Application process advice for UAE office for MBB

Question

Hi,
I am planning to apply to Dubai office very soon and need some advice related to what's the best mode to apply. To give a background I moved to Dubai about a year back and don't have network within the MBB in UAE. I see following three ways to apply:

1. Apply directly on the firms' websites
2. Apply through friends working in MBB ( working at a junior associate/associate level) but in offices of my native country
3. Try to reach out to people in Dubai office via Linkedin and request for a meeting and CV review and request for referral

It'll be great if someone who has worked in region can advice what's the best to maximize my chances to get an interview call.

Answer 1

While I can't speak to the Middle East specifically, having someone refer you (the more senior, the better) will always improve your chances of getting interviewed.

Therefore, if you are concerned about not receiving interviews, I would start with your 3rd option (trying to reach out to Dubai office MBB consultants), and as a fallback ask for a referral from your friends at MBB in other countries.

Another idea is to find out what recruitingevents these firms are hosting which you could attend - If you are in the region, they might be hosting recruiting events at either local Universities (like the NYU Abu Dhabi campus) or AUB in Lebanon.

Hope this helps!

Alessandro

Answer 2

Hi,

The first option does not give you any guarantees.

The 3rd option is quite hard to execute and does not have any additional pros if the person who makes a referral is based locally (usually he has to select several offices you are applying to anyway).

Definitely, the 2nd option is the best one:

The consultant makes you a reference in the system and uploads your resume. Usually, he has to indicate why he thinks you are a good candidate
You skip some steps in the recruiting process (CV screening at McK, Test at Bain)
The consultant gets a referral bonus ($) if you get a job offer

The conversion to reference will be higher among consultant / manager level people who are still interested in the referral bonus. The basic idea is to ask these people for a mock interview.

Good luck!

Answer 3

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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 4

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Answer 5

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