Should I ask same person for referral as last time (Final round rejection at McKinsey)

Question

Hi, A bit of background: I unsuccessfully applied for the BA position at McKinsey London in 2022. I had a referral from a London-based EM at the time. Now that I am applying again after 2 years, I was wondering if it is a good idea to ask the same person for a referral. They are an Associate Partner now. Will it work against my favour to have the same referee from the previous unsuccessful application? I am concerned I might not even get invited to interview.

Answer 1

Hi there,

You can definitely ask the same person. It would not have a negative impact.

What counts if you re-apply after a while is that you demonstrate significant improvements on your resume across certain areas, e.g., education, professional experience, leadership, etc.

If that's the case, go for the referral and try again!

All the best,

Florian

Answer 2

Hi there,

First of all, I am sorry to hear about the rejection from McKinsey in the past!

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

First of all, I would advise you to definitely consider asking the same person for a referral again. Given their progression to Associate Partner, they are likely to have even more influence now, which could positively impact your application.
Moreover, ensure to update them on your professional growth and new qualifications since your last application, which is crucial when you reapply.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare for your upcoming McKinsey interviews, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen