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McKinsey & Company Data Science Intern Interview Questions and Answers
McKinsey & Company Data Science Intern Interview Experiences
1 interview found
Anonymous
I appeared for an interview before Feb 2021.
Round duration - 90 Minutes
Round difficulty - Medium
The test is divided into 3 sections:
1. R coding.
2. Python coding. This section includes NumPy and scikit questions.
3. Statistics. This section includes T-tests, Anova regression distributions, and chi-square.
Each section has roughly 12 questions. The number of questions and difficulty is not set in advance, the test is adaptive. The more correct answers you give, the more the questions get tougher. The qualification does not depend upon the number of questions solved, rather on the difficulty level you can achive.
(1 Question)
Round duration - 60 Minutes
Round difficulty - Hard
- Q1.
Rotate Matrix by 90 Degrees Problem Statement
Given a square matrix 'MATRIX' of non-negative integers, rotate the matrix by 90 degrees in an anti-clockwise direction using only constant extra space.
Inpu...
- Ans.
The task is to rotate a square matrix by 90 degrees in an anti-clockwise direction using constant extra space.
Iterate through each layer of the matrix from outer to inner
For each layer, perform a four-way swap of elements
Continue this process until all layers have been rotated
Round duration - 30 Minutes
Round difficulty - Medium
Interview Preparation Tips
Tip 1 : Have in-depth knowledge of data-frame manipulation using Pandas
Tip 2 : Learn all NumPy array methods
Tip 3 : Good working knowledge about Scikit Learn
Tip 1 : Have 2-3 good projects on Machine Learning or Data Science preferably in Python.
Tip 2 : List only those skills which you are good at.
Skills evaluated in this interview
Top trending discussions
Interview questions from similar companies
I applied via Naukri.com and was interviewed in Dec 2020. There was 1 interview round.
Interview Questionnaire
1 Question
- Q1. Basics of accounts, what is your fav subject, Q's on fav subject.
Interview Preparation Tips
Interview Questionnaire
5 Questions
- Q1. Quantitative case study questions
- Q2. Conceptual questions
- Q3. Why are you interested in the company?
- Ans.
I am interested in the company because of its reputation for innovation and commitment to employee development.
The company has a track record of introducing new and exciting products to the market.
I appreciate the company's focus on providing opportunities for professional growth and development.
I have heard positive feedback from current and former employees about the company culture and work environment.
- Q4. What are your long term goals?
- Ans.
My long term goal is to become an expert in my field and take on leadership roles to make a positive impact.
Continuously learn and develop new skills
Take on challenging projects to gain experience
Build a strong network of professionals in my industry
Seek out mentorship and leadership opportunities
Contribute to the growth and success of my organization
- Q5. What are your short term goals?
- Ans.
My short term goal is to learn new skills and gain experience in my field.
Acquire new skills through training and workshops
Take on challenging projects to gain experience
Network with professionals in the industry
Improve time management and organizational skills
Interview Preparation Tips
Experience: In the activity, we were given fundaes by senior people about how the work would be, shared their experience working the company. In brief it was more or less like knowing about the company and their work at more closer level. This was in no way related to selection. We were given an opportunity to have a small chit chat with their senior people.
Round: Case Study Interview
Experience: I was asked questions related to quantitative cases. Case studies using quantitative analysis contain elements of the empirical–analytical scientific approach.
Tips: Be good at your logical skills and communication skills.
Round: Case Study Interview
Experience: In the second round I was asked to answer conceptual cases. I felt this round was a bit more testing than the first round. But overall first two rounds are almost similar.
Round: HR Interview
Experience: In the 3rd round there was nothing asked about cases. I was asked questions like Why was I interested in joining this company, What are my long term goals and what are my short term goals. The questions were aimed at knowing about me and my level of commitment towards my future and the company.
General Tips: 1. Practice cases.
2. Watch videos on cases.
3. Choose electives and minors on technical side.
4. Good communication skills.
Skill Tips: 1. Practice cases.
2. Watch videos on cases.
3. Choose electives and minors on technical side.
Skills: Logical Skills, Communications skills
College Name: IIT MADRAS
Interview Preparation Tips
Experience: First 5 minutes is taken to analyse your resume and get a feel of you as a person.The problem will be given for you to analyse and it is very important that you style what you speak to carry forward a constructive discussion with the interviewers. They will look at how you apply your knowledge to build a solution.
Tips: The 2 important things that you need to keep in mind are as follows ï Breaking the problem down to the absolute basicï Following a systematic and structured way of solving the problems.It is important to get feedback post-interview and they (the interviewers) would be willing to let you know as well.Important to defend your resume well. Have bullet points ready to speak for 30-45 seconds on them. It should differentiate you from other candidates.
General Tips: Resume should have a narrative of life in insti. Listing your passions and skills. Lookout for spikes in resume. Distinguish your work from other people in institute. Attend resume making sessions to understand how to reflect them in resume. Contact seniors who have joined the company to go through resume and suggest changes. Good Leadership PoRs will be appreciated. Important to quantify achievements in resume as companies like to see spike/impact that you have created. November – Prep for Case interview in a rigorous manner
College Name: IIT MADRAS
Interview Questionnaire
2 Questions
- Q1. Why was I interested in joining this company?
- Ans.
I am interested in joining this company because of its reputation for innovation and commitment to employee growth.
The company has a strong track record of developing cutting-edge technology.
I am impressed by the company's dedication to investing in its employees through training and development programs.
I am excited about the opportunity to work with a team of talented professionals who share my passion for excellence...
- Q2. What are my long term goals and what are my short term goals?
- Ans.
My long term goal is to become a senior associate in the company. My short term goal is to improve my skills and knowledge in the field.
Long term goal: Senior associate position
Short term goal: Skill and knowledge improvement
Examples: Attend training sessions, take online courses, seek mentorship
Interview Preparation Tips
Experience: I had an activity (networking session) before interview. However it was nothing related to selection process. we were given fundaes by senior people about how the work would be, shared their experience working the company. In brief it was more or less like knowing about the company and their work at more closer level. This was in no way related to selection. We were given an opportunity to have a small chit chat with their senior people.
Round: Case Study Interview
Experience: I was asked questions related to quantitative cases. Case studies using quantitative analysis contain elements of the empirical analytical scientific approach.
Round: Case Study Interview
Experience: I was asked to answer conceptual cases. I felt this round was a bit more testing than the first round. But overall fist two rounds are almost similar.
Round: Case Study Interview
Experience: There was nothing asked about cases. The questions were aimed at knowing about me and my level of commitment towards my future and the company.
Skill Tips: I practiced a lot of cases. I had a partner with me, and we used to sit together and practice cases. I spoke to some of the pass-out seniors. Even that helped me a lot. If you ask what helped me more while preparing for interview, having a partner and practicing cases with him helped me and him a lot. You can literally know many things when you speak to someone rather talking to a book. I had no prior intentions for core. I wrote all key points on paper, sticked them to my cupboard and used to go through them. I didn't refer any books or any material or anything. Anyway I had this non-core stuff already in my mind. I choose my minors and electives in the interest of the management side. I started practicing cases very early. I also watched many videos about the cases.
Skills: Logic, Communication
College Name: IIT MADRAS
Anand Barot
Interview Questionnaire
5 Questions
- Q1. The firm was a two-wheeler manufacturer in India and wanted to introduce its product in Nigeria. I was asked to explore the options it might have and how it should do it
- Q2. Tell me about yourself
- Ans.
I am a highly motivated individual with a passion for learning and problem-solving.
I have a degree in computer science and have completed several internships in the tech industry.
I am proficient in programming languages such as Java, Python, and C++.
I have experience working in both team and individual settings, and am comfortable with agile methodologies.
I am always looking for new challenges and opportunities to grow...
- Q3. Few another HR Questions
- Q4. The company was a supplier of excavation and other construction equipment. Recently, it had experienced a sharp rise in its warranty costs. I had to probe the issue
- Q5. The firm was a cement manufacturer and wanted to expand into other regions. I had to explore ways and what areas to target
Interview Preparation Tips
Experience: I first found out the demand and competition in Nigeria. Also looked at the company’s capacity to meet the price requirements of the customer. Important point was that the twowheelers were used as taxi in Nigeria. This point came out when I got an answer to the amount of usage of the product as 50,000 kms annually which was very high. Price we could offer was higher than competition so I suggested changing the design to have two customers per ride than just one, there by increasing revenue per ride and thus customer’s willingness to pay higher.
Then interviewer asked questions about how to market it. I suggested a few advertising ideas like showing increase in standard of living of taxi driver due to usage of product.
Then question was how to get over the inertia that people felt in buying as no one had used our product. For this my options ranged from approaching taxi driver unions to limited number of product units in market for a free 6 month period for the user to experience the product. I also suggested a more spread out distribution within the country to increase visibility of product
Tips: The first round allowed me to look at a diverse set of options across functions such as marketing, pricing, design, etc. The good point was identifying early in the interview that the two-wheeler
was used as a taxi. Another good thing was that with each question that the interviewer put forward to reject my suggestion, I was able to give another alternative option
Round: Case Study Interview
Experience: I studied the value chain and understood how product complains were generated and solution provided by company. In this I found that the dealer’s engineer was responsible for checking
validity of complains and it was the dealer who got a commission for every complaint that he managed or solved. This was major point that hinted at possible collusion between customer and dealer. On further probing it was found that there was a fraud happening at the dealer’s end. The dealer was generating false complains to earn more commission. To solve the issue I suggested having a company engineer look into the complaint validity. I also suggested having a remote way of monitoring the product health.
Both these solutions were a bit time taking and costly. So a better solution from me was to monitor each product and number of complains it generated in a given period of time. If the same product generates more than normal number of complains in a period, it can hint at possible collusion and the firm can look into that complain before authorizing the warranty.
Tips: Second round was more about finding the issue rather than ideation. I was able to unearth the issue well and solution suggested was very practical according to the interviewer.
Round: Case Study Interview
Experience: I looked at regions where the selling price of product was high and suggested we target these regions. Looked at various costs to the dealer or seller of the cement such as inventory storage costs, etc and how we can give him incentive to store and sell our product. Basically it was about increasing the ROI of the dealer wrt costs he incurs to keep our product and benefits he receives by selling it.
Tips: Third round was more about gelling with the Partner and being calm. At times when he probed me, I was able to maintain composure.
General Tips: It is always good to be prepared with your HR answers. That is not to suggest that you cram them up. They need to be genuine and your preparation should involve having a few pointers for each answer.
Most important thing is staying calm and composed and to enjoy the process. You should come across as someone who is enthusiastic about solving problems. Isolate each interview and don’t let it affect next interviews.
It is good to have frameworks at the back of your mind for each type of case. But in the interview, try to ask good qualifying question before putting a framework on paper.
Think aloud and let the interviewer be involved with you in the process of reaching a solution.
Skills:
College Name: IIM Lucknow
Interview Questionnaire
4 Questions
- Q1. Tell me about yourself?
- Ans.
I am a highly motivated individual with a passion for learning and a strong work ethic.
I have a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science from XYZ University.
I have completed several internships in software development, including at ABC Company and DEF Inc.
I am proficient in programming languages such as Java, Python, and C++.
I am a quick learner and enjoy taking on new challenges.
In my free time, I enjoy hiking and playin...
- Q2. What are the important factors you will look at if you are a cement dealer?
- Ans.
As a cement dealer, important factors to consider include brand reputation, quality of product, pricing, delivery time, and customer service.
Brand reputation
Quality of product
Pricing
Delivery time
Customer service
- Q3. Case on building materials
- Q4. Guesstimate no of tomatoes sold in a residential area by a new organised retailer
- Ans.
Assuming an average household consumption, estimate the number of households in the area and multiply by the number of tomatoes per household.
Estimate the population of the residential area
Assume an average household size and consumption of tomatoes
Multiply the estimated number of households by the average consumption to get an estimate of the total number of tomatoes sold
Consider any seasonal variations in tomato cons...
Interview Preparation Tips
Experience: Had to talk about working capital requirement through dealer terms, inventory requirement, etc.
Round: Case Study Interview
Experience: Two parts 1) draw the decision tree about how would you look at a niche building materials business and 2) come up with a formula with clear variables to estimate the overall market size
Round: Guesstimate Interview
Experience: Straightforward guesstimate with important cuts being, % of people that consume tomatoes, type of people that will buy from such a store vs regular vegetable vendor, etc
Tips: They were not looking for exhaustively looking and covering all points, instead wanted you to reach solution immediately and then completely cover them.
General Tips: While solving cases we emphasize a lot on MECE thinking, trying to cover everything before reaching a solution. While that is important to make sure we don’t miss out on any point, on the day of interview it’s different with just 15-20 mins per interview. Try practising in such time frame closer the case within least time possible.
Skills:
College Name: IIM Lucknow
Interview Questionnaire
5 Questions
- Q1. Your client is a fruits and vegetables retailer who is facing inventory management issues
- Ans.
Suggest inventory management solutions for a fruits and vegetables retailer.
Analyze sales data to determine popular items and adjust inventory levels accordingly
Implement a first-in, first-out (FIFO) system to ensure freshness of produce
Use technology such as barcode scanning and automated ordering to streamline inventory management
Consider partnering with local farmers to reduce transportation costs and ensure fresh p...
- Q2. Brief Introduction
- Q3. Why consulting?
- Ans.
Consulting offers a dynamic and challenging work environment that allows me to apply my problem-solving skills and work with a variety of clients.
Consulting provides exposure to diverse industries and business models
It offers the opportunity to work with a variety of clients and teams
Consulting requires critical thinking and problem-solving skills
It offers a dynamic and challenging work environment
Consulting provides o...
- Q4. You must be having a busy day. How many interviews are you through with?
- Ans.
I have completed X number of interviews so far today.
I have completed 5 interviews today.
I have been through 7 interviews today.
I have completed 3 interviews and have 2 more scheduled for later today.
- Q5. A 20-25 slide PPT. The client is a Dairy farming corp. based out of Western Europe. Its current market is almost saturated. The client wants to expand its existing operations. It has several markets wit...
- Ans.
Evaluate prospects for expansion of a saturated Dairy farming corp. based in Western Europe with several markets under consideration.
Analyze the potential demand for dairy products in the new markets
Assess the competition in the new markets
Evaluate the feasibility of production and distribution in the new markets
Consider the regulatory environment in the new markets
Develop a comprehensive marketing strategy for the new...
Interview Preparation Tips
Experience: Identified that the problem could either be surplus or wastage. Understood the inventory procurement and management system. Took a sample fruit for a given week and proceeded with inventory optimization. Developed alternative inventory plans and selected the best one. Then asked to synthesize.
Round: Case Study Interview
Experience: The interviewer didn’t have my CV. He preferred a brief introduction. Probed about other shortlists and interviews I had.
Then opened an elaborate PPT and walked me through the slides. It was a Dairy Farming Corp. based out of western Europe and we looked at acquisition targets across 4 markets. After 10 minutes of running me through a number of tables and graphs, I was given a minute to think and recommend the best option for the client. I Didn’t lose sight of the bigger picture. Concluded with a recommendation and case synthesis.
General Tips: 1. Respond to the tone of the interviewer.
2. Being composed matters.
Skills:
College Name: IIM Lucknow
Interview Questionnaire
5 Questions
- Q1. Tell me about yourself
- Q2. Tell me a situation where you created an impact and brought about a change
- Q3. A pharma company is in phase-1 trials of a first of it’s kind drug in the world that can cure baldness permanently. Should it go ahead and sell this formula and rights to a potential buyer and if yes,...
- Q4. The client is a motorcycle manufacturer from India, wanting to sell motorcycles in Nigeria. For simplicity we will talk in INR terms. The motorcycle market of Nigeria is dominated by 3-4 Chinese manuf...
- Ans.
To sell motorcycles in Nigeria, focus on quality, branding, and local partnerships to compete with cheaper alternatives.
Highlight superior quality and durability of the motorcycles compared to Chinese competitors.
Develop a strong brand presence through targeted marketing campaigns emphasizing safety and reliability.
Establish partnerships with local dealers to enhance distribution and customer service.
Offer financing op...
- Q5. The case was a no quantitative one. It was about a private bank which has recently got 50 branch opening licences from RBI. How to decide where to set up these branches?
- Ans.
Strategically selecting branch locations involves market analysis, customer demographics, and competition assessment.
Conduct market research to identify regions with high demand for banking services, such as urban areas with growing populations.
Analyze customer demographics to target specific segments, like young professionals in tech hubs or retirees in suburban areas.
Evaluate the competition by mapping existing banks...
Interview Preparation Tips
Experience: Two things in the problem statement set the path for me.
a. “Phase -1 trials”, so phase -2, so phase-3 etc had to be looked into – basically the whole development stage from a drug in a lab to a drug in the marketplace.
b. “for what amount” – clearly this case demanded working with numbers, because it was not just a yes/no question, but also asked an approximate deal price.
Solving the case.
a) I laid out the value chain in development of a drug.
b) The interviewer on prodding gave me costs involved in the phased clinical trials and their probabilities of success.
c) CATCH: Phase 3 trials success of failures probability does not affect the overall outcome in expenditure, as even if it is a failure, you have spent the money
d) So I have an approximate numbers on cost in different scenarios.
e) Now, I tried to estimate the potential revenue that can be earned from this drug. The interviewer gave the selling price of the drug has been fixed at USD1000. So now its more of a question of market sizing.
f) Since the company is a global pharma giant, it would be selling all over the world.
g) The problem was now reduced to finding the number of potential male bald customers worldwide ready to shell out USD1000 for a cure.
h) The math worked out that there was no way to make money from this drug (It took a little bit of guts to state this conclusion to the interviewer), and the company abandon this project. Or better still, if somebody is ready to buy the right, just sell it for any amount above the costs you have incurred so far.
Round: Case Study Interview
Experience: First I tried to understand the Nigerian motorcycle market. Also, I tried to understand if there was any possibility of the Indian maker to sell cheap – that possibility was ruled out. So, if cost leadership does not work, product differentiation will. How could we then differentiate our product?
a) CATCH: As it turned out in the course of our discussion, the motorcycles were used as taxis
b) The drivers owned the motorcycles and plied pillions around the city for a fee.
c) I worked out the math for these chinese motorcycles -buying cost, maintenance, life, mileage, etc.
d) If the Indian client could beat that number, we could have a winner - the buying cost was high, but we were better on mileage, on life (3 years vs 2 years for the chinese product) and on maintenance. Still the number was not favourable.
e) Next came the idea, that if we could not reduce the cost for the drivers, can we improve the revenue. An idea that I blurted out, but which turned out to be the one the interviewer was looking for – was to have a longer seat so that a total of three people could ride the motorcycle comfortably.
f) Now the numbers started making sense. Also note that the previous numbers would have changed, because the mileage with 3 people on board will be less than 2 ppl onboard. Also, the amount individual customers are ready to shell out for a shared taxi will be lesser than for a private taxi. All these changes accounted for, the numbers still looked positive.
g) So a go ahead was declared.
h) Now came the second part, given that we decide to enter Nigeria – how do we position ourselves as a brand and convince the locals to tru out our new expensive product –the benefits of which can only be ascertained after a period of one or two years i) The answer came in renting out these bikes to the drivers on a trial basis, and let them appreciate our better bikes and let word of mouth do the rest.
General Tips: a). Be calm, but be enthusiastic in the interview. Enthusiasm shows.
b). Make the interview a two way process. Let the interviewer help you solve the problem. He will drop hints. LISTEN to them.
Skills:
College Name: IIM Lucknow
Interview Questionnaire
6 Questions
- Q1. Introduction
- Q2. General HR
- Q3. Case
- Q4. Extensive HR
- Q5. Small case
- Q6. A tractor manufacturing company’s share is declining. Company Description, Manufacturing Operations, and Revenue Split – by product and geography. The company had 4 tractor models (different hp powers)
- Ans.
The tractor manufacturing company's declining share is due to lack of product diversification and limited market reach.
The company needs to expand its product line to cater to different customer needs.
The company should explore new markets and increase its presence in existing ones.
The company can consider partnerships or collaborations to enhance its manufacturing capabilities.
The company should focus on improving its...
Interview Preparation Tips
Experience: Discussed about the various possibilities of the revenues decline –any particular geography, product or channel. There was a particular region where the sales were declining. The sales in the region primarily consisted of 2 tractor models – 35 and 45 hp.
Tried to approach the problem by dividing the issue areas between Internal and External.
Internal – Company related issues related to 4Ps. External – Competition, Consumer Behaving Pattern or External Environment overall (PESTLE).
The prices of the product w.r.t to competitors was at par. However, the maintenance costs was higher as compared to competitors and hence the sales were going down.
Solution:
Proposed a solution of providing extended warranty. Also the excess costs incurred by the company could be recovered by increasing costs of the other 2 tractors (as its market price was slightly lower than its competitors) compromise on the profits.
General Tips: Just be comprehensive. It does no matter if reach the solution or not. Just be exhaustive and have a structured approach.
Skills:
College Name: IIM Lucknow
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McKinsey & Company Data Science Intern Reviews and Ratings
based on 1 review
Rating in categories
|
Business Presentation Specialist
524
salaries
|  ₹2.2 L/yr - ₹8.2 L/yr |
|
Associate
259
salaries
| ₹20.5 L/yr - ₹77.5 L/yr |
|
Analyst
229
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| ₹9 L/yr - ₹35 L/yr |
|
Consultant
218
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| ₹16 L/yr - ₹59.6 L/yr |
|
Senior Analyst
203
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| ₹14 L/yr - ₹38 L/yr |
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