McKinsey application delayed, What should I do?

Question

Hi everyone,

I applied to Mckinsey back in January and passed the game around the same time. After about a month(in february), I received an email from Recruiter saying that due to recruiting events, the screening was postponed to March. They said that they will continue with my candidacy and the screening will be very short.

Now March is ending, and I still haven't received any updates. My application status on the website still shows "in progress".

So what should I do now, is it okay to send a follow-up tomorrow (April 1), or is better to wait a bit longer?

Thanks!

Answer 1

Hi there,

I can imagine this is quite frustrating - so good job on your patience!

Yes - I would say it has been a month (or more) it is completely reasonable to follow up with the recruiting contact.

Good luck! Hopefully good news awaits!
Annika

Answer 2

Hi Anonymous!

Yes, it is totally fine to send a follow-up email later this week.

Just keep in mind that the recruiting team is definitely aware of the timeline and is likely swamped with similar emails from other candidates. Because of this, you want your follow-up to be as frictionless as possible for them to read and reply to. Always be gentle and make sure to thank your recruiter for their help so far! :)

Here are a few quick tips for your follow-up:

Keep it brief: They are busy, so get straight to the point without sounding demanding.
Acknowledge their workload: A little empathy goes a long way.
Reiterate your interest: Briefly state that you are still very excited about the opportunity.

Good luck!

Tom

Answer 3

Hi,

This is quite normal — I’ve seen this happen many times with McKinsey.

Delays like this are usually due to internal timing (events, pipeline management, headcount approvals), not a signal on your candidacy. The fact that your status is still “in progress” is actually a good sign — it means you’re still in the process.

At this point, it’s absolutely fine to follow up. You’ve already waited longer than the timeline they communicated, so a polite check-in is appropriate.

I’d suggest keeping it simple and professional, something along the lines of:

“Hi, I wanted to briefly follow up on my application, as I understood the screening would resume in March. I remain very interested and would appreciate any updates you may be able to share.”

No need to overthink it — this won’t hurt your chances.

Then, once you’ve sent it, just move on and keep preparing. These processes can be slower than expected, but things often restart quickly once recruiting picks up again.

Good luck!

Answer 4

Wait a bit longer.

I know it's frustrating. But it seems like they are aware of the delay and working on it.

I advise you to put your energy into developing other applications in the meantime. And if you reach mid-April and you still haven't heard from them, then follow up.

Best,
Cristian