Which McKinsey office is hiring right now?

Hi Rada, 

let me try to rephrase your question a bit. I think you should look at it from two angles: 
1) Demand: which consulting offices are actively recruiting right now
2) Supply: where your profile is the best fit. 

From the demand side, globally this is probably not the strongest moment because of the macroeconomic environment. That said, from what I’m seeing, US offices are generally doing better than Europe and the Middle East. Australia and parts of Southeast Asia also seem to be holding up relatively well. So if I had to identify broader regions with comparatively better momentum, I’d say the US, Oceania, and Southeast Asia.

On the supply side, I think the key question is: what’s your story for applying to a specific office? Which country are you from, and what is the rationale behind targeting location X versus Y? Especially at senior level, if someone applies internationally without a strong narrative or connection to the office/location, applications can get filtered out quite quickly.

I’d encourage you to reflect on that part carefully, and feel free to DM me if you want to brainstorm it together.

One final thought: I probably wouldn’t limit myself only to McKinsey. Putting all your eggs in one basket is risky in this market. I’d definitely target all MBBs, but also consider strong Tier 2 firms to increase your odds and keep optionality open.

Best,
Franco

Hey, 

This is a question I get asked a lot. To give you some context, I'm speaking from my own experience having worked on engagements across the US, the UK, Italy, and Germany, plus having friends and colleagues all over the map.

The thing you have to understand is that looking for who is actively hiring isn't really the right approach for international experienced hires. Offices almost never take candidates just because they have open spots. It comes down to where you can actually get accepted based on your origin, your specific CV, and your unique spike.

Then, two notes:

1. The golden rule is that you need a real connection to the office you are targeting. You have to be able to explain clearly why you want to be there. Offices don't just pull people from random locations without a solid, strategic reason.

2. Within this context, different regions have different rules

• If we break it down by region, North America is extremely difficult. They rarely do internal relocations let alone external international hires. Honestly, I've never really seen profiles enter North America directly unless they were super senior, like partner level coming from a major, innovative company.
• South America is a newer, growing market, but speaking fluent Spanish is non-negotiable. Practically zero projects are done in English there. The same goes for Central America. Maybe an office like Panama is slightly more international, but even then, a cold CV drop won't work. You have to network heavily with recruiters or people in that office and have a highly valid reason for wanting to go there.
• The two areas with the highest potential historically are the Middle East and Southeast Asia. The Middle East did a ton of international hiring over the last few years, but right now it is a very complex moment. Many countries are pushing hard for local quotas, so the international route isn't as wide open as it used to be. Just applying online for Dubai won't cut it. You have to network, understand what they are doing commercially, and build a strong value proposition. Why does that specific office need you? If you are an expert in resilience, for example, you need to prove your unique experience can bring something new to the partners there.
• Southeast Asia is somewhat similar. Singapore is the main hub, but you often still need local languages if you are put on projects in smaller countries without an office. Also, keep in mind that these hubs are incredibly crowded. Everyone who wants to move internationally targets Dubai or Singapore, so the competition from people willing to relocate is fierce.
• Lastly, Western Europe. London is a great office but it's super crowded with huge demand from internal transfers, making it very hard to get into without a strong connection. Your UK business school might help you figure out an angle or build a network there, but it will be tough. The rest of Europe usually strictly requires the national language. If you speak German, great, DACH might want you. Scandinavia is an office that works more in English, but again, there is a lot of demand to go there. They want to see a genuine, non-random connection to the region, like having a client base there or a history with the country.

At your level, you need to figure out what your unique expertise is, find the office that needs it, and network your way in.

Hope this helps!

Best,
Tom

Thanks for providing some context, Rada!

The fact that there's no McK office in your country is indeed a limitation. 

Another limitation is that you can't genuinely apply to any office you'd want to. Unless you demonstrate a strong connection to that office or geography in your application, you'll likely be screened out. 

Ideally, you should apply to offices in geographies where you either studied, or worked, or have some sort of connection, PLUS you speak the language (ideally, not a condition everywhere). 

Based on your description, it sounds like the London office might be your best bet. The other option to consider is the ME. 

This entire topic, by the way, is super important. Having a clear application strategy at the beginning makes a huge difference in the outcomes of your interview process. I'm sharing here a resource you might find helpful:

• • Expert Guide: Build A Winning Application Strategy

If you want us to build your application strategy together, drop me a line.

Best,
Cristian

hey Rada!

Right now the offices that tend to hire experienced international candidates most actively are the ones with sustained project demand and talent gaps. In the last cycles that has usually meant the Middle East (Riyadh, Dubai, Doha), parts of Southeast Asia (Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta), and some US offices with chronic staffing pressure. Europe is mixed: a few offices hire selectively, but many are slow due to headcount controls.

For someone with seven years of consulting experience and a strong UK master’s, your best chances are in markets where they regularly import talent because the local pipeline isn’t enough. That’s why the Middle East and Southeast Asia are usually the most realistic. The US can work too, but the process is slower and more competitive.

Alessa

Offices hiring international experienced hires right now. The GCC (Riyadh, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha) is hiring in public sector, energy, digital, and AI. Singapore is active in digital, FS, and operations. Sydney, Melbourne, and Toronto have smaller volumes but easier bars. Indian offices are hiring in digital and analytics.

For your profile, best odds are the GCC, Singapore, and Toronto or Australia.

Tips. Lead with a clear specialism, "digital transformation expert" beats "experienced consultant." Don't cold apply, use LinkedIn for warm intros, especially McKinsey alumni from your business school. Apply to 3 to 5 offices in parallel.

Expect 8 to 16 weeks to offer.

Good luck.