Updated May 2026 | By Florian Smeritschnig, Former McKinsey Senior Consultant Roughly half of consultants at McKinsey, BCG, and Bain don’t have a business or finance background. Engineers, lawyers, doctors, military officers, and academics together make up the majority of MBB hires once you set MBA recruiting aside. Firms aren’t reluctantly accepting non-traditional candidates —…
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The 80/20 Principle, also known as the Pareto Principle, states that 80% of results come from 20% of the effort. This principle, first identified by Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto, can be applied in a variety of ways to improve efficiency and increase productivity. In consulting firms, the 80/20 principle can be a valuable tool for…
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Market sizing questions are a core component of consulting case interviews, testing your ability to break down ambiguous problems, make structured assumptions, and arrive at a logical estimate under pressure. In this guide, you will learn a clear, step-by-step approach to solve market sizing questions with confidence and precision. As a former McKinsey consultant who…
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Consultants at McKinsey, BCG, and Bain utilize the MECE concept to define a method that helps them to think through problems and organize information. It helps them to be efficient and clear in their problem-solving process. Consequently, candidates that go through the case interview process with the top firms need to demonstrate they are able…
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The global pandemic has made virtual communication more important than ever before and consulting firms like McKinsey, BCG, and Bain have adapted by conducting case interviews via video conferencing platforms like Zoom. While the pandemic has ended, virtual interviewing has stayed for most firms, roles, and offices. If you are preparing for an online case…
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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.
