Supportive colleagues during Linh’s interviews and internship make her excited to rejoin.
How did you feel before your interviews?
It would be a lie if I said I did not feel anxiety or pressure. I valued the opportunity to interview because it was a chance for me to get to know McKinsey and its people better, and I really wanted to make a good impression. I eased my nerves by having casual chats with friends to take my mind off the upcoming interviews. I also found that sharing my feelings with other interviewees was a great way to relieve the stress. It was nice to know I wasn’t the only one feeling this way. We were all in the process together and we gave each other the support we needed.
What surprised you most about the McKinsey interview process?
I enjoyed the interview more than I thought I would. At the start, the interviews were very similar to any formal consulting interview. However, as I progressed to the second round, I found I was making connections with the interviewers. Our conversations were more like casual problem-solving sessions to work through some tough challenges. One of my interviewers and I had a great time chatting about politics, which later became a theme in our talks throughout my internship.
How did you prepare for the personal experience portion of your interview?
I spent a significant amount of time reflecting. I knew there would be a lot of exceptional people interviewing with McKinsey, so I wanted to showcase my experiences that would stand out. I spent time thinking about how each situation impacted me and how my involvement in and response to each one highlighted a quality that McKinsey seeks in its consultants. I made sure to end each story with a summary of what I learned and how that impacted the way I worked or the decisions I made. Lastly, I practiced sharing my examples out loud with friends and peers in the recruiting process.
Aside from case coaching, how did McKinsey help you prepare?
I spent the most time preparing for the personal experience interviews; those to me were the most challenging. The McKinsey careers site provides lots of helpful information on what to expect and how to prepare. By understanding the qualities that make people successful at the firm, I could think of the best experiences to share during my interviews.
How do you feel about your overall experience as a summer associate?
It was very rewarding. The work experience was like a roller-coaster ride—full of adrenaline where I felt excited, anxious, stressed, motivated and inspired at the same time. Luckily, the exceptional people I worked with gave me the professional guidance and emotional support I needed to succeed. At the end of the day, the people at McKinsey made my summer associate experience the most enjoyable.
Why are you excited to re-join McKinsey as a full-time associate?
I am very much looking forward to learning and working with great people again. It is an exciting time for consulting in Vietnam. We are witnessing so much market and technological advancement amongst Vietnamese companies that have their own challenges. I can’t wait to join McKinsey and help companies in Vietnam thrive in such an exciting time.
More about Linh
Born and raised in Vietnam, Linh is proud to be the first member of her family to have a graduate degree – her MBA from Carnegie Mellon University with a focus on business analytics. Linh is passionate about data analytics and its applications in emerging markets like Vietnam.