Hiring timing for MBB this year - Experienced hire

Hi there,

I think this is an interesting question that may be relevant for many people. I would be happy to share my thoughts on it:

• First of all, nobody knows for certain when the best time would be to apply in your specific situation. While there is a possibility that we will reach the economic low soon, this might as well take another 6-12 months, which I assume you wouldn't necessarily be willing to wait for. Moreover, for obvious reasons, you should only interview (which can be very close to the time of application) when you feel thoroughly prepared.
• However, I do not see any downside risks in reaching out to current consulting staff of your target companies already now and getting to know them better.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to address your specific situation, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Hi,

1) Start networking now - it does not hurt and you open a channel that will be valuable in terms of getting intelligence

→ No need to remind you probably that you should be very intentional in how you reach out and start communication

→ you can also use communities like FishBowl to anonimously check the situation in specific MBB offices in NAMR

2) Based on the answers above I would determine best window to apply and stick to that - I assume you are not in a rush, given you are working now

Hope this helps.

Hi there,

Q: When would be the best time to start networking and application for 2023? 

I would recommend to start networking now so that you can:

1. Find a referral in your target office. This is going to be useful anyways to maximize your chances of an invitation
2. Ask the person referring if now is a good time to apply. In the current situation, the same company might hire in one office for certain positions but not in others. So getting the perspective of an insider is going to be very useful

You can find more on how to find referrals here:

▶ How to Get an MBB Invitation

▶ The Exact Steps to Get a Referral

Good luck!

Francesco

Hi there,

Remember that hiring still happens even in bad economies. People still move around and firms still hire.

As such, there's not reason not to start networking now! Those connections don't just disappear.

Network, have conversations, and apply to each firm when that specific firm seems to be interested in you and has an opening. There won't just be one set rule for all of them!

Please make sure you are case prepping in parallel and have an up-to-date killer resume!

Here's some reading for case prep: https://www.preplounge.com/en/articles/pitfalls-case-interview-preparation

Hi there,

It's never too early to already start networking!  The answers you get from people working in the offices youre looking to apply to will be the most helpful for you.

As you point out, there is a consulting-wide slow down in hiring at the moment with many consultancies on a hire freeze.  Expectation is that things could pick up again in the summer but no guarantee.  If you see open positions would shoot for them now.  Not sure if youre looking for more generalist roles or specialist roles, but the recruitment for the latter is looking a little less dark than the former at the moment.

Good luck!

Tom

Hi there, 

In terms of timeline, it's best to start networking as early as possible. The earlier it is, the less instrumental it appears. 

Here's a guide on how to conduct these discussions:

• Free Guide: How To Handle Networking Calls and Get Referrals

And another one on how to network via linkedin:

• Free Guide: How To Get Referrals Via LinkedIn? 

Best,
Cristian

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