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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By Florian Smeritschnig, former McKinsey Senior Consultant · Updated June 2026 The Pyramid Principle is a top-down communication method created by Barbara Minto at McKinsey: you lead with your main answer (the governing thought), support it with three or four grouped arguments, and back each argument with evidence. Instead of walking the listener through your…
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By Florian Smeritschnig, former McKinsey Senior Consultant · Updated September 2026 McKinsey’s values are organized in three commitments: adhere to the highest professional standards, improve clients’ performance significantly, and create an unrivaled environment for exceptional people, backed by 17 specific values. Its stated purpose is “to help create positive, enduring change in the world.” And…
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By Florian Smeritschnig, former McKinsey Senior Consultant · Last updated July 8, 2026 Every candidate walks into a case interview terrified that one wrong number will cost them the offer. So they freeze, chase a flawless run, and make worse mistakes than the ones they feared. After my time at McKinsey and delivering 2,200+ mock…
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By Dr. Florian Smeritschnig, former McKinsey Senior Consultant · Updated October 5, 2026 A final round interview at McKinsey, BCG, or Bain is usually the second and last interview round: two to three back-to-back interviews with partners, each pairing a case with a fit interview. The cases are not harder than in round one. What changes…
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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.
