BCG SEA R1 - Experienced Hire

Hi,

Used to be from BCG SEA - 2 weeks is still within the range of waiting time, based on my experience plus also from what my coachees experience. Sometimes it may take up to ~1 month for the reply.

At this time I would just politely follow up with the recruiter again. 

I think you will find the following articles helpful for you:

Haven't Heard Back After Your Interview? Here's What To Do!

5 Reasons Why Experienced Hires Fail the Interview

All the best!

Hi there, 

I would say it is a bit uncommon from my experience to get such a delay in getting a reply, especially given that as an experienced hire you would not be part of the structured recruiting process. 

That being said, not unheard of and I don't think it is any indication of the interview outcome. 

At this point I would try to wait another week, since you've already done a follow-up, and if still no reply until then you could send another email to the recruiter. The waiting period is really hard ... 

Hang on in there and hoping for a positive answer for you! 
Ariadna 

Hi,

still within normal time frame. However, on the longer end. That said, experienced hire recruiting sometimes has some different dynamics (e.g., they discuss more in detail fit of the candidate to the specific pyramid you might be working in). So at this point, do not worry! (I know easier said than done).

Best,
Lukas

Hi there

Sorry to hear you haven't yet heard back. 

Indeed, it's over the 'typical' waiting time, but it's by no means an exception. This does happen once in a while.

What's clear is that they won't ghost you. They'll get back with an answer soon. Something must've come up in the way - the recruiter is away, one of the interviewers went on medical leave before submitting your feedback, etc. 

There's not much that you can do aside from sending one friendly and polite reminder. 

Try to put your energy into progressing with other applications in the meantime. 

Hope you hear from them soon!
Best,
Cristian

Hi there,

I believe that you can expect an answer by the end of this week or the beginning of next week. It's not worth assuming that you will get a rejection, just because the reply hasn't been immediate.

Best of luck!

Hey there :)

For BCG SEA it’s quite normal that experienced-hire decisions take more than two weeks, especially if they are aligning feedback across offices. The “Interview in Progress” status is usually a good sign and not a silent rejection. At this point you don’t need to follow up again, just give it a bit more time and keep interviewing elsewhere so you don’t lose momentum. If you want, we can prep for a potential R2 so you feel ready once they come back.

best, Alessa :)

That two-week silence after an intense interview process is brutal—it’s the classic period where candidates feel like they’re in strategic limbo. The anxiety is completely warranted, especially since you had to recover from a few calculation and definition stumbles.

Here is the reality behind the status screen: Two weeks is absolutely on the long end of the spectrum for communicating R1 results, but it is not a fatal sign, particularly for Experienced Hire roles in Southeast Asia where processes are less standardized than major campus recruiting pipelines. The "Interview in Progress" status means your application file is active, but a final decision has not yet been logged. Given the necessary interventions (the Principal providing hints and the need for clarification), your scores likely placed you on the border. When this happens, the reviewer needs time to carefully weigh the initial miss against the strength of your subsequent recovery and coachability. That file may be waiting for a senior Partner to review the Principal’s notes or be slated for a specific EH Hiring Committee meeting that only convenes bi-weekly.

The unfortunate truth is that you have zero influence over the timeline now. You’ve sent the follow-up, which is all you should do. Chasing them again will be counterproductive. Your best move strategically is to treat this application as a toss-up and immediately activate your contingency plans. Use this waiting period to aggressively ramp up prep for R1s at Bain and McKinsey, assuming a full pivot is necessary. If you get the BCG call, fantastic; if not, you haven't lost a month of valuable time waiting for an administrative bottleneck to clear.

Keep your head up. You made it deep into the process and showed strong recovery, which is a powerful signal. All the best!

Hi there,

First of all, congratulations on the progress in the application process with BCG thus far!

I would be happy to share my thoughts on your situation:

• First of all, there is really no defined timeline for when you'll hear back, as this varies by region, role, and the recruiter’s bandwidth.
• Moreover, contrary to what other coaches have said, while you may certainly follow up with the recruiter and inquire about the status of your application, this will neither help your candidacy nor expedite the process.

You can find more on this topic here: How to succeed in the final interview round.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare for your upcoming BCG final-round interviews, please don’t hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen