First Round in Mckinsey Middle East

I understand the anxiety. But do not panic yet.

Yes, typically both first round interviews happen back to back. But McKinsey Middle East does not always follow this. I have seen the second interview get scheduled days or even a couple of weeks later. Not unusual for the region.

Why this could be happening:

• Your interviewer may not have submitted their assessment yet. Senior Partners in the ME travel a lot, this happens more than you would think.
• Simple scheduling challenges with the second interviewer.
• They could be batching candidates before moving forward.

Does this mean rejection? Probably not. McKinsey ME typically sends explicit rejection emails. If you have not received one, you are likely still in the process.

What I would do. Send one short, polite email to your recruiter. Something like, "Wanted to check in on the timeline for the second interview. Happy to work around any schedule." That is it. Nine days is long enough to follow up without seeming pushy.

Keep prepping while you wait. The second interview could come on short notice. You do not want to be rusty when that call comes.

Feel free to reach out if you want to talk through how the first one went and what to sharpen for the next.

Totally understandable that you're feeling confused and nervous right now; it's a tough spot to be in, and that wait can be agonizing.

While back-to-back interviews are indeed common for a first round, it's not an absolute rule, especially in some regions like the Middle East where scheduling logistics can sometimes lead to splits or delays. A 9-day wait without an update after the first interview, unfortunately, often means you're not in the immediate "yes" pile. Firms typically move very quickly with candidates they want to push forward immediately, often due to interviewer availability or competitive timelines. A delay can sometimes mean you're on a hold list while they interview other candidates or are assessing their internal candidate pool.

At this point, sending a very brief, polite follow-up email to the recruiter asking for an update is perfectly fine. It shows continued interest and initiative. However, be prepared that the response might be generic, or you might not hear back quickly if they're still in the midst of interviewing others or have decided to move in a different direction.

I know it's hard, but try to use this time to reflect on your performance and, if you feel you can, start looking at other options. Hope it helps!

9 days is actually quite a long gap for first round interviews at McKinsey. normally theyre scheduled back-to-back on the same day or maybe 2-3 days apart. so this is unusual.

a few things could be happening:

you might be on a "wait and see" list. sometimes the first interviewer hasnt submitted their feedback yet, or theres discussion about whether to move you forward. 9 days suggests something is stuck in the system.

scheduling chaos. middle east offices often flying candidates in from different countries, so they sometimes stagger interviews if they couldnt line up two people on the same day. but 9 days is still longer than typical.

the process changed. some offices have moved to a single first interview as a screener, then you only get the second if you pass. but usually they tell you this upfront.

what id do:

send a quick polite email to your recruiter. something like "hi, just checking in on the timeline for my second first-round interview. happy to accommodate any scheduling needs." do this now - 9 days is enough time that you wont look pushy.

if you dont hear back in 3-4 days after that email, its probably a soft rejection unfortunately. McKinsey is usually pretty responsive with candidates theyre moving forward.

dont panic yet though. middle east recruiting can be slower than other regions and partner schedules there are particularly chaotic. but definitely nudge them.

Hi! Congratulations on the interview invite. Given it's been 9 days since the first interview, I would definitely recommend following up with the recruiter (might be worth rechecking previous communication from them just in case there was a mention of the timelines somewhere). The slowdown could also be Ramadan related, but I am not too sure about this. Worth reaching out to them for clarity and best of luck!

Hi there,

I work a lot with candidates in the Middle East, and have been part of the recruitment team doing interviews for Middl East office for McKinsey. Its pretty normal to have extended delays with the 2 first round interviews, sometimes even over 1 month. This is mainly due to backlog of interviews and insufficient hours provided by the interviewers to the recruiting team.

In summary, it's perfectly normal and you should use this time to continue practicing and polishing your skills.

All the best,

Sherif

Sorry to hear you haven't yet heard back. 

But don't read into it. 

They don't do silent rejections by default. If you didn't pass, they'll tell you, they're not shy about it. 

Only if +2 weeks have passed since the interview does it make sense to politely follow up with the recruiter.

Best,
Cristian

hey there :)

it’s normal for Middle East offices to have a slight delay between interviews, sometimes a week or two before the next round is scheduled. 9 days isn’t unusual and doesn’t automatically mean rejection. you can send a short, polite email to your recruiter just to check in, something like “wanted to follow up on the next steps,” that’s completely fine

best,
Alessa :)