McKinsey Referral

Hi there,

1) Will HR send me some specific links to apply?

You might have to (i) add the name of the person who is referring you in the application or (ii) send your CV to that person, who in turn can send it to HR, or (iii) use a specific link they will share. As Ian said, the person should let you know the exact process as it might vary by country.

2) A junior Associate is willing to give me a referral to McKinsey ME. However, I'm applying for an Associate position. Does the hierarchy impact anything? Or should I reach out to someone else? 

You can still be referred by your current contact. The higher the seniority, the stronger the referral, so if you find a referral from, say, a partner, that might increase the chances.

You can find more on referrals below:

▶ How to Get an MBB Invitation

▶ The Exact Steps to Get a Referral

Good luck!

Francesco

Hi there,

First, if you can, try to get a referral higher than Junior Associate. It's great that you have one! But try to go higher if you can.

The JA should know the process - as in, check with them. It might be that they apply for you and a link comes through, or you have to apply first and they let HR. Chec with them!

Here's some more reading to help: https://www.preplounge.com/en/articles/how-to-get-a-consulting-internship-tips-and-tricks

Hi there, 

This is a great set of questions. 

Let me take them one by one.

I want to understand how does the referral process work? Will HR send me some specific links to apply?

It depends on the office. For the big offices it's centralised, so once the referral has been submitted, you'll get an email that you've been referred and that you can submit your application.

For smaller offices, it's literally an email that the consultant sends to HR and then HR reaches out to you. 

A junior Associate is willing to give me a referral to McKinsey ME. However, I'm applying for an Associate position. Does the hierarchy impact anything? Or should I reach out to someone else? 

Hierarchy matters but I wouldn't worry too much about it. 

Of course it's better to get a referral from a Partner than a BA, but not by a lot. However, it would take you a lot of effort to get it, so it's not really worth it.

The whole referral process is new to me and I'm trying to understand how does the process work internally at the firm?

Answered above. 

Also feel free to reach out directly or comment below if you have follow-up questions. I will answer to them. 

Sharing with you also a guide on how to conduct discussions with consultants that lead to referrals:

• Free Guide: How To Handle Networking Calls and Get Referrals

Best,
Cristian