I applied for the BCG Associate (experienced hire) position 1~2 weeks ago and got rejection today. My referral contact was on vacation and she couldn’t even get to submit my referral…
What can I do now? Would it still helpful to submit the referral? Can she reach out to HR to reconsider my application?
That's tough, very sorry to hear. Unfortunately, you will need to wait 12 months before reapplying as this counts as a rejection in the system. For future reference, if you have a referral your candidacy should START with that. You shouldn't apply separately without it and look to add it later.
That is incredibly frustrating timing, and I’m sorry that happened. It feels like the recruiting machine worked against you right when you needed that internal advocate.
Here is the reality of experienced-hire recruiting: these spots are filled on a strictly rolling basis and often have an extremely narrow window. Your application was likely filtered out because the specific headcount for that role or office was met incredibly fast, or the application volume was so high that the initial HR screener or ATS filtered aggressively to thin the queue. The recruiting process often operates completely blind to a pending referral; the initial screen happens, and if the file is moved to the reject queue, a later referral submission can’t automatically pull it back. The slot likely closed while your contact was away.
Do not waste your contact's political capital asking HR to reconsider the rejected application. Appealing a system-generated, fast rejection is almost always a zero-sum game, as the firm doesn't want to break standardized process for capacity reasons.
The referral is still immensely valuable, but you need to pivot. When your contact returns, ask her to use the referral to scout for a different open role—perhaps in an adjacent office, or one of the specialty units (like BCG X) if your profile fits. Submitting a new, immediate referral for an active opening is the most efficient way to get that essential human review.
All the best with the next step.
You can still submit the referral, but it might not reverse the rejection immediately Your contact could reach out to HR to express support and highlight your fit for the role, which can sometimes prompt a reconsideration or keep you in mind for future openings. Meanwhile, you could also reapply for similar roles in the next recruitment cycle.
