Flag McK referral again with HR?

Question

Hi, hope y'all are well! I recently applied for the McKinsey Junior Fellow position in Germany, facilitated by a referral from X, a senior colleague at my current internship (an ex-McKinsey consultant). He forwarded my application documents to a senior friend at the firm (AP/Partner), who confirmed receipt and CC’d a recruiter for the relevant practice. After not hearing back for 2.5 weeks, my X followed up with his friend, and shortly after, I received a call from the recruiter. She asked me to resubmit my application through the online portal and complete the Solve assessment, which I’ve since done. However, during the call, there seemed to be some initial confusion about whether I was applying for a Junior Fellow role or an internship. Given this, would it be appropriate to reach out to HR to confirm that my referral from the AP is properly reflected in the system, or might there be any downside to doing so? Thanks in advance for your advice!

Answer 1

Hey!

Given my experience with McKinsey, it would be appropriate to gently follow up with HR to ensure that the referral is properly reflected in the system. The initial confusion about the role (Junior Fellow vs. internship) might have caused some miscommunication, so confirming this with HR can help clarify your application process. Just make sure to express your genuine interest and maintain a polite tone in your communication. Good luck!

Alessa :)

Answer 2

Hi there,

Q: Would it be appropriate to reach out to HR to confirm that my referral from the AP is properly reflected in the system, or might there be any downside to doing so

From what you shared (HR replying right after the followup to the person who referred you) I don’t see issues with the referral being considered. On the other hand, if you would like to clarify the position they are considering you for, you can reach out to HR without issues.

Good luck!

Francesco

Answer 3

Hey there,

In general, it is always a good idea to clear up any miscommunications or potential areas of confusion - more especially when it has to do with a role that you are going to be occupying (and in this case, both for you and for the recruiting team and HR). So there's no downside really. All parties would benefit from you reaching out and clearing it up.

As always, a professional and courteous approach is welcomed

All the best

Answer 4

The other option (if you haven't reached out yet) is to ask X to follow up on your behalf, which will likely get a quicker response. Reaching out directly shouldn't be a concern either. Good luck!

Answer 5

Hi there,

First of all, congratulations on the progress in the application process with McKinsey thus far!

I would be happy to share my thoughts on your question:

First of all, based on your description, I don't see any risk that the referral won't be considered.
Moreover, however, if you want to know for sure, I would advise you to contact the recruiter to confirm the referral.

You can find more on this topic here: How to succeed in the final interview round.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare for your upcoming McKinsey interviews, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Answer 6

The referral only helps to accelerate the recruiting process, and it seems like it already worked.

You can learn more about McKinsey’s hiring process here: MBB Hiring Hacks – Behind the Curtain Secrets.

Best,

Alberto

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