Ghosted by McKinsey After Imbellus – What Now?

Question

I applied for a Junior Associate role at McKinsey about four months ago and took the Imbellus test (which I think went decent), but I never heard back. My application status still says “Submitted—In Progress.”
Should I withdraw the application and try applying again, maybe to a different office?

Answer 1

Hey there,

Sorry to hear! 4 months is a long time.

Please follow up with recruiting and ask for an update on your application. Furthermore, if you referred - try use your referral to get an update for you too.

I don't recommend withdrawing and re-applying for the following reasons:

If you passed your Problem Solving Game, withdrawing and re-applying will just increase your application timelines and take you further back in the process. You'd be better of trying to push on from the position you are in now
If you didn't pass, then re-applying won't help you as those scores will be valid for a year and you wouldn't be able to move through the process in any case (essentially you'll be in an application ban for a year)

So to me, this looks like a case of communication management with the recruiting team. Ultimately, McKinsey have to give you feedback at some point and the should.

All the best

Answer 2

Hi,

sorry to hear that they kept you waiting for so long. Would suggest following up with Recruiting to get clarity. If you revoke, you might have to take the test again and there is no guarantee, it will accelerate the process next time.

Market is tough currently.

Best of luck!

Answer 3

Hey there 😊

I totally get how frustrating this can be – waiting can feel like an eternity, especially when the status stays in limbo! Here’s what I suggest:

Wait a bit longer – McKinsey is known for having long timelines, especially after assessments like Imbellus. A delay doesn’t necessarily mean a "no" 🕰️
Reach out to HR – It’s always a good idea to send a polite message to the recruiter or HR contact to ask for an update on your application status. This shows initiative without being too pushy 💼
Example:
Dear [Name],
I hope you're doing well. I wanted to follow up regarding my application for the Junior Associate role. The Imbellus test was completed a while ago, and I’d love to hear any feedback or next steps.
Thanks again for your time and consideration.
Applying again – If you don’t hear back soon, consider reapplying to a different office or role after some time. You can even leverage your Imbellus experience in the new application to show growth and insight 🔄

Happy to help with a strategy or follow-up message if needed! 💬

Best, Alessa

Answer 4

Hi there!

First of all, do politely follow-up with them on the status of your application (at least twice). Maybe there's some technical issue.

If nothing happens, then this year focus on other firms and apply next year to McKinsey.

Best,
Cristian