McKinsey assessment: what McKinsey says about Solve
Country version: McKinsey global careers site (mckinsey.com/careers). Processes differ by country and role. Check your invite.
By Prepti Team. Last checked: October 17, 2026. Not affiliated with McKinsey. This page only repeats what McKinsey's own careers pages state. We do not describe the game tasks or offer solution guides. Spotted something out of date? Contact us.
Solve or interview? Where are you
Your invitation names Solve: McKinsey says no preparation is needed. Read the rules and run the setup checklist below. Length is stated in your invitation email.
Interview invite: PEI and problem-solving interviews are described on McKinsey’s interviewing page. McKinsey says it provides sample cases and suggests two personal examples for each of four areas.
Applying as a Business Analyst: see McKinsey Business Analyst.
Need an accommodation: speak to your recruiter, then see assessment accommodations.
On this page
Quick facts
| Employer | McKinsey & Company |
| Assessment | Solve, a “gamified assessment” that McKinsey says lets you showcase your problem-solving abilities |
| Who gets it | McKinsey describes Solve as one step in its consultant recruitment process. Check your invitation for whether it applies to your role |
| Preparation | McKinsey says there is no need to prepare, and that Solve does not require previous business knowledge or gaming experience |
| Length | Stated in your invitation email, per McKinsey's Solve FAQ |
| Languages | English, Spanish (Iberia or Latin America), Portuguese (Iberia or Latin America) and Japanese |
| Device | PC or Mac only. McKinsey says it is not available on an iPad or phone. Sound is not necessary and a mouse is optional |
Sources, checked October 17, 2026: McKinsey Solve page, McKinsey interviewing page, Solve FAQs (Aug 2025 PDF).
What McKinsey says about the process
- For consultants, McKinsey says it may ask you to complete a test or participate in a game, depending on the client-facing role. It says these focus on skills related to the job such as problem-solving and coding (McKinsey interviewing).
- If you apply for a technical role, you may be invited to a hands-on technical assessment, per the same page.
- For most client-facing roles, interviews include a personal experience interview and a problem-solving interview (sometimes called a case interview). Some roles also have expertise interviews. Your recruiter confirms the details in advance.
- For internal roles, McKinsey says the process depends on the role, and several include an online assessment, writing test or group exercise.
- McKinsey says Solve results are considered with the rest of your application and any other assessments, and that it does not decide on Solve alone (Solve FAQs).
Rules McKinsey states for Solve
Except as a disability accommodation approved in writing by McKinsey, McKinsey says you are not permitted to use applications, websites, AI tools or pre-prepared notes, or to record or take screenshots of any part of the assessment. It expects you to take it alone. It says breaking these rules may lead to exclusion from consideration, rescinding of an offer, restrictions on future applications or legal action (McKinsey Solve page). Its FAQ adds that Solve varies each scenario so that no two people have the same parameters, and that you may be asked at random to take an additional task in person or to explain your logic.
Solve setup checklist
Ticks reset when you leave the page.
Interviews, as McKinsey describes them
All from McKinsey interviewing, checked October 17, 2026.
- Personal Experience Interview (PEI): McKinsey says it wants to hear about accomplishments and challenges, and suggests choosing experiences that genuinely mattered to you, talking about your specific role and leading with reasoning, not actions. It suggests coming with two personal examples for each of four areas, which it lists on that page.
- Problem-Solving Interview: McKinsey says it presents a typical client scenario, sometimes called a case interview. It recommends its sample cases (Beautify, Diconsa, Electro-Light, Talbot Trucks and “Transforming a national education system” are listed), which it says contain logic, thought processes and suggested answers. It also says there is not one logical solution, and that candidates should listen carefully and share tailored solutions rather than standard frameworks.
- Expertise interview: for some roles only.
- Technical roles: interviews may include conversations and practical exercises on technical knowledge and problem solving.
- Virtual interviews: McKinsey suggests a quiet private space, keeping your camera on, testing your video feed, and disabling previously installed AI software such as note-taking tools or virtual assistants.
McKinsey's statement on AI in hiring
McKinsey lists these, in its own table on the interviewing page:
| Encouraged | Not allowed |
|---|---|
| Polishing your resume or practicing interview questions | Exaggerating or creating achievements that are not yours |
| Asking AI to explain concepts or frameworks as part of your prep | Generating real-time answers during an interview |
| Using AI during assessments (unless specifically permitted) |
McKinsey says the exact steps depend on the role and that your recruiter confirms interview details in advance (interviewing page, checked October 17, 2026).
Technical points
- A tech check runs before you start and tells you whether your device meets the minimum requirements.
- Each task starts with an untimed tutorial.
- If you have a technical issue, McKinsey says to email its Solve support team (gbil-support@mckinsey.com) or use live chat, at the time it happens, and that the team can offer extra time or reset your link depending on the issue. It says that if you do not contact support, it cannot make exceptions to allow a reset.
(All from the Solve FAQs.) See also our at-home checklist.
How to prepare
McKinsey's own advice for Solve is that no preparation is needed and that you will get a tutorial in each task. Beyond that, read your invitation, choose a time slot when you will not be disturbed (McKinsey's suggestion), and make sure your device passes the tech check. We do not publish game walkthroughs. For the interviews, McKinsey provides sample cases on its interviewing page and recommends practicing them.
Accommodations
McKinsey says to speak to your recruiter if you need an accommodation for a disability, health condition or specific learning difficulty. See also our accommodations guide.
By role
Applying as a Business Analyst? See McKinsey Business Analyst: application, Solve and interviews, built from McKinsey's global Business Analyst job page and its Australia and New Zealand, Middle East and Denmark regional pages.
What McKinsey does not say
- The Solve length (it says that is in your invitation).
- A scoring method or pass bar.
- Any official practice game (we found none on the pages checked).
- What any Solve task contains (we do not describe game tasks).
FAQ
How long is Solve?
McKinsey's Solve FAQ says the length is stated in your invitation email.
Does McKinsey decide on Solve alone?
No. McKinsey's FAQ says Solve results are considered together with the rest of your application and any other assessments.
Do I need to practice Solve?
McKinsey says no preparation is needed. Run the Solve setup checklist above.
Can I use notes or AI?
McKinsey says no, except for an approved accommodation.
What does McKinsey say about AI?
AI tools are not allowed during Solve or to generate real-time interview answers. McKinsey encourages using AI to practice interview questions and to explain concepts.
Can I take it on a phone?
McKinsey says Solve is only available on a PC or Mac.
Is this the same in every country?
McKinsey's page is the global careers site. Your invitation applies to you.
Sources
McKinsey, Solve page, interviewing page and Solve FAQs (Aug 2025 PDF), all checked October 17, 2026. See how we check.
Related: Employer assessments, Got an assessment invite?, Which employer test am I taking?, Assessment accommodations, Personality assessments: can you prepare?
We are not affiliated with McKinsey & Company. Your invitation is the final word.