Networking with McKinsey Senior partner

Question

Hi everyone,

So I’m new to this—please cut me some slack!😭 Over the past couple of months, I’ve gotten really interested in consulting. I’m currently the Executive Director of a well-known nonprofit, with a background in public policy, workforce and economic development, and “business” (I put that in asterisks for a slight reason—lol).

I’ve had the chance to meet with two people in the consulting space, and I’ve technically received one offer from Guidehouse based purely on networking, and a very strong referral into Deloitte. More recently, I’ve become really interested in McKinsey because of their work in areas that align with my expertise. Our parent company actually did a case study with them not long ago.

At first, getting in touch with anyone there felt nearly impossible (cold messaging on LinkedIn might not be the best route lol). But I reached out to a close friend and mentor of mine, and long story short, she immediately connected me with the senior partner of the office in my city. We have a lunch coming up, and I’m incredibly grateful especially since he seems genuinely excited to meet.

So my questions for you all are:

Is this a good first step for networking into the firm?
What should I expect going into the meeting?
What questions should I be ready to ask?
I know he’s a senior partner and that title carries a lot of weight but how much do referrals from someone really matter? I know I’ll be considered a lateral hire and even a “expert consultant” maybe so I feel like it’s almost a uphill battle since i don’t have the traditional consulting background.

The office he leads is relatively small, but from what I understand, they’re actively looking to grow. Any advice would be much appreciated!

Answer 1

This is a good step.

What you want to know is

What kind of projects do they do in your area of expertise
Do those projects align with your specific expertise.
Can your expertise add up value to what they do
Would they be interested in a profile like yours
Would you be interested in working for them
How to make it happen - if it looks like your profile is interesting.

What is critical here is that you consider this a conversation between equals. You are a valuable professional, and they are a reputable firm. You are assessing alignment with an open mind - ready to walk out if it doesn't make sense for one or the other - and happy to keep the conversation moving forward if it makes sense.

Coming with the perspective of "I really want to work for you, would love to get an offer" will not get you an offer, and won't get you moving forward.

Answer 2

Hi there,

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

First of all, this certainly is a good first step. Getting face time with a senior partner is rare and valuable. It shows you already have trust through your network, which helps a lot. I would strongly advise you to prepare for the meeting like you would for a high-stakes interview.
Moreover, expect the conversation to be informal but purposeful. Senior partners don’t have much time, so they’ll likely try to quickly understand your story, motivation, and how you could fit into the firm. Referrals from senior partners carry serious weight - especially in a smaller office that is actively growing. I would advise you to be specific in what you are hoping to explore at McKinsey.
Lastly, and most importantly, if you are serious about transitioning to a career in strategy consulting, I would strongly advise you to network with all strategy consulting firms, not just McKinsey. They all do work similar to what you've done in the past or are interested in doing at McKinsey.

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

Best,

Hagen

Answer 3

Hey,

Sounds like you’re going about it the right way.

To answer your questions:

1. This is a great first step to networking. The head of an office is a great person to speak with, and he must be genuinely excited about your profile, since it’s hard to secure Senior Partner time

2. Expect to spend time getting to know each other on a personal and professional level. You can share the kind of work you do, your background, and why you’re interested in shifting to consulting.

3. You could ask about how he sees you fitting into McKinsey, how you can best use your experience, how the public sector consulting practice in that office is developing etc. But also don’t neglect getting to know the SP on a human level too!

4. Referrals matter - especially from a Senior Partner - in that they make the hiring team pay special attention to your application. They normally make it easier to get an interview. However, you still have to perform well in your interviews to get into consulting (a referral is not a silver bullet).

Hope this helps

Answer 4

Hello there,

That’s a great network opportunity, way to go! :-)

1. Yes, that’s a great network first step. Prepare accordingly to show your best self and to spend 90% of the time listening to him.

2. I suggest you to gently guide the conversation as you are the interested person. Expect a friendly discussion about consulting, he will obviously (informally and naturally) evaluate you as a person and as a professional, so be professional, humble and kind.

3. Here you should do your homework. Research about this person, his trajectory and see what kind of questions does that bring. You probably have questions that you would like to do, think about it. Remember to always bring positive nuanced questions, do not talk about bad aspects of consulting unless you have a good reason for that.

4. Referrals matter, specially from a senior partner. They will contribute to your CV be evaluated, which is already a huge step where most people fail or don’t even get their resume read. Make sure to have a strong and consulting ready CV - happy to help you with that, feel free to DM me to get references and details on how the process works.
You’ll be a lateral hire and that is not uncommon, not at all. So don’t worry about it.

I wish you a productive and nice conversation, prepare for this meeting with attention and humility - You’ve got this!

Best,

Mari

Answer 5

hey!

This is an amazing first step, meeting a McKinsey senior partner through a warm intro is rare and powerful. Partners have huge influence over recruiting, especially for expert/lateral paths, and if he likes your story, his referral could open real doors. Go in with clarity on how your public policy and nonprofit leadership experience ties into McKinsey’s client work, especially in public sector, economic development, or org transformation.

Keep the conversation personal and curious. Ask about how experts are integrated, how your background could fit current client needs, and how recruiting works for non-traditional profiles. Don’t over-sell, just be sharp, honest, and thoughtful.

You’ve already done the hard part: getting the meeting. Now it’s about building connection and credibility.

Best,
Alessa :)

Answer 6

Hi There, I am a former BCG principal and also secured a McKinsey offer. I have also coached many to secure MBB off... (read entire answer)

Hi There, I am a former BCG principal and also secured a McKinsey offer. I have also coached many to secure MBB offers. There are several ways to get into the interview stage:... (read entire answer)