Can I apply to different roles and geographies at Mckinsey ?

Hello, 

I suggest you give it a go and apply for both positions, especially if you have a referral for both. 
There is one very important thing to keep in mind when applying to McKinsey, especially outside of the traditional college/MBA track: McKinsey is a highly decentralized organization with loosely coordinated recruiting processes. 

Essentially, each McKinsey office (especially from different continents) is a different legal entity. Although there is a central platform with similar recruiting guidelines, hiring needs might look quite different from one office to the other. 

This is even more true when you apply to a specific cell (i.e., the PEPI practice) vs an office. PEPI will look for specific skills and knowledge, with different people involved than the traditional Generalist process through an office. 

As long as you can articulate to yourself and others why you want to apply to both, I don’t see a world where the MEO recruiting team calls the PEPI team telling them “this person is applying to too many options, we should turn them down”. The multiple referrals mean that you have strong pulls from various parts of the Firm, which is a good sign. 

No, you can't. 

Basically, you can only have one application at the time in the recruitment pipeline with McKinsey (and most other firms). 

I've seen situations when candidates had two applications but it was just because the recruitment systems were not integrated across regions. 

Still, eventually, the recruiter figures it out and asks you to drop one. 

So my recommendation would be that you speak with the McKinsey recruiter and figure out what role would be best for you and then only apply for that one.

You might also find this as a useful read if you're currently preparing your application:

Expert Guide: Build A Winning Application Strategy

Best,
Cristian

Hi there, 

Q: Can I apply to both positions?

Normally, you can be considered only for one position at a given time, and if you are rejected, there is a ban period before you can apply again. If you apply to both roles, most likely they will consider you for one position only anyway and disregard the other application.

For this reason, I would recommend choosing the position you consider better overall and applying for that particular position. If you are rejected, you can then reach out to the second person who could refer you, disclose the previous rejection and ask if they can help by talking directly with HR. If HR confirms you can apply, you can do so, otherwise you can wait until the end of the ban period.

Good luck!

Francesco

You can apply but it will not work in your favor. McKinsey has a global application site, so every office can see all your other applications. 

Hi there,

Not a good idea as Udayan already mentioned.

I'd focus all resources and energy on the role you prefer!

Cheers,

Florian

You can, but in that case, it will be Mckinsey choosing which one they prefer (and please notice that doesn't necessarily mean higher chances of being hired). Pick the one you prefer and go for that one.

Hi there,

I would be happy to share my thoughts on your question:

• Although you can apply for different geographies (in a specific order, not in parallel), it is generally not possible to apply for different roles at the same time.

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

Best,

Hagen