DACH: Rejection at screening stage in 2 of 3 MBBs. Chances for reapplication?

Question

Hello,

I was recently rejected at the screening stage at two of the three MBBs for a DACH-based office, notwithstanding referrals. The rejections hurt, as I had planned to transition into consulting for quite a while. I'm a medical doctor with three years clinical experience at a significant tertiary care centre and have always been competitive among my peers (masters on top of medical degree, published research, extracurriculars) to the extent that my referrers (friends/colleagues) also voiced their surprise at the rejection.

I'm at a loss how to proceed and would appreciate your thoughts. The rejections letters were generic ("please reapply with more experience"), but the feedback I've received so far from friends in consulting is the following:

A) Not enough corporate experience proving interest in consulting or value to consultancies

B) Potentially imperfect resume format (too medical/scientific and not consultancy-focussed enough)

C) Only applied to one office

D) Overstaffing. One of the two rejecting consultancies is actually firing DACH-based consultants right now (confirmed from three sources), the other's partners in DACH are taking bonus cuts to prevent redundancies with many of their consultants currently “on the beach”.

I'd appreciate your input how to proceed. I'm obviously quite nervous about the one first round interview that I do have, because if I bomb it, that's me out for at least a year (or forever?).

I'm also applying for jobs in big pharma, which albeit also competitive, could solve A) if I were to reapply next year. B) and C) would also be easily actionable.

However, with regards to D), I wonder whether it might be a good idea to postpone the interview by a few months (could argue this with my gruesome, night shift-ridden work schedule)? I can't imagine the third MBB being understaffed when the other two are clearly struggling with too many employees.

Also, do you have any suggestions what kind of (relatively easily attainable/actionable) experience might sway recruiters to invite me to an interview the next time round? Bear in mind I'm 30 and already have had my fair share of time at university.

Further, if D) were to be the main reason and it is true my local offices are currently simply overstaffed, what are the chances of a successful application sometime down the line if I simply continue gain experience working as a medical doctor (which, given the role I have, almost everyone in my circle is suggesting I do)?

Finally, from your experience, what are the chances of being invited to an MBB-interview after rejection at the screening stage the first time round?

Best wishes,
Max

Answer 1

Hi Max,

Sorry to hear!

To be frank, I believe it is mostly due to D (without having seen your resume in detail. Send me a DM if you want to have a quick CV check).

McKinsey loves to hire doctors and I have worked alongside quite a few while in the Firm and also have helped several doctors to get an MBB offer in the past.

To the other reasons you mentioned:

A. Corporate experience is not required from doctors

B. Please send for a check; however, if you add all necessary details about your competitiveness, I also don't think that is an issue

C. Should not make a difference

Again, this all points to D and is also in line with what I am seeing:

Fewer people make it through the screening
Fewer people are hired overall

Cheers,

Florian

Answer 2

If you have a first round, that means you are in the running for being hired. No point in postponing that interview. To the extent you may have already prepared to interview, I say go ahead with it.

You will need to wait a few years before reapplying. It sounds like, if you already have referrals, you will have caught an unlucky break with respect to point D.

Moving to BigPharma would definitely help accelerate the time you can reapply, as that is something different and relevant.

For point B, I would advise you have a coach look at the CV next time round to avoid an imperfect CV hindering your chances.

Answer 3

Hi Max,

First of all, I'm sorry to hear that you were rejected at the screening stage at two of the three MBBs!

I think these are interesting questions that may be relevant for many people. I would be happy to share my thoughts on it:

A) Gaining corporate experience can certainly be helpful in demonstrating your interest in consulting and the value you could bring to a consultancy. If you are applying for jobs in big pharma, this could help to address this issue.
B) Reviewing and revising your resume to focus more on your consultancy-related skills and experience could also be beneficial. You might consider including any relevant coursework, projects, or internships that demonstrate your problem-solving, analytical, and communication skills.
C) Applying to multiple offices will not make any difference given it is the same recruiting pool.
D) It is possible that overstaffing could be a factor in your rejections. If one of the offices is currently firing consultants in the DACH region, it may be more difficult to secure a position there at this time. Postponing your interview with the third MBB could be an option, but it is also important to keep in mind that the staffing situation could change in the future.
As for gaining experience that might increase your chances of success in the future, it might be helpful to seek out opportunities to develop your consulting skills. This could include joining a consulting-focused student organization or professional association, participating in case competitions, or completing a consulting internship or project.
It is difficult to predict the chances of being invited to an MBB interview after rejection at the screening stage the first time around. However, it is always worth reapplying if you are interested in consulting and believe that you have the skills and experience to be successful. Continuing to gain experience in your current role as a medical doctor and actively seeking opportunities to develop your consulting skills could also increase your chances of success in the future.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to address your specific situation, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Answer 4

Hello Max,

Sorry to hear about this! Here are my thoughts:

1) All the four feedback points you received make sense to me, however overstaffing seems the most important one.

2) From what I've seen happening in the DACH region now is that there is a general fear of uncertainty associated with the 2023 recession. Thus, hiring across the board is slowing down in Europe, which obviously affects a non-traditional background like yourself the most.

3) If you're rigid about not applying anywhere else but the DACH region, then consider the Pharma companies job opportunities. I do not think having more medical experience will make any difference to your application, but having corporate experience might.

4) If you're flexible with other geographies, consider applying to larger and more open geographies like London or Dubai. I would say consulting in the middle east particularly is growing massively.

5) If sufficient time has passed (12 - 18 months), I don't think your rejection this time around will have any impact on your subsequent applications.

Hope this helps!

Feel free to reach out to me via chat if you have any other specific questions or need some help with your CV.

Best,

Rushabh

Answer 5

Hi Max,

You have secured an interview at one of the 3 top consulting firms in the world…

Did you expect to have them all beg to have you?

Of course, please don't take my above comment agressively (It's not intended that way!).

Many of the coaches here (including myself) likely were only invited to interview at 1 MBB.

Many of my colleagues at Stern had zero invites from MBB.

Count your blessings my friend and fight for what you want :)

In the current market 1 out of 3 is amazing.

Importantly, you need to get used to this rejection. Get punched and get back up. It's going to happen a lot more in your career and life.

Here's my advice/pointers to your questions:

If you can get invited to 1 MBB you can get invited to all. Sounds like your application is not a “problem”. It is always a game of probabilities
Overstaffing/pipeline adjustment is a thing at the moment. Right now is not ideal for applying
Make the interview you do have count - put everything into it!
Avoid these pitfalls when case prepping: https://www.preplounge.com/en/articles/pitfalls-case-interview-preparation