Oliver Wyman Riyadh - role removed but no update?

Question

Hi,

I hope you’re doing well. I wanted to get your perspective on something. I applied to the Consultant/Senior Consultant role at Oliver Wyman’s Riyadh office around two weeks ago, and I specified in my cover letter that I’m primarily interested in the Senior Consultant level given my education and experience.

So far, I haven’t received any updates on the application status, and I noticed yesterday that the job posting has been taken down. I haven’t been contacted by a recruiter either.

Do you think this is normal? Does the removal of the posting typically mean they've moved ahead with other candidates (either externally or perhaps internally), or is there still a chance of hearing back?

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hey there :)

That’s quite common actually, so I wouldn’t worry just yet. When Oliver Wyman (or most consulting firms) takes down a posting, it often just means they’ve received enough applications or are pausing screening, not necessarily that they’ve already filled the role. Especially for Riyadh, hiring can move in waves and sometimes they consolidate applications before reaching out. If it’s been two weeks, it’s still within a normal timeframe, many candidates hear back after 3–4 weeks, depending on internal approvals or headcount discussions.

If you haven’t heard anything after another week or so, it’s totally fine to send a short, polite follow-up to the recruiter or the general recruiting inbox just to express continued interest.

best, Alessa :)

Answer 2

Hi there,

I believe there are three possibilities. First, your application may still be under review along with many others. Second, they might have received enough applications to move forward with interviews, and you were not selected in this round. Third, the role may already have been filled.

Given the timeline you mentioned, the first two are the most likely. In any case, if your application is not successful, you should receive a formal update by email. If you have not heard anything after another week or two, it would be perfectly fine to follow up politely with HR or the recruiting contact to check the status.

Answer 3

While it is not possible to always know why a role was taken down, the most common reason is that they have received a high number of qualified applications that they are going through and do not want to invite more candidates to be screened.

You should hear something back within 10 days, and if not you can always follow up with a polite note.

Best,

Udayan