several steps:

McKinsey recruitment process

Step 1: Application/Resume and cover letter screens

The first step of McKinsey’s recruitment process involves preparing and submitting your application materials. You need to create a detailed and accurate resume or CV including all relevant information about your experiences, particularly highlighting any teamwork or leadership roles. 

To help you prepare, MConsultingPrep offers resources like the Consulting Resume Toolkit and the Prospective Starter Pack - A-Z MBB Application. These courses provide guidance on crafting a strong resume and cover letter that will catch the attention of recruiters.

Step 2: McKinsey Online Assessments

McKinsey’s online assessments are designed to evaluate your problem-solving skills. One of the key assessments is the McKinsey Solve Game, which tests your ability to tackle complex problems in an interactive way. 

If you’ve already completed the Solve Game within the past 12 months, you won’t need to take it again.

To prepare for these online assessments, you can use resources like the McKinsey Solve Simulation and the available free trial of these games. These tools can help you familiarize yourself with the types of problems you’ll encounter and improve your performance in the assessment.

Step 3: Recruiter Screen

The recruiter screening round typically involves a 30-minute phone interview with a McKinsey recruiter. During this call, the recruiter will ask you questions about your background, experience, and qualifications. 

This conversation helps McKinsey understand more about you and assess if your skills and experiences align with their needs. It’s an opportunity for you to discuss your career goals and demonstrate why you’re a good fit for the role.

Step 4: Interviews with consulting professionals

This step includes two rounds of interviews.

In the first round, you'll have a general personal fit interview, a personal experience interview, and a case interview. 

• The personal fit interview assesses how well you align with McKinsey’s values and culture.

• The personal experience interview focuses on your past experiences and achievements. 

• The case interview evaluates your problem-solving skills through a practical business scenario.

The final interview involves meeting with McKinsey partners and practice leaders. This interview will either revisit the personal experience or case interview, depending on what was emphasized in the first round.

To prepare for these interviews, it’s essential to practice case interviews, as they play a significant role in the assessment process. We recommend you to try our course “Case Interviews End-to-End Secrets Programs”