Is networking with McKinsey harder than with the other two MBB firms?

Hi there,

Q: Networking with McKinsey, however, feels like pulling teeth. Abysmally low response rate. Is there something fundamentally different about the McKinsey culture I should understand to better network with them?

I believe this might be highly dependent on the office you are targeting and the alumni network. 

Regardless, if you see a lower conversion rate with McKinsey using the same approach as with the others, the only options would be to:

1. Increase the number of people you reach out to
2. Improve the message you send, in case you believe there is any potential improvement

Unless there is something structurally wrong in your message (which doesn't seem to be the case, given that you got good results with BCG and Bain), eventually, you should land a successful connection/referral with enough reach-outs.

Good luck!
Francesco

Hi there,

I would say that, in general this is true. I have tended to see from my candidate that McKinsey is a bit harder. However, it depends. It depends on the region/office, role, who you are, how you are formatting your messages, etc.

Try adjusting your message and who you're targeting to see if you get higher hit rates!

Remember, these is a right way and a wrong way to send these messages :)

Hi there,

There isn't anything fundamentally different culture wise. All MBB are comparable with a broad range of characters operating within that culture.

An abnormally low response rate may be explained with disincentivization of supporting recruitment activities. That's especially the case when there's no/low actual recruitment, which has been the case for all MBB. It's just not happening at the same rate, time, or place, hence the diferrences.

Keep it up and best of luck!

Moritz

Dear,

I'm sorry to hear that. I don't think there is a unique answer to this point. Personally, I do reply to all the requests I receive. 

There could be several reasons behind this behavior. What is the tenure of the people you are writing to? Are you writing a blatantly standard message that might give the idea of being "one of many" typical notes you send out? Why are you contacting that particular person? Do you have something in common with this person that might act as a trigger for a conversation?

I would try to connect with people you have something in common with or you have met at a certain networking event. It would definitely be easier to build a connection.

If helpful, feel free to reach out. I would be glad to share with you my experience at McKinsey.

Best,

Antonio

Hi there!

Wow, that suprises me. 

I wouldn't say there are any specific differences between firms or anything that would explain the lower response rates. 

Please check out this guide on how to engage on LinkedIn. It goes through several tips on how to improve response rate and gives even an example of an outbound message you could send. Hope you will find it useful:

• Free Guide: How To Get Referrals Via LinkedIn? 

Best,
Cristian

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Hello,

That seems odd to me - MBB have similar cultures of and approaches to networking, so I would not expect there to be any large differences. When I worked at McKinsey, people were very open to networking with prospective applicants. My guess is that your experience is due to unfortunate selection. 

Keep reaching out to other people at McKinsey if you're not getting enthusiastic responses from the ones you've contacted already. Hopefully you will be able to make some good connections in time!