MBB Referral

Hello there!

You should reach out to him asking for a chat about consulting, do not get straight to the referral request. Some tips follow below:

1. Research the person you're meeting, understand their background and company, and prepare thoughtful questions, things you can’t find on google.

2. Don't just ask for a referral, focus on building a connection and showing genuine interest in their experience and the company.

3. Share your own story - discuss your career goals and how this experience aligns with your aspirations, demonstrating your potential as a candidate. It should sound almost like obvious that consulting is for you.

4 Make an ask (super important) - at the end of the meeting, you can politely ask for a resume review so you can understand if you have chances of getting an interview. Make sure to build a solid CV prior to the meeting (use actual consulting references, you can find those online, or use a professional service).

5. After receiving the feedback, if it is a positive one, follow up asking for a referral.

Good luck, truly hope you can pull that off!!

Mari

Hi,

I'd suggest you start off friendly.

• Send him a linkedin request and click "Add a note" - then say you'd like to have a chat with him and ask him his experiences/how he got in/ how is he finding it.
• In the meantime, have a look at his Linkedin and take note of the work he's done - you want to be personable in the call, you want to build a new connection - you're not going to use him.
• Then once he agrees, have the call and towards the end of the call, ask him if he'd feel comfortable to send through a referral.

• There is no loss on his end if you do not get through, so I highly doub he'll say no.

   

Good luck!

Hi,

• Start by sending a polite LinkedIn or email message introducing yourself briefly, mentioning your shared background (same school), and expressing genuine interest in consulting and BCG.
• Instead of directly asking for a referral upfront, ask for a short call to hear about his experience, after a good conversation, you can then naturally ask if he would feel comfortable referring you.

Building a real connection first usually increases your chances!

Great that you're thinking about asking for a referral. 

I explained exactly this process in the following article, specifically on how to indirectly ask for a referral:

• Expert Guide: How To Get Referrals Via LinkedIn?

Aside from this, make sure that you apply broadly, not only to BCG and that you also try to get referrals for other firms. In case you're looking for additional resources on this, I explained how to optimise the recruitment funnel in the following article:

• Expert Guide: Build A Winning Application Strategy

Best,
Cristian

Build an honest professional relationship with that person.

Ask for a quick call—mention your shared background and your interest in BCG. Say you’d love to learn from their experience.

During the call, focus on genuine curiosity and building rapport. If it goes well, they’ll often offer the referral without you having to ask.

Happy to help you go deeper on this. Just send me a message.

Best,

Alberto

—

Explore my latest case inspired by a real MBB interview: StayPro - Consumer Growth Strategy

Hey there 👋
That’s a great step already — finding the right person is half the work! 🙌 When reaching out, keep it short, warm, and respectful. Try something like:

"Hi [Name], I'm a recent graduate from [Your University] and really admire your path to BCG. I'd love to learn more about your experience and would be grateful for any advice or guidance you could offer. If possible, I’d also deeply appreciate a referral."

Be genuine and show curiosity — people love helping those who do their homework 💡

Let’s practice your message together in coaching if you'd like! 💬

Best, Alessa

Hi there,

When reaching out for a referral, keep your message short, respectful, and focused on building a connection first rather than asking directly. Since this is the only alumnus you’ve found at MBB, it’s even more important to approach carefully. A good structure is:

1. Introduction & common link – Mention the shared school background to build rapport.
2. Context – Briefly explain your interest in consulting and BCG.
3. Request for advice – Ask for a short call or insights about his experience, rather than asking straight for a referral.
4. Referral request later – If the conversation goes well, then you can naturally ask if he’d feel comfortable referring you.

Sample LinkedIn/email message:
“Hi [Name], I hope you’re doing well. I’m a [graduate/student] from [University], and I noticed we share that background. I’m very interested in pursuing a career in consulting, particularly with BCG in Riyadh, and I would really value your insights on your journey into the firm. Would you be open to a short call or exchanging a few messages? I’d greatly appreciate your advice.”

This way, you’re showing genuine interest in his experience, not just asking for a favor. If the call goes positively, you can say:
“Thanks so much for sharing your perspective. I’m very keen to apply to BCG Riyadh—would you feel comfortable referring me?”

This indirect approach usually works much better and avoids putting pressure upfront.

Best,
Evelina

Hi there,

A referral is just a door opener such that the recruiting team will look through your application more thoroughly. In order to get a referral, you need to at least develop some form of professional relationship with the person because they will not just refer someone they barely know. After all, they would be putting their name and reputation on the line. 

Depending on the seniority, tenure and advocacy of the person referring you, you have a better chance of getting a first round interview. The more senior the person referring you is, the better. The longer the tenure of that person with the firm is, the better.

The reason is that such voices carry more weight than referrals coming from super junior or brand new people. They typically know the HR folks better and have been involved in recruiting activities for a while so it is usually assumed that they have a good grasp of what types of candidates with which sets of qualifications the firm needs. However, any referral is ultimately better than no referral. 

Ideally, you get a referral from someone from the same office (or same country) you are applying to. But again, a referral from someone within the same firm but different office or country organization is still better than no referral.

A direct rejection after the CV screening stage can still happen - even with a referral. In that case the recruiting team usually provides some feedback to the person having given the referral. So you should follow up with them to better understand the rationale in case that happens. On the flipside, you can still get an interview invite when you just apply online without a referral - the probability might just be lower - unless your CV is “stellar” on a standalone basis.

And as always, factors such as economic conditions and headcount/budget planning of the individual firm also matter significantly in these decisions - but they are not within your control.

Best