Author: Florian Smeritschnig

the image is a cover for an article about consulting coffee chats

Consulting Coffee Chat 2026: Questions, Prep, and Referrals

Updated May 2026 · By Florian Smeritschnig, Former McKinsey Senior Consultant A consulting coffee chat is a 25 to 45 minute informal conversation with a consultant (typically Senior Associate, Engagement Manager, or Partner) at McKinsey, BCG, Bain, or another consulting firm, used by the firm to assess your fit and used by you to learn…
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the image is the cover for an article about the dress code and mindset for case interviews

How to Dress For Your Consulting Interview

When you finally show up for your case interview with McKinsey, BCG, and Bain, you don’t want anything to be left to chance. Apart from the skills you display in the case interview and the fit interview, it is all about your appearance and preparedness on the big interview day. These interviews are not just…
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the image is the cover of an article about the big 4

What Are the Big 4? Firms, Services, Careers & Strategy Arms (2026)

Updated May 2026 · By Florian Smeritschnig, Former McKinsey Senior Consultant The Big 4 are the four largest professional services firms in the world: Deloitte, PwC, EY, and KPMG. Together they employ over 1.5 million people across more than 150 countries and generated combined revenue of approximately $220 billion in their 2024 fiscal years, with…
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the image is the cover of an article on consulting brainteasers

Consulting Brainteasers: 15 Practice Questions + Solver’s Guide (2026)

Updated May 2026 · By Florian Smeritschnig, Former McKinsey Senior Consultant Consulting brainteasers are short logic, math, or lateral-thinking puzzles used by tier-2 firms, the Big 4, boutique consultancies, and in-house consulting teams to test structured problem-solving under pressure. McKinsey, BCG, and Bain almost never use them, so if MBB is your target, brainteasers are…
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the image is a cover for the article on why consulting interview question

How to Answer “Why Consulting?” in a Case Interview

Navigating the world of consulting interviews requires not only case-solving acumen but also the ability to articulate why you’re drawn to this field and, specifically, to the firm you’re interviewing with. Understanding how to convincingly answer the “Why consulting?” and “Why our firm?” questions is crucial in consulting fit interviews. This article aims to arm…
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