McKinsey is asking graduate applicants to “collaborate” with an artificial intelligence tool as part of its recruitment process, as competency with technology becomes a requirement in the competition for top-level jobs.
According to CaseBasics, a US company that helps candidates apply for positions at leading strategy consulting firms, blue-chip consultancies are incorporating “AI interviews” into some final round interviews.
in one online postCaseBasics said candidates in “selective final rounds” in the US are asked to complete testing using McKinsey’s internal AI tool, Lily. They need to do practical consulting work with Lily’s help.
“In a McKinsey AI interview, you are expected to prompt the AI, review its outputs, and apply decisions to generate clear and structured responses. The focus is on collaboration and reasoning rather than technical AI expertise,” CaseBasics said.
“In practice, candidates are typically given a business question or scenario similar to real consulting work. Instead of relying solely on their own analysis, they use AI as a support tool to explore information, structure thinking and refine insights.”
CaseBasics said candidates are not expected to know advanced techniques for prompting – the term for asking an AI to perform tasks or answer questions. However, applicants must demonstrate that they can use AI as a “productive thinking partner” and communicate their reasoning clearly, just as consultants interact with junior team members.
CaseBasics said, “Based on initial reporting and candidate feedback, the McKinsey AI Interview assesses how candidates think, make decisions, and collaborate with AI tools, rather than their technical AI knowledge.”
Lily was used in the interview process for business school graduates First reported by the Financial Times. McKinsey declined to comment.
CaseBasics said the AI interview will be accompanied by two other assessments: problem solving and structured thinking; and personal impact, leadership and values.
Microsoft announced in 2024 that McKinsey would be an early adopter of its Copilot Studio project that could create autonomous AI agents, or virtual employees, that could perform tasks such as handling client queries and identifying sales leads. Other companies participating as early users include law firm Clifford Chance and retailer Pets at Home.
McKinsey’s chief executive, Bob Sternfels, told Harvard Business Review’s IdeaCast that the company had a “workforce” of 40,000 employees as well as 20,000 agents.
Last year, UK recruitment experts told the Guardian that engagement and capability with AI was becoming an increasingly important part of the selection process.
