Rejected from MBB (In Resume Rounds) After Preparing So Much? What do I do next?

Apply to the other 100 consulting firms out there!

And then re-apply to MBB in a year.

Life is long…plenty of time to get to the “destination” :)

Hi,

Sorry to hear about your rejection and situation. However if consulting is really something you dream of breaking into, that dream is definitely not over. 

Here are a couple of steps you could take:

• Apply for other T2/boutique firms 
  • I know that sponsorship is a question - but consider applying to other T2s first since your application is already done
  •  e.g. for Kearney, in the past I know they have sponsored international students
  • You could also take the ‘do first ask later’ approach, and then figure out the likelihood of sponsorship after you land an interview/secure an offer
• Work for a while before applying to MBB
  • Lateral hiring is getting more common nowadays, so this is definitely doable and possible
• Work for a while, then get into a top MBA program and recruit for MBB
  • This is yet another path to get into MBB and in addition the MBA would be an amazing experience

I know you feel defeated and disappointed now - but take the long term view. If you look at the profiles of people who end up staying the longest (i.e. becoming a partner) in consulting, there isn't one specific profile

• There are those who join right out of college and stay all the way 
• But there are also many that join ‘later’ (i.e. post-MBA, lateral hires) and end up staying a long time too

All the best!

Hi there!

Sorry to hear about your context. 

Sometimes, you can do all the right things and still fail.

Let's look though at what you could STILL do:

1. Apply outside of the US (basically apply in the geography from which you originate). You could then transfer back to the US in around 2 years time considering that you did your education there.

2. Apply to smaller consulting firms in the US. Do the interviews with them. Get the offer. And HOPE that they will sponsor your visa application. Smaller chances but still worth it. You have nothing to lose at this point. 

3. Branch out with applications in other industries if your primary plan is to stay in the US. Pick an industry / role that shares a similar skillset with consulting. This will make a later move easier when the market recovers. 

Regardless of how things go, the most important thing to remember is that as long as you plan the long term game and yo play it well, you will always win. Just make sure that you stay in it for long enough. 

Best,
Cristian

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Hi there,

I'm sorry to hear that. It sounds like a series of unfortunate events. But even in good market conditions, the consulting recruiting process is pretty cut-throat. Networking is definitely good, but try to secure a referral if you can. That will tremendously increase your chances of at least getting a first round interview.

I don't want to repeat what other people have already written here so I keep it brief. Don't give up if a career in consulting is your desired path. It's a numbers game so apply broadly. Also, Roland Berger in the US typically sponsor international candidates if they are interested in hiring them.

Best of luck

Hi there,

sorry to hear that your recruiting experience so far is not YET what you have expected. 

Rest assured that with the profile you described, you will be getting plenty more opportunity to interview with some of the top firms - the consulting dream is by no means over. Reality is that this year, recruiting is quite tight in the US, given the macro-economic situation. That said, encourage you to stay persistent, then opportunities will come. It's just a matter of time.

In order to give some more tangible help, feel free to share your CV via DM - happy to take a quick look and help you identify why you may have struggled to pass screening and what the right next steps can look like.

Hope this helps.

Regards, Andi

Hi there,

Sorry to hear about the rejections. In terms of your questions:

1) Is my consulting dream over? 

Not yet! You can (i) apply to other companies that accept international students (if possible I would check with their HR/an insider for that) or (ii) apply in your home country for the companies you haven’t applied for, in case that might be an option.

I would recommend having someone check your CV before the next round of applications. If you had a referral most likely there are some improvements there, given you did not reach the first round.

2) Can I still re-recruit without having to do an MBA (e.g. lateral hire while working in a different industry for the first year out of undegrad)?

Yes, you can apply again after the ban period without issues before an MBA.

Good luck!

Francesco

Hello,

If you want to go into consulting, there’s absolutely no need to give up now – the dream does not have to be over yet!

First, see if any other firms sponsor internationals. For instance, in the past I believe that Strategy& and Innosight sponsored.

Second, you can always re-apply after a year, without doing an MBA. Many people go into consulting after working for 1 year elsewhere post-undergrad – I had several colleagues at McK who came in after 1 year in finance, for instance.