McKinsey ban period

Question

Hello,

I applied for the business analyst role at mckinsey and got rejected after second round. I would like to apply for Junior Associate now. Is it possible for me to apply for the second position since I got rejected from the first position?

Thank you,

Tina

Answer 1

Hi Tina,

First of all, I am sorry to hear about the rejection from McKinsey! I would be happy to share my thoughts on your question:

First of all, McKinsey typically enforces a ban period of 12-24 months before a candidate can reapply. This is to give both you and the firm time to grow and gain new experiences.
Moreover, applying for a Junior Associate role immediately after being rejected for a Business Analyst position might raise questions about your strategy and understanding of the firm's hiring process. It’s crucial to reflect on the feedback given, if any, and work on the areas of improvement.
Lastly, I would highly advise you to focus on expanding your skillset and perhaps gaining more experience before reapplying. This not only enriches your profile but also demonstrates a commitment to personal development, which is highly valued at consulting firms.

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 your specific situation, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Answer 2

Hi there,

Sorry to hear you didn't make it through the interviews. Three things on your post:

The role you apply at McKinsey is based on your previous experience. Depending on the geography, you typically need 3-4 years of professional experience to be elegible to the Junior Associate role.
After you get rejected in your interviews, there is a ban period of 12 months (it might be longer depending on the office). Check with your recruiting contact how long this ban period is in your case and when you'll be able to re-apply.
If you are not doing it already, I suggest you work on a broader application strategy including other firms to diversify risks.

Best,

Alberto

—

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

Answer 3

Hi there,

Opinions differ on this because it is indeed different for different roles and offices and that’s a fact.

Here’s my experience with McKinsey:

ROLE EXAMPLE: If you got rejected after interviewing for an internship role as part of MBA campus recruitment, you’re not banned from applying and interviewing for the FT Associate role in the same period (at least in some offices). However, in your case and assuming it’s for the same office, I would expect a 12 month ban.

OFFICE EXAMPLE: You may be banned in office (country) x but not in office (country) y. If office y really wants you and doesn’t have the same talent pool available as country x, they can get a special permission to interview you despite the ban.

The above examples are based on real data points that I’m very familiar with. However, there’s no rule that applies across the board in all offices and situations so please don’t take it as general truths.

Hope this helps. Best of luck!

Moritz

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Answer 4

Hi there,

Sorry to hear about the rejection. In terms of your question:

Q: Is it possible for me to apply for the second position since I got rejected from the first position?

The junior associate position is above the business analyst one at McKinsey. I would not recommend applying for it during the ban period, given they just rejected you for the position below it.

If you still want to apply during the ban, I would recommend the following:

Wait at least 6 months.
Look for a referral, if possible in a different country.
Talk to the person and ask if there is an opportunity in that country.
Disclose the previous rejection to them (as most likely they will find out anyway).
If they say no, wait for the end of the ban. If they say yes, let them talk with HR to check if there is an option.

You can find more on referrals here:

▶ How to Get an MBB Referral

Good luck!

Francesco

Answer 5

Hello,

Usually it's 12 month minimum. The thing is that you need to bring additional value to your resume before to re apply. SO overall you need to have at least 2-3 years of prof experience that can be valued by McKinsey (going in a boutique is not really value addition).

So 2 options :

- You search for a corporate job that creates value on your resume

- You have a larger scope of consulting firm you target

Cheers

Answer 6

Hi there,

You're going to have to wait 12 months.

This is the importance of networking AND coaching! (Through this you'll see where you're the best fit, and you'll maximize your chances)

That said, head up! Getting past the 1st round is already an achievement, even if it doesn't feel like it.

Build off of this - re-apply in a year AND apply to all the other firms out there!

Answer 7

Hi Tina!

Basically, if you apply for any role at any office and you get rejected at any stage, you shouldn't apply for a year.

That's quite typical across most of the large firms.

If the one period has passed, then you should be fine to apply. If not, check in with the recruiter and ask if you could apply slightly earlier. At times, they are flexible with these conditions - one-year is not set in stone and calculated as 365 days from when you failed.

Good luck!
Cristian

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Answer 8

There is no official ban, recruiters will want to see a significant additional experience on your CV prior to considering you again. This might be in 12 months but might take longer (e.g., completion of a new education or at least 12-24 months of work experience somewhere else). Warm regards, Frederic

Answer 9

Hi Tina,

Unfortunately no. You will have to wait for 6-24 months before your next application, depending on your interview performance.
If you manage to acquire relevant work experience during this period or get an MBA (I don't recommend it, though), you can apply for a higher position (SBA / JA).

I would still not get hung up on McKinsey and try other firms in the meantime.

Good luck!
Nick

Answer 10

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