re There Application Limits for Consulting Firms? + Reference Question

Hi there,
 

Here’s what I can share based on my experience:

1. Application Limits at Consulting Firms

MBB firms (McKinsey, BCG, Bain) generally have cooling-off periods of around 6–12 months between applications, though this varies by region and office. For example:
    •    McKinsey: Typically enforces a 6-month waiting period before reapplying, but some offices require 12 months if you were rejected in final rounds.
    •    BCG & Bain: Similar policies, with some flexibility depending on the reason for rejection.

For Tier 2 firms (EY-Parthenon, Strategy&, Monitor Deloitte, etc.), policies are less standardized but generally follow a similar pattern:
    •    EY-Parthenon & Strategy&: Usually enforce a 6–12 month wait after a rejection, though reapplying to a different office may be possible sooner.
    •    Monitor Deloitte & Roland Berger: Often more flexible, especially if applying for a different role, office, or practice area.
    •    Kearney, Oliver Wyman, L.E.K.: Also follow a 6-month to 1-year reapplication window, depending on the office and how far you progressed in the process.

Key Takeaway: If you were rejected after interviews, expect a 6–12 month cooling period at most strategy consulting firms. If you were rejected during resume screening, you may be able to reapply sooner, especially to a different office.

2. Referral Eligibility Across Offices & Countries

Referrals don’t always need to come from the exact office or country where you’re applying, but local referrals are usually stronger. Here’s how it works in practice:
    •    Same firm, different country? ✅ Generally acceptable. For example, an EY-Parthenon consultant in Italy can refer you for a role in Luxembourg. However, some offices prefer local referrals due to differences in hiring processes.
    •    Different business unit? ❌ Less effective. A referral from EY Audit or Tax won’t carry much weight for EY-Parthenon.
    •    Best-case scenario? A consultant or manager from the same practice area and region (e.g., EY-Parthenon Strategy in Western Europe referring you for an EY-Parthenon role in Luxembourg).

If you can, get multiple referrals—one from your target office and another from the same firm in a different region. This maximizes your visibility while ensuring your application is prioritized.

Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any follow-up questions.

Best,
Evelina

Hi,

All the consulting firms apply a ban period, which is typically 12 months. It's best to reach out to the respective company to get the exact timeline.

You can always use a referral of another office, but this has less value vs. a referral of someone from the same office.

Mattijs

Hi there,

1. You can apply many times and to different roles simultaneously for the first time.

2. If you are selected for a specific role and do not pass evaluations, first rounds or second rounds, you will enter in a ban period. Depending on the firm and role, you cannot apply for any consulting role for 6 or 12 months. 

3. You can apply to different offices if you get a referral link. However, that is something you need to communicate that to the person who sent you the link and also to the recruiter. Otherwise, you can complicate your chances because there are limited slots per office and/or system slots. Although you get in the process through a referral link, your story and preferences must be clear before the interviews. 

Best,

Carlos

Hi there,

my 2 cents here:

Application Limits: yes there are application limits with respect to the earliest time you can reapply. Typically 6-12 months. This is to allow for significant personal and professional development from one application to the next. 

Referrals: I have personally referred people at BCG across regions. However, the closer the person referring you is to the office that you are targeting the better in my experience.

Reach out in case you want to talk more! Always happy to help.

Lukas

1. You will usually have a 6-18 month "ban" period.

2. Referrals work differently between Strategy firms and Big4. Strategy consulting firms will operate at a global scale with integrated offices and processes. But Big 4 in general will have office based recruiting, meaning that a referral from another office may not be valid (no process to do that). My suggestion is that you check with the person willing to give you a referral.

BONUS: on the other hand, in some cases it is possible to apply independently to multiple offices (from different countries) in a Big 4. Beware that between some countries and for some practices they may share information and have a common pool. But taken in consideration your example... it might be possible to apply separately to those two offices (your target one, and the one for which you have a referral).

Hello,

Most consulting firms have a ban period - 12 months is most common but it can range from 6-18 firms depending on company, region, and also strength of initial application.

Referrals ideally come from the same region/system that you are applying to.

Best,