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Bates White let us inside a real economic consulting case interview.

Annie Olecki, a senior consultant in Bates White's antitrust practice, ran a live case interview with a volunteer from the MC community. And economic consulting cases don't look like the strategy cases at McKinsey or Bain.

The case: a phone manufacturer suing its battery suppliers for price-fixing. The candidate has to size the damages, then revise the number - twice - as new evidence shifts the picture.

That's the instinct Bates White is testing for. Annie wanted to see if the candidate would revise the estimate once new information proved it wrong.

After the case wraps, Annie and Bates White recruiter Julian Pritcher take audience questions - interview rounds, what stands out in a resume, and R vs. Python.

Join Bates White:

• Bates White's summer consultant program is open for applications. If you're an undergrad rising junior graduating Dec. 2027 through spring 2028, apply here
• Not that class year? Bates White keeps a running list of openings. Submit your resume and cover letter and the firm will reach out if a role fits
• Go deeper on Bates White – our full firm profile

Resources:

• Join the Black Belt program to build killer case instincts like Kunal

Connect With Management Consulted

• Create a free MC account or download the MC app (Apple, Android) to start your prep today
• Schedule a free 15min consultation with the MC Team
• Watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube
• Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok
• Join an upcoming live event – case interviews demos, expert panels, and more

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Namaan talked to dozens of PE practice leaders for our 2026 ranking. Almost every one said the same three things: 1) Cross-practice integration. 2) Strategy through execution. 3) Deep sector expertise. 

Strip the logo off 7 of 10 firms and you can't tell them apart. That's the sameness problem.

And it's expensive. Sponsors stop evaluating and default to relationships, brand, and price instead.

On this episode of The Briefing, Namaan breaks down what the standout firms did differently.

Resources:

• Management Consulted's full research is in the 2026 Top Private Equity Consulting Firms ranking – see which 10 practices stood out and why
• Want your firm's perspective in our next ranking, panel, or research piece? Tell our research team
• Targeting PE consulting? Work with a Black Belt coach

Connect With Management Consulted

• Create a free MC account or download the MC app (Apple, Android) to start your prep today
• Schedule a free 15min consultation with the MC Team
• Watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube
• Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok
• Join an upcoming live event – case interviews demos, expert panels, and more

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Most 2nd-year MBA candidates have 2 to 4 weeks to get case interview-ready this cycle, not the usual 6 to 8.

More cases won't close that gap for McKinsey, Bain, and BCG.

Former Bain interviewer and LBS MBA Mitali Jalan compressed her prep into under 4 weeks and landed her offer. This session is her plan for doing it on a short runway.

The fix isn't more volume. It's knowing what to drill, and when. Listen for:

• Mitali's 4-step sequence for compressing 6 to 8 weeks of prep into 2 to 4
• Why 30 cases with a partner can still hide the mistake that costs an offer
• Business acumen: the one skill interviewers spot instantly, and most candidates never build

Resources:

• Black Belt pairs you with a coach who catches what a case partner can't – 80% land at least one offer

Connect With Management Consulted

• Create a free MC account or download the MC app (Apple, Android) to start your prep today
• Schedule a free 15min consultation with the MC Team
• Watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube
• Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok
• Join an upcoming live event – case interviews demos, expert panels, and more

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McKinsey screens candidates with a video game – McKinsey Solve – before they ever see a case interview. Most candidates either try to copy other people's answers or panic because they don't know what it's measuring.

So here's the breakdown: what Solve is, what McKinsey is testing for inside it, and how to approach it.

The answer isn't Solve-specific prep. It's the same problem-solving fundamentals that carry you through the entire McKinsey recruiting process.

We cover:

• What the Solve scenarios look like and how the timing works
• The 5 cognitive abilities McKinsey is measuring – and why they map directly to what consultants actually do
• How to prepare without wasting time on things that won't transfer

Resources:

• If you want coaching from an ex-McKinsey interviewer – plus access to a practice Solve simulation – Black Belt is the program that top candidates turn to
• New to case prep? Start with the Case Foundations course – free

Connect With Management Consulted

• Create a free MC account or download the MC app (Apple, Android) to start your prep today
• Schedule a free 15min consultation with the MC Team
• Watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube
• Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok
• Join an upcoming live event – case interviews demos, expert panels, and more

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George Cary spent five years as a McKinsey EM. In this live case, he coaches candidate Harvey through a real McKinsey market entry study: should a diesel truck manufacturer build and sell electric trucks.

Harvey builds a framework, runs the full cost-of-ownership math, and lands a final recommendation. George pauses after every section to break down good vs. great in real time.

You'll learn:

• Why McKinsey calls it "problem solving," not casing – and the vocabulary that signals you already think like a consultant
• How Harvey turns a good, structured framework into a great, distinctive one 
• The full math behind pricing an e-truck – and how to talk through your logic instead of just stating the number

Resources:

• Harvey turned 3 weeks of coaching into a case that sounded ready for the real thing – Black Belt pairs you with a coach like George who breaks down your good from your great, session by session

Connect With Management Consulted

• Create a free MC account or download the MC app (Apple, Android) to start your prep today
• Schedule a free 15min consultation with the MC Team
• Watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube
• Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok
• Join an upcoming live event – case interviews demos, expert panels, and more

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Sharon had everything going for her. Top-tier MBA. MBB interview invites across the board. 

She'd done 50–60 cases – but didn't make it past a single first round.

What held her back wasn't her profile. It was her approach.

So she came back the next year when the stakes were even higher. This time, she did it differently – and landed McKinsey and Bain.

Katie breaks down what shifted and what re-recruiters (and first-timers who want to avoid the same trap) can take from Sharon's story.

Resources:

• If you're re-recruiting and want a real plan this time, Black Belt is where candidates like Sharon get the structure and coaching they were missing the first time around
• Not sure if Black Belt is right for your situation? Book a free 15-minute call with Katie and find out

Connect With Management Consulted

• Create a free MC account or download the MC app (Apple, Android) to start your prep today
• Schedule a free 15min consultation with the MC Team
• Watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube
• Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok
• Join an upcoming live event – case interviews demos, expert panels, and more

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"Any other objectives?" sounds polite. But in a case interview opening, it costs you points.

Namaan breaks down the 3 questions that kill candidates in the first 2 minutes of a case.

The case opening is the first section that gets scored. And it's nearly identical every single time.

So if there's one part of the case you can walk in ready for, it's this one. Get the opening right, and the rest of the case gets easier.

Resources:

• If you struggle with case openings, Black Belt pairs you with an ex-MBB interviewer who'll help build the muscle rep by rep
• Newer to cases? Case Foundations walks you through the fundamentals – free

Connect With Management Consulted

• Create a free MC account or download the MC app (Apple, Android) to start your prep today
• Schedule a free 15min consultation with the MC Team
• Watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube
• Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok
• Join an upcoming live event – case interviews demos, expert panels, and more

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You can nail every case you practice and still get rejected.

That's because firms aren't grading you on vibes. McKinsey scores you piece by piece – opening, structure, math, brainstorming, closing. Other firms use 3 buckets instead: structure, problem solving, communication.

Either way, a 4 out of 4 in math won't save a 1 out of 4 in brainstorming. Firms want you solid across the board.

In this episode, Namaan breaks down exactly what's being scored – and why doing 100 more practice cases won't fix a gap you haven't identified.

Resources:

• Whether you're prepping for McKinsey's rubric or the 3-bucket system, Black Belt closes the gaps costing you the offer
• New to case prep? Case Foundations is our free crash course on the basics – the starting point before scoring even matters

Connect With Management Consulted

• Create a free MC account or download the MC app (Apple, Android) to start your prep today
• Schedule a free 15min consultation with the MC Team
• Watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube
• Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok
• Join an upcoming live event – case interviews demos, expert panels, and more

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McKinsey is making 12% more hires this year than last. But the jobs aren't going to the same profile of candidate.

Energy and utilities is projected to grow 11% in 2026 – one of the least sexy practices in consulting, and one of the hottest right now. Healthcare, private equity, and consumer/retail are all shifting too.

If you're aiming at the wrong sector or the wrong skill set, you're competing for the smallest slice of the market.

Namaan breaks down where the hiring is concentrated, which skills firms are paying a premium for, and why specialists are starting to out-hire generalists.

Resources:

• If you want to know exactly which firms are hiring hardest in the sectors Namaan covers, see our 2026 sector rankings before you decide
• If you are serious about breaking into consulting in 2026, Black Belt pairs you with an expert coach to guide you through recruiting

Connect With Management Consulted

• Create a free MC account or download the MC app (Apple, Android) to start your prep today
• Schedule a free 15min consultation with the MC Team
• Watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube
• Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok
• Join an upcoming live event – case interviews demos, expert panels, and more

Send us Fan Mail

Consumer and retail consulting used to be one market. Now it's 4.

Each lane pulls a different lever – growth, margin, or talent. Firms that used to compete on "we do consumer and retail" are getting picked apart by specialists who can prove which lever they actually move.

In this episode of The Briefing, Japheth sits down with Namaan to break down the 4 lanes reshaping a $70B market, why AI stopped being enough on its own, and why private equity's longer hold periods are turning growth and profitability into the same conversation.

If you're a firm leader trying to protect market position, win the talent war, or defend margin, this one's for you.

Resources:

Go deeper on the data:

• Want to see which firms are already winning in each lane? Check out our 2026 Consumer & Retail ranking
• Want to hear it straight from firms already competing in these lanes? Watch our Consumer & Retail panel

Go act on it:

• If your firm doesn't have a 10-second answer to "what do we solve better than anyone else," grab time with Namaan – MC works with firms to shape how that answer gets told to candidates and PE sponsors
• If you're a candidate trying to figure out which lane to network into, Black Belt helps you match your profile and story to the right one, and you can see who's actually hiring on our job board

Connect With Management Consulted

• Create a free MC account or download the MC app (Apple, Android) to start your prep today
• Schedule a free 15min consultation with the MC Team
• Watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube
• Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok
• Join an upcoming live event – case interviews demos, expert panels, and more