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MBB, Kearney, RB and Strategy& Dubai recruitment for full-time entry level roles

A.T. Kearney COVID-19 MBB Middle East Roland Berger strategy&
New answer on Sep 15, 2020
8 Answers
1.3 k Views
Anonymous A asked on Sep 14, 2020

Hi,

I am a Sep-2020 MSc in Management (Grande Ecole) Graduate. 2 months back, I got in touch with consultants working for these firms and was advised not to apply currently. I have 2 questions -

1. When should I apply to these firms (with referrals)?

2. I have already graduated and, due to the impact of COVID-19, possible entry dates are not being offered before Q2/Q3 2021. This implies a gap of 6+ months before possible start dates. Does this aspect of a gap make getting an interview invitation even more difficult?

Thank you in advance for your feedback.

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Best answer
Francesco
Expert
Content Creator
replied on Sep 14, 2020
#1 Coach for Sessions (4.000+) | 1.500+ 5-Star Reviews | Proven Success (➡ InterviewOffers.com) | Ex BCG | 10Y+ Coaching

Hi there,

Please find my answers below.

  1. I believe the people you contacted are the best to provide suggestions. Although some companies like BCG are already hiring now
  2. Unless you plan to start to work soon, I would recommend to find an interim job opportunity in between. It is always better to avoid gaps in the resume

Best,

Francesco

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Udayan
Expert
Content Creator
replied on Sep 14, 2020
Top rated Case & PEI coach/Multiple real offers/McKinsey EM in New York /6 years McKinsey recruiting experience

As suggested by others, you should start looking at opportunities outside of MBB to start with. 6 months gap may be fine but you will then be competing with people who do not have a gap and might have other credentials to their name etc.

Also work experience helps tremendously with the PEI portion of the interview and will be great to hone your skills and challenge you mentally while the fallout from covid continues

Best,

Udayan

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Vlad
Expert
replied on Sep 15, 2020
McKinsey / Accenture Alum / Got all BIG3 offers / Harvard Business School

Hi,

1) You should check with local recruiters

2) Yep, unfortunately this means it's totally unpredictable how soon they reply.

Best

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Mehdi
Expert
replied on Sep 14, 2020
BCG | Received offers from all MBB & Tier 1Firms | Supporting you secure your top tier consulting offer

Hi there,

I suggest that you double check with your connections and the HR of MBBs & other firms to ask about "if it is the right time yet" to apply. Some firms resumed recruiting as they sold new projects recently on which they need to staff talent. This is particularly valid if you have an expertise in a "digital transformation" topic (Data Science, Cybersecurity, etc.)

If they are not recruiting yet, I would recommend you apply for a job/internship in a company/industry of interest.

All the best,

Mehdi

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6
Ian
Expert
Content Creator
replied on Sep 14, 2020
#1 BCG coach | MBB | Tier 2 | Digital, Tech, Platinion | 100% personal success rate (8/8) | 95% candidate success rate

1. When those referrals tell you it is a good time...did they tell you how long to wait? I'd imagine sometime around February/March?

2. What you are essentially implying, is you are going to not do anything for 6 months, in the hopes of getting an offer with some of the above firms.

What if, you wait 6 months, and you still don't get an offer?

I highly recommend you assume you will not get a consulting job. Then, approach the next 6 months this way. What does that mean?

  1. Get an internship or full-time job...the extra experience, income, and backup, are all good to have.
  2. Get further education. For example, Data Science is a growing, important, and marketable field that I highly recommend gaining skills in. You may not have to get a full certificate (though it is an option). There are many one-off classes that you can group together (i.e. a database design/structure class, SQL class, Python/Ruby, Tableau, Data insights/visualization, etc.)
  3. Attend an academy. There are some academies that are a great stamp of approval and will also prepare you for both casing AND the consulting world. Reach out if you'd like to hear about a few.
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Clara
Expert
Content Creator
replied on Sep 15, 2020
McKinsey | Awarded professor at Master in Management @ IE | MBA at MIT |+180 students coached | Integrated FIT Guide aut

Hello!

Can you share why they told you not to apply yet?

Anyhow, if they have insider intel these are the people to guide you with the timings.

Hope it helps!

Cheers,

Clara

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Anonymous replied on Sep 15, 2020

Dear A,

1. I would recommend you to double check with your contact, since he/she provided this information it should be some reasons

2. I would rather find some internship to avoid the gap. Or try another companies, out of MBB that probably have strat dates earlier.

I have helped several mentees to get into consulting companies in Dubai recently, so If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

Best,
André

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0
Henning
Expert
replied on Sep 15, 2020
Bain | passed >15 MBB interviews as a candidate

I would check in with your previous HR contacts. Even if start dates are not offered before mid next year, they might still be conducting interviews (or even pull starting dates ahead). Business is picking up faster than many folks expected, so many firms now can't start bringing in new people fast enough. But this is of course firm dependent, so you'll need to keep your finger on the pulse!

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