Applying to MBB Full-time after Internship Rejection
Hi!
I attend a target university for MBB on the east coast, and applied + made it to first round interviews at McKinsey and Bain. However, I didn't prepare at all for either interview, as I was caught in a midterm exams, and honestly wasn't motivated, since I wasn't sure if consulting was the path for me. I went to the interview mainly for experience. Ended up getting a rejection (obviously). It's been a few months now, and I've managed to land a 2nd tier consulting internship (ZS) for the summer, but really would like to be at MBB full-time. Do you think the fact that I was rejected for an internship will impact my FT chances--would they decline to even interview me? I'll be working in consulting this summer + will, in addition, be spending several hours a week prepping. Would love to hear any thoughts.
*to clarify, I interviewed and was rejected from summer internships!
They’ll honestly probably forget who you were by the time full-time Recruiting comes around. I don’t think they will hold it against you. I have a couple friends who interviewed and didn’t make it junior year that got full-time offers at MBB. I personally didn’t even get an MBB interview junior year, but was given a chance for full-time.
You're fine. People being unprepared for internship recruiting and getting it together for FT is normal.
Also you clearly didn't do as poorly as you think seeing as you made it to final rounds.
Unless you screwed up in a major way (e.g. by being unprofessional) you have a shot at a full-time interview. Make sure to show growth in your resume and cover letter.
No, they will not hold it against you. It actually can work in your favor if you did well in the interviews but just didn't quite make the cut.
The above is correct that it can actually work in your favor to have previously interviewed even if rejected. ZS is a great firm and will look strong on your resume as well.
Just be sure to hone your case skills and craft a good story about why the switch to MBB is right for you and why you are right for them (note: do not bash ZS in your FT interviews with other firms -- this comes off as ungrateful/unprofessional)
Junior year, I got two tier 2 interviews and fucked up both. Senior year, I got two MBB interviews and two tier 2 interviews, including one that I crashed and burned on junior year. I made it to finals at both MBBs and got an offer at the tier 2 I fucked up at junior year. If you highlight your personal growth in your networking, you can make it.
I'm kind of headed into this situation (at a T2 that I'm really pumped about for the summer, but also made final round for an MBB and thinking of re-recruiting full-time).
Do you recommend mentioning the fact that you interviewed for internship recruitment in the cover letter? Would it come up at any point?
Also, did you just do the regular resume drop / apply online again for full-time recruitment from the place you got dinged at for the summer? Or is there some special process?
If you made final rounds at MBB, they know you can do the work. To answer your questions, there is no special process for people who made final rounds last time. Since internship recruiting is more competitive than full-time, you will likely make the cut again, all else being equal. At the T2 I ended up at, I had such a bad interview the first time that I pulled a friend at the firm aside at the full-time info session to explain that my specific weakness the last time (mental math) wouldn’t be an issue if they gave me an interview this time (I had just taken the GMAT). He put my resume through to the MD, and I got a first round. If you did fine in all your MBB interviews and just didn’t make the cut, I wouldn’t really worry about it.
You'll start with an objective blank slate. Seriously, MBB's have to interview hundreds of people per school (grad, undergrad) each year. 99% of people won't even remember you because they have their job to prioritize over recruiting. Don't worry about the past, crush the present!
Source: Was in your shoes, didn't even get T2. Current MBB
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