Is it possible to accelerate the application process?

Hi there,

Interesting context, but my first instinct is to challenge your assumptions. 

You invested a lot of time preparing but now you want to do it all fast? Why? Shouldn't the focus be on making sure that you get several offers to choose from? Whatver waited until now can probably wait a couple more weeks. 

Still, if speed is important for you AND you already feel prepared for the interview, I'd  recommend that you:

• Apply to all firms at once
• Whichever gets back to you first try to schedule the interviews with them as early as possible
• Don't push HR but take whatever is earliest that they have available
• Once you have an offer, then you can get back to all the other applications and tell them that you need to respond to this offer so you'd want to make the process quicker with them too

Best of luck!
Cristian

Hi,

An accelerated process is typically a function of 2 things:

1. How strong of a candidate they think you are
   • e.g. Star candidate with a stellar CV and stellar first round interview results - often accelerated especially if that candidate has a competing offer
2. How badly do they need you to start right away
   • e.g. Specific practice area needs (e.g. need a manager for an about to start large transformation project)

You could explain your situation to HR/recruiting - I do not think this will negatively impact your chances as at the end of the day, all that matters is the performance in your interview (as long as your situation is reasonable, in HR's eyes).

The bigger concern is the reality that firms are not doing well in many geograpahies and therefore demand for new candidates is really not urgent. So unless you are coming in for a specific practice area role - my sense would be that its really hard to accelerate the process. I know for certain in some geographies that hiring among MBB has not only been frozen this year but start dates (for accepted candidates) have been pushed back to mid next year etc.

All the best!

Hi there,

Q: Is it possible to accelerate it, how fast can it reasonably done? How do you recommend I communicate this to HR without it negatively impacting my chances?

The main way I saw working to accelerate the process is to leverage another offer. If that's the case, you can contact HR, mention the alternative and see if they can expedite the scheduling of the interviews.

If you don't have competing offers, you can still reach out to see if an earlier scheduling is feasible, but there are no guarantees that it will work.

Good luck!

Francesco

Hello,

You can reach out to HR and ask them whether it would be possible to accelerate the process, explaining your need for the ask. It is possible to make accommodations sometimes: for instance, these kinds of asks tend to be considered for candidates going through interviews who already have an exploding offer from another firm. If you have an actual reason for needing to accelerate the process, asking won't negatively affect your chances. Though bear in mind that they may not be able to accommodate the ask.

Regarding how fast it would be possible to accelerate the process, this will depend on the firm and the recruiting cycle. I would say it's generally easier to accelerate the recruiting process itself (i.e., the interviews and the decision) rather than push forward the start date if the firm was looking to hire you with a specific start date in mind. In any case, there's no harm in asking.

Hi there,

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

• First of all, yes, sometimes it is possible to expedite the recruiting process, but it will largely depend on the specific firm and the specific recruiting situation. Keep in mind that large consulting firms typically have set recruiting schedules, and deviating from these might not be possible.
• Moreover, if you do try to expedite the recruiting process, I would advise you to communicate this tactfully to the recruiter. Please keep in mind that your goal is to be transparent about your situation without coming off as overly pushy or impatient.
• Lastly, even though there might be a certain necessity in your specific situation to speed up the recruiting process, I would highly advise you to always prioritize quality over speed. Therefore, it might be better to allow its natural pace, even if that means dealing with a bit of uncertainty in the meantime.

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,

if this is for structured campus recruiting, usually your hands will be more tied, while for experienced or non-target school hiring there are ways to accelerate.

Easiest will be, if you have a competing offer, then you can use that as leverage for the discussion. In any case, can always seek a discussion with HR rep to make your requests. Worst thing they will do is say no and keep the original timeline. 

Would be good if you could share a bit more context about company, level and geography so we can advise more specifically.

Hope this helps.

Regards, Andi

Hi there,

Are you recruiting via an official channel (undergrad, MBA, etc.)?

If so, you cannot accelerate (you need to operate within the schedule they have set for your school).

If you are recruiting as an external/experienced hire, then you can definitely let them know that you would like to move the process forward quickly if possible.

If/when you have another offer, this can be used as leverage to move things forward as well.

If you are an external/experience hire, and you have prepped a lot, then why not apply in August?