Mckinsey ME Offices

Hi there,

First of all, I am sorry to hear about your rejection for McKinsey Middle East!

I think this is an interesting question that may be relevant for many people. I would be happy to share my thoughts on it:

• First of all, unfortunately, I fear that you will not be able to interview again this year. The ban period in strategy consulting lasts for 12-18 months after you were rejected at any point in the application process, regardless of the region, country, office, or position for which you applied.
• Moreover, contrary to what another coach said, even if you were to reapply with a technical trick, I am certain that a recruiter would notice at some point in your application process that you had reapplied with a different email address. This would leave a very negative impression if they found out.
• Lastly, I would highly advise you to reflect on your preparation skills as they clearly need improvement before considering applying anywhere. Please also keep in mind that there are many other great strategy consulting companies that could significantly increase your chances of landing a job in the field if you apply.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to address your specific situation, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Hi there,

Q: Sadly I received a rejection for the Mckinsey ME Offices application. I wanted to check if I can apply for other offices do I need to wait for that as well?

The ban normally is global and usually lasts 12-18 months. However you may try to (i) find a referral in a different geography and (ii) disclose the previous rejection and check if they might be able to help in case you have developed a significant experience in the meantime.

I would wait at least 6 months before doing so, in order to show some improvements in your CV. In the meantime, you can apply to other consulting firms.

You can find more on referrals below:

▶ How to Get an MBB Invitation

▶ The Exact Steps to Get a Referral

Best,

Francesco

Hi there,

Unfortunately, you would have to wait for other offices too (even with a different email address) as they can track that.

The ban periods are usually the following at McKinsey:

• 12 months if you were applying for an internship
• 24 months if you were applying for a full-time role

Significant improvements in your resume (work, uni, extracurricular/leadership, and time abroad) + networking/referrals can shorten it/increase changes for a re-invite.

All the best!

Florian

Hi there, 

Yes, theoretically you need to wait for about a year before you can reapply. This is a typical 12-month freeze that most firms in the industry use. 

In practice, however, many candidates reapply with a different email address, and because the system doesn't track that their application is considered once again. It's not ethical, but many people go that route. 

If you do decide to do that, however, make sure that your application is really good this time around. If it didn't pass screening the first time, it's not magically going to happen the second time :)

Best,

Cristian

Hi there,

If you received a rejection then maybe your reaction should be “what went wrong”, not, can I do the same thing again elsewhere! (Where you'll also be rejected).

Ultimately, you do need to wait a year. But, also, please don't just do the exact same thing again!

Get your resume professionally reviewed to make it perfect. Build up your overall profil with consulting-related experiences/skills. Network extensively to ideally get a referral.

And, remember there are SO many other firms out there! When recruiting you should be applying to dozens of firms.

I'm sorry to hear that. My understanding is that the resulting ban period of 12-18 months is a global and not a regional limitation, unfortunately. 

There are other consulting firms out there though. Throw your hat in the ring there as well.

Best of luck

Sorry to hear about the rejection. This is a really tough time to be looking for jobs. 
Unfortunately you won’t be able to apply to any office globally for a couple of years. 
 

That being said, there are so many great roles  out there to pursue and many of them will make you a desirable candidate for McKinsey in a few years.