What happens when one withdraws an application?

business analyst junior associate McKinsey Recruiting timeline
New answer on Dec 30, 2020
7 Answers
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Anonymous A asked on Dec 08, 2020

Hi All,

What happens when someone withdraws an application? To make the story short: I applied for a BA position at my local office and after 3 months, the recruiter replied to me saying that the position was not open atm and they will let me know when it does. However, after a quick inspection of my CV, they recommended that I apply for the JA role, instead. After several unsuccessful attemps to reach out to them (email and calls to inquire whether I should withdraw my BA app to apply for the JA role and some other questions), I decided not to move forward with my application as I am too considering grad school, should I withdraw my application? What happens if I do so?

Thanks.

(edited)

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Best answer
Ken
Expert
replied on Dec 08, 2020
Ex-McKinsey final round interviewer | Executive Coach

As a McK alum who had an amazing recruiting experience, its always dissappointing to hear these horror stories :(

What do you mean by "what happens"? Stating the obvious but once you withdraw your application will no longer be considered and there will be record that you did so. If you are concerned about how it may be impact your future application, I would see if you can leave a reason for withdraw in the system or send another email as formality.

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Anonymous A on Dec 08, 2020

Yeah it is that. How it will impact my future application? I do not wanna be banned for the next two years when I might be applying in a year or so but not to my local office.

(edited)

Ian
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replied on Dec 08, 2020
#1 BCG coach | MBB | Tier 2 | Digital, Tech, Platinion | 100% personal success rate (8/8) | 95% candidate success rate

Hi there,

Sorry you haven't been able to reach them.

I recommend you withdraw the application. At the end of the day, you're not applying now anyway - may as well withdraw.

Regardless as to how they treat the withdrawal, you're going to grad school! By the time you re-apply, any possible ban period would have warn off (though, if they haven't actually your application, I'm confident you're safe)

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Anonymous A on Dec 08, 2020

Hi. Actually, I'm still considering grad school but I think their not response means either they don't want me and their email was just a formality or they just don't care about replying to inquiries. Don't know which is worse

Clara
Expert
Content Creator
replied on Dec 08, 2020
McKinsey | Awarded professor at Master in Management @ IE | MBA at MIT |+180 students coached | Integrated FIT Guide aut

Hello!

Sorry to hear that, it seems super frustrating not to be able to touch base with HR after their hint.

TBH, I am not sure whether withdrawing will have an effect at this point, but I think you should try. Nothing to loose at this point, since nothing is going to come out of that last application either.

Hope it helps!

Cheers,

Clara

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Vlad
Expert
replied on Dec 08, 2020
McKinsey / Accenture Alum / Got all BIG3 offers / Harvard Business School

Hi,

The withdrawal is what it is. It does not impact your future applications. They want to hire, not scare people

Best

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Gaurav
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updated an answer on Dec 08, 2020
Ex-Mckinsey|Certified Career Coach |Placed 500+ candidates at MBB & other consultancies

Hello there!

It's already been said about what happens in case of withdrawal, as for what to choose, considering grad school is great, and I agree with Ian here, withdrawing your application and reapplying after the waiting period seems a better option.
You will gain experience and can put it in your CV in the future.

Waiting for the reply would just get on your nerves.

Hope it helps.

GB

(edited)

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Antonello
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replied on Dec 30, 2020
McKinsey | NASA | top 10 FT MBA professor for consulting interviews | 6+ years of coaching

Hi,

I would do it too. Do not worry, no consequences in your situation

Best,
Antonello

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Anonymous replied on Dec 24, 2020

Hi,

Probably go ahead with your grad school application and wait until the HR come back to you. Explain your plan that you would like to apply after your grad school. I am pretty sure they would proposed a solution.

Best,
Iman

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Anonymous A on Dec 24, 2020

Im pretty sure they wont. It's been a month since I sent them an email and called them and they havent replied yet. To be honest, my only option now is just to withdraw m application. I take their non response as a 'you can apply but we're not interested'.

Anonymous on Dec 24, 2020

Probably better to leave it at that (status quo) I don't see the value of withdrawing. You can always network again after your grad school.

Anonymous A on Dec 24, 2020

Thanks for your advice, Iman. My only concern is that when the process opens they might view my CV and decide to reject me and then I could be banned for 2 years without the possibility of doing a summer internship.

Ken gave the best answer

Ken

Ex-McKinsey final round interviewer | Executive Coach
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