BCG interviewer reached out to connect after final round rejection

Hey there,

Seems like you got really close to a pass! Being asked to reapply within 6 months is an indicator of that (usually 12-24 months freeze period).

As for the call, your objective should be to set things in motion for 6 months from now. This means primarily developing a good relationship with the interviewer, so that she/he can and will support your application when the time comes.

Secondly, ask for concrete advice on how to spend those 6 months wisely to improve in key areas. This shows your ability to take on feedback and do something about it, which is key when it comes to consulting.

As for the scripted story telling and lack of case drive, this is something us coaches help with all the time and it makes a huge difference - would definitely consider taking advantage of this opportunity.

Feel free to reach out if there's anything more you'd like to know! Best of luck!

Hi,

Sorry you did not get the offer this time. It happens and understandably is disappointing after all the prep. On the other hand, it sounds like they genuinely think you had potential and want to encourage you to re-apply. If you are keen to do so, I would put in some work to get to a good place from an interview perspective and very importantly stay in touch with the recruiter and anyone else you have built a relationship with. This will help immensely as you re-apply.

Udayan

It seems that you have all the skills and resume to land an offer at an MBB! Being called to an interview and having a final round is definitely a great signal.

Q1: How to prepare for PEI but still maintain your “naturality”?

tip #1 - adapt your story to the interviewer
You should understand the key points you will mention in your story, but as in any conversation try to read the interviewer's reactions to adapt your story. For instance, when talking about a failure story, try to see in which parts the interviewer is more engaged and put a little bit more color in this part of the story.

tip #2 - create multiple versions of the same story
A good way to train this is to practice telling the story in different ways, using different words -  you will learn that a story can be told in different ways and minimize the risk of  “telling the story in a not rehearsed way” 

tip #3 - add emotions
Add emotion to your story, in normal life when we are telling a story we often tell the facts but also react to the facts. Hence, you are allowed to smile, to change your tone of voice and act you are telling the story to a work collegue. Of course this is easier said then done, but switching you mind from “this is a test”  to “I'm telling a story” can help you add natural emotions and behave in a less scripted way.

Q2: What to do when being called to another interview after a rejection?

tip #1 - prepare to the meeting as another PEI interview
Every interaction with someone from the company, especially someone during the interview process is another chance of showing you skills and fit with the company. Hence, it is always good to prepare for the interaction (eg: look at the person profile, think about questions you would like to ask, think about the topics you discussed and/or things that you would like to add to the previous conversation)

tip #2 - reflect upon the possible meeting outcomes
Before arriving at the meeting think about the possible outcomes and what is the outcome you wish for. This could be: an invite to another interview, feedback on your previous interview, information about the company, help to re-apply, and so on.  If the person is willing to talk to you is already a good sign and you should reflect upon how this meeting could help you in your recruiting process and/or future career in the company. This reflection should be realistic

tip #3 - honesty and transparancy

 

Hey there,

My hypothesis:

You almost made it and the interviewer really liked you so they want to provide you with very targeted feedback on how to improve over the next 6 months to get the best chance next time.

All the best!

Florian

Hi there,

Sorry to hear about the rejection. 

Q: Any idea what I should expect from this call or if I should prepare anything?

I would definitely take the opportunity of the call to connect more with the interviewer. If you build a good relationship, when you apply again in 6 months you can reach out to him and let him know you applied – it should help to ensure you land a new invitation.

I don't think you have anything to prepare for it, it is likely going to be an informal chat.

Hope this helps,

Francesco

Ah shoot, I wish you had met with one of us! Overly scripted behavioral/fit stories is a huge killer - a lot of people read what's online and fail to actually still be a person while interviewing!

That said, sounds like they really liked you. This is all very promising. Re-apply in 6 months, and, when you do 1)Tell your contacts that you're re-applying and 2) Be yourself!

Excellent, well done. Great news, stay in touch with this interviewer and prep your story. It seems you really almost passed and they want you to keep the firm in good regards. Also being asked to reapply in 6 months is a great plus, that is a relatively short time frame.

He's just making sure you are on the radar so he will remind you of applying again in 6 months.

Did BCG send rejection mail just after your interview? After how many days?

If it was your second time. you should have hired a coach or prepared differently. You can’t do the same thing over and over again and expect different result.It has a name and it is called madness.