I was wondering what the conversion rate for a referral for McKinsey is in a competitive office such as London / New York etc? Getting a referral is hard work, so am wondering whether it guarantees to pass CV screening? Do you still have to take the PST if you get a referral?
Background: target school, 4.0 GPA, working in finance middle tier for 6 months
Getting a referral is meant to be hard work. In doing so you are building a critical skill that you will need to succeed as a consultant. The effort does pay off eventually and you also end up knowing how to navigate the corporate world to get the support you need as you develop professionally.
Getting a referral from a partner more often than not ensures you get called for some sort of primary evaluation. If the office requires a PST from all applicants you will not skip this step but there is a good chance you will end up with a 1st round interview regardless
Hi Anonymous,
although there is no guarantee that a referral will lead to an invitation, it is going for sure to increase the odds to receive one, whatever the office – I would thus definitely recommend looking for one. You can find more on referrals at the following link:
https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/hey-everyonehope-all-is-well-3176
In terms of the PST, McKinsey started to use the Imbellus test in the US and UK, thus you may have to do that test instead. A referral is not going to help to skip the test if due given your seniority.
Best,
Francesco
Hi,
I confirm that - especially in NY and London - getting a referral can be very important: it not guarantees you an invitation but it gives you the maximum visibility with HR, making the process faster.
You could skip the test, but it depends on the recruiting situation, your seniority and strength of your referral.
Best,
Antonello
Dear A,
In general, it's a difficult question, because it depends really on case by case, and candidate by candidate. In general, I would say that referral chances are more than 60%. But, in the competitive offices, especially given the current situation, they might be a little lower. Anyway, referrals are worth trying it, especially given the current situation, it is the only way to maximize and significantly increase your chances of getting invited. Because without referral, you would probably will probably have no chances at all.
If you need any help, feel free to reach out.
Best,
André
Hi there,
A referral can be a great instrument that helps you secure an interview invite.
However, it is not a 100% guarantee that you eventually get an offer because some points and effort must be given from your side as well.
The question is: How much do you really want to get the job? Of course, it is better to provide yourself with a referral for the targeted firm. Otherwise, you can not even get invited.
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GB
Hi,
In New York or London referral does not guarantee an interview invitation at all, however, it's even harder without a referral.
PST - depends on the role, tenure, etc. It's not related to the referral. Usually, the more experienced the role is - the higher are the chances to skip PST.
Best
It's quite low to be honest. Apply to lots of other firms…just in case
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