Blog posts

the image is the cover for the article on questions to ask at the end of the consulting interview

The Best Questions to Ask at the End of a Case Interview

By Florian Smeritschnig, former McKinsey Senior Consultant · Updated June 2026 At the end of a case interview, ask two or three open-ended questions about your interviewer’s own experience: their most challenging project, what surprised them about the firm, why they have stayed. Avoid anything you could find on the firm’s website, and never ask…
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the image is the cover for an article on the best degree for management consulting

What Degree Do You Need for Management Consulting? (2026)

Updated July 2026 · By Florian Smeritschnig, Former McKinsey Senior Consultant You do not need a specific degree to land a management consulting job. McKinsey, BCG, and Bain recruit from more than 200 distinct degree programs every year, and roughly half of every incoming McKinsey class holds a non-business undergraduate degree. What actually determines whether…
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Consulting candidate planning interview preparation with a clock and notes in a professional office setting.

How Long to Prepare for Consulting Interviews? (50-150 Hours)

Updated July 2026 · By Florian Smeritschnig, Former McKinsey Senior Consultant The realistic preparation time for McKinsey, BCG, or Bain interviews ranges from 50 hours (for candidates with business backgrounds and prior case practice) to 150 hours (for career switchers with no business exposure), typically spread across 6-12 weeks. The single biggest variable of how…
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Professional cover image for an Accenture Digital Assessment guide showing a laptop with a Discovery Portal Assessment dashboard and key preparation areas including cognitive ability, problem solving, time management, and expert tips.

Accenture Digital Assessment 2026: How to Pass the Discovery Portal Test

Updated June 2026 · By Florian Smeritschnig, Former McKinsey Senior Consultant The Accenture Digital Assessment is an online screening test that graduate and entry-level consulting candidates complete through Accenture’s Discovery Portal after the application stage. It has two timed sections, a Situational Judgment Test and a Numerical Reasoning Test, runs about 60 to 90 minutes,…
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Candidate practicing case interviews alone with a laptop, notebook, and case frameworks

How to Practice Case Interviews Alone (the Right Way)

By Florian Smeritschnig, Former McKinsey Senior Consultant. Updated July 8, 2026. How to practice case interviews alone? Does it even make sense? The short answer is yes. But, it depends on the how. Most candidates who practice case interviews alone get worse, not better. They grind 40 cases in their bedroom, repeat the same broken…
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