Career & Application at McKinsey & Company

Hi there,

They are definitely important as well for undergrads. I only applied via referral while at university and got 6 invitations out of 6 applications – I don’t think that would have been possible without referrals.

For a step-by-step process on how to get referrals, you can check the following link:

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/hey-everyonehope-all-is-well-3176

Best,

Francesco

Hi there,

There are three main things you need to be invited for interviews:

• A great CV
• A great Cover
• A referral – the more senior the person the better

For the CV, you can work on the following in the time you have left:

1. Internships/work experience in relevant companies (other consulting firms, IB, strategy roles in big brands, entrepreneurial initiatives)
2. Volunteer/leadership experience
3. University achievements (if applicable): top GPA, exchange, university clubs

If you are planning to apply to B-School, you may also prepare the GMAT (not worth just for the sake of the application)

For the Cover, you can structure it in 4 parts:

1. Introduction, mentioning the position you are interested in and a specific element you find attractive for that company
2. Why you are qualified for the job, where you can report 3 skills/stories from your CV, ideally related to leadership, impact, drive and teamwork
3. Why you are interested in that particular firm, with additional 1-2 specific reasons
4. Final remarks, mentioning again your interest and contacts

In part 2 – the one you are referring to – you can write about experiences that show skills useful in consulting such as drive, problem-solving, leadership, teamwork and convincing others.

It is important that in part 3 you make your cover specific to a particular firm – the rule of thumb is, can you send the exact same cover to another consulting company if you change the name? If that’s the case, your cover is too generic.

For referrals, you can find a step-by-step approach at the following link:

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/hey-everyonehope-all-is-well-3176

Best,

Francesco

Hi there,

Welcome to the community!

First, I think you should apply to all of them. Then, once your options are narrowed down, you'll have an easier decision in front of you!

If you're looking to work in Europe, I'd tier your programs as follows

Tier 1

HEC Paris MIM

London Business School MIM

INSEAD MIM

Tier 2

IE Business School MIM with specialization in Strategic Management (almost tier 1)

Imperial College of London MSc in Management

ESSEC MIM

Tier 3

Melbourne Business School Master of Management

Duke Fuqua MMS: Foundations of Business