"Can I have more time to sign?" Not a plan B

BCG deadline McKinsey time to sign the offer
Neue Antwort am 31. März 2021
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Anonym A fragte am 29. März 2021

I have an offer from BCG and McKisney interviews the week after the deadline by which I should sign BCG.

Given that I have not made up my mind between the two and might take BCG over McKinsey, I dont wan't to give a bad first impression by asking BCG to postpone the deadline and think that they are a "plan B".

1. How would the partners/firm percieve this request to postpone the deadline given my excitment to join BCG?

2. Is it worth asking to postpone the signing deadline (and take any reputational cost that may imply) given that I'm leading towards taking the BCG offer + might not get the McKinsey offer in any case?

Thanks in advance for the advice!

(editiert)

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Franco
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bearbeitete eine Antwort am 30. März 2021
Ex BCG Principal | INSEAD | 10 yrs in consulting | Interviewed >200 Career Switchers, MBAs, Undergrads in Europe and USA

First of all congratulations on your job offer and, as a long-standing BCGer, I cannot help but sympathize with your choice of BCG over McK :-)

In general terms, I've seen plenty of candidates asking for a couple of additional weeks to make up their mind about whether or not to accept the job offer (and this also happens with candidates that show incredible enthusiasm and eagerness to start to work over the interviews).

If you made a very good impression during the interviews and you decided to take a couple of weeks to think about the job offer, most likely the recruiting team or a BCG partner will reach out to you asking if there is anything they can do to convince you to accept the offer (this happens especially if they risk losing talent over their direct competitor).

Believe me, consulting companies invest more than 10kUSD to recruit every single candidate and once they find a good one they would do "everything" to convince him/her to accept the offer. I don't see any chance why asking for a couple of extra weeks would backfire on you.

(editiert)

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Clara
Experte
Content Creator
antwortete am 29. März 2021
McKinsey | Awarded professor at Master in Management @ IE | MBA at MIT |+180 students coached | Integrated FIT Guide aut

Hello!

It´s totally legit to ask for more time since you are still in the interview process with another MBB. It happens ALL THE TIME and they are very familiar with these situations. It´s not going to give you any problem at all if you explain the situation politely.

Even if you know that you would get BCG over McKinsye, I would 100% for the interview. You never know how life goes -if COVID has showed us something it was that- and having had an offer for McKinsey can be something useful at some point down the line.

Hence, I totally disagree with most of what has been said before and wanted to offer this perspective.

Go get that McK offer! (And then sign it, hahahaha)

Hope it helps!

Cheers,

Clara

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Ian
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Content Creator
bearbeitete eine Antwort am 29. März 2021
#1 BCG coach | MBB | Tier 2 | Digital, Tech, Platinion | 100% personal success rate (8/8) | 95% candidate success rate

Hi there,

Let me tell you about Aesop's fable about the dog and the bone. There was a dog who was given a bone by a local butcher. It was super happy about about this and ran to the river to chew on it. However, upon arriving, and looking into the river, it saw another dog with a bone in it's mouth. Thinking it could snatch this bone away, it dove in with jaws open. It's own bone fell out and drifted away in the current as the 2nd dog reflection vanished with a splash. The dog was left with nothing.

I'm not saying BCG will rescind its offer if you ask for more time. But, if you "might" take the BCG offer, you're ultimately going to. This is the offer I'm presuming you actually want (I'm interpreting from your text...but you ultimately only you know).

If you think you prefer BCG, then the only reason for interviewing with McKinsey now is ego. Drop the ego and be happy with what you got!

That said, here are pros vs cons.

Taking the BCG offer

  • 0 risk to reputation
  • 0 risk of rescinded offer
  • You'll forget about the McKinsey interview quickly

Trying to delay

  • Get to know if you'd get McKinsey
  • Get the choice between the two
  • People tend to forget (if you delay at BCG), and you'd mostly be talking to HR to delay the signing date

Final Note: If you genuinely are undecided, then you can ask BCG for a few weeks to just think through it...again, only do this if you're genuinely undecided (I don't think you are)

(editiert)

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Adi
Experte
Content Creator
antwortete am 29. März 2021
Accenture, Deloitte | Precision Case Prep | Experienced Interviewer & Career Coach | 15 years professional experience

Why delay when I think you already know the answer..BCG :)?

A week of extra time wont be a big deal for either firms, but make sure you have a clear plan to fill the gap in your knowledge that will convince you to take one over the other. From my perspective, these factors should be- better fit with your career aspirations, values & risk apetitie. Once this is in place, rest will happen.

Congrats and all the best!

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Gaurav
Experte
Content Creator
antwortete am 29. März 2021
Ex-Mckinsey|Certified Career Coach |Placed 500+ candidates at MBB & other consultancies

Hey there!

I agree with Franco in general, however, I do have a question. If you want to choose BCG over McKinsey anyway, why would you want to postpone the deadline to be interviewed by McK? I believe that there are good chances that McKinsey will make you an offer as well, so why wouldn't you just sign for BCG already?))

Anyway, congratulations and good luck!

GB

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Raj
Experte
Content Creator
antwortete am 31. März 2021
FREE 15MIN CONSULTATION | #1 Strategy& / OW coach | >70 5* reviews |90% offers ⇨ prep-success.super.site | MENA, DE, UK

You've already received plenty of perspectives on this so far. In general you are absolutely fine to ask for an additional week to think about (I would hesitate to ask for more than that to avoid coming across as buying time or indecisive). I would ensure you frame your ask in a very enthusiastic and positive light, and demonstrate that enthusiasm in all your interactions.

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Antonello
Experte
Content Creator
antwortete am 30. März 2021
McKinsey | NASA | top 10 FT MBA professor for consulting interviews | 6+ years of coaching

Hi, first of all, congrats on the offer! I can confirm it is standard. If BCG will not leave you waiting for McK feel free to sign the contract and then decide if withdraw it. It is normal too even if not preferrable

Best,
Antonello

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Florian
Experte
Content Creator
antwortete am 30. März 2021
Highest-rated McKinsey coach (ratings, offers, sessions) | 500+ offers | Author of The 1% & Consulting Career Secrets

Hey there,

Good perspectives here already. I want to add mine briefly as well.

Generally, there is a huge power imbalance between employers and employees. Firms sometimes don't get back to candidates for weeks or even months, yet it is expected for candidates to reply as soon as possible in such situations.

Now that you passed the BCG assessment (congrats! :-) ), this power balance has shifted a bit in your direction. Franco is right that MBB invest a lot into recruiting a candidate (e.g., for McK the investment per candidate hired is rumored to be even closer to six figures even due marketing, recruiting events, sponsoring, HR organization, etc.).

I would recommend you not to get pressured by any firm and just tell them to extend.

1. They would accept it

2. Yes! You are not the first and won't be the last

Fingers crossed for McKinsey!

Cheers,

Florian

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Franco gab die beste Antwort

Franco

Ex BCG Principal | INSEAD | 10 yrs in consulting | Interviewed >200 Career Switchers, MBAs, Undergrads in Europe and USA
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