Last Updated on November 5, 2025
McKinsey just published an article, providing an update on their global recruiting during the pandemic and their outlook for 2021. The interview with Brian Rolfes, the partner in charge of global recruiting provides positive news for job seekers, aiming to start their McKinsey career.
Let’s quickly break down what you have to expect when you apply for a consulting or specialist role with McKinsey in 2021.
Is McKinsey hiring?
Yes!
The key message of the interview is: McKinsey is strong, growing, and hiring.
The subtext reads: They are aiming to hire more new colleagues this year than any previous year in the history of the Firm.
Is it a good time to join the Firm?
Yes! Now is as good a time as any.
McKinsey is actively working with top companies, governments, and NGOs to curb the effects of the crisis and use the crisis as an opportunity for their clients and their staff. The firm is growing organically and through acquisitions and very healthy and stays at the forefront of management consulting in the 21st century.
How does the recruiting process work during the pandemic?
Most of the recruiting process has shifted online. This applies to recruiting events as well as the aptitude test (McKinsey Imbellus Problem Solving Game), and the Problem Solving and Personal Experience Interview.
The firm hosted about 1,000 virtual recruiting events, 20,000 virtual interviews, and 43,000 digital problem-solving game sessions in 2020, a trend that is expected to continue this year.
What about a McKinsey internship?
In 2020, the firm honored all 1,000 internship offers globally (500 alone in the United States) and the number is set to increase this year. Every aspect of the internship was conducted remotely, from virtual onboarding, to online training, and engagement work.
The situation and setup will likely be similar this year with a further update in March.
For the whole interview click here.
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