Asking for a referral.

Referral
Neue Antwort am 23. Okt. 2020
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Anonym A fragte am 21. Okt. 2020

I'm planning to apply to MBBs in Europe and am thinking about networking on linkedin as I don't have a degree from the target european schools.

I have more of a specialized engineering profile with top institutions in my domain but not really recognizable otherwise. This makes me believe that a referral is a must to be considered for an interview.

Naturally, I have no connections in MBBs and haven't really found any Alumni from my school who have gone down that route so it seems that networking will need to be with people on linkedin that I have no connection with. How would you recommend I go about that?

If I am able to establish contact and get a phone call, how would you recommend I go about asking for a referral? I think asking explicitly might be counterproductive but I also believe that it needs to be provoked somehow. Any good ideas?
Thanks a lot!

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Gaurav
Experte
Content Creator
antwortete am 21. Okt. 2020
Ex-Mckinsey|Certified Career Coach |Placed 500+ candidates at MBB & other consultancies

I have some recommendation for you that can make your process a little bit easier, but you still need to work on it:

* Google or find in Linkedin relevant people to get their working emails

* Look for those who have something in common with you (school, degree etc). Tru to focus on the partners

* Prepare a short and well written introductory email explaining who you are, how you found that person, and what you want from them (i.e. advice on the application process)

* Email it to the partner using their corporate email (If you don't get one, don't take it personally and move on to the next partner on your list)

* Prepare for the phone call. Focus on making a good first impression and do not try pass on your resume. They will ask for it if they like you.

Was it helpful for you?

If you need any further help with networking, drop me a line.

GB

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Ken
Experte
antwortete am 21. Okt. 2020
Ex-McKinsey final round interviewer | Executive Coach

There's a lot of creative networking approaches and it never hurts to ask but a referral will not get you an interview if your CV doesn't speak for itself. Reality is that it will only increase the chances of your CV being properly read by a recruiter.

MBBs are a lot more open minded about diverse profiles these days but when applying straight from school with limited work experience, having a well rounded profile is super important. Top grades from a target school alone doesn't cut it either.

In addition to networking, I would focus on continuing to build your CV with meaningful work experience (even in engineering) that helps you stand out, ideally somewhere that is reputable which often is proof that other competitive firms have deemed you to be exceptional talent as well. Another way in the short term could be to work part time at a start up (if there are ex MBB consultants then even better) where you get exposure but also great professional experience that you may not get through structured internships at large firms.

Feel free to DM me as its hard to give suggestions without knowing your full background and context.

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Adi
Experte
Content Creator
antwortete am 21. Okt. 2020
Accenture, Deloitte | Precision Case Prep | Experienced Interviewer & Career Coach | 15 years professional experience
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Francesco
Experte
Content Creator
antwortete am 21. Okt. 2020
#1 Coach for Sessions (4.000+) | 1.500+ 5-Star Reviews | Proven Success (➡ InterviewOffers.com) | Ex BCG | 10Y+ Coaching

Hi there,

To find a referral, you should follow three steps:

  1. Identify the people that can help you
  2. Write them a customized email
  3. Have a call and indirectly ask for a referral

As general tips:

  • Don’t use LinkedIn for your communication – emails work better. You should target 30% conversion for your messages; if you are not achieving that, there is space for improvement.
  • When sending emails, your goal should be to organize a call, not to ask questions – you can then use the call for the questions.
  • You need to close the call with an indirect request for a referral – don’t leave that to chances. There are specific ways to phrase it.

You should prepare three main things before the call:

  • Your own pitch. 3-4 lines should be enough
  • 3-4 questions on the personal experiences of the person. Avoid to ask questions on the company
  • A closing question for the referral. It should be an indirect request to avoid to be too pushy

Before the call, you should have your CV and Cover ready – in this way you can send them right away it if the person wants to refer you.

If you are interested to know the exact email to write, questions to ask and indirect closing to land the referral, please feel free to PM me.

I provide a 30 min session at 50% discount to understand the right steps to get MBB referrals, directly from home – no events participation required.

This includes all the scripts needed for the email to send and the call to have with the consultant.

Following the same process, I managed to get 6 invitations out of 6 applications – including all MBB. I regularly see my mentees getting referrals for MBB with that.

Best,

Francesco

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Ian
Experte
Content Creator
antwortete am 23. Okt. 2020
#1 BCG coach | MBB | Tier 2 | Digital, Tech, Platinion | 100% personal success rate (8/8) | 95% candidate success rate

Hi there,

You essentially have 2 chances to "hint" at a referral.

So, near the end of the call, you can say "Thank you so much for your time. The company seems great and I will definitely be applying. Do you have any tips/advice for me?"

The 2nd "hint" comes a few days before you apply. Email them and say "Thanks again for meeting with me x weeks/months ago. I just wanted to let you know that I'm applying in a few days and appreciate all your time!"

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Anonym A am 23. Okt. 2020

Such an underrated comment! Exactly what I had been looking for. Thanks

Gaurav gab die beste Antwort

Gaurav

Content Creator
Ex-Mckinsey|Certified Career Coach |Placed 500+ candidates at MBB & other consultancies
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