Rejected at the screening level, what's the downtime?

Hi Moose,

As a former BCG consultant at the Dubai office, I can tell you that you need to wait a minimum of 12 months to apply again.

Even if you attempt to apply via a referral by a principal/partner, you would need to mention that your application was recently rejected, and you need to leave them to make a decision regarding submitting your application or not.

In rare circumstances, the typical ban period of 12 months can be waived (which happened to me as well, when I only waited about 9 months), thus it may be worth trying, but I wouldn't get my hopes high.

Best,

Deniz

Hi Moose,
1) it usually takes 12 to 18 months
2) yes, I would make a try with a partner, explaining well the situation. Happy to help with a quick CV review in this case, feel free to text me

Best,
Antonello

Hi Moose,

the standard ban is 24 months, occasionally it can be reduced (usually when that’s the case HR mention it).

A partner referral may help to decrease the waiting time, but it would probably make sense to wait at least 6 months to show some improvements in your CV.

My recommendation at this stage is to apply to other consulting firms – even a 2nd tier company would help to show your commitment to consulting and could help to strengthen your CV for the new application. It would also be useful to understand the points of improvement in your CV to work on them before the new application.

Best,

Francesco

Hello, and sorry to hear that. 

McKinsey HR recommends 12 months, I believe it won´t be different in BCG or Bain. The reason is that you need at least that time to actually add relevant new experience. 

However, you could try some things, such as going to recruiting events that give you access to HR/visibility or trying to get a referral from someone from the office -which ensures that your CV gets reviewed by HR-. 

Best, 

Clara 

Hi,

The wait time can be any from 12 to 24 months depending on your case

If partner approaches the HR directly (Not via system referral) it can help

Best

Hi Moose. 

I feel you! The same thing happened to me in the NYC office. I had a manager refer me and back my application. He seemed enthusiastic about my chances but then I received a similarly nicely worded email - 

After reviewing your application, our offices have decided not to undertake employment discussions with you at this time. This decision was difficult considering your many achievements; however, we do not have any positions that fit with your skill set, experiences, and interests.

Again, we do appreciate your interest, and wish you continued professional success. If you have any further questions, please let us know. 

 I was surprised because I had a very different experience with McK and Bain. But with BCG, it seems that their consultants are not always on the same page with their recruiting team, which is strange--because my advocate discussed my application with the recruiting team before submitting my CL and resume. 

Questions -  
@Moose - How were you able to get feedback about the E-MBA being the reason for the rejection? 

@ Everyone else - Why does this happen at BCG more than other MBB firms? I thought that consultants were key to the recruiting process and that a referral from an MBB consultant had more weight. What am I missing? 

Hi Moose,

Yes, you have to wait for a ban period. And try with a partner referral. 

Since I have placed many mentees in the Middle East and also have friends and former colleagues, I'm happy to help you and share with ou some insights. 

So feel free to reach me out. 

Best,
André

Hi Moose,

You need to wait until the ban period ends, usually it takes 12-24 months.

I would recommend you try to reapply with a partner referral. I hope it will help you.

By the way, you can send me your CV. I would be happy to check it!

All the best,

GB