Does the application go to each consulting office separately at T1&T2?

Question

Hey all,

When I apply for a certain position at MBB, I can choose up to three offices during the application process. My question is: Would my application go to each office seperately without the HR knowing that If that particular office was my first or second choice etc.? For example, If I apply at Bain Boston office and also choose Bain China office as my second choice. So would the China office seperately recieve my application and would they know that if I also applied to Boston and China was my second option?

And secondly, How to deal with the cover letter when choosing multiple offices? As normally cover letter specifically addresses a particular office etc.

Many thanks!

Davis

Answer 1

I can't speak for MBB, but the way it was handled at the T2 firms I know well (Horváth, goetzpartners, SMP) was like this:

Applications are screened centrally per country - so all German offices would be screened centrally
Applications for different countries would be submitted in that country

Hope that helps.

Elias

Answer 2

I can only speak for McKinsey and it depends on if you are an experienced hire or University hire. I am assuming you are a University hire. If so, you rank your 3 offices and the recruiters send your resume to those 3 offices. The offices then select, in order, whether they want to extend an interview.

Let's say office 2 wants to interview you but office 1 did not. Each interviewer in round 1 (sometimes) receives a packet before your interview with your resume and your office preferences and reason. In round 2 (usually the final round), the interviewer will receive a packet with your resume, your office preferences and reason (this time for sure, not sometimes), your first round case performance sheets and your PEI performance sheets. So, everyone knows what offices you selected centrally and at the office level.