Opaque next steps with BCG SEA

Question

Hi,

I've seen many candidates across different levels mention that their applications seemed to be ghosted after completing several interviews with BCG SEA. I'm currently experiencing something similar.

I completed my third of the expected four interviews about 4 weeks ago. Since then, the recruiter has only said that they'll get back to me with the next steps. At the same time, my application portal still shows "Interviews in Progress" rather than "Application Not Selected".

Has anyone else experienced this? Is this a normal part of BCG SEA's hiring process, or are they currently dealing with slower hiring timelines or it's just a less structured recruiting process?

Answer 1

Hi,

I used to be from BCG SEA.

The unfortunate reality is that sometimes the process lapses, as per your experience.

Whether or not you are really out of the running or not - this is hard to tell. I've had coachees who have gotten the offer after waiting ~2 months for the result.

I talk about what you should do and more in my article on this exact topic:

Haven’t Heard Back After Your Interview? Here’s What to Do!

All the best!

Answer 2

Hi there,

Based on my experience, when this delay is the case it typically falls down to 3 scenarios:

1. Administrative delay with a positive outcome. You have passed but SEA recruiting can simply move slowly between rounds, especially when there is high demand.

2. A negative outcome not yet communicated. The reject is decided but not yet passed on, and the portal typically does not update until they actually communicate it to you (this is the standard etiquette)

3. You are being held while other candidates finish. They may be running a few candidates in parallel and want the full picture before moving anyone forward, especially when there are limited spots available.

Unfortunately, the only way to know where you actually stand is to wait for HR. If you haven’t heard back from them in a while, it is legitimate to reach out for an update.

Hope it helps and fingers crossed!

Answer 3

Hi there,

First of all, congratulations on the progress in the application process with BCG thus far!

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

First of all, contrary to what other coaches have said, there are a lot more scenarios that may have caused a longer lead time. Instead of speculating about the root cause, I would advise you to focus on the facts, which is a bump in the application process. And while this is unfortunate, there still are things to do in such a situation.
Moreover, I would advise you to reach out to the recruiter again, in case you haven't already done so, and ask about when you may potentially hear back from this. This will help you adjust your schedule.
Lastly, "ghosting" isn't anything consulting firms would do. You will get a reply about the final outcome, one way or another. In the meantime, I would strongly advise you to continue preparing, interviewing with other consulting firms, and keeping your motivation high.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare for your upcoming final-round BCG interview, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Answer 4

Hi there,

Ghosting is never part of the regular process.

It's rather what happens when the process fails. I'm sorry to hear you had this experience. Try to follow-up with them one more time. But aside from this, there's not much you can do.

It would be wiser to refocus on other applications at the moment.

Best of luck with the rest of the process and try to stay positive!
Cristian

Answer 5

hi there!

Coaching can help, but only if you use it in a targeted way. A couple of sessions is usually enough to diagnose your gaps and fix the big things. After that, practising with other people and working on your own gives you most of the progress. It’s individual. Some people really benefit from a coach, others don’t need a full programme. A mix of focused coaching plus regular partner practice is normally the best path.

Alessa