Senior Partner at McKinsey referred me, what to expect next

Hi there,

I think this is an interesting question that may be relevant for many people. I would be happy to share my thoughts on it:

• First of all, I would highly advise you to try to take care of the things you have control over and let the other things unfold naturally. You have made sure that you have one of the strongest referrals you could get, but now you have to wait for the decision either way.
• Moreover, it is hard to say for certain whether you will be invited for the interviews or not, especially since I haven't had a look at your application files. However, with a senior partner referral, your application always gets screened, and the probability of you being invited slightly increases.
• Still, please keep in mind that the current tight economic situation has led to a recruiting slowdown and sometimes a freeze in strategy consulting, especially with McKinsey, which has recently canceled (sometimes with the motivation to reapply in September 2023) most of its recruiting activities.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare for your upcoming McKinsey Solve and interviews, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Hi there,

Hard to predict.

What a Sr. Partner referral will do is two things:

1. Your application is guaranteed to be screened
2. Your chances to move to the interviews are slightly elevated (potentially)

There are so many other factors that are relevant + we are currently seeing a slowdown/hiring freeze in McKinsey so there is no definitive answer. You will likely know soon.

Fingers crossed!

Cheers,

Florian

Hi there,

Q: A senior partner I have been in touch with over coffee chats referred me to an office in my country. I do not have the best grades (3.0). Can I still expect an interview? 

Sure, you could still get an interview. I personally coached some candidates who had a very low GPA and managed to get an invitation regardless thanks to a strong referral.

Whether you will get the interview: we don’t know. A strong referral definitely helps but your application material (eg CV) is also very important.

Good luck!

Francesco

Hi there,

if you have a low GPA and you are coming straight out of university, a referral from a senior employee is probably the best way in order to still have a chance of getting an interview. 

It will depend also on the standing and/or tenure of said partner in the firm but in general, partner opinions carry weight. In addition, it will depend on how vocal that partner is about you being an interesting candidate for them to consider. Has he talked to you and reviewed your CV himself first or did he just trigger the referral process?

If it is the former, he is likely of the opinion that your GPA is not a dealbreaker to be a good fit for the firm and can argue that they should at least give you an interview.

With the general hiring slowdown, however, the number of interview invites is decreasing across the industry. So fingers crossed that it works out in your favor.

Best wishes

Hi there,

Congrats on getting such a high level referral!

Your odds have certainly dramatically gone up, even with the low GPA. Of course, it's not a gaurentee you'll get it. It's not a gaurentee you'll work.

Prep now as if you will get the interview.

Apply to other firms not as if you will not get the interview.

Hope for the best, prepare for the best AND the worst.

Good luck!

Hello,

It is impossible to say for sure but a referal surely guarantees that your application will be screened. It is also more likely that you may be given an interview, however it is not a guarantee.

All the best and make sure you start preparing as soon as possible for your interviews! Feel free to message me directly if you need any help with mock cases.

Best,

Rushabh

Hi there, 

Yes, you can still expect an interview. 

If they asked you to provide a CV, make sure that it's in a great shape. 

Having a referral from somebody so senior carries a lot of weight. 

Best,

Cristian

Hello A,

To my knowledge, if you have a referral from a senior partner, then you will most likely make it to the first step of the process. 

I say most likely because I can see that other people say otherwise and they might have extra information about a region I am not aware of. 

In any case, congrats on taking the referral from the senior partner, it is not easy at all!

Wish you all the best!

Victoria