Is a cover letter really necessary for McKinsey?

Hi Anonymous,

when I applied to McKinsey it was not compulsory to attach one; however the consultant who referred me said that if I had one ready I could send it as well to strengthen the application. Thus if you have a good one ready (which you probably have since other companies require it) and just have to customize it for McKinsey it could help to include it as well.

Best,

Francesco

Hi there,

No, McKinsey does not really read the cover letteres. Sometimes they may refer to your cover letter if you are really one of those "borderline cases", but as far as I know that rarely happens.

That being said, if you really have the time or if you already have a high-quality cover letter written for a different consulting firm, it does not hurt to create one for McKinsey.

Hope this helps.

Hi there, as the others have mentioned in my experience it is not necessary. However, sometimes they might ask for it later. Having said that, there is no reason to prepare it initially. 

Hi there,

Cover letters are not mandatory to apply to McKinsey but definitely they can help you to stand out among hundreds or other applicants. 

Best,

Alberto

Even if the particular office says ''not necessary'', personally I always include one. It can't hurt, the worst thing that can happen is that they don't read it at all ;) 

Hi,

The recruiting team does not read cover letters. If you have something ready, no harm in including it. But I would not spend time preparing a cover letter. That time would be better used in interview preparation. 

Thanks,

Nirmit

generally no, I would rather go through referral!

Hi,

I would use the CL:

• If you are applying yourself via the website it's part of the application
• If you apply via referral - it's not required at first but once you are invited to the interviews, they'll ask you to submit one anyway

Best

Hi there,

Usually no, only if you apply online. 

I would recommend you add it only if you're for 100% sure that's good CL.

Do you need any further help?

All the best,

GB

For most applications, a CL is not needed. However, you might need it to clarify certain aspects. E.g. if you're applying to a country where you have not lived previously (not in your CV), you might need to clarify why you're applying to that office.