EM at mckinsey reaching out to schedule 1:1

Question

I just got an email from an EM at Mck who said they want to schedule a non-eval zoom meeting with me. I have a profile but have not applied for FT 2025 (i plan on it) and have never been intro'd or connected with this person before. Is this really non- evaluative? What should I prepare for? Is this a common thing that happens? What does it mean :)

Answer 1

Hi there,

It could be in case you are from a target group that they want to increase applications from :).

I can't of course exactly tell you what is the case here, but I can share from my own experience at BCG: we were often encouraged to reach out to high-potential female candidates that showed some previous interest but did not apply yet. The goal was to understand if they maybe needed some guidance or encouragement in their application process.

For the case I am describing it was truly non-evaluative, and a great chance to ask a lot of questions (so this is something I would maybe prepare for!) and tell them a little about yourself and your motivations.

Hope you have a good chat with the McKinsey EM!

Ariadna

Answer 2

Hey there,

That's a great opportunity to push your application. While it's non-evaluative, of course, impression matters.

If they agree to a chat it is important for you to make a positive impression. If that all works out, some should automatically offer you a referral.

I quote from my own article: Consultants are constantly reminded by HR to look out for potential new hires. Hence, they will automatically offer to refer you should they be convinced by your resume and the interaction they had with you. Hence, never ask for a referral directly.

Be ready to

provide your resume and cover letter
answer questions regarding your background and motivation (why you, why consulting, why McKinsey, how can you add value to their org/clients)
discuss trends / topics that are relevant for the person based on their work within the firm

Fingers crossed!

Cheers,

Florian

Answer 3

Yes, IT MATTERS. Sure, how much it matters depends on how good is the rest of your application. If everything else i... (read entire answer)

Yes, IT MATTERS. Sure, how much it matters depends on how good is the rest of your application. If everything else is great then, yes, you are likely to be just ticking a box (... (read entire answer)

Answer 4

Hi there, Exciting times! You’ve ask a couple of good questions. Let me try to answer them together. At some po... (read entire answer)

Hi there, Exciting times! You’ve ask a couple of good questions. Let me try to answer them together. At some point, the firm needs to take N number of applicants and disti... (read entire answer)

Answer 5

Hi there, There's no concrete answer here on how to optimize this! However, what I can recommend is picking the 1-2 o... (read entire answer)

Hi there, There's no concrete answer here on how to optimize this! However, what I can recommend is picking the 1-2 offices where you legitimatelly have a connection and apply t... (read entire answer)