本集Work Hard Play Hard的主角是畢業於劍橋大學，目前任職於麥肯錫公司的Sunny（化名），來和大叔談談管理顧問產業的龍頭麥肯錫McKinsey，以及當初她的面試經驗。管理顧問產業（ManagementConsulting）主要提供服務給公司的管理階層。服務範圍包括公司策略研擬、產業報告與分析等。麥肯錫公司的組織架構為金字塔型，從入門層級的商業分析師、專員、專案經理、準合夥人、合夥人到最上層的資深合夥人。通常一個計畫的人員編制會由一位專案經理負責帶領三到四個分析師及專員。在這樣由菁英管理的金字塔型架構中，員工不是過關斬將往上爬，就是在某個時間點配合自己人生規畫而選擇轉換跑道。麥肯錫校友經常在各行各業也經常有很好的職涯發展，他們建構起來的人際網絡也成為校友們的共有資源。這也是麥肯錫吸引人的地方。
那麼將要畢業的大學生們該如何進入麥肯錫呢？Sunny提到有兩種方式，其中一個是校園徵才，這樣的招募希望收進來的新血是通才類型的；另一種在業界招募的方式，則希望招收已經有社會及特定產業經驗的專才。另外，公司面試主要的大方向有兩個，包含分享個人經驗及案例面試（Case Interview）。後者主要是透過商業案件的分析，如風險因素、目標如何達成，考驗面試者找出關鍵及正確問題的能力。這裡在此分享如何準備案例面試的聖經：Case in Point (https://cutt.ly/wcK8CAm)。
Sunny在準備面試的時候做了充分的練習與努力，她認為麥肯錫的面試流程標準化且親切，也在面試過程和其他受試夥伴互相幫助成長，Sunny也在加入麥肯錫公司後，體認到這樣的面試程序與測驗便與現在實際參與到的管理計畫相同。
Management consulting focuses on corporate strategies and management issues. McKinsey is a leading firm in this field. Organizationally it is structured as a pyramid starting with Analyst, Associate, Engagement Manager, Associate Partner, Partner, with Senior Partner at the very top. A typical project is led by an Engagement Manager with a handful of Analysts and Associates. Culturally, it is an “up-or-out” meritocracy. The attraction of a firm like McKinsey, in addition to its rigorous approach, is that upon becoming an alum, one steps immediately into an elite network of business leaders, Lou Gerstner (https://cutt.ly/5cK3NHu) being a famous example.

Recruiting processes are in two forms. One is for industry specialists. Most people join as a generalist after finishing college or graduate degrees. Consulting firm recruiting is focused on two components. One is personal history. The other, more famous, is the Case interviews. Case interview is a structured business case where the interviewee is expected to demonstrate her fact-finding and analytical abilities. The “bible” on how to practice for Case interviews is Case in Point (https://cutt.ly/wcK8CAm).

Sunny (nom de guerre) is a Cambridge grad and currently a McKinsey associate. Applying to McKinsey requires rigorous preparation. All the same, she finds the process well streamlined and reciprocally beneficial to candidates with feedbacks. Common mistakes are being underprepared and getting too stressed. For Sunny, the Case study process turned out to be a collaborative process. Looking from an insider’s lens today, this collaborative process also simulates the client engagement process.

There is clearly a method to the madness.

EP_7麥肯錫顧問Sunny來囉

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