Updated July 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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By Florian Smeritschnig, former McKinsey Senior Consultant · Updated June 2026 The case interview dress code at McKinsey, BCG, Bain, and other top firms is conservative business formal: a well-fitted suit in navy, charcoal, or grey, a crisp white or light-blue shirt or blouse, and polished closed-toe leather shoes. When in doubt, overdress. Here is the…
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By Dr. Florian Smeritschnig, Former McKinsey Senior Consultant · Updated September 2026 Big 4 vs MBB. They differ in one basic way: McKinsey, BCG, and Bain sell strategy advice to senior leaders, while Deloitte, PwC, EY, and KPMG are audit-born networks whose consulting is mostly technology and implementation work. MBB pays more, hires under 1% of applicants,…
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Updated July 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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Updated July 2026 · By Florian Smeritschnig, former McKinsey Senior Consultant To answer “Why consulting?”, lead with the work itself, the variety of problems, the speed of learning, and early exposure to senior leaders, then back it with a specific example from your own experience and connect it to why you want that firm. Keep…
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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.
