As someone who recently led interviews at a leading firm, I can confirm there is no way for the firms to perform these checks. And, the firms have no reason to cross check this.

The primary reason they may be asking this is to ascertain whether you are on a tight deadline to have a decision when competing with other firms for talent. 

Hey, it's understandable to feel on edge during interviews! Honestly, it's unlikely they'll go through the hassle of checking your application status with other firms. While they might jot it down, it's probably not a big deal in the grand scheme of things. Just keep the vibes positive and be genuine in your responses next time. Good luck!

Hi there, 

That is a pretty standard question to be asked from candidates, and I would not worry about hiding the fact that you applied to multiple firms. This is a very demanding recruiting process and it is normal for people (even expected) to apply to multiple firms. 

To answer your question specifically - no they will not be checking with the other firms.

Hi,

there is no cross-check. However, pretty much everyone who applies to one of the MBB firms also applies to the other ones plus some Tier 2 firms. So admitting that is the expected answer, denying it seems odd. It either means you are being untruthful or you are not really serious about wanting to break into consulting. 

In any case, this is not an answer they would disqualify a candidate over. But for future reference, you can just be honest about it. You can always add that this current firm you are interviewing with is your top priority (and the interviewer will know that you are telling the same thing to all other interviewers too :) - but that's how the game is played.

Good luck

Hi there,

Q: Do you think she will be checking with the other two firms whether I have an application, if so is this too bad?

I find it very unlikely that they will investigate this further. However it is totally fine to say you are interviewing with others, if that's the case, for a few reasons:

1. It is true
2. It shows you are smart with your application strategy (it would be very risky to do all the prep for just one firm)
3. It shows you could have multiple options and be in demand

You can still say that the firm you are interviewing with is the best one and justify it accordingly if they ask for details. My recommendation would be to tell the truth if they ask the same question during the process with other companies.

Good luck!

Francesco

No they won't and can't check. It's just that it's highly expected you will apply to all the top consulting firms if you're interested in a career in consulting given how low the odds are of getting in. 

For now it's best to forget about it. In the future just remember to be upfront about it. It doesn't make you a bad person to keep your options open. 

No, they won't check because nobody cares, and even if they somehow want to do it, the names in the recruitment pipeline are confidential. 

So, please, don't worry. 

But it makes sense to be fully transparent going forward. There's no reason to hide that you're interviewing with multiple firms. Everyone who understands how the recruitment process works does it. 

Best,
Cristian

Nope. They don't AFAIK.

And you can be genuine about applying to multiple firms - its common knowledge and common practice.

No. They only track if you shared you received an offer from other MBB to accelerate the process. 

Best,

Alberto

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Check out my latest case based on a real MBB interview: Sierra Springs

Hi there,

Fully agree with what others have said here. Good that you efficiently clarified this since you really need the mental capacity you have to focus on the right topics, especially on aquiring the skillset to be successful in the interview.

Often, I see candidates belief that one or two specific mistakes were the issue in an interview. In reality, it is almost always a broader perspective on their skills that led to rejection.

Good luck!

Best,

Gero