MBB applications with or without referral?

Hi there,

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

• First of all, unfortunately, no one can seriously answer the question of how applying with a referral will help you more than without one in your specific situation.
• Moreover, however, why would you even want to apply without a referral if it may increase your chances of getting past the screening stage, the stage where most candidates are rejected?
• Lastly, I would highly advise you not to listen to hearsay unless the recruiters tell you so.

You can find more on this topic here: How to succeed in the final interview round.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare for your upcoming applications, pre-interview assessments and/or interviews, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Pls refer to my answer in this question (while for MBB Dubai, is still relevant for all other territories on any given day) - https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/referrals-mbb-dubai-22050

I recommend my students to always get a referral. With the current situation of the market - I am seeing even some referrals not getting screened (let alone direct apps).

Getting a referral greatly increases the probability of your CV screening, while also reducing the time to reach interview stage.

Friend-of-friend connections are usually better, but attempting cold-calls can also work. Cold-call referrals could be stronger since the referree would be vetting you properly before they refer you (as opposed to a familiarity-based referral from a friend-of-friend).

In order to pitch for a referral, you need to be well-prepared on your CV and FIT answers. You need to be able to sell your profile well, and you need the right CV to back it up. If your profile is not interesting, your outreach will not be picked up.

Happy to discuss referral and application related preparation matters with you - feel free to drop me a message and we can connect.

Hey there, 

Ultimately, you should prioritize having a strong CV and profile! This is what recruiters are looking for when doing the screening of your CV. If your profile and CV don't meet the standards, even a referral won't help. 

But don't get me wrong... a referral - especially from a more senior consultant like a Partner is helpful, as it signifies to the recruiters that leaders in the firm see potential in you, and this would add more weight in the mind and screening process to the recruiters. Also, having referrals can help unblock bottlenecks in your application or help with information sharing (so you won't be in the dark when sometimes things go quiet).

So my biggest advice is definitely to seek a referral, but don't neglect having a strong CV and profile!

All the best!

Hi,

A referral is a helpful boost, but it doesn't replace the need for a solid application. The core of a solid application are a strong CV, relevant experience included in your cover letter and excellent interview performance.

Mattijs

For BCG, a referral from a consultant means you get your CV screened, which can be advantageous especially if you fall between the cracks/don't fit into traditional hiring routes and thus can be challenging to get your CV reviewed.

Does it help in terms of seniority? Lot's of people will tell you that seniority matters.. there's no hard and fast rule here and its of course very context dependent... but here's my take on it:

• Consultant referred your CV -> recruiting team will review your CV, but maybe they might slip on it and take longer than normal process
• A senior partner referring your CV -> recruiting team will review your CV and definitely not forget about it, they will probably do it faster than the CV that came from the Consultant
• In either scenario above, if your CV is not strong / up to the mark, the screeners are going to reject your profile anyway
• The only way that someone is going to let you through the process EVEN IF your profile is NOT strong/doesnt meet the requirements, is if you are a "relationship hire", and even then these are very rare in consulting versus say the heydays of banking

So unless you are the kid of a CEO that is a key client or potential client of the firm....my take is that getting a referral is better than not having one, if you can't get a senior one, its not the end of the world. But you can't compromise on the strength of your application. 

Hi everyone, from my experience at MBB a referral can add some value, particularly if it comes from a senior person, but it doesn’t guarantee you an invitation, and if you don’t have one your application will still be judged primarily on the strength of your CV and overall fit; Best, Alessa

Hi there,

If you have a connection in your target office, I’d say it would always be worth leveraging that connection and apply via referral. There is more upside and no downside. Even though it doesn’t guarantee passing the bar, it mitigates the risk of your application gets lost in the hundreds of applications by accident. Seniority wise – the speed of response from the recruiting team could be faster if the person referring you is more senior.

Best,
Emily

Hi there,

Without knowing your resume it's impossible to tell.

If you hit all the boxes, it's okay to apply without a referral most of the time (currently, it's extremely competitive with lower offer rates)

If your resume is okay but misses the "wow-factor" (not my term), a referral CAN make the difference.

As regards the seniority, EM+ would be great but also a more junior referral can help!

All the best,

Florian

Hey,

NEVER apply without a referral. Besides, it doesn't take too much effort to find one. Just network through LinkedIn and reach out to your network of contacts.

Good luck!
Nick