Mckinsey R1 - Middle East - associate

9 days is annoying but still normal for ME offices.

Send one clean follow-up to your recruiter: "Checking in on next steps from my Feb 6 interview. Let me know if you need anything else."

If nothing in 3-4 days, ping the general MEO recruiting inbox. Don't jump to the head of HR-looks desperate and pisses people off.

Use your AP referral only if you hit 3+ weeks of total silence. Even then, keep it light: "Any sense of timeline?" Don't ask them to push HR.

ME offices are notorious for slow feedback and recruiter ghosting. Could be they're still running other interviews, could be internal coordination mess. Silence after R1 doesn't mean no-it usually just means their process is ongoing.

Wait another week. One more recruiter ping is fine, but flooding inboxes makes you look worse, not better. 

Patience is a strength you can demonstrate. 

I can completely understand the level of frustration here and yes you DO deserve an answer.

You will definitely hear an answer eventually but in the mean time, I would limit follow ups to a moderate cadence. Considering the interview was Feb 6th it has only been just over a week.

Yes, following up first with the AP that referred you is a great idea, maybe they can get some insight before following up with the recruitment team directly. From there, typically, you would wait ~2 weeks between follow ups. 

Don't worry, the answer will come. In the mean time, ensure you're ready for Rd 2 interviews and/or continue your application journey with other firms (always nice to have multiple offers to negotiate with :) )

Hope this helps!

Hi,

Most importantly, you have done well and you are confident. So let's trust the process! Completely understand your frustration — and having spent 7 years at McKinsey, I can share some insider perspective on what is likely going on.

Some reassurance: a delay of ~10 days after R1 is not unusual, for a few reasons:

1. Internal alignment: If one or more of the evaluating EMs / APs etc. are travelling or on a client engagement, it could take some time

2. Batch processing: Sometimes the recruiting team groups candidates and consolidates results. Your timeline may be tied to when the next decision meeting is scheduled, not to your individual performance.

What to do as a candidate

- Do NOT escalate to Head of HR. That would likely be perceived as aggressive, even if your performance was strong.

- One polite follow-up to the recruiter is fine. Keep it short, professional, and positive. Something like: "Hi [Name], I hope you are doing well. I just wanted to check in on the status of my application following my interview on Feb 6th. Happy to provide any additional information if needed. Thank you!" If you have already sent multiple messages, pause and give it a few more days.

- The AP referral is your best lever. A gentle nudge from an internal AP carries real weight. Reach out to them, let them know you are waiting on a response, and ask if they would be willing to check in with the recruiting team on your behalf.

- Be patient but set a personal deadline. If you hear nothing after 3 weeks total from your interview date, one more follow-up to the recruiter is reasonable.

I know the silence is stressful, but it is far more likely to be an operational delay than a reflection of your performance. Hang in there!

Hope that helps. Happy to connect over a session if you would like to talk through next steps or prepare for a potential R2 (as these can be quite different) :)

All the best!

hey there :)

 I would strongly advise against escalating to the Head of HR or involving your referral at this stage. Silence unfortunately does happen and is not necessarily a negative signal. The safest approach is to send one polite follow up to the recruiter or support team if it has been around two weeks, and then give it some time. Repeated escalation can hurt more than help. If you want, I’m happy to help you draft a short, professional follow up message.

best,
Alessa :)

I know the McKinsey Middle East recruiting cycle is brutal—that long silence after what felt like a strong final-round interview is genuinely frustrating, especially when you feel like you deserve a clear answer.

Here is the reality of the black box: that silence is very rarely a definitive rejection. More often, it means you are firmly in the "Hold Pool." McKinsey ME manages complex global hiring against constantly shifting internal capacity needs across multiple offices and specialized practices. A "solid" performance means you are good enough, but you are now waiting for the final cohort balancing or leadership sign-off, which can take anywhere from four to six weeks post-interview. The recruiter often has nothing concrete to share during this period, so they default to radio silence rather than sending non-updates.

Do not escalate to the Head of HR or bombard the general MEO support line. That will signal impatience and lack of understanding of the process, and it will be counterproductive. Your only effective pivot right now is your internal champion: the AP who referred you.

Send the AP one very brief, professional note. Frame it as a low-pressure update: "I had a great final interview on Feb 6 and wanted to thank you again for the referral. I was hoping you might have some insight into the projected decision timeline, as I have not heard back since my interview." This leverages their internal status to inquire about the timeline without you appearing desperate. They are your best shot at getting visibility into the process.

Hope it helps!