McKinsey Post Final Round

Question

Applying to a small/ mid-sized office. I had my final round spread throughout Thursday, with the last one ending at 6pm ET, and the partner flying back later that night. I assumed all scorecards would’ve been submitted that day and the decision board happening the next day (today, Friday). Based on everything I’ve heard and read, a vast majority of offers go out same day. It’s now 10pm and I haven’t heard anything, can I safely assume I’m rejected? Does McK always wait until the following Monday to issue rejection calls? I’d much rather know exactly where I stand going into the weekend than have to wait it out in uncertainty.

Answer 1

Not hearing back the same day doesn’t automatically mean rejection. Timing can depend on when partners submit scorecards, when the office decision board meets, and simple scheduling. While many offers go out quickly, rejections and even some offers can take until Monday. I’d try not to read too much into the silence over the weekend, you should have clarity early next week.

best, Alessa

Answer 2

No, you cannot and should not assume that.

Sometimes they send the offers the same day. Sometimes they take 3 weeks. Sometimes they take weeks to get everyone in the same room to make the final decisions.

What you can assume is that if you don't know, it is because they haven't decided yet. They will get back to you once they have an answer. And usually they'll do all of them on the same day (positive or negative).

So yes, I am afraid to say that you'll wait it out in uncertainty.

Answer 3

Hi there,

before offer decisions are communicated, they have to be aligned between HR and the interviewers in the process. This can sometimes take time for various reasons. A few common ones are listed below for a general overview:

internal scheduling conflicts between HR and the interviewers, especially when partners need to be involved
the firm is still conducting more final round interviews with other candidates and they might want to wait for that to play out to look at the full candidate picture before extending final offers
offers have been extended to “first choice” candidates and the firm is trying to keep “backup” candidates on hold until they know who accepted and who declined their first batch of offers
holidays or year-end shutdown delay the decision-making and communication process
there is uncertainty internally around budget and the exact headcount they can actually hire so they are trying to buy time

I know that this is unsettling and every candidate wants to have clarity on the status sooner rather than later. Unfortunately, you'll always have to wait for the official word.

However, it is best to just assume a rejection and continue with the recruiting efforts with other firms until you have a written offer in your hands. That way you at least won't lose time.

Best

Answer 4

Hi there,
Do not panic. There are many reasons why you may not have heard back yet. Scorecards may not be submitted at the same time, partners can be traveling, and recruiting boards are often scheduled days later. At the end of the day, not hearing back on the same day does not automatically mean rejection.

Of course, always assume you have been rejected, because you should always be hustling for other interviews.

Answer 5

Hi there,

Not hearing back immediately does not necessarily mean a rejection. It is always possible that the interviewers need to reconvene and discuss your candidacy before making a decision, but their schedules have not yet lined up. I suggest you stay patient a while more.

Answer 6

No, don't read into it.

I waited 10 days for my McK offer.

I've seen people wait for 2 weeks or longer.

Sometimes the process isn't that smooth and it requires some waiting.

I know it's painful. Try and see if you can channel that energy into something useful.

Fingers crossed that you hear back soon!
Cristian