Schedule mock interviews on the Meeting Board, join the latest community discussions in our Consulting Q&A and find like-minded Interview Partners to connect and practice with!
Back to overview

Struggling to find opening Experience Hire Consultant roles at top consulting firms

I am based in China and did my MBA in Europe (only speak English). I am trying to apply to experienced hire roles (generalist consultants) at top consulting firms, but it's challenging to find opening roles. I am quite flexible to locations, as I'm quite determined to continue a path in consulting.

I've tried to network with people to find openings but didn't manage to do so, and I thought it may be a good idea to exchange recruitment informations here. 

Based on people's feedback, MBB seems not actively hiring and there is still a hiring freeze (at least in China / HK). I'm wondering does anyone know whether MBB (or other tier 2 firms) are still hiring in Singapore / London / Amsterdam / Middle East, or any other English speaking regions that are welcoming foreigners)? 

Lastly, are there other more effective ways to find out which firms are hiring actively in different regions? Networking takes a lot of time but sometimes its hard to get a contact email of the firm in a region…

Any suggestion is appreciated!

7
900+
8
Be the first to answer!
Nobody has responded to this question yet.
Top answer
Deleted user
on Jul 07, 2023

Hello,

This is going to depend by office/firm/role, but I have seen some candidates get hired in Germany, UK, and Middle East over the past few months. Regarding the strategy to find this out more concretely, you are doing the right thing - keep reaching out to people who work in the offices you are interested in applying for, and visit companies' websites to see if any updated applications are posted.

18
on Jul 07, 2023
#1 Coach for Sessions (4.500+) | 1.500+ 5-Star Reviews | Proven Success: ➡ interviewoffers.com | Ex BCG | 10Y+ Coaching

Hi there,

1) Does anyone know whether MBB (or other tier 2 firms) are still hiring in Singapore / London / Amsterdam / Middle East

Some of my candidates do have interviews with MBB in the UK and the Middle East scheduled in the next weeks. Please keep in mind there could be differences also due to the seniority of the candidate / target role.

2) Lastly, are there other more effective ways to find out which firms are hiring actively in different regions? 

The best way to get real up-to-date information is that you connect with current consultants in those offices, which is useful in any case to get a referral.

You can find more on networking/referrals below:

▶ How to Get an MBB Invitation

▶ The Exact Steps to Get a Referral

Good luck!

Francesco

Agrim
Coach
on Aug 05, 2023
#1 Awarded Coach | BCG Dubai Project Leader | Master Casing in only 3 Hours | 10y in Consulting | Free Intro Call

Hiring waves are getting more and more unpredictable these days. Some companies are on, some are frozen, some locations are on, some are frozen.

Middle-east is generally a fairly active region for recruiting, but the competition is fierce. Happy to guide you in your quest - pls feel free to write me with more details.

Ian
Coach
on Jul 07, 2023
Top US BCG / MBB Coach - 5,000 sessions |Tech, Platinion, Big 4 | 9/9 personal interviews passed | 95% candidate success

Hi there,

A candidate of mine was just given an offer by BCG yesterday.

Plenty are getting interviews.

Is the market great? Nope. Is hiring still happening? Absolutely!

I agree, it absolutely is challenging, but I recommend you take a second look a 1) Your networking approach and 2) your resume.

I've seen interviews/hiring happening recently in all of the places you just listed (except Amsterdam, which I just don't have news on).

Network through LinkedIn, not email! There is a right way to network and many wrong ways!

Pedro
Coach
on Jul 08, 2023
Bain | EY-Parthenon | Former Principal | 1.5h session | 30% discount 1st session

Recruitment is more active in the Middle East right now.

Just a couple of notes:

- There is no formal hiring freeze. There may be very slow hiring, or delayed entry, but recruitment hasn't stopped.

- If you don't find an opening through networking, it doesn't mean that there isn't one at the company you are targeting. So you should apply anyway.

on Jul 07, 2023
Ex-BCG Principal | 8+ years consulting experience in SEA | BCG top interviewer & top performer

Hi,

I'm from Singapore and still have networks in MBB. Some MBB in SEA are still hiring but only for 1) Manager & above; 2) Industry expertise

In terms of finding out which firms are hiring, unfortunately networking is still the most reliable way, especially if you are in contact with the recruiters themselves. You could also try LinkedIn - BCG SEA does post open roles there, but may not be the same for all firms.

All the best!

on Jul 07, 2023
#1 rated McKinsey Coach

Hi there, 

Sorry to hear about the situation. It's indeed a rather tough period at the moment. 

Regarding MBB: London is definitely hiring. I have a few candidates interviewing there now. Middle East offices also are. As well as German offices. I don't know specifically about Singapore. 

But it doesn't matter, funnily enough. These things change rather quickly, even from one day to the other. What you need is a strategy that goes beyond these market fluctuations. You need to identify multiple targets and then do a great job of increasing your chances of passing screening (which comes down to having a great CV, cover letter and referral). 

I wrote a guide specifically for this purpose that you might find useful:

Best,
Cristian

Similar Questions
Consulting
McKinsey Recruitment Process
on Aug 12, 2024
Global
2
3.1k
Top answer by
Florian
Coach
1400 5-star reviews across platforms | 600+ offers | Highest-rated case book on Amazon | Uni lecturer in US, Asia, EU
77
2 Answers
3.1k Views
Consulting
How should I explain a change in course at university? Will it be asked of me?
on Apr 14, 2025
Global
10
3.7k
Top answer by
Alessa
Coach
xMcKinsey & Company | xBCG | +200 individual & group coachings | feel free to schedule a 15 min intro call for free
81
10 Answers
3.7k Views
+7
Consulting
Just did the Mckinsey Solve Game (January 2025) - got some questions/insights
on Apr 24, 2025
Global
5
4.0k
Top answer by
Hagen
Coach
#1 recommended coach | >95% success rate | 8+ years consulting, 8+ years coaching and 7+ years interviewing experience
42
5 Answers
4.0k Views
+2
How likely are you to recommend us to a friend or fellow student?
0 = Not likely
10 = Very likely
Thanks for your feedback! Your opinion helps us make PrepLounge even better.