Hi guys I'm wondering who is it better to get referral from McKinsey, HRs or Engagement Managers (I don't know any Parners). My purpose is to secure an interview through referral because I heard it's very likely get no response through online application.
Hi there,
A referral is just a door opener such that the recruiting team will look through your application more thoroughly. Depending on the seniority, tenure and advocacy of the person referring you, you have a better chance of getting a first round interview. The more senior (manager level and above) the person referring you is, the better. The longer the tenure of that person with the firm is, the better.
The reason is that such voices carry more weight than referrals coming from super junior or brand new people. They typically know the HR folks better and have been involved in recruiting activities for a while so it is usually assumed that they have a good grasp of what types of candidates with which sets of qualifications the firm needs. But any referral is better than no referral.
Ideally, you get a referral from someone from the same office (or same country) you are applying to. But again, a referral from someone within the same firm but different country organization is still better than no referral.
A direct rejection after the CV screening stage can still happen - even with a referral. In that case the HR team usually provides some feedback to the person having given the referral. So you should follow up with them to better understand the rationale in case that happens. On the flipside, you can still get an interview invite when you just apply online without a referral - the probability is just lower on average.
And as always, factors such as economic conditions and headcount/budget planning of the individual firm also matter significantly in these decisions - but they are not within your control.
Best
Hi there,
Referrals should come from consultants. The higher their role in the Firm, the better.
Best,
Alberto
I agree with everyone below, but just wanted to state: don't underestimate HRs influence in a process.
I have been to a recruiting event where some candidates came across as rude/unprofessional with HR, and HR "red flagged" them. Even if those candidates had received a referral from an manager, there is no way they would have gotten the interview.
Hi,
In short - any consultant, not the HR.
There are certain criteria for the referral:
As you can see simply mentioning a person in your CL does not change the process at all.
The conversion to reference will be higher among consultant / manager level people who are still interested in the referral bonus. The basic idea is to ask these people for a mock interview.
Here are some tips on how you can do that:
1) Leverage your own network - find friends or friends of friends who can practice cases with you or make you a reference.
2) Attend company events. Consulting companies do a lot of events both for graduates and experienced hires. Find the social network groups related to consulting or websites, subscribe to newsletters and stay tuned. Also, check if they have events in your University since you are a PHD.
While some of the events will be open to everyone, others will require a resume and a cover letter, so make sure to prep.
3) Talk to people on the events and send Thank You notes. After each event, there is a Q&A session where you can talk to consultants 1 on 1 or in a group. Ask for contact info or send a thank you note after the event ("I just wanted to thank you for visiting our University... It was especially interesting to hear about... Would be happy to keep in touch and apply in the nearest future.). Alternatively, you may use linkedin for that. If you are an experienced hire I strongly suggest to ask for a 1 on 1 meeting in a thank you note.
4) 1 on 1 meetings. All people like giving an advice. So don't hesitate to ask consultants for a career advice. Tell your story and ask how consulting fits into it
5) Mock interview Depending on where you are in your prep process you may ask a consultant for a mock interview. Consultants are very much opened to help even if it is a cold call e-mail. The main problem is a lack of time on their side. So don't be afraid to remind about yourself if the consultant has already committed but finds it hard to find the time
6) Talking to partners If you are an experienced hire I suggest to talk directly to the partners in your industry or the partner responsible for experienced hires (in consulting partners also have additional roles). Get an intro from the HR or from your friends working there. Partners care a lot about experienced hires with relevant industry expertise. Chances to get referral are much lower though. They also will not be interested in giving mock interviews.
7) If you are an MBA graduate Just talk to your section mates and ask for a reference or a mock interview - they will be happy to help. Make sure you attend all the consulting events.
Good luck!
If I get a referral for McK, I can definitely pass the CV screening, correct? Do i still need to take the PSG, or I get directly to interviews?
Hi there,
I would definitely recommend you get a referral from the consultants. The higher position of the consultant the higher chances you would have. Don`t ask HR about it!
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GB
Agree with Elias - the Consulting staff drives the whole process and owns the decision in the end. Within the consulting folks, the more tenured the better generally speaking; exception would be if someone has actually worked with you and can vouch for the quality of your output.
Engagement Managers, hands down.
The interview process is driven by the "professionals" and they are the decision makers. HR has "just" a facilitating role.
Cheers
Elias
Dear A,
My answer is consultances, the higher (manager, partner) the better. Not HR.
If you need any help with networking, feel free to reach me out.
Best,
André
