McKinsey no offer at final round. Re-applying a year later?

Hi there,

Thanks for sharing these questions - very relevant to many! Here my thoughts..

1. Is it badly perceived to have been through multiple consulting firms in 4-5 years?

This is not necessarily a problem nowadays (as long as not excessively done), especially when you can demonstrate a clear, targeted upward trajectory throughout that journey. If anything, you can actually can use it to show your tenacity / dedication to making it into MBB - these firms appreciate drive a lot. While the question about job hopping may definitely come in the interviews, positioned well it can give you an advantage. 

In fact, I know quite a few examples of candidates, who gradually worked their way up from Tier 3 / boutiques to Tier 2s then MBB - having been at 3 consultancies before you reach the destination is definitely not unheard of.  

2. Is it a good idea to join RB / OW meanwhile?

It can be - to have a realistic shot at later, McK will expect you to improve your CV / profile, before re-applying. Adding a strong Tier 2, can definitely help you do that and there are also other benefits, such as…

1. Better leverage - increased comp + tenure will give you stronger position to negotiate comp and starting tenure at a later point
2. Increase odds for other MBB: putting a name like OW / RB on your CV nowadays will (re-)open the door to also apply to Bain and BCG
3. Solid back up - even if McK / other MBB does not play out as hoped eventually, RB, OW and alike are great places to work for - in the worst case, progressing your career such firms can be great back up options in the longer term, esp when they represent an upgrade to your current role.

Hope this is helpful - feel free to reach out if further questions.

Regards, Andi

Hi there,

Sorry to hear it didn't work out. I know it's beside the point but they should have provided you with some feedback. I always tell my coachees to push for feedback in these situations, which is in line with McK's people philosophy.

As for your question: nobody at McKinsey will ever hold it against you for wanting to join the firm - no matter your background and employment history up until that point. People do all kinds of things to get into MBB and that's OK!

It may even work in your favor because you will have added an experience to your CV that is directly relevant for the job. From McK's perspective, this increases the chances of you passing the interviews. Conversely, if you don't do anything differently over the next 12 months until you apply again, you won't have any demonstrable arguments as to why you would perform any better.

Hope this helps a bit. Best of luck!

Hey, 

If you have not tried already and if you are open, would ask the recruiters if you would perhaps be suited / recommended for a different track or perhaps a different location (oftentimes offices recruit in isolation of one another). 

If you are dead set on MBB, apply to the three firms NOW. Using one firm as a springboard to another (without a normal seperation, such as an MBA) can be damaging to the relationships and reputation you build while at OW and RB. 

These are great firms with great talent in which you can certainly grow and build out the chops to become a great consultant. If that is what you are seeking, apply to OW and RB with the intent of fulfilling your growth objective. 

Happy to chat more offline :-). I went from Booz and Co., followed by an MBA, and then joined McKinsey so have experience switching firms. 

 

Hi there,

Definitely. There is no issue with that.

For every re-application make sure to improve significantly in two of these four dimensions:

• Academic achievements
• Professional experience
• Extracurricular activities
• Experience abroad

Working for a tier-2 consulting firm would definitely help you with your professional experience as well as your experience abroad. On top of that, you might want to engage in something extracurricular as well.

Additionally, stay close to HR and the consultants of the firm. Network in between with people of the Firm.

Based on what you said related to your strong interview performance, your new application might as well be fast-tracked with a partner-round only.

For your prep, have a look at the two McKinsey interview articles that I wrote:

Case: https://www.preplounge.com/en/mckinsey-interview PEI: (https://www.preplounge.com/en/mckinsey-pei

Cheers,

Florian

It's a difficult situation to have a clear view but personally, I would choose either to commit to Roland Berger/OW (and not actively apply for MBB again) or just stay where you are.  A one-year pay increase is not worth the perception that you have been jumping between firms and you will have a stronger profile and learning if you stay in one for a longer period of time (perhaps even a promotion).  

The lack of feedback from your McKinsey interviewers is a little unusual, especially if they have encouraged you to reapply.  I would follow up with the recruiter or even find a way to connect with one of your interviewers directly.  If that doesn't happen, I think its fair to assume that they aren't as excited you being a strong candidate as they say…

Dear candidate,

this is a common strategy, feel free to start your consulting career and work for a different firm and then reapply later to your target firm. This is well received, only the interviews might be tougher, often there is an inherent perception that one should deliver a more skilled case performance and that they are “up” to the next higher tier. (I dont find this important, however I have heard repeatedly from candidates that they were given a tougher time- knowing how prepared they were). I however would only advise a switch if you are unhappy in your future current role, if you have a great time at the other firm, why not stay on? (Of course if you are very keen on a particular firm, then go for it, but once you have found a job you enjoy, consider strongly whether it is worth giving it up. The firms you mention also have excellent reputation.

Hi there,

You want to be really careful having a streak of roles that only lasted a year! 3 consulting firms in 4-5 years is indeed a bad look.

In my view, either stay with your current firm until promotion or accept this new offer but commit yourself to 2 years.

Of course, you don't have to do this, but you do just want to be careful - if you jump ship a 4th time for MBB then you really have to stay there (and if you hate it then you're stuck knowing you need to be there at least 2-3 years!)

Absolutely join Roland Berger or OW and re-apply if you feel you want to switch to MBB (you may not want to if you establish yourself well in these firms). I have helped many candidates make a switch from other consulting firms to MBB and they are perceived as highly skilled and desirable since they can run with projects from day 1.

At the end of the day, there is always a demand for good talent and going to any of the other firms will set you up well for success in MBB if you choose to transfer. It will also give you a good idea if consulting in general is for you, as the work they do is very similar and if you enjoy the work at OW, there is a high chance you will also enjoy it at McK.

Udayan