Postpone twice

Question

Hi everyone,

I’m interviewing for the Junior Associate role at a small McKinsey office in Europe (around 100 people). I’ve already had to postpone my interviews once due to a medical issue, and now I may need to postpone again because of a university exam that falls on the new proposed date.

Do you think postponing twice — first for health reasons and then for an academic conflict — could negatively affect how recruiters view my application? Has anyone had a similar experience with McKinsey or other MBB firms?

Thanks so much for your insights!

Answer 1

Hi there,

Firstly, let me congratulate you on landing the interview! That is the hardest step in the funnel - well done!

I was head of recruiting for Digital consultants in the Nordics for a few years, and I have first hand experience of candidates that have had to postpone interviews more than once, due to legitimate reasons.

Let me reassure you that this did NOT negatively impact their recruiting process at all. Life happens, and thankfully McKinsey understands that well. Thus, I would not worry about this.

My advice:

Reach out to the recruiter, and explain the situation to them. Make sure to be polite and convey that you find this unfortunate, because you are excited to kick off the process as soon as possible.

Hope this helps!

Sincerely,
Thor

Answer 2

I think these things happen and recruiters are aware of them.

It sounds like in both situations you had a very good reason for postponing and it's just bad luck that it had to happen twice.

Reach out to them, explain politely and it should all be fine.

Good luck with your interview!
Best,
Cristian

Answer 3

Hi there,

Postponing twice isn’t ideal, but since your reasons are legitimate (medical and academic), it shouldn’t hurt your chances as long as you communicate clearly and early. From the sounds of it, you haven't accepted the 2nd proposed time yet so you still have wiggle room. Just be polite and professional when you explain it to your recruiter and they should be able to accomodate.

Answer 4

Hey there

Postponing twice is fine if you communicate clearly and professionally. McKinsey recruiters are usually understanding, especially when the reasons are legitimate like health or exams. Just explain it briefly, thank them for the flexibility, and suggest alternative dates. It shouldn’t affect how they view your application.

Best,
Alessa

Answer 5

Bad luck happens, you're not the first one. Don't worry.

Here's the thing. HR deals with the logistics. But the decision is made by the consultants. Consultants don't even have visibility on this, so as they are not influenced by these kind of things.

Answer 6

Hi,

No, it won't hurt your interviews. HR deals with such situations every day, and your interviewers will likely be informed about the interview being rescheduled without being given many details about the reasons behind it. I would focus on nailing the interviews at this point.

Best of luck!