Referrals, how does the system work at MBB?

Question

hello,

I have an acquitance who reviewed my CV recently and was very helpful, this person works at an MBB firm and I asked for a referral they said that they cannot provide me with one as they are based in another office (but still in Europe), is this true? I plan on asking another person in a US branch and I’m applying to the London office.
I would like to know if anyone has any information on how referrals work at MBB firms, can people refer you even from other countries branches and do I need to wait for them to refer me first before applying or do I just add their name at some point in the portal application do I still apply online through a referral ?

thank you, your input is really appreciated!

Answer 1

Hi,

During my time at BCG it was mostly ‘local’ referrals, meaning you'd fill out a form and hand it to local recruiting team.

However - informal referrals still were possible across offices. That is actually how my CV got to the SEA recruiting team - someone from the South Korea office emailed my CV directly to SEA HR.

At BCG you didn't need to add their name - if the referral worked out you would have been screened and invited to an interview if successful.

All the best!

Answer 2

Hi there,

Yes and no. Each firm honestly works differently as does each office. Additionally, rules will apply differently to each level (i.e. Partners can do what they want).

It's possible this is true, but it's also possible they just did not want to give you a referral (and this was their polite way).

Basically: keep asking. BUT check that you are doing it right. There are right ways and wrong ways to navigate these calls. And there are right ways and wrong ways to properly ask for a referral.

Answer 3

Agree with Benjamin & Ian here, highly depends on MBB firm (even within McK it worked different practice by practice, so if you were looking for a practice referral process was better than for a generalist one for instance) and region (in some successful referrals get bonus others not etc). What definitely always works is an informal referral to HR directly. If your contact isn't willing to do that, it is a message in itself.. Keep networking but also do not overly stress about referrals, once you reach interview stage everyone starts at the same level.. Warm regards, Frederic

Answer 4

Hi there,

1) Can people refer you even from other countries branches?

Yes, you can be referred from another office. I was referred myself for BCG by someone in the US for an application in Italy.

2) Do I need to wait for them to refer me first before applying or do I just add their name at some point in the portal application do I still apply online through a referral?

There might be differences depending on the country/office. In general, I saw three ways to be referred after someone agrees to it:

HR contacts you to invite you to the next stage of the process.
HR sends a link to apply linked to the person referring.
The person referring asks to drop his/her name in the application form.

The person referring you should let you know which is the process they will follow.

Best,

Francesco

Answer 5

Hi there!

The referral system is a bit of mess in the sense that there's not one portal for every firm regardless of office.

Every office pretty much does it on their own.

It's always best to get a referral from somebody from your target office who is at a seniority at least equal to the one you're applying for. If you're struggling to get a referral like that, have a look at the following step-by-step guides:

Worst case scenario, you can still use the referral from a firm member that's from another office, but it will be ‘manual’ i.e., that person emailing the recruiter from the other office telling them they would like to refer you.

Best,
Cristian

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