I cannot ever recall that happening. It's possible that hr can make a mistake but I've only heard of the opposite where they have accidentally said someone passed when they didn't and even then the mistake was corrected almost immediately. 

At the end of the day there are so many strong candidates applying to mbb that they are spoilt for choice

‘When the firm cannot find better candidates’ is not an actual problem that top consulting firms have :)

Bear in mind that MBBs have an acceptance rate of 1-5%, which means that there are plenty of amazing candidates to choose from. 

So, no, if you don't pass the first round, that's game over for that year. You can apply again the year after. 

Best,
Cristian

No:

1. This is a theoretical question. They always have candidates with good performances reaching the final round. So, in practice, this is not realistic. And in the current recruiting scene, even more so.
2. Even if this was a realistic scenario… If they didn't have many candidates and your performance was above their minimum “bar level" you would have passed. Not passing means one is not performing at their expected level in that interview round.

Hi there,

Q: Any case when a candidate could not pass the 1st round but is given the second chance when the firm cannot find better candidates? 

I never heard of this case. The only case I heard of when they recalled a candidate is after a final if they explicitly mentioned the candidate was on a waiting list. 

Additionally, in some cases they might offer an extra interview after a round if the interviewers are not aligned on whether it should be a pass or not. However, this is different from being rejected and being recalled.

Good luck!

Francesco