Greetings. When is the most suitable time for a fresh graduate to apply for MBB or the Big 4?

Greetings 🖖 :)

Fresh graduates should apply to MBB and Big 4 firms during the fall of their final year, typically September to November. Most firms begin interviews before graduation for roles starting post-degree.

MBB: Recruitment is concentrated in early fall, often with rolling deadlines. 
Big 4: Multiple recruitment rounds occur, but most full-time roles are filled through fall campaigns, especially for candidates with prior internships.

I suggest you to start preparing and applying in early fall to align with the main hiring cycle and maximize your chances. By preparing I mean: create a great CV and cover letter (if the office requires the latest) and start learning about case interview / selecting potential stories for the behavioral session.

Good luck!

Best,

Mari

Hello, 

In Italy, MBB firms recruit along all the year.

Having said that, tyipically the bigger intakes are in September, June and January. 

As such, I would recommend applying approx. 3 months before your target starting date.

Hope it helps,
Best,

Giulia

When they are actively recruiting. 

I know this might sound obvious, but it's one of the biggest mistakes that candidates make. 

Reach out to the recruiter and confirm they are actively recruiting for the role you want to apply for, instead of just sending out the application randomly. 

Often times candidates get screened out because the role is already closed and the firm forgot to close it on linkedin or otherwise. 

You might also find useful some of the tips from there:

• Expert Guide: Build A Winning Application Strategy

Best,
Cristian

Hey! 

From my experience I can tell that 

• Final year of studies (Bachelor’s or Master’s) – this is when most firms actively recruit.
• Application cycles usually begin:
  • August–September for full-time roles (interviews in Oct–Nov)
  • January–March for internships (especially summer ones)

In general: Earlier is better — apply as soon as applications open. Some offices recruit on a rolling basis.

I’d be happy to take a look at your CV and give you feedback if you’d like — feel free to upload it! Mostly it is individual! 

Alessa 

Hi,

The application period for fresh graduates opens typically end august; with MBB  a bit earlier compared to Big 4.

Good luck with the preparations. Let me know if you have further questions.

Mattijs

The best time for new graduates to apply for MBB or Big 4 is in the fall (August - October) for full-time positions, and late summer/early fall for internships. Prepare your resume and start networking now.

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Hi there, I can answer this from Australia recruitment perspective as I have led recruiting for Big 4. 

- For Big 4 consulting, the best way to secure a grad role is through an internship return offer. So if lets say one is graduating end of 2025, and want a grad role Feb 2026 - best bet is to do the summer internship Nov 2024 - Feb 2025, and the application for that would have been Feb 2024. 

- For MBB, the entry level roles open Jan-Feb the year before starting 

Let me know of any other questions