I have an upcoming call with a Bain Partner in the Middle East, and I have another ongoing application in the Europe region. Should I tell him about it?

Hi there,

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

• First of all, I would advise you to mention the recent rejection from Bain, especially if you want to have the conversation with the partner to get a referral. It is very likely that you will have to wait the 12 to 18 months of ban period before you can reapply, so the partner should definitely know that.
• Moreover, you don't necessarily need to disclose whether or not you are in other application processes - besides that it's pretty obvious when someone is actively looking for a job.

You can find more on this topic here: How to deal with a rejection from a consulting company.

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

Best,

Hagen

Do tell him in the course of the discussion. 

It shouldn't represent a problem. They tend to look at these things long-term, meaning that they could still provide a referral for the upcoming cycle. 

You might also find this article helpful in terms of how to discuss with him about referrals:

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

Best,
Cristian

Yes as my colleague mentioned-- you should bring up both points as you can only be part of one home office after all. Plus, the recent rejection should be flagged early-on.

What could be helpful is to explain why you're interested in the Middle East and perhaps get his perspective on the type of projects happening across different regions. You can frame your discussion as ‘seeking his advice’ on your situation and see what he says. 

Goodluck!

Yousef

In short yes - if the partner refers you and finds out later that you have recently applied and been rejected it will reflect poorly on you. It is much better to explain the full situation to them and ask them for their guidance on how to move forward.

Hi there,

 Q: Should I mention any of the following points (i) I have an ongoing application in the Europe region with an HR referral (ii) Three months ago, I applied directly for a Consultant role through the website portal for Middle East region and got rejected.

I would disclose both points. Most likely, he will find out anyway, so I don’t see any issues disclosing it.

Best,

Francesco

Yes, you should disclose. It should even be an active part of your conversation, as you seek guidance to know how to proceed and align on your long term goals. 

The truth is that if he decides to recommend you, he will find out - and not in the right way nor from the right person.

Hi there,

Yes, you should definitely mention this - both points.

This helps the person feel in the loop and he can also provide more tailored guidance and advice.

Cheers,

Florian

You should be transparent on both the aspects - if they are for the same company. No point in hiding the information. It is what it is.

I strongly advise on being transparent with the ongoing process in Europe. His referral might not be useful now but in a potential next recruiting cycle.