Hi all,
I was able to receive referrals for McKinsey from a consultant I worked with during one of the McKinsey university student programs and was directly passed to the Solve round. I will be having Solve and first round interviews within 2 weeks (in mid June). This is for a program called Consulting Fellowship before the application for Consulting analyst (CA) role itself. So essentially the program is a 2 day interview support program after which you continue normal application for CA.
I am a final year undergrad. Unfortunately I have had some final year assignments work come up way sooner than expected which means I will have a lot of final year exam work coinciding in the same time as Solve and the interviews. Plus last week I had to spend a number of days recovering from food poisoning which took up a lot of time.
Though I have prepped for Solve I feel like I will need to shift a lot of attention to my exams and assignments now. Do you think it would be ok to reach out to my referral and recruiter to see if Solve and the interviews can be rescheduled for a later date? This would mean that I do not join the Consulting Fellowship program (CFP) but directly go in for Consulting Analyst applications. Also btw joining CFP does not guarantee entry into CA. Also need to mention in terms of networking that McKinsey university student program mentioned above was a 11 month program with them where I was exposed to and worked together with the entire team plus few consultants from foreign conuntries.
I don't want to waste the opportunity given to me through the referrals and I want to do well in Solve and the interview - but exams are also a priority right now. Feel like if I try to do all of this right now at once I will gain nothing… And if I bomb Solve or the interview will have to wait another year - where there is no guarantee of a referral again.
Also do you think this would annoy the consultant who gave the referral and my recruiter? They are both very supportive and nice, I dont want to be irritating.
Pls advice on the best approach I can take to make the most out of my referral and prep adequately for the process.
Sorry about the long winded question. Its just I worked very hard for this so I want to make the best out of it.
Thank you!
Postpone Solve game and interview process
Hello and thank you for your question.
Although I am not familiar with the details of the CF program, I highly suggest you to discuss it with your referral. Especially given you have spent time working with that person. They should be able to help you navigate the situation.
One thing to keep in mind: from being behind-the-scenes in the McKinsey interview process, I can ensure you that neither your recruiter nor your referral will have a final say whatsoever in the hiring decision.
The recruiter is here to assist you with logistics.
And your referral is here to, well, refer you. Their role ends there, as most often they are not allowed to interview you.
As a side note, I would keep in mind that your exam notes will never (or extremely rarely) be asked in your future professional life. Working for McKinsey would be the only thing that’d ever matter.
Hello there,
Congratulations on securing an interview with McKinsey. As I see it you currently face three potential scenarios:
Secure an Interview for Another Fellowship Round: If possible, check if you can interview for a later cohort of the fellowship program. These programs often run multiple times a year, though I'm unsure about the exact timings for the office of your choice. This would be the ideal scenario, allowing you additional preparation time while still enabling you to participate in the fellowship
Postpone Your Interviews and Skip the Fellowship: If joining a later fellowship cohort isn't feasible, consider requesting more time to prepare and opting to directly interview for the consulting analyst position. This would provide you with ample time to manage your current university workload and prepare thoroughly for the interviews
- Continue with Your Current Schedule: I would recommend this only as a last resort. Juggling multiple commitments simultaneously can spread you too thin, potentially increasing your stress and workload
I encourage you to discuss your options openly with your referral. They are there to support your success. Explain your thought process and seek their advice. Don’t worry about possibly annoying them. McKinsey typically appreciates when candidates request adjustments to ensure they are well-prepared, recognizing that thorough preparation benefits both the candidate and the firm. Be transparent about your current situation, your aspirations to work at McKinsey, and your commitment to excel.
Personally, if rescheduling the fellowship interview isn't an option, I would prefer scenario 2 over scenario 3. While the two days at the fellowship program are beneficial, they are unlikely to provide the extensive practice and self-study required to secure an offer from McKinsey. While the fellowship is valuable, its impact should not be overestimated.
Hope this helps, and feel free to reach out if you’d like to discuss this further.
Best regards,
Nilay
Hi there,
You are overthinking this.
You can push back your application to a date/time that suits you and no one in the firm will bat an eye. These situations happen daily for many candidates across the globe.
For most offices, even once you are in the recruiting process, you can reschedule interview dates, etc.
In short: Go ahead with your plan and focus on your grades first, then work on your McKinsey offer!
All the best,
Florian
Hi there,
Q: Do you think it would be ok to reach out to my referral and recruiter to see if Solve and the interviews can be rescheduled for a later date?
It is totally ok to ask. I would reach out to HR only, as the test and interview scheduling are managed by them. Worst case, they will say there is not an option for that.
Good luck!
Francesco
In general, don't do things just because you think somebody might be annoyed as a consequence of them.
If you don't think you're prepared for the interview or you just need more time or whatever other legitimate reason you might have, explain to those involved in a polite way what is going on.
They will definitely understand and appreciate it because it saves them from unpleasant complications later on.
Best,
Cristian
Hi there,
First of all, congratulations on the invitation from McKinsey!
I would be happy to share my thoughts on your situation:
- First of all, I would highly advise you not to start the interview process at McKinsey if you are not well prepared.
- Moreover, I'm sure both the referrer and the recruiter won't mind postponing the interview process as long as you approach the situation respectfully.
If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare for your upcoming McKinsey Solve and interviews, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.
Best,
Hagen
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