Failed interviews in German Offices - Immediately re-apply to Swiss Offices?

Dear A,

It doesn't make sense to reapply immediately to any other office worldwide, after you have been disselected in Germany, because recruiting system is global and you need to wait for another 12-18 monthes in order to be eligible to reapply. 

So the short answer is no, don't reapply immediately to Swiss offices. Also take into account that Switzerland and Germany together are considered as a so called DACH region where recruiting and staffing is centralized. Therefore, please consider for now other firms like Roland Berger, Startegy&, Kearney or Oliver Wyman.

Hope it helps. 

If you need further insights how to get inside these firms in DACH region, get in touch with me. 

Best,

André

P. S. In general, if that is possible for you, I would recommend you to apply to Swiss offices, because there are even more international sometimes, and the salary and work-life balance is better than in Germany. 

Hi there,

If you applied online you have been reported in the recruiting system since MBB have a centralized database.

• In this case, applying again online during the ban period will very likely lead to an automatic rejection due to the previous application.
• The only possible way to avoid this is using a very strong referral (partner level), although there is no guarantee it will work. You should also disclose in advance the previous application to the person referring you, to avoid issues.
• Some people also try to cheat the system changing emails/names in the application, however even in this case they may detect you.

If you applied “informally” forwarding your CV via a referral, you may have not been reported in the system.

• If you have not been reported in the system, you will be assessed again based on the new application.

Hope this helps,

Francesco

Hi Anonymous,

Unfortunately (from candidate's perspective) it's not possible from candidates' perspective. From the firm's perspective it just would not make sense - it would lead to interview-hopping from one office/country to another and the recruiting pipeline would be congested with candidates applying over and over again.

In general McKinsey has a global recruiting perspective; particularly Germany and Switzerland (next to Austria) are in one recruiting region.

So you need to wait ..

Hope that helps - if so, please be so kind to give it a thumbs-up with the green upvote button below!

Robert

You do indeed have to wait. The wait is 12-24 months depending on the firm/country.

How do you improve your screening chances next time?

1) Gain experience (internships, bootcamps, classes, stratups, extracirriculars, etc).

2) Network - speak to multiple people across offices and aim to get a referral

3) Review your resume - make sure your formatting is sharp/consistent, key words/experiences pop, and your experience bullets are properly written.

Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions on how to better do 1-3 :)

McKinsey has a global hiring policy - getting an interview in one office theoretically means you would have gotten an interview in any of the other offices worldwide.

In short you will have to wait 2 years and importantly have accomplished something meaningful in the 2 years for your application to stand out

Udayan

Hi there,

I agree with other experts. The recruitment system is global and you’re in a ban list, so you have to wait 1-2 years until the ban ends.

I would recommend you use this time for upgrading your profile significantly, getting relevant work experience, and building relationships within the targeted company. This way you'll make things work when reapplying next time.

Hiring an experienced coach to get guidance would be a great option to maximize your chances.

Do you need any further help? 

All the best, 

GB