Is it normal to wait over a month between first and second interviews at Strategy& Middle East?

Hello
Thanks for your question and I completely understand the agonizing wait! But unfortunately this can happen. Not every recruitment cycle is the same, sometimes they move quickly and other times they drag on. It typically depends on recruitment volume, availability of interviewers at various levels, time taken to review feedback etc. And all of this can cause slow downs.

Know this - if a decision has been made on your profile, typically you will hear fairly soon after that decision is made (either negative or positive) so have comfort knowing that you're still in the running!!!

Yes! Unfortunately, this is completely normal in the Middle East. In fact:

The Middle East is by far the most disorganized region across all MBB and Tier-2 firms when it comes to recruiting.

Here’s what that looks like in practice:

• Long radio silences: 4 to 6 weeks between rounds is common, especially after holidays or Ramadan.
• Last-minute changes: Interviews get rescheduled hours before the slot. Sometimes twice.
• Inconsistent communication: HR may give vague or copy-paste responses for weeks without real updates.
• Logistics chaos: Final-round decisions can take ages due to Partner travel or shifting hiring targets.

It’s not personal. It’s not a rejection signal. It’s just… the region.

Even strong candidates, who eventually got offers, often waited 5 to 7 weeks between rounds without any meaningful communication or feedback.

What you can do:

• Follow up every 7–10 days, politely but firmly. Make sure you stay top-of-mind.
• Use the downtime smartly: Sharpen your PEI, run high-pressure drills, and double down on Arabic/English communication clarity if relevant.
• Manage expectations: You are not being ghosted. You're caught in a region-wide inefficiency loop.

Bottom line: yes, it’s frustrating. But no, it doesn’t mean anything about your performance or your outcome. Hang tight and stay sharp.

Hope this helps!
Sidi

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Dr. Sidi S. Koné

Hi,

Yes, that kind of delay is actually quite common. The recruiting process can be slow, especially when they’re coordinating interviewers across offices or waiting for updated hiring targets. A gap of four to six weeks between rounds doesn’t necessarily mean your application isn’t progressing.

If HR keeps confirming that your profile is still under consideration, take that as a positive sign. The best approach is to stay patient but continue your preparation so you’re ready when they reach out. If it stretches beyond six weeks, you can send a polite check-in again just to reaffirm your continued interest.

Hi there,

A month between first and second rounds is actually not unusual. Scheduling can take a while, especially with multiple interviewers and regional coordination. It usually doesn’t mean your application isn’t moving forward. Staying polite with your follow-ups, as you’ve done, is the right approach.

"It's not you, it's them."

This is actually true. Rest assured you are not the only one in this position. Very often interview process and interview dates are delayed for many different reasons - most of the times not even related to recruiting itself.

It's not common, but it does happen. 

And it doesn't reflect on you. 

Sometimes things just get in the way. 

If this is problematic for you, try to make the recruiter aware, but of course, try and do this politely. 

An even better thing to do is to be recruiting with other firms in parallel, so you don't wait for a specific firm. 

Best,
Cristian