Updated May 2026 · By Florian Smeritschnig, Former McKinsey Senior Consultant The MBB consulting ban period (also called the “cool-off period” or “reapplication policy”) is the time you must wait after a rejection before applying again to the same firm. McKinsey enforces a 18-24-month ban. BCG enforces 12 months for undergraduate / Master’s candidates and…
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Updated June 2026 · By Florian Smeritschnig, Former McKinsey Senior Consultant The BCG Real Life interview is an experiential, role-play round used mainly in Boston Consulting Group‘s German-speaking offices, where the interviewer acts out a realistic work situation, a tense client, a frustrated teammate, a skeptical partner, and you have to handle it live, in…
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OpenAI is a leading AI research and development company that focuses on developing cutting-edge artificial intelligence technology to benefit humanity. The company has collaborated with Bain & Company, a leading global management consulting firm, to deliver innovative AI solutions to Coca-Cola, one of the world’s largest beverage companies. An initial project of many more to…
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McKinsey & Co., the world’s most prestigious consulting firm, is reportedly planning to eliminate around 2,000 jobs, marking one of its biggest rounds of cuts ever. According to Bloomberg, the move is expected to focus on support staff in roles that don’t have direct contact with clients, as McKinsey looks to restructure how it organizes…
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By Florian Smeritschnig, former McKinsey Senior Consultant · Updated June 15, 2026 “Walk me through your resume” sounds like a softball, so candidates read their resume top to bottom and bore the interviewer into a weak first impression. That is a wasted opening. To answer it well, give a 2 to 3 minute chronological story:…
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Florian spent five years at McKinsey as a Senior Consultant and is a highly experienced consulting interviewer and problem-solving coach. Having conducted interviews with hundreds of candidates, he understands exactly what top-tier firms look for in successful applicants.
He founded StrategyCase.com to make top consulting careers more accessible by providing tailored, up-to-date insights into the recruiting process. Recognized as the most successful case and fit interview coach, Florian has helped his clients secure 700+ offers at MBB, Tier-2 firms, Big 4 consulting divisions, in-house consultancies, and boutique firms over the past four years.
He is the author of “The 1%: Conquer Your Consulting Case Interview,” “The 1%: Case Interview Workbook,” and “Consulting Career Secrets”, all available on Amazon.
