McKinsey Analyst Position

Question

Hello PrepLounge Team,

I have a question about eligibility when it comes to applying to different geographical offices in McKinsey. I applied to McKinsey Argentina for a BUSINESS ANALYST position in September of last year and did not made it past the solve part. I recently saw a post on Handshake ( a US job posting site) of a position only called Analyst in the Quito, Ecuador office. I believe this office is wanting to hire expats due that it is on a US based job posting. I wouldn't have a problem with working rights as I am South American and would not require sponsorship in said office, my question would be, would I still be under a ban even though I am applying to another position different than the business analyst one? Should I give it a shot and apply?

More info: U.S Degree and Masters ( Non-MBA) holder, has work rights in all South American offices, has consulting internship experience.

Answer 1

This is a great question, as it is often tricky to navigate so-called “interview bans”. In short, I would recommend you apply as you seem very qualified and have already been screened positively in the past - therefore you pass the “McKinsey bar”.

A few additional details to keep in mind:

- Business Analyst and Analyst might or might not be the same position (we call them “impact level” at McKinsey). In my experience, certain LatAm offices have a pre-BA impact level. So you could be an Analyst for 1 year before becoming a Business Analyst. It is worth asking the recruiter. Essentially, the responsibilities would be the same but the pay a bit lower.

- In my experience, recruiting processes can vary greatly between offices and there is often a lack of coordination between recruiting team. Therefore, it is highly unlikely the Argentinian team would tell the Ecuadorian team about your previous application. And even if it is the case, if you have been invited to an interview in the past there is great chances you will be invited again.

I have personally hired a few consultants out of LatAm, so don’t hesitate to reach out if you have more questions!

Best of luck,

Thomas

Answer 2

Hi there,

If you have the working rights and language, it is usually not an issue to apply directly with foreign offices.
However, since you failed the application last year in September, technically you are still in the ban period, which is global. Your Solve result and everything else is saved in the system.

If you want to re-apply you would usually wait at least 12 months and demonstrate significant progress on your resume in 2/4 areas, work experience, education, time spent abroad, more leadership and impact.

If that is the case, I would always network first with relevant people in the target office for a referral- especially after a failed application - before sending a new one.

All the best,

Florian

Answer 3

Hi there,

Q: Would I still be under a ban even though I am applying to another position different than the business analyst one?

If the Analyst position you saw is still the business analyst one, the ban will still apply.

If it is a completely different position, you might want to reach out to HR or to someone who could refer you to clarify, however the Solve score will be valid for 12 months regardless.

Good luck!

Francesco