McKinsey Introduces AI-Simulated Client Conversations in Interviews
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According to The Wall Street Journal (reposted by The Verge, 2026-10-15), consulting firm McKinsey & Company has introduced an AI mock interview step into its hiring process: applicants for some junior positions will be asked to hold a roughly 10-minute conversation with an AI-simulated client during the interview. The report says the AI simulation is designed to reflect about 80% of the scenarios McKinsey consultants encounter in their daily work, meaning candidates are assessed in conversations that closely resemble real work situations. The move currently targets some junior roles; the report does not mention the specific range of positions covered, the regions where it is being rolled out, or whether it will extend to interviews at other levels. In addition, details such as how candidates' performance in this step will be evaluated and how much weight AI scoring carries were not disclosed. This is currently the only report on the event, and further developments remain to be seen.
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- The Verge · AIMcKinsey is making job applicants spar with a fake AI client
According to The Wall Street Journal, consultancy McKinsey & Company will require some entry-level job applicants to have a 10-minute conversation with an AI-simulated client during interviews. The AI simulation is designed to reflect 80% of scenarios in McKinsey consultants' daily work.
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