Networking MBB

Great question — and honestly, you’re not alone. I was in the exact same situation when I moved to Dubai: no alumni network, no warm intros, and no real access to MBB circles. But I still managed to break through and land interviews (and eventually offers) by strategically networking with partners and senior leaders — primarily through LinkedIn.

Here’s how I approach this, and what I can share with you in a coaching session:

1. Targeting – Who exactly to reach out to (based on geography, function, seniority), and why some profiles are more responsive than others.
2. Messaging Strategy – We’ll craft your outreach messages together. These are short, clear, and tailored to spark interest — no generic “Hi can I pick your brain?” messages. If you bring something unique (a thesis, relevant experience, insight on a market), we’ll build around that.
3. Follow-ups and Conversion – How to turn a cold message into a call or referral, and what to say once you’re in front of them. Most people waste these chances by either overselling or staying vague. I’ll help you be concrete and memorable.
4. Templates & Playbook – I’ll share tested templates I’ve used myself and with clients — what to say in a first message, how to follow up, and how to close with a clear ask. You’ll walk away with a ready-to-use toolkit.
    

All of this is based on real-world experience. I had to reach out to hundreds of people to land my McKinsey internship and later my BCG offer — without a target school brand behind me.

If that sounds helpful, I’d be happy to walk you through it and tailor it to your profile.

Hi there,

Happy to help! Here’s how the session would be structured:

1. Strategy (10–15 min):
Quick overview of what works when networking with MBB partners — and common pitfalls to avoid.

2. Outreach (20–25 min):
We’ll go through tailored email/LinkedIn templates for cold outreach, referrals, and follow-ups — customized to your background. We’ll cover who to reach out to, why certain profiles are more responsive, and how to tailor your approach. 

3. Live feedback (15–20 min):
We’ll refine your draft messages and work on how to confidently lead partner conversations.

Resources you’ll get:

• Outreach templates (cold emails, follow-ups, thank yous)
• A networking playbook
• Tips to turn chats into referrals

You’ll leave with clear next steps, polished messages, and a smart MBB networking approach.

Happy to help you prep – feel free to reach out.
 

Best,
Evelina

Hi there,

I would be happy to share my thoughts on your question:

• First of all, I would advise you not to target partners, but all other, less senior leaders of consulting firms to provide you with a referral, unless you want to network just for the sake of it.
• Moreover, while there is no set way of doing this, please feel free to reach out to me directly as the most recommended coach if you don't feel you can manage building a rapport with your potential referrers independently.

You can find more on this topic here: How to succeed in the final interview round.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare your application files, for your upcoming pre-interview assessments and/or interviews, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Hi there, 

Happy to help with this since I've done it previously with other candidates.

I've even developed two intro guides on this that you might find useful:

• Expert Guide: How To Handle Networking Calls and Get Referrals
• Expert Guide: How To Get Referrals Via LinkedIn?

If you have follow-up questions, feel free to reach out.

Best,
Cristian

Hi,

Besides the coaching session, take a look into the articles of the platform covering this exact topic.

Best,

Mari

I’m not sure that you actually need to pay for a coaching session for this one.

I’d recommend reading the articles on PrepLounge covering this topic. 

Also, try to connect with the senior consultants in a non-generic way (e.g., ask them about the exact type of work they’re doing, try to connect based on educational background etc)