What is the step by step guide/process for experienced hires recruitment within BCG?

Hi,

There could be several potential reasons for the feedback, could be negative or positive

• e.g. they don't feel you are bringing out a certain expertise or experience enough
• e.g. they were not as convinced on certain aspects of your profile
• e.g. they really liked your profile and want to hear more about XYZ 

Nobody on this forum is going to be able to tell you or predict what that would be. I would suggest not worrying right now. Get on the call, see what they say and the devise an appropriate strategy after.

Given you are an experienced hire, you may find my following article helpful:

5 Reasons Why Experienced Hires Fail the Interview

Using AI for Case Preparation

Succeeding in Consulting as an Experienced Hire

All the best!

This is a common and genuinely confusing phase of the Experienced Hire (EH) track, especially at a firm like BCG. It often feels non-linear, and that's because it is.

The recruitment process for experienced candidates is rarely a clean, rigid step-by-step funnel like campus recruiting. It is highly bespoke and driven by immediate regional and sector headcount needs. The series of coffee chats you had with senior personnel were not just informal networking; they were the essential pre-case fit screens. For experienced hires, especially those targeted for higher-level roles, the senior Partners must confirm chemistry and alignment with current firm strategy before investing time in case interviews.

Here’s the reality of what this feedback call likely signals: If the Partner/MD chats had resulted in a definitive green light, the very next email would have been to schedule the first formal case interview. When a recruiting manager steps back in to schedule a "feedback" session at this stage—before the announced case component—it usually means the senior team did not give the final approval on the fit or sponsorship component. This is often a professional, soft way of saying the current role alignment wasn't perfect, or there was a minor concern about experience overlap or long-term placement that prevented them from moving forward.

Use this meeting strategically. Do not treat it as a formal debrief; treat it as an intelligence-gathering session. Your goal is to get specific, actionable reasons for the pause. Ask explicitly whether the feedback relates to experience, executive presence, or specific functional gaps. This information is gold and will dramatically improve your approach, whether you re-engage with BCG in six months or move to a parallel process at Bain or McKinsey.

All the best!

Hey there :)

For experienced hires the process at BCG is a bit more flexible than for campus roles, so getting feedback from a recruiting manager after a coffee chat is totally normal and not a sign that you are out. These chats are mainly fit screens to understand your background and how you communicate. The real evaluation usually happens in the actual case rounds, so this step is just part of their structured flow. The feedback you get now is typically about how you came across and what to expect next.

If you need help preparing for the case part, just let me know.

best, Alessa :)

Hi there,

This actually quite normal for experienced hire processes where it is more often about mutual fit and alignment. Getting feedback at this stage does not automatically mean you are out, it is often part of the process before deciding whether to move someone forward to case interviews. The feedback is usually high level and focused on fit, positioning, or next steps rather than pass or fail. I would go into the conversation open minded and curious and use it as a chance to learn where you stand and what they might be looking for next.

Honestly, the process is not that structured as for entry-level or generalist roles. And there are differences between offices and practices. And the more senior the role, the more unstructured the process is, and the more vetting rounds you have with more senior people in the firm. 

I would recommend you just ask the recruiter what the steps will be in your case. They are there to guide you and they are the only ones who know. 

In past situations when I worked with lateral hires going in at senior levels (e.g., Associate Partner) the recruiting process was quite dynamic, with extra rounds being added or shifted around depending on the interview performance. 

Best,
Cristian