I was interviewed for a specialist role in operations for McKinsey on start of April and later I got 2 calls asking details and even on second call they asked me if there is possibility of reducing the notice period. This all happened by mid of April and then it’s been a week with no sign or update?
Is it a rejection?
From what you describe, I would not read this as a rejection signal.
Actually, the follow-up calls you mentioned are more often a positive sign than a negative one — especially asking about:
That’s usually not the kind of discussion you have around a straightforward rejection.
On timing: yes, processes at McKinsey & Company can sometimes take surprisingly long, especially for specialist / experienced hire roles. Those often involve more internal alignment than generalist recruiting.
And one week of silence after those calls is honestly not much.
If it had been a month after those conversations, I might start reading more into it. But one week? I wouldn’t.
If anything, it sounds like they may be doing internal approvals / package discussions / headcount checks.
So no — based on what you shared, I would not jump to “this is a rejection.”
My advice:
Honestly, I’d take the notice-period question as encouraging. That’s usually not random.
Totally normal to get anxious but it has only been a week, give it more time. The fact that they asked about notice period reduction is actually a positive signal, not a rejection one. There are a lot of reasons firms go quiet. They could be waiting for other candidates in the same pipeline to finish, one of the decision makers might be travelling or off, internal approvals can take time. None of this means a no.
If you do not hear back in another week or so, send a short polite follow up. That is the right move.
Hey,
Definitely not! The 'notice period' is a positive sign. However, the demand (and hiring process) for Specialist roles is generally lower and so things might indeed change.
After 10 days, there is no harm in asking for a follow-up!
Best,
Tom
