Sorry I am a little frustrated and confused.
I have done everything I can to compensate my weaknesses. National recognition(s); global presence - raised thousands, celebrity support, large following for this sort of work that I do; 2 internships - one's a big name in a different industry but I assume that counts for something and one is an internship I did abroad; community initiatives that I led abroad as well; committee position and consulting extracurriculars at university; I had/have interesting hobbies. All done throughout having extenuating circumstances. I had my CV checked by MBB consultants and perfected it before sending it off - I also got into selective events by these firms which used CVs for selection and they stated our CVs showed promising results and that we were good enough to apply.
I was told the UK does not really care about referrals and it doesn't make much of a difference. Either way, I still got myself referrals.
I go to a semi-target but it's one of the better of the semi-targets (BCG listed us as a priority campus) and we regularly get people in (not nearly as much as Oxford & Cambridge, LSE, UCL, Imperial, etc, but we don't do terribly - good enough for me to network with my uni alumni that are now consultants at MBB).
I can't seem to understand what they want. By this, I don't mean after the interview. I meant before the interview invites are sent. What exactly do they want before they send out interview invites? I have done everything to compensate my weak A Level grades. I know I don't go to a target as well so I have no idea what else to do - not sure this matters as much as people from non targets get in and I see quite a few semi-targets too. Do I retake my A Levels? That would be around £700-£900... I do know for McKinsey I will receive a rejection maybe in the next week or so (I haven't received it yet but it is inevitable as my Solve score was really not good at all). But for Bain, I assumed I actually did well on the online test. Logical was hard but I knew most of them and numerical went fine too - rejected though. BCG hasn't given an update yet as they're currently screening for BCG tests but some have received invites already.
I don't want anyone to think that I think I deserve an interview invite or an offer; I am more just really confused with what they actually want to see before interview invites because I have seen people get in with no referrals, with not many extracurriculars/leadership positions (I know a few people that got in without doing any internships at all and know someone that had one committee position and made it in) make it to the interview stage/get an offer. I know people who got lower McKinsey Solve decile scores with CVs that didn't stand out as much as others get in compared to other people.
What shall I do in between now and when I next apply? Do I retake my A Levels? I graduate next year but I am not sure I can do any amazing accomplishment by the time the next application period comes in.
What does MBB truly want before sending out interview invites?
They look at applications in a holistic manner. To put it shortly, yes there may be applicants who got in but did not come from targets, did not have excellent GPA, did not have significant internships/work experiences. But it’s likely that they only have one of these as their weakness and were able to make up for it via spikes in other areas. They may not be from a target school but have excellent grades, for example.
Your CV should show a good balance of activities that signals academic excellence, communication, leadership, and interests in MC. If your CV is not strong, strong performance in Solve is needed. Referrals from more senior levels also help.
Hey, not experienced in this. Sounds like a frustrating situation. I am still yet to have any correspondence with the London office, so not sure if you’ve heard anything or not, but always best to wait until the process has seen itself through.
Hi there,
Sounds frustrating.
There are two things to consider here:
- For MBB London, your resume has to be top-notch across all dimensions (academia, work experience, extracurriculars and leadership). The competition and supply of candidates who - at least on paper - tick all the boxes is so high that there is no way around it
- At the same time, we are currently seeing much lower hiring demand overall
Keeping this in mind, it's not easy to receive an invite to their interviewers, even more so than in the past.
The situation is expected to improve next year (hopefully), yet it still makes sense to improve your resume in the relevant areas instead of focusing to compensate for weaker areas.
All the best,
Florian
Hi there,
First of all, I am sorry to hear about the rejection(s)!
I would be happy to share my thoughts on your situation:
- First of all, I can understand that it seems to be an erratic screening process carried out by consulting firms from the outside, even if it actually is not.
- Moreover, I would advise you to focus on yourself instead of comparing yourself to others. Most of the time you only know half the truth and draw conclusions from that.
- Lastly, I'd be more than happy to take a quick look at your application files to (potentially) spot any weaknesses that you could work on. Retaking your A-levels if you think you can improve your grades could help meet the strict minimum requirements that many consulting firms have.
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
Ask for help (another consultant or a coach) to take an objective look at your application materials. +90% of resumes I review are far from being ready.
Hey there! It sounds like you've already done an impressive amount to position yourself as a strong MBB candidate, so it’s understandable to feel frustrated. Having been at McKinsey, I can share that interview selection often considers several factors—some subtle, and sometimes, yes, a bit ambiguous. Here’s a breakdown of what tends to matter and why:
- Academic Excellence: This is typically critical, but it doesn’t mean A-levels are necessarily the issue. MBB firms value high grades in university, often more so than pre-university performance. Still, if A-levels are required for your particular application, only retake if you’re confident it will dramatically improve your profile.
- Clear, Impactful Results in Extracurriculars and Internships: Your profile sounds very impressive, and you’ve built diverse experiences. MBBs like to see very clear impacts and contributions, such as metrics or outcomes achieved, from each role. Sometimes candidates stand out by making these impacts and results very sharp on their CVs—clearly showing their unique achievements and how they moved the needle.
- Skills Demonstration through Online Assessments: Unfortunately, assessments like Solve or Bain’s numerical and logical tests play a heavy gatekeeping role, often more than other aspects. As competitive as MBBs are, these tests are often used to manage a large applicant pool, meaning a great CV won’t always offset a lower assessment result. Practicing similar tests, if possible, could make a difference on reapplication.
- Networking and Referrals: You’re correct that UK offices aren’t heavily referral-dependent, but meaningful networking helps build connections, and it sounds like you’ve done well on this front too. Sometimes networking with individuals directly involved in recruiting or alumni with recent experience in the selection process can also provide actionable insights.
- Patience and Persistence: Unfortunately, consulting recruitment is fiercely competitive, and rejection doesn’t necessarily mean you’re unqualified. It sounds like you’re very close, so staying the course with focused practice on assessments and connecting with recent hires who went through similar challenges might be valuable.
In the meantime, enhancing any hard skills, particularly in quantitative areas or familiarizing yourself with business problem-solving cases, will add to your profile.
Best, Alessa
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