Questions about application timeline

Hi Ruizhi,

It depends on the recruiting process in your country.

Some countries have specific deadlines – if that’s the case you need to apply before that. If there is no deadline, you can apply later. 

As mentioned by Antonello, there is usually a time lag of 2 weeks /1 month between the application and an invitation, so you will have time to further prepare anyway.

If you manage to get a referral (strongly recommended) you can also ask the person referring you if they have any suggestions. If an office is hiring a lot in a particular period, it makes sense to apply then.

You can find some tips on referrals here:

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/hey-everyonehope-all-is-well-3176

Good luck!

Francesco

Hi Ruizhi,

First of all, it is great to see you are preparing and planning your consulting career entry that thoroughly!

This is indeed an interesting question which is probably relevant for quite a lot of users, so I am happy to provide my perspective on it:

• Generally speaking, there is absolutely no need to wait since you can easily indicate the desired interviewing time in your cover letter. As such, I would advise you to apply right away in case you feel that your application files are ready to be sent.
• Even if not beneficial, if you want, you might as well wait until February since you will either way have enough lead time to start in September.

In case you want a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare your upcoming consulting applications and interviews, please feel free to contact me directly.

I hope this helps,

Hagen

Hi there,

You need to network with your target company + office! The answer here will depends on the specific company, office, role, and recruiting channel!

If you are in school you'll want to apply ASAP (check with the recruiting office for timelines). If you are an experienced hire then you have plenty of time.

Make sure to network extensively beforehand to maximize your odds of success!

Hi Ruizhi,
to enter in September, applying in Feb or Mar works. However please consider the lag between the application and the date of the 1st round (right now at least 1 month in most of the offices). Therefore you do not need to be ready the day of the application, but have a solid prep plan ahead.

Hope it helps,
Antonello

If you are an experienced hire, you don't need to apply so early. If you are still a student, then January makes sense - the schedulling (and online tests, etc.) takes some time, so I believe you would only have your first interview by February - and if by then you need more time, you can ask to postpone your interview.