How do MBB referrals work at London offices?

Hi Joseph - I can speak to BCG London: there is really no notion of referrals for the structured / batch hiring rounds (undergrad and MBA).

From the company point of view, there is no need for employees to "refer" applicants (because they already come through these pathways in droves), and from the applicant point of view, your CV will be reviewed as part of that batch process (which is all that a referral might help ensure anyway).

In the referral "spirit", the most I could see happening is that mentioning in your cover letter a current BCGer you have spoken with could conceivably help you stand out a bit on your "why BCG" story. But my honest view is that all CVs in those structured hiring rounds will be judged solely on their standalone merit.

Hi Joseph 

From both the company's and the applicant's perspectives, there is no need for staff to "refer" applications because a large number of applicants already go through these pathways watermelon game. Your CV will be examined as part of that batch process, which is all that a reference might assist ensure nevertheless.

Referrals submit your applications.

You first secure the referral. Then you share with them your resume and cover letter. They submit your application materials using internal MBB platforms. That's the right process.

Hi Joseph,

I would be happy to share my thoughts on your question:

• First of all, you have to secure referrals before applying, as they would not be valid otherwise.
• Moreover, the referral processes differ across consulting firms (direct hyperlink, information to the recruiting team aso.), so I would highly advise you to clarify it with your referrers.

You can find more on this topic here: How to succeed in the final interview round.

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 there,

in general, you need to first secure the referral and then submit your application either through that person or a dedicated referral link.

A referral is just a door opener such that the recruiting team will look through your application more thoroughly. Depending on the seniority, tenure and advocacy of the person referring you, you have a better chance of getting a first round interview. The more senior the person referring you is, the better. The longer the tenure of that person with the firm is, the better.

The reason is that such voices carry more weight than referrals coming from super junior or brand new people. They typically know the HR folks better and have been involved in recruiting activities for a while so it is usually assumed that they have a good grasp of what types of candidates with which sets of qualifications the firm needs. However, any referral is ultimately better than no referral. 

Ideally, you get a referral from someone from the same office (or same country) you are applying to. But again, a referral from someone within the same firm but different office or country organization is still better than no referral.

A direct rejection after the CV screening stage can still happen - even with a referral. In that case the recruiting team usually provides some feedback to the person having given the referral. So you should follow up with them to better understand the rationale in case that happens. On the flipside, you can still get an interview invite when you just apply online without a referral - the probability is just lower - particularly when your CV is not “stellar” on a standalone basis.

And as always, factors such as economic conditions and headcount/budget planning of the individual firm also matter significantly in these decisions - but they are not within your control.

Best

You would need to secure the referral BEFORE you apply. But it is not as relevant as in the US offices, nor if you are applying from school (undergrad or MBA).