SEA Consulting Application

Hi there, 

Sorry to hear that you are worrying so much. It's totally normal. Most candidates go through this process. I know I did. 

Let me take your questions one by one. 

1. Do I understand correctly that it has been 2-3 weeks since you submitted the application with the referral and you haven't heard back? If yes, then it shouldn't necessarily be problematic. Sometimes it takes longer based on their priorities at that time or the volume of applications they are dealing with. I would give it another week and then write to them. You can also ask your referees whether this is normal - if they happen to be from your target office then they might know if there's any internal explanation for it. 

2. It can be true, depending on the office / region. Some offices choose to handle all the applications as a batch at the end of the application period. So there's no reason to worry. 

Aside from this, do you have other firms that you applying to? It would be best to diversify if you haven't received many responses for now. 

Best,
Cristian

Hi there,

1) It has been 3 weeks for BCG and  2 weeks for Bain and I have yet to receive any responses at all. Do you think that perhaps the referral is not strong enoughdue to being an ex-MBB ?

Really difficult to say, but at least for BCG you said you were referred by a third person anyway.

I would wait one month from the referral and then call HR and say you wanted to check if “they received everything” as a gentle reminder.

2) I have applied online to oliver wyman for entry level consultant position around 1 month ago and have yet to receive response. HR  told me that the applications will be reviewed once the application time frame closes which is in 2 days. Is this statement true? 

Also difficult to say but could definitely be true. Alternatively they may have started the screening but they will anyway inform candidates after applications close.

Good luck!

Francesco

Hello,

I fully agree with the general advice you are being given here. 

1. A few weeks is not necessarily an abnormal wait time. Some offices move more slowly due to the sheer number of applications. I would wait one month, then get in touch with HR to politely ask whether they have received everything, as per Francesco's suggestion. 

2. There's no reason to doubt what HR has told you - if they say they will review applications once the time frame has closed, then that is what they will do. Different offices have different procedures, so don't worry if this is not what you were expecting.

I know the wait can be quite frustrating, but hang in there! Best of luck.

Hi there,

1. It hasn't been long enough to worry. Ultimately you should he a yes/no (not radio silence). I would wait another couple of weeks before following up. Ultimately the assess applications holistically, and demand/pipeline does matter…so, whatever happens you can't blame any one thing!

2. If they say it's true then it's true! Regardless, sound like you only need to wait another couple of weeks to find out (given the deadline ends in 2 days).

Try not to be discouraged. This process is tough and takes time. Remember that this is all about your persistence and the number of shots you take.

I will say, if your only 2 applications are BCG and OW, then you are setting yourself up to be disappointed. Please make sure you're applying to a lot of firms (I applied to 30+). You need to hustle and remember that this is a numbers game!

Don't worry! It's not been long. It's totally normal for firms to wait until the application deadline is closed to assess them. It's also not been long with BCG and Bain. Make sure the recruiting team know you, then sit back knowing that you've done all you can and that at this point things are out of your hands. 

Good luck!

Echoing the other responses here. It is frustrating to have to wait for feedback and be passive. 

Therefore, I would also recommend to send out more applications to more firms already (even if you don't have any personal connections there). This will increase the chances of you getting more responses in a timely manner. 

You also might want to get in some “practice recruiting days” with firms you don't necessarily care about so much before you have your “important” interviews with your top choices.

Especially in the beginning you should go broad. Once you have the first offers under your belt, you can trim down your approach to the remaining target firms you would still prefer over what you already have.

Hi, 

I was a final round interviewer for Bain SEA. Feel free to drop me a DM if i can be helpful in anyway. To answer your question - i don't think you have anything to worry about waiting for a few weeks. There are instances where interviews are conducted a few months after application. 

All the best for your application!

Hi there,

Just wanted to reassure you that nothing you mentioned sounded abnormal to me. So keep your fingers crossed!

Hi - They are still hiring intensely here in SEA so just give it some more time. I would also apply at the remaining firms in Tier 1, Tier 2.