Didn't get a first round interview call for internships at top MBA. Need strategy for full time

Auch. 

I'm sorry to hear that, but yes, it does sound like you underestimated a bit the scope of the game. 

These are the areas you can really control in the process:

1. How many firms do you target, and how clear are you that you are applying for the right role at the right time (you need to align with the recruiter on this)

2 & 3 CV & CL - most people severely underestimate the level at which these documents should be. Get some expert feedback on these

4. Referral - make sure that you get a referral ideally for each firm that you're targeting. It makes a huge difference. Here are some materials on how to do that:

• Expert Guide: How To Handle Networking Calls and Get Referrals
• Expert Guide: How To Get Referrals Via LinkedIn?

You might find it useful to read this guide, which goes deeper into what you can control for an application strategy:

Expert Guide: Build A Winning Application Strategy

Best,
Cristian

Sorry to hear about your experience during the summer internship recruitment. However, it's great that you're taking proactive steps to improve your chances for the full-time recruitment in September. In my opinion you nailed the reason for not getting a call and you need to address it asap

Networking 

• Reconnect with Alumni: Use INSEAD's alumni network to connect with alumni working at your target consulting firms. Request informational interviews and ask for advice on the recruitment process.
• Attend Networking Events: Participate in any upcoming INSEAD networking events, career fairs, or consulting firm presentations.
• Set Up Coffee Chats: Reach out to consultants and recruiters for informal coffee chats. This helps build relationships and demonstrates your genuine interest in the firms.
• Leverage INSEAD's career Services: Schedule appointments with career advisors to discuss your strategy - they can also help you navigate the process especially in this tough job market

Build a strong online presence

• LinkedIn Profile: Ensure your LinkedIn profile is complete, professional, and aligns with your resume.
• Engage with Content: Share and comment on relevant industry articles, especially those related to consulting, to increase your visibility.

These are some of the main things you can do. While INSEAD has a good reputation among consulting firms, hiring is not the same as before and you are going to have to work much harder to make inroads. A coach can also help with a lot of the above if you are willing/able to work with one.

All the best,

Udayan

Hi there,

Sorry to hear about the rejection. In terms of your question:

Q: Would really appreciate a plan of action, advice, anything i can do to help me here!

First of all, I would do what you mentioned you haven’t done, which is networking to get a referral. After that, I would check if there are any improvements needed in your CV and cover letter.

Summing up, I would recommend checking the following.

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1) CV

The key elements they will look for and that you can optimize are:

• University brand
• Major
• GPA
• Work experience
• Experience abroad
• Extracurriculars and volunteer experience

Red flags include:

• Low GPA
• Lack of any kind of work experience
• Bad formatting / typos
• 3-4 pages length
• Lack of clear action --> results structure for the bullets of the experiences
• Long paragraphs (3-4 lines) for the bullets of the experiences with irrelevant details
• Long time gaps without any explanation

You can compensate for possible red flags with a referral (see point #3 below).

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2) COVER LETTER

You can structure a cover in 4 parts:

1. Introduction, mentioning the position you are interested in and a specific element you find attractive for that company.
2. Why you are qualified for the job, where you can report 3 skills/stories from your CV, ideally related to leadership, impact, drive and teamwork.
3. Why you are interested in that particular firm, with additional 1-2 specific reasons.
4. Final remarks, mentioning again your interest.

In part 2 you can write about experiences that show skills useful in consulting such as drive, problem-solving, leadership, teamwork and influencing others.

It is important that in part 3 you make your cover specific to a particular firm – the rule of thumb is, can you send the exact same cover to another consulting company if you change the name? If that’s the case, your cover is too generic.

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3) REFERRALS

To find a referral, you should follow three steps:

1. Identify the people who can help you
2. Write to them a customized email
3. Have a call and indirectly ask for a referral

You can find more information on networking and referrals here:

▶ How to Get an MBB Invitation 

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BONUS: INTERVIEW PREPARATION

After you manage to get an invitation, you will need to pass the interview. You can find more on that at the link below.

▶ How to Prepare for an MBB Interview

Good luck!

Francesco

First of all, you have to use your school's career office. They are there to help you, they have experience in these things, and they can guide you and bring in a lot of useful resources. Ask them. Use them.

Then yes, you need to network, you need to apply to a lot of firms (including boutiques), you need to review which offices you are applying to, etc.

And you definitely need your CV checked, reviewed and improved. Use your career office AND use a professional coach. If you didn't get an interview, there are really strong chances your CV is subpar, and you need it fixed (I am pretty sure the “relaxed” attitude you had towards networking was no different regarding your CV and Cover Letter).

Finally, have a PLAN B! Hope you have a nice internship anyway, and make sure you get the offer. If not, make sure you also network with corporates likely to give you a job. You don't want to go to the interviews without a back up plan to land a job after the MBA, the pressure will be tremendous and it will not help you.

Hi there,

Sorry to hear!

Unfortunately, nothing is guaranteed in this market. Hiring rates are at an all time low and you need to work and excel at each step of the application funnel, starting with networking at the very beginning.

What can you do differently for September?

1. Networking

You can still benefit from the INSEAD pull and network but you also need to show initiative on your own besides that.

• Reconnect with alumni: Utilize INSEAD’s alumni network to connect with alumni at your target consulting firms. Request informational interviews to gain insights and advice. Leverage also your peers who got offers in this cycle. They might be able to help you out already!
• Attend events: Participate in INSEAD networking events, career fairs, and consulting firm presentations.
• Set up coffee chats: Reach out to consultants and recruiters for informal coffee chats to build relationships and show your interest. This can not just help with referrals but also making sure you time your application right
• Leverage career services: Schedule appointments with career advisors to refine your strategy and get valuable guidance. This is a matter of last resort though. Uni career services are often not very helpful.

2. Enhance your application documents

• Resume and cover letter: Have your resume and cover letter reviewed by a coach. Ensure they are polished and tailored to each firm, especially the story on the cover letter.
• Referrals: Secure referrals for each firm you’re targeting, as they significantly improve your chances. This should be the natural outcome of networking.

3. Widen your search

• Target multiple firms: Apply to a wide range of firms, including smaller boutique firms, to increase your chances, interview practice, and experience.
• Review office preferences: Ensure you’re applying to the right roles and locations that align with your experience and career goals. Also, think strategically about what office hires more than others and where competition could be lower.

Finally, start prepping for interviews and recruitment tests already now to get a headstart.

Reach out if you need help!

Cheers,

Florian