Does MBB check your process status with competitor firm?

Hi there,

Don't worry, they do not! When you think about it, there would be no way for them to do this anyway :)

Additionally, it is unlikely that they will even ask you this question.

Hi there,

Q: When they ask you what firms you’re interviewing with and where you are in the process (eg. first/second round), do they follow up and check this?

Not really, it would be quite awkward if they would do so. Imagine BCG calling McKinsey to ask “Hey, are you really interviewing this candidate that we really like?”

Even if it was not awkward, it is not a really relevant metric that requires a double-check. Based on the candidates I helped, companies tend to ask this question if they feel they might need to accelerate the process if the candidate is good and they trust the answer they get, as there are no real reasons for candidates to lie.

Best,

Francesco

Hi there, 

No, they don't follow up and check this. Just imagine what that would look like…

They are relying on you being honest. And in most cases, the reason why the want to know is to make sure that they get to interview you before you decide on going for another offer. 

Best,
Cristian

Hi there,

I think this is an interesting question that may be relevant for many people. I would be happy to share my thoughts on it:

• First of all, they do not, and in most likely all countries, they also may not do so due to data protection rights.
• However, contrary to what other coaches have said, it is standard to ask about other application processes after the candidate has passed the first interview round. Obviously, you do not need to provide an answer, but as long as you are not enthusiastically disclosing other companies' names, I do not see any downside in doing so.

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

Best,

Hagen

Hi,

when candidates apply to MBB or Tier 2 consulting firms, it is pretty much a given that they do not only apply to single one of them but likely to the majority of them. Because landing a job in consulting is as much a numbers game as it is important to be well prepared. The recruiters know that.

However, no firm is going to call up their competitors inquiring about any given candidate's potential recruiting status. At the same time, no firm would provide a competitor with that information. 

So no need to spend more time deliberating about such a scenario.

Best of luck

No, they don't. It's perfectly normal for people to be going through the recruiting process with multiple firms at a given time, and recruiters are well-aware of this! If you end up in a situation where you've received an offer with a deadline from firm 1 but are still going through the recruiting process with firm 2, you could let firm 2 know about your offer to see whether they can speed up your interviews and give you an answer sooner. But other than that it bears no impact on your recruiting process at a given firm.

No, that would be illegal. 

Rest assured they don't