McKinsey Virtual Event

Hi there, 

Whatever you do, don't scream their name across the room :) 

My suggestion would be to catch a moment when they are transitioning between discussions and approach them. Introduce yourself. Tell them that you know about them from LinkedIn. Ask them a couple of genuine questions that have to do with either their experience or your interests (not thing you could find out from google). Just go for it - have a natural, normal conversation. No need to overthink it or have strategies of how to do it. 

If you need a bit more guidance, I've laid out the core steps of how to conduct effective ‘coffee chats’ in the following article:

• Your Guide to Consulting Coffee Chats

Best,
Cristian

Hi there,

1) I am attending a McKinsey Virtual Event, one of the partners in my area is going to be attending as well. Since there are 300+ people attending and it's virtual it's kind of hard to get noticed. Any suggestions on how to better connect with the partner? 

I would not recommend to try to be noticed by the partner during the event if there are 300+ people and it is virtual, it’s not likely to be possible. You can ask genuine questions, but not with the goal to try to “stand out”.

Instead, if you want to connect with that partner I would try to reach out after the event.

2) Should I send something beforehand? Or after the event text her on LinkedIn?

If you want to reach out, I would do so after the event (I would not recommend LinkedIn though). However you are going to have a lot more chances if you target alumni of your school instead if your goal is to get a referral.

For more on referrals you can check the following:

▶ How to Get an MBB Invitation

▶ The Exact Steps to Get a Referral

Good luck!

Francesco

Hi there,

The quite honest there's not much you can do here. It's a huge virtual event. They're there to drum up interest for their firm, not find out about you.

For the Partner, you can't “plan for them to be your referral”. The odds that they become a referral is 5%.

You need to be networking outside of these events. Reach out to a ton of people on LinkedIn (there's a right way and a very wrong way to do this) and get on calls. 

This is networking.

In terms of this specific partner, you can feel free to connect with her on LinkedIn after the event, referencing she said. But please don't expect much!  For the event, feel free to try to ask an insightful Q&A.

1 Partner message and once virtual event a referral does not make. There's lots more to do!

I would think of a smart question to ask during the Q&A session if there is the opportunity and otherwise write them a nice message on LinkedIn afterwards mentioning that you found the event interesting and thank them for organizing/sharing depending on their role in the event

Hello,

Great question! Looks like you got some great advice here already, but I'll just add my extra two cents:

It can definitely be hard to get noticed at an event with 300+ attendees, but no reason not to try! I would prep before the event, and try to ask some intelligent questions during it if you have the opportunity to do so. If the partner you mentioned is speaking, definitely take notes on what she says, and try to ask her a question. After the event, I would follow up with her on LinkedIn - if she was speaking, that provides a natural entryway for you to connect by asking her something related to what she talked about; but even if not you could mention that you saw her at this event, had a few questions, and would appreciate an opportunity to connect. I think in this case reaching out afterwards will be the key - don't worry too much if you don't get a chance to talk during the event as it can definitely be hard with 300+ attendees. But just the fact that you attended this event she was at gives you some ground for connection.

Navigating a large virtual event can indeed be a bit tricky, but there are a few strategies that can help you stand out and connect with the partner you're interested in:

1. Before the Event:

• While it's always good to reach out, with just a few hours left before the event, it might be best to hold off on sending a LinkedIn message until after. At this point, she might be preparing for the event and may not have time to respond to your message.

2. During the Event:

• Participate actively in the event. If there is a Q&A session or any opportunities to interact, make sure to contribute insightful questions or comments. This could potentially draw attention and demonstrate your interest and understanding of the industry.
• Use the chat feature, if available, to share thoughts or reflections related to the discussion. Be careful not to overdo it and ensure your comments are relevant and add value to the conversation.

3. After the Event:

• This would be the ideal time to connect with her on LinkedIn. Thank her for the insights shared during the event, mention a specific point or topic from the event that you found particularly valuable, and express your interest in learning more about her experience and McKinsey. Keep your message concise and professional.
• If there are specific topics that resonated with you during the event and you feel comfortable discussing, mention those in your message. This could potentially spark a conversation, making your interaction more memorable.
• Let her know that you are interested in McKinsey and would appreciate any advice she might have for someone in your position. If you feel the conversation is going well, you might gently introduce the topic of referrals.

Remember, building professional relationships takes time. Be patient, respectful, and genuinely interested in learning from her.

Dear,

unfortunately, I'm arriving late here - hope the event was insightful!

I would definitely send out a message (either an email or a LinkedIn note) to the person, writing why you found the event inspiring/ insightful and what you liked the most.

Be concise and to the point. I would avoid a lengthy message. Ideally, if this person shared something during the event that you might be interested in deepening, I would suggest leveraging the opportunity to ask for an informal virtual/ coffee chat to strengthen further your connection with him/ her.

If there is a moment where anyone can speak / ask questions, make sure you have a question to ask (plan 3 questions for this, as others may ask your questions before you). The objective here is to be seen.

You can reach out to the partner AFTER the event.