Every year, hundreds of thousands of candidates apply to McKinsey, Bain, and BCG. The acceptance rate hovers around 1%. Most of those rejected aren't unqualified— they just prepared for the wrong thing.
The biggest mistake? Treating case interviews like exams where you need to know the "right" framework. Interviewers have seen every framework a hundred times. What they're actually assessing is how you think.
The five skills that matter
After conducting hundreds of interviews, we've identified the core competencies that separate candidates who get offers from those who don't:
- 1Problem structuring: Can you break an ambiguous problem into clear, logical components?
- 2Quantitative reasoning: Can you build and sanity-check numbers on the fly?
- 3Business judgment: Do you understand how businesses actually work?
- 4Synthesis: Can you pull insights together into a clear recommendation?
- 5Communication: Can you explain complex ideas simply and confidently?
Why frameworks aren't enough
Frameworks like profitability trees or the 4Ps are useful starting points. But interviewers don't want to see you pull out a memorized structure. They want to see you adapt your thinking to the specific problem.
The best candidates use frameworks as scaffolding, not scripts. They customize their approach based on what they learn, ask smart follow-up questions, and adjust when new information doesn't fit their initial hypothesis.
The interview isn't about getting to the right answer. It's about showing you can think clearly under pressure.
How to actually prepare
Instead of memorizing more frameworks, focus on building the underlying skills. Practice breaking down problems you encounter in daily life. Do mental math regularly. Read business news and form hypotheses about company decisions.
Most importantly, get feedback on your actual performance. The biggest gap between preparation and interview performance is self-awareness—knowing what you're doing well and what needs work.