Indirectly asking for a referral...

MBB networking Referral
Neue Antwort am 20. Dez. 2022
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Anonym A fragte am 13. Dez. 2022

I know referrals aren't much of a helpful tool, as it can only get me to the interview and thats about it. But I feel like I need all the help I can get. I've been having calls with consultants from the office I'm hoping to get in (MBB firm) but haven't had the guts to say anything remotely related to asking for a referral. Tomorrow I have a call with a consultant with pretty high seniority, highest I've managed to connect with so far. He's from my school btw. I have the questions for the things I want to know, will take about 10-12 minutes.

Is it a good idea to make hints at a referral?

If so, how do I word it indirectly (such that I don't seem obviously desperate or opportunistic)?

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Cristian
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antwortete am 14. Dez. 2022
#1 rated MBB & McKinsey Coach

Hi there, 

I wouldn't be so stressed about it. Asking for a referral isn't what it used to be and when consultants speak with prospective candidates they often expect to be asked about a referral. 

The important thing indeed is to be delicate and elegant about it. The priority for the call shouldn't be getting the referral as connecting with the interviewer. Prepare a few good, insightful questions that you are genuinely interested in. Then try to get a good understanding of the experience and path of the interviewer. Think of the conversation as an opportunity you have to speak with somebody who is on the same path as you, only much further ahead. 

Thank them for the call afterwards in an email. Inform them you've decided to apply and ask whether it would be appropriate to ask them for a referral. Worst thing that they can say is no, though it's rather unlikely. 

Best,

Cristian

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Ian
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antwortete am 13. Dez. 2022
#1 BCG coach | MBB | Tier 2 | Digital, Tech, Platinion | 100% personal success rate (8/8) | 95% candidate success rate

Hi there,

Referrals aren't a helpful tool? I really don't know why/how you think this…

Referrals are immensely helpful to getting your foot in the door (interview)…which is the hardest part of the entire process! Once you get an interview, the rest is all up to you!

I'm also confused by your comment of “it will take about 10-12 minutes". How do you know this? Are you just going to rattle off a list of questions?

Basically, from your Q&A, I'm very very concerned about the way that you're thinking about all of this.

Referrals are important. Networking is in order to get referrals. Calls with consultants are conversations, not a 10-12 timed set of pre-determined questions.

I personally think you would be well placed to hire a coach to make sure you're getting straight on how to go about all this.

Lacking a coach, the following sentence may prove helpful when “hinting” at a referral: “Thank you so much for your time. You've really helped to re-affirm my interest in the firm and I will definitely be applying in the coming weeks. If you have any advice for me or tips on how to maximize my chances hear, I'd really appreciate it!"

^There's a lot more that's required (how to hop between calls, how to navigate the call, how to speak with the right people, etc.), but hope this helps on how exactly to ask!

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Anonym A am 14. Dez. 2022

Hi Ian. OP here. I should correct myself here and say "it shouldn't take longer than 10-12 minutes because this has been the average with other consultants". I generally ask questions related to the person's experience to give them space to talk about themselves so it really does feel like a friendly conversation at a coffeeshop, and I generally get positive feedback because of it. In hindsight yes you're right. There's no set time, moreso because this level of seniority isn't like what I talked to before. Thanks for your input :)

(editiert)

Ian am 18. Dez. 2022

Ah! This is great to hear! Sounds like you're doing it right then :)

Anonym antwortete am 13. Dez. 2022

Referrals are helpful! You are much more in control of your destiny once you are past the HR screening process!

Once you have built a connection (make sure they talk about themselves rather than you just asking yes/no questions) you could say something like this if you don't want to ask for a referral directly:

What will boost my chances of getting my application looked at and progressing to the interview stage?

Even if you don't get a referral, you will still get some great tips. 

Send a thank you email and keep in touch; they may be your future team-member!

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Dennis
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antwortete am 13. Dez. 2022
Ex-Roland Berger|Project Manager and Recruiter|7+ years of consulting experience in USA and Europe

Many companies have a type of “hire a friend” mechanism in place where consultants can submit referrals and are rewarded for successful ones (if the candidates end up getting hired). 

While the intent is for consultants to refer people they personally know and believe are a good fit for the firm, there is a general incentive structure. 

Expect to get vetted by the person you ask for a referral because it is their credibility and reputation on the line internally. But don't be afraid to bring up the topic of referral because

  • that's really what you are doing these calls for anyway
  • there is a good chance that the consultant has an own incentive for providing a referral

Good luck

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Udayan
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antwortete am 13. Dez. 2022
Top rated Case & PEI coach/Multiple real offers/McKinsey EM in New York /6 years McKinsey recruiting experience

Be direct and ask what steps it would take for them to feel comfortable referring you.

We all feel scared asking for something because we are afraid of rejection. Don't be afraid because it can often take many tries before you get the right referral and without the ‘Nos’ you will never get to the ‘Yes’.

How do you do that? Prepare before hand where in the conversation you will ask for a referral and do not back down when that time comes. Always be ready with a way to move on if they say no.

Last thing to note - EVERYONE expects you to ask for one and almost all of them will be okay to give you one at some point. 

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Maikol
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bearbeitete eine Antwort am 14. Dez. 2022
BCG Project Leader | Former Bain, AlixPartner, and PE | INSEAD MBA | GMAT 780

Referrals are extremely important. That is because

  1. Getting interviewed is the hardest part, and a referral can definitely help.
  2. With firms restricting interviews and hiring, 90+% of CVs received through online applications are directly discarded.

You should definitely try to get a referral, so if you don't have alternatives, just ask this senior guy. I would offer to have a face-to-face conversation and maybe even a case with this guy because it is quite unlikely that in a 10-minute conversation someone will accept to give a referral to some candidate.

(editiert)

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Hagen
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antwortete am 14. Dez. 2022
#1 Bain coach | >95% success rate | interviewer for 8+ years | mentor and coach for 7+ years

Hi there,

This is indeed an interesting question which is probably relevant for a lot of users, thus I am happy to provide my perspective on it:

  • A referral can indeed be a helpful tool when it comes to job searching, as it can provide a direct connection to a potential employer and potentially give you an advantage over other candidates. A referral from someone within the company, especially from a high-ranking employee, can provide valuable insight into the company culture and help you tailor your application to the specific role and organization. A referral can also help you get your foot in the door and potentially bypass the initial application and resume screening process.
  • If you're interested in asking for a referral, it's important to approach the situation delicately and avoid coming across as desperate or opportunistic. Instead of directly asking for a referral, try to build a relationship with the person you're speaking with and let them know you're interested in working for the company. If the person believes you would be a good fit for the company, they may offer to refer you on their own. It's important to focus on building a genuine connection and showing why you would be a valuable addition to the team.

In case you want a more detailed discussion on what to do in your specific situation, please feel free to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

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Moritz
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antwortete am 15. Dez. 2022
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Hi there,

I strongly disagree about referrals not being very useful. Getting the interview is a big deal and many potentially great candidates don't even make it that far! A referral can make a big difference here.

As for your networking, well done on engaging your contacts with good questions (assuming they're good but that's an entirely different discussion). Whether or not you should ask for a referral, direct or indirect, depends on the quality of the conversation. 

It should feel natural for you to raise the question as to whether they could ‘support’ you in any way. As pointed out previously, they're basically expecting this and even incentivised by their employer through monetary rewards if a candidate gets hired.

Unless the conversation is forced and unpleasant, I would go for it. To make it easier for you, go with the indirect question and simply ask whether they might be willing to assist in some way.

Hope this helps a bit. Best of luck!

Moritz

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Florian
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antwortete am 14. Dez. 2022
Highest-rated McKinsey coach (ratings, offers, sessions) | 500+ offers | Author of The 1% & Consulting Career Secrets

Hey there,

There are several ways to ask this:

Do you have a referral system in place?

What is usually needed to get a referral at your firm?

Do you think a referral would help my application?

Hope this helps!

All the best,

Florian

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Rushabh
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antwortete am 20. Dez. 2022
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Hello,

Here are my thoughts:

1) Ideally, the best way is to impress them in the call with your questions that will make them want to refer you

2) If that is not happening, then a) either they do not want to refer you b) it didn't occur to them

3) What I would do is ask them indirectly and say that ‘is there something you would recommend me to do to increase my chances of getting an interview invite’

4) At this point 2b would not be in the equation anymore, because a referal would have occured to them.

5) If they still do not suggest it themselves, then don't bring it up anymore. If they do, then that's great!

Hope this helps :)

All the best!

Rushabh

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Pedro
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bearbeitete eine Antwort am 15. Dez. 2022
30% off in March 2024 | Bain | EY-Parthenon | Roland Berger | Market Sizing | DARDEN MBA

“Is there anything else I can do to maximize my chances to get an interview?”

That's all you need to say. If they want to refer you, they will come forward and offer it.

(editiert)

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Cristian

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