When will hiring begin again in the US?

Hi there,

Most consulting firms in the US are currently hiring, albeit at a slower pace.

The question could be: When is it going at full speed again? My crystal ball would say toward the end of the year (US elections, interest rate cuts) unless we see another black swan or continued horrible crisis management by everyone involved…

My tip if you want to get hired before that:

Make sure you stand out. I have a free guide on hiring in the current situation. Please reach out and I can share it with you.

A great way to get discussions going with your target offices would be focused networking with relevant consultants. You can get their input on the best times to apply and potentially also a referral.

All the best,

Florian

Some aren't some are.

Just had an intro call with someone this morning who has a US McKinsey interview. Actively coaching dozens with interviews.

Please remember that the US is 330 million people. There are hundreds of consulting and consulting-related firms.

They have a churn rate of 20% and even if they don't grow they need to replace.

Hiring IS happening. Interviews ARE happening.

I kid you not when I say I have someone who has been fired from Microsoft US and is recruiting at McKinsey US, while, in parellel, another candidate has been fired from Bain US and is recruiting at Microsoft/Amazon/Doordash US.

Keep networking to figure out which firm/role/office/recruiting channel combination that you are has openings.

Firms are hiring in the US, just not at the pace at which they were doing 2 years ago. 

This is happening also pretty much everywhere else. 

If you're an experienced hire, theoretically, you can apply at any point, though you should check with the recruiter whether they have set windows for applications and whether they are accepting new applications. 

If you're a student, then you should find out when are the timelines for cohort recruiting. 

The key is to keep close the people have this information i.e., the recruiters, plus other people who work in consulting. They can provide you with fresh info on the state of the industry and where and when it makes sense to apply. 

Sharing with you an article on how to think through and develop an application strategy. Hope you find it helpful:

• Expert Guide: Build A Winning Application Strategy

Best,
Cristian

Firms are still hiring in the US, however, at a much slower pace and with a lot more scrutiny. 

Most companies are focused on streamlining/profitability this year in anticipation of a potential slowdown. With interest rates being also high, it is challenging to pursue a growth focused strategy (per industry contacts).

Hiring will increase it's pace once the future outlook becomes more clear and optimistic (think elections, Fed decisions). 

As a blank sentence this is plain wrong. US consulting firms are still recruiting (as far as I know, all of the relevant ones are still recruiting). Of course, recruiting is much slower…

It is different if you are thinking about experienced hires. University recruiting is happening. Experienced hire is very slow, and in a few firms an exception (i.e., looking for specific expertise).