Get Active in Our Amazing Community of Over 448,000 Peers!

Schedule mock interviews on the Meeting Board, join the latest community discussions in our Consulting Q&A and find like-minded Case Partners to connect and practice with!

I got referral from a partner in Boston. Will it still work if I apply to HK office?

first round interview Hong Kong MBB office preferences Referral Summer Internship
New answer on Oct 31, 2020
7 Answers
2.8 k Views
Anonymous A asked on Apr 13, 2019

Hi guys,

So I'm wondering does the location of the contact whom I got referral from matter when the companies select candidates for first-round interview? I got referral from a partner at Bain's Boston office but since I will need H1B sponsorship, I'm strongly considering applying to HK office, but I'm concerned whether in that case my referral will not work as much as in the case when I apply for Boston office.

Any input would be greatly appreciated!

Overview of answers

Upvotes
  • Upvotes
  • Date ascending
  • Date descending
Best answer
Anonymous replied on May 26, 2020

Dear A,

My congratulations with referral. This is already a very important step in order to secure your interview.

The quick answer is yes. Referral from partner in the Boston office is still good and valuable for applying in HK, of course in case you partner is willing to submit your referral cross borders. Nevertheless, just bear in mind that the referral in HK office will not be as strong as it could in Boston office.

If you need any help to secure your Bain offer, feel free to reach out.
Good luck,

André

Was this answer helpful?
2
Francesco
Expert
Content Creator
replied on Apr 14, 2019
#1 Coach for Sessions (4.000+) | 1.500+ 5-Star Reviews | Proven Success (➡ InterviewOffers.com) | Ex BCG | 10Y+ Coaching

Hi Anonymous,

referrals from partners work better when related to the same office, but can work as well for different offices. I got a referral for my application at BCG Italy from a partner in the US, and was called a few days after that. In your case however it seems the partner already referred you or is willing to refer you to the Boston office – unless you ask them to refer as well for HK would be challenging to get the same strength as for the Boston application. You may ask the Boston HR to move the recruiting process to HK after interview confirmation, but you have no guarantee when and if they will be able to do so.

Since your concern related to Boston is on the visa, I would first clarify with HR if there is any issue with them sponsoring the Visa. If they are fine with the sponsorship, you can apply for the Boston office. If they are not fine with that, you can ask the partner if he/she can refer you for HK given the visa issue.

Hope this helps,

Francesco

Was this answer helpful?
Nirmit
Expert
replied on Apr 14, 2019
I will get you an offer|McKinsey Senior EM|Offers from MBB|100+ interviews at McKinsey|Recruiting Lead|Experienced hire

Hi,

In my experience, Partner referrals hold most weight when they're in the same country, unless you're applying to a certain Practice and the Partner is a part of the same practice.

Best bet is to get to a point with the Boston recruiter when you've almost secured an interview, and then say you want to transfer. Worst case, they check and say HK might not be taking more candidates and you still have the Boston interview in hand.

Thanks,

Nirmit

Was this answer helpful?
Mike on Apr 14, 2019

Thank you Nirmit! And I do have some confusion regarding the visa sponsorship I don't know if you are familiar with - will they take my visa issue into consideration when giving out interviews? Like they know they won't sponsor so if I apply for Boston they will just reject me (or possibly direct me to my second choice office)?

Nirmit on Apr 14, 2019

Mike - I am familiar with the situation. I am on an H1-B visa myself. Are you sure Bain doesen't sponsor H1-B visa? I just worked with another candidate who would need an H1-B and they got an offer from the Chicago office. Why don't you send me a direct message and we can talk through the options? Cheers!

(edited)

Vlad
Expert
replied on Apr 14, 2019
McKinsey / Accenture Alum / Got all BIG3 offers / Harvard Business School

Hi,

  1. The person doing a referral should select your office preferences
  2. The partners are usually too lazy to make an official referral through the system, so most probably he just sent your resume to HR without an official referral.
  3. I believe you have 2 options: 1) Ask the partner to reach out to HK office. 2) Once the HR invites you for an interview - tell her that your situation has changed and you are considering HK

Best

Was this answer helpful?
Mike on Apr 14, 2019

Thanks for your response Vlad! So you are saying that I apply to Boston office to get the first round interview, and by the time I get it I talk to HR to see if it's possible to switch to HK?

Anonymous B replied on Oct 31, 2020

Yes!

Was this answer helpful?
0
Henning
Expert
replied on Oct 26, 2020
Bain | passed >15 MBB interviews as a candidate

If it comes from a partner, I'm sure you could reach out and ask if he could reach out to the HK office to introduce you to somebody to address your application to. Given that they are so senior, this should work.

Was this answer helpful?
Gaurav
Expert
Content Creator
updated an answer on Oct 31, 2020
Ex-Mckinsey|Certified Career Coach |Placed 500+ candidates at MBB & other consultancies

Referral from a partner in the HK office will work, but it will still have more weight in Boston.

Also, you have to speak with a partner on whether is willing to submit your referral to HK. I would recommend you ask the partner to contact to HK office, and once you get invited to the interview, notify him about that.

Was it helpful for you?
GB

(edited)

Was this answer helpful?
How likely are you to recommend us to a friend or fellow student?
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
0 = Not likely
10 = Very likely