MBB London screening requirements for non-UK students

Question

Hi, I am an international student pursuing a Master's at one of the top business schools in Paris. I have previous experience in strategy and consulting at Big 4 and other companies. I am very sure that I want to advance my career in consulting. I wanted to apply for MBB London offices since I do not meet the language requirements for local offices. I wanted to understand the screening requirements for the MBB London office. Is it more stringent for candidates who have not studied in the UK? What can I do to pass the screening round?

Answer 1

Hello!

First of all, let me tell you that on paper, you are great fit for the role :) You should totally go for it.

I would say that the limitations that you will find are usually visa-driven ones (particularly now with the new situation in the UK).

Regarding the interviews, the bar that you need to meet-raise is the same for everyone. As you know there are two parts, fit and case. You should have a good answer in the fit part for why London.

If you want to deep dive on the topic, the "Integrated FIT guide for MBB" has been recently published in PrepLounge´s shop (https://www.preplounge.com/en/shop/tests-2/integrated-fit-guide-for-mbb-34)

It provides an end-to-end preparation for all three MBB interviews, tackling each firms particularities and combining key concepts review and a hands-on methodology. Following the book, the candidate will prepare his/her stories by practicing with over 50 real questions and leveraging special frameworks and worksheets that guide step-by-step, developed by the author and her experience as a Master in Management professor and coach. Finally, as further guidance, the guide encompasses over 20 examples from real candidates.

Furthermore, you can find 5 free cases in the PrepL case regarding FIT preparation:

Intro and CV questions > https://www.preplounge.com/en/management-consulting-cases/fit-interview/intermediate/introduction-and-cv-questions-fit-interview-preparation-200
Motivational questions > https://www.preplounge.com/en/management-consulting-cases/fit-interview/intermediate/motivational-questions-fit-interview-preparation-201
Behavioural questions (LEADERSHIP) >https://www.preplounge.com/en/management-consulting-cases/fit-interview/intermediate/behavioral-questions-entrepreneurial-drive-fit-interview-preparation-211
Behavioural questions (ENTREPRENEURIAL DRIVE) > https://www.preplounge.com/en/management-consulting-cases/fit-interview/intermediate/behavioral-questions-entrepreneurial-drive-fit-interview-preparation-238
Behavioural questions (LEADERSHIP) > https://www.preplounge.com/en/management-consulting-cases/fit-interview/advanced/behavioral-questions-personal-impact-fit-interview-preparation-239

Feel free to PM me for disccount codes for the Integrated FIT Guide, since we still have some left from the launch!

Hope it helps!

Cheers,

Clara

Answer 2

Hi there,

Ideally to apply to an office you need 3 things:

Satisfy language requirements
Satisfy visa requirements (or be able to get sponsorship)
Show connection to the particular office

If you don’t satisfy number 3, the best thing is to compensate it with a referral. You can find more on referrals at the link below:

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/hey-everyonehope-all-is-well-3176

Best,

Francesco

Answer 3

Hey there,

The screening requirements are the same from a resume perspective. You need to show spikes in:

Academic performance
Work experience
Experience abroad
Extracurricular activities

These are the basics that need to be covered regardless of the office you are applying to.

So answering your first question: No, there is no difference in terms of the core requirements. Based on the info you provided that should work out for you.

Now that this is established, the main issue with a different office is the topic around visa requirements. It is certainly possible, however, it might be a bit trickier.

The most actionable advice on how to tackle that is to contact HR of the different firms and discuss your situation with them. They are here to help and answer such questions daily.

All the best with your preparation and hopefully it works out!

Cheers,

Florian

Answer 4

Hi there,

Like anywhere, if you don't have local citizenship/working rights and you don't have prior work/education/life experience on your resume that ties to the office, it will be harder to get in!

That said, you can mitigate that by showing genuine interest in the office. Network aggressively with the London office and try to get on the phone with a few people! In particular, get your name/resume in front of the recruiter (either via a referral, or through your networking).

Good luck!

Answer 5

Hi, I confirm London is one of the geographies with most international students. Brand prestige of your university, high grades, international and working experiences will be crucial to get the invitation. I also recommend a referral

Best,
Antonello