Radio silence after 1st round interviews with 2 MBBs

Hi there,

The honest answer is that the more time that passes, the lower the odds. That said, you're not out of the running until they actually tell you they are.

It is possible that they're waiting until EoY to better understand pipelines and align Partners for interviews. It might be that they're waiting to see if a top choice accepted the offer.

You should operate as if you have been rejected - that is, keep networking with and applying to lots of other firms.

Now, if they do both reject you after the 1st round, then something is wrong with your casing. Think about getting a coach, and, please read the following to get a bit of a mindset shift in your approach to casing!

The Most Common Pitfalls in Case Interview Preparation
 

Dos and Don'ts in a Case Interview
 

How to Shift Your Mindset to Ace the Case
 

Candidate-Led Cases: What to Expect With Example Cases

It's understandable that waiting for feedback and updates after interviews can be challenging. Here are some suggestions for each scenario:

For the First MBB:

Follow Up Strategically:

• Since it has been 1.5 months, it's reasonable to follow up for an update. Consider sending a polite email expressing your continued interest in the role and inquiring about the status of your application.

Be Patient:

• While waiting, also be aware that the hiring process can sometimes take longer than expected. The lack of response might not necessarily mean rejection, but it's reasonable to seek clarification.

For the Second MBB:

Contact the Hiring Manager:

• Given that the HR representative mentioned positive feedback, it's a good idea to reach out to the hiring manager. Express your continued interest in the position and inquire about the next steps. It's possible that they may be awaiting your confirmation or additional information.

Show Initiative:

• Contacting the hiring manager doesn't make you look uninterested; in fact, it demonstrates your eagerness and initiative. Politely communicate that you are looking forward to progressing in the hiring process and would appreciate any guidance on the next steps.

Be Clear in Your Communication:

• Mention that you attended the MBB event, received positive feedback, and are excited about the opportunity. Seeking clarification on the timeline and next steps is a reasonable request.

General Tips:

Manage Expectations:

• While it's natural to seek timely updates, be prepared for the possibility of delays in the hiring process.

Professional Communication:

• Keep your communication professional and courteous. Avoid sounding impatient or frustrated, even if you're anxious about the outcome.

Plan Next Steps:

• If you receive confirmation of rejection from the first MBB, consider initiating the ban period and focusing on other opportunities. If you progress in the second MBB's process, use the feedback and insights to prepare for the next round.

Remember, communication is key, and expressing your continued interest in a respectful manner is generally well-received. Good luck!

Taking all the information into account, I feel it is the opposite. That you are a good candidate, and they are waiting to confirm that they will have enough openings to make you move to the next round.

Of course you can see this the glass half-empty: that you did not have the stellar performance that would ensure you the next round even if they just had a very limited number of seats.

In short, you seem to be on a waitlist - not in terms of waiting for others to give up, but in terms of confirming that there will be room to hire you.

Hi there,

I can understand why this is an uncomfortable situation. While not unheard of, waiting for over a month for feedback on whether or not you made the next round is a long time. The decisions are typically made in an alignment meeting between all interviewers and HR shortly after the interviews.

Potential reasons for your experience could be

• the firms do not have budget / headcount clarity yet for the next year and want to slow down the process so they keep all active candidates in a holding pattern
• they don't see an option to have enough senior interviewers for the 2nd round interviews since end of year is busy - so they kick the can down the road
• you are on a “waitlist” as a backup and they want to see if other “top choice” candidates will accept their remaining offers before continuing further recruiting

Either way, in your case it was only the 1st round and not the final round yet. So you need to keep recruiting with other firms if you don't want to lose a lot of time.

Best of luck

Hello there! I understand your concerns about the radio silence after your 1st round interviews with the MBBs. Let's address each situation separately:

For the first MBB, it's been 1.5 months since your interview, and despite your attempts to reach out to the hiring manager, you haven't received any response. While it's frustrating not to receive a clear answer, it's important to remember that MBB firms have their own timelines and processes. I would recommend giving it a bit more time before assuming rejection. If you haven't heard back after a reasonable period, you can consider reaching out to the HR team for an update.

Regarding the second MBB, you received positive feedback from both interviewers and were told that you should move forward to the 2nd round. However, you haven't received a call from the hiring manager yet. In this case, it's best to exercise patience and wait for the hiring manager to reach out to you. It's possible that there may be delays or other factors at play. You won't appear uninterested if you don't reach out, as you were given positive feedback and were told to expect contact. However, if a significant amount of time passes without any communication, you can consider sending a polite follow-up email to inquire about the next steps.

Remember, the hiring process can vary from firm to firm, and there can be unforeseen delays. It's important to stay proactive but also patient during this time. I wish you the best of luck with your applications and hope you receive positive news soon!

Hi there,

1) Do you think that I've been rejected from the 1st MBB? 

It's difficult to say for sure whether you've been rejected without any communication from them. However, the lack of response after more than one month and multiple attempts to reach out doesn't seem like a great sign.

2) Should I contact the hiring manager of the 2nd MBB or should I wait for her call? Will I look uninterested if I don't reach out to her?

Given that one month has passed since the interview, it is fine to reach out.

Good luck!

Francesco

Hi there,

One possible explanation for your situation is that recruiters and interviewers of all MBB firms are under the water during this time of the year. If you had been officially rejected you would have already received the corresponding communication.

I suggest you keep following up with recruiters every 1-2 weeks. In the meanwhile, you can also take a look at how MBB recruiting processes internally work in this article:

https://www.preplounge.com/en/articles/mbb-hiring-hacks-behind-the-curtain-secrets

Best,

Alberto

—

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

Wow, this is crazy. 

Sorry to hear. It really sounds unfortunate, though I'm hearing more and more often about people who are waiting for too long to hear back following their final rounds. 

The only thing that you can do is keep following up. They will answer eventually (they always do). The issue that they're having is that they're reluctant to give offers now at the start of the year (though the pressure they're putting you through is not fair). 

If you're not totally put off by the idea, I'd also recommend you apply to other roles as well. It will put your nerves to rest and give you some other options to work with. 

Best,
Cristian

Hi there,

that is definitely not good practice for MBB to let candidates wait for 1.5 months. Which office are you dealing with?

Don't give up before you have a final written feedback.

Best

Freddy 

Hi,

I would definitely follow-up with the recruiter. It's always better to be proactive compared with just sitting and waiting for the things to come.

Good luck!
Nick