How do referrals work at MBB Middle East?

Hi there,

Q: How do referrals work at MBB Middle East?

The process might vary depending on the country and company; in general there are three options. You might have to:

1. Add the name of the person who is referring you in the application form, or
2. Send your CV to that person, who will then forward it to HR, or
3. Use a specific link that HR will share with you after the person referring you talks with HR

The person referring you should be able to indicate which case applies to your target firm and the timeline to follow.

Good luck!

Francesco

Hey there ?, in MBB Middle East, the ideal process is to secure a referral before submitting your application, as referrals are typically added internally by the consultant before you officially apply. However, if applications are open and you don’t want to delay, you can apply first and have the referrer notify HR afterward—it might not be as strong as a pre-submission referral, but it still helps.

If recruiting hasn’t opened yet, it’s best to connect with your contact in advance, so they’re ready to refer you once applications go live. A quick follow-up when apps open can ensure they submit the referral in time. Just make sure you communicate clearly with your referrer to align on the best timing.

Best, Alessa ?

First, make the connections.

Second, build rapport with them to secure referrals.

Finally, they will either submit your materials for you or provide a link to a special referrals portal where you can apply.

You can learn more about how referrals and the recruiting process work here: MBB Hiring Hacks – Behind the Curtain Secrets.

Best,

Alberto

—

Explore my latest case inspired by a real MBB interview: StayPro - Consumer Growth Strategy

Hi there,

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

• First of all, as you rightly pointed out, waiting for the referrals after the applications could put you at risk, so of course you should not do that.
• Moreover, for almost all consulting firms, referrals must be registered before the applications anyway.

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 applications, pre-interview assessments and/or interviews, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Hey there, 

how it usually works: You send your CV to the person you know. They have an internal system which they use to refer you, where they upload your information. Once HR has reviewed it, they will send you a link under which you still need to formally apply. 

In your case: I would send your CV to your referral and stay in contact with him or her. In case you do not get the link soon enough, manually apply and mention the person in your application. Then let him or her know so they can tell HR that you have already applied and they can mark your application appropriately.

Best, 
Sebastian  

Hi,

It's advisable to get the referral first, submit your application and reconfirm with your referral the application is well received. Working that way gives you 100% certainty the referral is well received.

Mattijs

Hi there,

You need to secure a referral before submitting your application. Afterwards it won't help you.

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 are not thinking about this correctly. 

First, you try to get someone to refer you. That person will know the referring process.

If in the meantime applications open, you apply. If you already have a referral, check with them what the process is. If you don't have one... submit application anyway without the referral.

In any case, either you were referred before you applied, or they are done at the same time. The option of getting the referral AFTER you apply doesn't exist.

Hi there,

The referral should always come first, then you can apply.

Cheers,

Florian

For BCG, your contact or referee should submit your referral first in the system.

All the best!

Hey there, 

Usually you get referred first, and then you are invited to apply by recruiting thereafter

All the best