By Florian Smeritschnig, former McKinsey Senior Consultant. Updated July 2026. Most candidates fail case interviews for one reason: they prepared for the wrong test. Not because they are not smart enough, and not because they did not work hard enough. After five years at McKinsey, where I evaluated candidates, and 2,200+ coaching sessions since, I…
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By Florian Smeritschnig, former McKinsey Senior Consultant · Updated July 2026 The case interview mindset that actually earns offers is calm, structured composure under pressure. Not raw brainpower, and not bluffing. You have drilled dozens of cases, memorized the math shortcuts, and can recite every framework in your sleep. Then the interview starts and your…
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Updated June 2026 · By Florian Smeritschnig, former McKinsey Senior Consultant One mistake in a case interview will not cost you the offer at McKinsey, BCG, or Bain. Interviewers expect slips under pressure. What they actually score is how calmly and quickly you recover, because resilience and coachability matter more than a flawless answer. Perfectionism…
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By Florian Smeritschnig, former McKinsey Senior Consultant · Updated June 2026 The Bain case interview rewards one thing above all: answer first. You lead with a hypothesis (a clear, early point of view), then build a tight framework to prove or disprove it. McKinsey and BCG let you explore before you commit; Bain wants the…
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Updated June 2026 · By Florian Smeritschnig, Former McKinsey Senior Consultant Post-interview thank-you notes in consulting will not win you any offers, and they will not rescue a weak interview performance. In structured recruiting at McKinsey, BCG, and Bain, your result is decided in a scored debrief among the people who evaluated you, usually within…
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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.
