Referral Convo

Hello!

Don´t worry, you don´t need to hint it at all! He perfectly knows that that is what you are after, so things are going to be much more natural than you think. 

Cheers, 

Clara

Some great answers here already.

My personal approach to asking for a referral would be to always ask at the end and not directly - “Your firm sounds really aligned with my interests - what would be the best way to go about applying?”

Keep in mind that staff at consulting firms are usually financially incentivised to be on the look out for referrals, so chances are he/she would be happy to volunteer to refer you if you have shown genuine interest / competence / relevant experience during the conversation.

Hi Leo,

Good to hear that you are preparing in advance! In terms of your question:

Q: How can I hint it in the meeting that I am seeking their referral at this specific position in a way that doesn't sound too rude?

You should prepare three main things before the call:

• Your own presentation pitch. 3-4 lines should be enough
• 3-4 questions on the personal experiences of the person. Avoid to ask questions on the company
• A closing question for the referral. It should be an indirect request to avoid to be too pushy. You can hint to the fact you are planning to apply soon.

Before the call, you should have your CV and Cover ready – in this way you can send them right away it if the person wants to refer you.

In case you need it for other companies, you can find more on referrals here:

▶ How to Get an MBB Referral 

Best,

Francesco

Hi there, 

I wouldn't overthink it, just keep the conversation open and friendly. The good sign is that the person agreed to meet! 

Ask the questions you have and be open what are you plans and your goal to enter the firm. This should be enough see if the other person offer you a referral. Usually consulting firms reward financially brining referrals, hence I guess the person should offer to you as they can gain extra money. If s/he doesnt offer it, you can politely ask at the end of the conversation. In that case, the person should feel comfortable referring you, as it is also his/her reputation that can be slightly harm by brining someone who is not fitting at all. So make sure you highlight all the important capabilities and achievement to make him/her believe you are the right fit, BUT not as being it an interview. Or offer to send your CV and cover letter to see it before they refer you. Make sure to mention, no obligation at all. 

Good luck

Lucie

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Hi there,

If you're not a rude person, it won't be perceived as rude. Let me break this down:

• Well done on identifying and connecting to potential champions & referees - that's the way to do it
• The person accepted the invitation and is well aware at this point that the ask for a referral may come
• Make the conversation interesting and present yourself as a potentially great new likeable colleague
• Your contact will happily refer you, and even offer to do so without being asked, if they think you have what it takes - that's because there's something in it for them (financial reward from RB and a great new colleague)

My only advice is not to lead with the ask for referral but leave that to the very end.

Hope this helps a bit. Best of luck!

Hi Leo,

Good networking!

If you present yourself well during the conversation (i.e. you seem capable, driven, personable, etc.) then you shouldn't need to ask, he will offer!

Now, if you want to “hint”, you can simply say “this conversation has been so helpful, I'm definitely going to be applying in the coming weeks/months…do you have any advice for me?”

I would keep the conversation open and talk to the person about your common interests. Understand more about RB and what it might be like to work there. I would not ask them for a referral during the first convo. But I would indicate a strong interest to apply. 

I would maybe request a follow-up call with some very specific pointers or questions that you may have from research or thoughts after the call. And in the second call, I would close the call by asking for a referral if that were possible, but also give them an out saying you understand if they are not willing to do it. 

Best  

Hi Leo,

Talk about your background & experiences. Ask them about their journey with RB.

Explain your interest in RB (i.e. Why RB?) and if all goes well they will offer to refer without you asking directly. If that doesn't happen naturally, then towards the end, gauge the interaction for yourself and ask them whether they would be comfortable referring you.