Does it make sense to apply to MBB in June?

Hi there,

It's always a good idea to apply as soon as possible, even if it's later in the recruitment cycle. It's possible that the firm may have already met their targets for the year, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they won't interview you. In some cases, they may be willing to defer your start date, or they may have other positions that they are still looking to fill.

Ultimately, it's impossible to know for sure what the outcome will be, but the only way to find out is to apply. In my experience, it's always better to take action and put yourself out there than to hold back and miss out on potential opportunities.

Here's a guide that will help you maximize your chances in the recruitment process:

• How to get a job in consulting during an economic downturn

Best of luck with your application!

Hi there,

Please still apply.

Even companies that are actively firing still hire.

Now, is it harder now than before? Absolutely. Is it still possible to interview and get hired? Absolutely!

If I were you I would still network and apply. If were you I would apply to many more firms than I otherwise would have (as in, 30+ firms). If I were you I would get as good as possible in my casing in order to shine.

Now, if you're recruiting via a school channel, you should absolutely apply (there is not “cost"). If you are recruiting via external hire, then, I agree, you want to time it a bit more, given the 1 year ban. In this case, go with the flow with your networking (Apply to companies/roles when the person you network with offers a referral and/or says the firm is hiring).

Good luck to you!

Hi there,

I think this is an interesting question that may be relevant for many people. I would be happy to share my thoughts on it:

• First of all, while there was a user having an issue with their target office that already reached its recruiting target (see here), in general, you can expect most strategy consulting companies and offices to continue recruiting throughout the year, with more or less the same intensity.
• As such, I would highly advise you to apply, especially since you most probably do not have full flexibility on the application time frame either way.
• Lastly, in order to know for certain, I would highly advise you to reach out directly to the recruiting team before you apply and inquire about the recruiting situation.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare for your upcoming interviews, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Hi there,

Q: If they’ve already met their recruiting targets for the year, will they still interview you and maybe defer your start date, or is there just no point applying in the summer?

If you know that in your target office they reached the yearly quota, I would recommend to network and check with someone internally if they might still hire for the following year. If you just apply there is the risk that they will automatically reject you.

You can find more on networking and referrals below:

▶ How to Get an MBB Invitation

▶ The Exact Steps to Get a Referral

Good luck!

Francesco

Hi there,

in general, consulting firms don't have the time and mindset to spend resources on recruiting efforts and put up a charade if they didn't actually intend to fill available open positions. 

If there were no more open positions to fill, any application would likely get rejected right after submission or they would reach out to interesting candidates letting them know that they would still like to interview them in the future once the situation changes.

In any case, depending on your own personal situation, you might have to apply for jobs this summer. So whatever MBB has decided internally (also dependent on the specific office region of course) is beyond your control. 

You could reach out to people at your desired target offices and inquire about the current recruiting status to get more clarity. But if you want to get a job there, you might as well apply in any case. A potential ban period would likely overlap with you sitting on the sidelines waiting otherwise anyway.

Best of luck

Hello,

I generally recommend applying whenever you feel like you're ready. It's difficult to predict what's going on internally at particular firms and offices with the recruiting cycle. If firms are recruiting, that means they have positions to fill.

If they don't have any needs until the end of the year, I would say that most likely they will postpone intervieweing you, i.e., doesn't make sense to reject your application and ban you, but also no sense in interviewing you as they are unable to provide you an offer to start within a reasonable time frame.

Unless… you have an exception profile.

Apply when it fits your personal situation and readiness. You cannot control anything else. Therefore do not worry too much about it.