How do you recover from failing 2 final rounds at MBB? And should you try again if the same partners will interview you?

Question

Long story short, I interviewed with both BCG and Mckinsey. Got stellar feedback for all rounds. The BCG one was so good they fast tracked me to the last round. The Mckinsey one also, to the point where the engagement managers and associate partners would literally say just do exactly what you did as feedback.

Somehow, when it comes to the very last one, it goes bad. The irony is that you would assume it's the FIT/PEI part, but I actually do because I just make completely ridiculous case mistakes in front of partners for some reason. And in the country I applied in you only get one partner in the whole process, so you can't make it up with another one to vouch for you or mitigate catching an “unlucky break”.

I have another offer from a relatively big company. But it's very hard to keep going after coming very close, especially since the gap between first and second round performances and final ones seems to be huge, how do you recover from this and do you think it makes sense to try again after a year or two?

Answer 1

Hi there,

I'm sorry to hear that. I'm wearing the hat of a friend rather than a “coach” here: Sometimes it’s hard to understand why things happen the way they do, but you have to trust that everything happens for a reason. You clearly prepared well, and it is known that reaching the final round of interviews means you have what it takes to do the job.

My advice is to take a step back and explore the option you currently have (consider if you want to take it or apply elsewhere). Should you apply again to MB in the next 2 years? My take on this is that don’t try to plan too far ahead right now, this is a question for another day, just focus on your immediate options.

Keep your head up because you did great, and what you think is a step back might actually be a blessing! Best of luck! You’ve got this.

Answer 2

Hi there,

Sorry to hear!

There is a lot to unpack here, mainly related to your mindset.

Mindset

“But it's very hard to keep going after coming very close” → McKinsey and BCG are just some companies among many great firms to work for and start your career with. Life goes on!

Putting so much pressure on yourself and dealing with a setback in this defeatist manner probably shows that you placed way too much importance on getting this particular job.

I can tell you from coaching a few hundred people and having connected with most of them on a mentorship and deeper level that the single biggest risk factor for strong candidates NOT getting an offer is based on how they perceive the potential MBB offer. They see it as the only viable option.

The more they obsess over securing that one offer, the more they neglect the broader perspective and fail to consider excellent alternatives, leading to potential failure when they force it. Interestingly, those who primarily think this way often have the best case skills but haven't fully developed the right mindset, causing their issues with stress and overwhelm during the interview.

Additionally, their perfectionist personalities clash with the case interview environment, where not every interview needs to be flawless; it's about demonstrating the right profile. Their high expectations and aversion to failure only amplify the pressure they feel.

There is no need to add unnecessary pressure on top of an already stressful and challenging situation. You are putting yourself at a disadvantage for no good reason.

Yet, there is a whole universe of other great opportunities out there and you might never know what benefits will come with a different situation than desired.

Perspective:

The offer rate for MBB is around 1%, currently less due to a market slowdown. Even getting to the second round is a huge feat that most people will not even be able to to.

You definitely have what it takes but a big mindset shift is needed that will help you perform better during the interviews while at the same time also making you more resilient to setbacks in general (which improves life quality by a lot - the only thing you should think about on a grander scale).

Recovering from this

Take the other job
Collect valuable experience and enjoy your time
Work on your case skills (especially the area you failed) and re-apply in 1-2 years
Work on your mindset and resilience. Should the second try be successful, you want to approach the job with a similar mindset, otherwise new issues and performance fears might arise (related to up-or-out)

Many MBB consultants actually make it only on their second try! I also applied for a McKinsey internship, failed during the interviews, re-applied again for full-time with a different strategy and it worked out well.

All the best,

Florian

Answer 3

Hey there,

That's brutal to have to go through. I am really sorry it turned out like this. It's also really unfortunate (and unusual?!) that you would only have one partner for each final round.

Now look, there is no way around it: it will feel horrible for a while. Then you will slowly start thinking about some other things, but it will still hit you from time to time and it will still hurt.

The silver lining: you don't have to keep going or pushing yourself right away.

I am sure you have put a lot of effort in the interview prep. You do deserve a break now and rest assured all the good practices you've gained will go a long way in your career: inside and outside of consulting. I promise you that.

Practice seeing the positives of having a good offer already in hand, give it a bit of time and then decide what you practically want to do next: take this offer or apply for other consultancies right away (if this is an option in your country).

If you decide to take the offer, my suggestion is to give it a good go and a few months in to have another thought on how you feel about consulting.

If it's still something you feel excited about, 100% apply again in 1-2 years (this is actually what a lot of people do!). If your priorities and interests would have changed, well, then you would know …

Long story short: it will feel bad, but will get better; no need to do anything right away and enjoy a break and a breather, well deserved for your hard effort.

Wishing you all the best,

Ariadna

Answer 4

Honestly… you just keep trying. To the other MBB and to other strategy consulting firms. And again to those same MBB that rejected you once you can reapply.

Most people that get into MBB where rejected from 2 other MBB (and many other firms).

Getting a job in strategy consulting is a numbers game. It's about applying to many firms * being consistent (% of getting an offer).