Mckinsey final interview

Question

Hi,

I had my final interview at the McKinsey Tokyo office late last night (for a Business Analyst role, via referral).
Today, a recruiter informed me that the partner who interviewed me would call with the results first thing tomorrow morning.
Is this a good sign or a bad one?

On one hand, it seems unlikely that a partner would go out of their way to make time for a candidate who wasn't selected; on the other hand, I’m anxious because I’ve heard that many successful candidates received a call on the very same day as their interview.

Answer 1

Hi,

The general rule of thumb is that rejections tend to come via email, while positive decisions are usually communicated through a phone call. That said, this is definitely not written in stone, and there are plenty of exceptions depending on the office and the recruiting team.

Also, even when candidates are rejected, it is quite common to first receive an email and then have the opportunity to schedule a call with the interviewer or recruiter to receive detailed feedback.

Based on what you described, I would personally view a partner taking the time to call you directly as a positive sign rather than a negative one. Of course, nobody can know for sure until the conversation happens, but I don't see anything concerning in the process you've described.

Hopefully you'll be back here soon with good news and an update for us!

Best of luck,
Franco

Answer 2

hi!

A next‑morning partner call is not a bad sign. McKinsey Tokyo often finalizes decisions overnight because multiple stakeholders need to sign off, and partners don’t always call on the same day, even for offers. The fact that the recruiter proactively told you who will call and when is generally positive; if it were a silent rejection, they usually just email. It’s not a guarantee, but it’s definitely not negative.

Alessa

Answer 3

Hi there,

Congrats on having your first interview!

Try not to read too much into what this means. It could just be the process at that office. It does differ significantly from office to office even within the same firm.

Hope you get good news soon!
Best,
Cristian