Application ban disappeared after 6 months

Question

I am currently trying to get into strategy consulting after finishing PhD (within life/exact sciences). In May, before I even figured out about the entire complexity of the application process, I saw an ad on LinkedIn for a consultant role at BCG and I applied. I didn't go through, I think that's because I was applying to London office (and I'm based in the Netherlands) and obviously not the strongest CV.

Since then I improved my CV (some BCG employee support here), managed to get this person to refer me, but on the BCG profile the ban was quite visible - under consultant position it would say “you already applied for this position”.

Now 6 months later I see that I can apply again for the consultant role (I can again input my experience etc.) - does it mean that the ban has been lifted off or it's simply somewhere ‘in the internal system’ and my application will be immediately rejected, or worse, I'll be blacklisted? I now want to apply to NL office.

I obviously applied to other companies for a generalist consultant role, and within them I was invited to at least online assessment test by McKinsey, Bain, Roland Berger, Simon Kucher, Accenture…

Any info on the banning procedures would be incredibly useful!

Answer 1

Hello,

Good news, you can apply again to BCG!
If the system lets you apply it means they won't hold any “ban” or “penalty” against your profile. Go ahead and ask your contact to Refer you again and apply through the Link you will receive from the referral :)!

There are 2 things to consider:
1. A “limit” of how many times you can apply in a row → that is what you were currently experiencing which is more of a limitation around frequency | You are clear now!
2. A “ban” for ~1 year if you are invited to Interviews but don't pass. This is meant to give you enough time to get strong experiences and practice interviews to Ace them the following year.

Cheers! Let me know if you have follow-up questions!
Nicolas

Answer 2

Hi there,

That's great!

Definitely check with your referrer. The nice thing is this gets them to talk to the recruiters about you and your name becomes more familiar.

A few things:

Double check the resume is optimal - I've seen quite a few “free MBB reviewed resumes” that weren't good.
Add to your resume. As in, make sure you're not applying as the exact same person (get some experiential consulting work on there, add other internships, skills, etc.)
Of course, case prep before you apply. You want to be 80% case ready when you click submit

Good luck!

Here's some reading as you get applying/interviewing:

How to Get a Consulting Internship - Tips and Tricks

Application Tracker – Keep Track With This Free Template

The Most Common Pitfalls in Case Interview Preparation

Answer 3

Hi there,

this sounds like positive news. Since you are now planning to apply to a different office in a different country, I would double-check with BCG NL recruiting that you are clear to apply there. Then you should leverage your referral (assuming the person has contacts to the NL office) and submit your application via the referral process (not before).

If you apply and get rejected during the process, the typical ban period is 12-18 months.

Best of luck

Answer 4

Hi there,

As other colleagues mentioned, it is worth you double check with your contacts or with a recruiter if you can apply after 6 months to a different office. That would help to speed things up and to manage your expectations upfront.

Good luck!

Best,

Alberto

—

Check out my latest case based on a real MBB interview: Sierra Springs

Answer 5

Hi there!

It's positive that you've taken steps to enhance your CV and secured a referral. Regarding your questions:

System Update:

The fact that you can again input your experience and apply may indicate that there's been a system update or a reset.

Contact HR or Recruiter:

To get a clear understanding of your status, consider reaching out to the HR or recruitment contact at BCG. You can explain your situation, express your continued interest, and inquire about any potential application bans.

Blacklisting Risk:

MBB prefer candidates who show persistence and improvement. If you've made positive changes to your application, it's less likely that you'd be blacklisted.

Best of luck!

Freddy

Answer 6

Hi,

Agree that you should check with someone at the firm regarding the application possibility. Although, I'm pretty certain that if you apply now, you won't get blacklisted. Worst-case scenario is you getting another ban.

Good luck!
Nick

Answer 7

Hi there,

Q: Does it mean that the ban has been lifted off or it's simply somewhere ‘in the internal system’ and my application will be immediately rejected, or worse, I'll be blacklisted?

Normally a ban is 12-18 months. If you have doubts, I would recommend checking with your internal contacts and asking them to verify with HR before applying.

Good luck!

Francesco

Answer 8

Reach out to the recruiter.

As simple as that. You can tell them you applied previously, were screened out, that now you have a better CV and want to apply, but you want to make sure that you are once again eligible.

Go with whatever they say.

At least then you're not left wondering why the application didn't work out.

And in the meantime, diversify by applying to as many other firms as you can (that are obviously relevant for you).

Best,
Cristian