McKinsey Analyst, Navigating Case Interviews, Consulting Misconceptions
This week I spoke with Julia Madureira, 2025 UVA grad who’s now a Business Analyst at McKinsey & Company.
The Rundown:
Consulting was not on my radar until a few things happened
How to nail the consulting case interview
Embracing the learning curve
How’d you get here?
Enjoy your free time
Below are Julia’s words, edited for clarity:
COLD OPEN
How I Got My Start
At UVA, I was at Batten studying public policy and economics as a double major. I wanted to work in government, specifically foreign policy and international development.
I took Brendan Boler’s Introduction to Management Consulting and Strategic Decision Making class, and loved it from the first day. Prior to that class, consulting was not on my radar at all.
At the time I was applying for jobs, a new administration had come in, and with the Department of Government Efficiency, a ton of cuts went to foreign aid – lots of our embassies in different countries were being shut down. A lot of the jobs I wanted to do completely disappeared, which steered me towards the private sector.
I was interested in areas where the public sector had good policy intentions, but failed to create the right incentives for the private sector. Consulting seemed like a good first step to learn more.
I applied for a junior internship at the McKinsey Cleveland office in my second year. I’m from there originally, and loved the idea of going back to Ohio after school. I got an interview but wasn’t selected.
I ended up working for a defense consulting firm, where I supported AUKUS, a security partnership between Australia, the UK, and the US.
It was a very cool experience, but I was still excited about the opportunity to explore a broader variety of industries and functions at a consulting firm like McKinsey. There's a global staffing model, so you can work with people from different offices and backgrounds. I applied again for full-time offer and got the job.
Every time you start a new project, you're working with a different client, a different team, and a new manager. You're constantly learning how to work with new people, understand new industries, and solve new problems. It's challenging, but that's also what makes it exciting.
INTERVIEW PREP
Navigating The Case Interview
The case is this big, scary word that a lot of students who are applying stress about.
On networking calls, people will ask me, “How many cases did you do?” “How many frameworks did you memorize?”
I truly think these numbers are irrelevant – I’ve met people who get the job after one week’s worth of prep while others take months. Instead, I encourage the students I talk to to learn more about the job and whether it’s a good fit for them.
The case interview is meant to pressure test you. I remember a senior partner interviewed me, and later told me he enjoyed the process of pushing back, trying to make the interviewee uncomfortable and seeing how they react.
When someone presents a number, he immediately questions it and embodies a client who disagrees with everything they say. It’s a test to see how you’d behave in the face of real clients.
The best thing you can do is be calm, cool, collected, and empathize. Confidence is key in the interview. You have to pretend that you're the consultant and they're a client coming to you for advice.
Go into it with the mindset of “I’m the one with the ideas, but I’m open to a conversation.”
Another thing to note is whether or not part of you enjoys case prep. It can be a dread at points, but if you genuinely don't like any of it, you probably won’t like consulting.
I draw issue trees on paper all the time in projects. We’re constantly structuring problems, just like you do in a case interview.
INDUSTRY INSIDER
What People Misunderstand About Consulting
When I was reading about consulting as a student looking to enter the field, I didn’t fully understand the extent to which client relationships play a role in delivering impact. It has quickly become my favorite part of the job.
A lot of consulting is actually working hand-in-hand with the client, helping them to potentially adjust, change their perspective, and think beyond new horizons.
It takes a lot of convincing and aligning. Aligning is a word that people use at least 50 times a day, but it’s accurate of what we’re there to do.
However, there are different types of studies. We may be brought in to provide an outside perspective, and the company will decide whether or not they want to go with it. Other times, we take a more hands on approach, helping clients build capabilities that remain once we leave – I enjoy that kind of work more.
TURNING POINT
A Challenge I Faced Early On
There’s a huge learning curve, especially at such an accelerated pace where you’re dealing with so many stakeholders and new ideas. Getting over it is painful, and I think there’s no way around it.
After the initial 5 months or so, things start to click.
You have to give yourself grace and learn from the many mistakes that will come. When I made mistakes, even little things like forgetting a source on a slide, I’d write it down. It becomes a mental checklist, and eventually second nature.
STEAL THIS
Questions I Love
In this industry, you meet a lot of interesting people who specialize in really niche fields.
I always ask them, “How’d you get into this?”
One person I asked said, “I've been working in this industry for 20 years because I like the people.” I love hearing things like that.
IF I WERE YOU
My Advice For Students
The summer before I started my job, I scrambled to prep: “What do I need to learn?”, “What can I prepare?”
Looking back, it’s impossible to be fully prepared on your first day. Constant learning is part of the experience.
My advice would be to not overthink your free time, and instead use it to your advantage. There’s a lot less of it in the working world. Your time in school is an incredible opportunity to learn about random and cool things that you find interesting, figure out what excites you, and to invest in hobbies that bring you joy. It’s helpful to bring those things with you into your new job so you can find a better work-life balance.
LIGHTNING ROUND
My Favorite…
Charlottesville restaurant is Take It Away
UVA weekend is whatever weekend my parents formal was on
Movie is L.A. Confidential