If an MBB firm takes a long time to give a final offer for a summer internship after final round, is it a good sign or a bad sign?

While it’s hard to know for sure, what’s most likely happening is that they are deciding how many people they want to hire next year and are going to give an offer based on that number. Unfortunately there’s not that much you can do at this stage. It’s not really a reflection of you and your performance but more the demand for consulting in the upcoming year. 

Hi there, 

Q: Should I interpret this as a positive or negative sign?

Normally, offers are extended within a few days. On the other hand, it is unusual to wait so long for a rejection. 

Most likely, they don’t have visibility about the internal project pipeline and related recruiting needs and would like to have a clear picture of that before extending an offer. Another common reason for delays is when interviewers don’t manage to align on the performance, but this seems unlikely in this case, given it’s already been 30 days that you are waiting.

Overall, it seems your performance was good enough to be considered for an offer, but they don't yet have visibility to extend one.

Good luck!

Francesco

Hi there,

First of all, congratulations on passing all stages of the hiring process with that consulting firm!

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

• First of all, it's crucial to understand that the hiring process at consulting firms can be highly variable. The fact that they've maintained communication and acknowledged your situation is a good sign. It indicates they are considering your application seriously and are mindful of your deadlines.
• Moreover, given that you've already informed them about another offer and they've assured you a response before its deadline, it shows they are trying to accommodate your circumstances. This responsiveness is generally positive, reflecting that they value your interest and effort in wanting to join them.
• Lastly, I would advise you to stay patient and keep a positive outlook. The process may be lengthy, but your proactive approach and the firm's acknowledgment suggest that you are still in contention. In the meantime, preparing for either outcome can be beneficial.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on your specific situation, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Hi there,

It is generally a bad sign.

Of course, if you mapped the correlation of offer with time, it would be downward sloping.

Read: downward sloping, not zero.

It's likely they  a) Have sent an offer to another candidate who has yet to make a decision and/or b) Are working out their pipeline and headcount requirements

If you have to (i.e. offer deadline reached), accept the other offer you have. You need assume it's a rejection. One bird in the hand is better than 2 in the bush.

It's a non-sign. 

Sometimes, they take long because they can't coordinate all the interviewers to get on one call. 

More recently, it's because they are unclear of whether they can still hire in the context of the industry being a bit down. 

But if you've been waiting for 30 days, that's certainly long and unacceptable. Anything over 2 weeks is not ok from my point of view. 

Follow-up with them with a polite email asking for an update.

And if you're having a bad feeling about it, invest that energy into applying for other roles. Even if the worst happens, you are at least one step ahead to getting other applications going.

Best,
Cristian

Hi there,

At the moment that is unfortunately quite common due to unclear hiring targets and an unstable economy.

It's neither positive nor negative as if they would like to reject you they could have done 30 days ago!

Fingers crossed for a positive outcome,

Florian

Hi there,

sorry to hear about this situation of uncertainty. It sounds like you have taken all the right steps to keep the chance of getting the MBB offer alive from your end. 

30 days after the final round is a long time - too long in my opinion. You are likely on some form of waitlist in case some of the candidates they already extended the offers to decline. 

So should you approach the deadline of the offer you already have, you should take that offer in case you do not hold a written offer from the MBB firm in your hands at this time.

In a nutshell, a long period of silence after a final round isn't necessarily a bad sign but it certainly is NOT a good sign.

Fingers crossed that you still receive your top choice offer.

It is a sign they are taking long to make a decision, and that can be for N different reasons. The vast majority of them have 0% correlation with you getting the job.

Neither good or bad. It means they haven't made a final decision.

You can check how the recruiting process works from an internal MBB perspective here:

MBB Hiring Hacks - Behind the Curtain Secrets

Best,

Alberto

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Check out my latest case based on a real MBB interview: Sierra Springs