McKinsey Career Concerns

I am in the process of recruiting with McKinsey in the Middle East. My referral, who I am close family friends with and who's worked there for three years - he is also family friends with the partner at the office - assured me that he can get me an interview and that I'll get an offer as long as I kill it during interviews. I go to a target school on the west cost, have no experience with big name companies, and have a very low GPA (

 

With such a low GPA, why are you making this the only firm to recruit with this fall? You need to line up more options.

Unless you have a compelling story, or you really kill it and they know you're competency is above a 3.0+, the probability for getting an offer will be very low (also unless your family friend can really pull some strings..).

 
Best Response

Sorry, I meant it's the only consulting firm I'm recruiting at. My initial plan was IB. But I've been reaching out to investment bankers all over the place and they all say I need some relevant banking internships to be considered competitive for a full time role. Even boutiques have rejected me because I don't have relevant formal training. However, when I spoke with my friend at McKinsey, he told me consulting is better than banking, and that I don't need any particular kind of experience. "Just kill it," he said when referring to interviews. He also added, "I can get you an interview and coach you beforehand." He made the opportunity sound so awesome. I couldn't believe it. That's why I'm kind of shifting gears to study for case and fit interviews so I can prove that I am just as competent as other applicants that are, let's say, from Ivy Leagues with perfect GPAs. Also do you guys have any suggestions or recommendations that you think may prove helpful in preparing for cases in such a short time? I ordered LOMS by Victor Cheng and Crack the Case System by David Ohrvall.

 

From my experience with McKinsey, once your in the recruiting process GPA isn't a deal breaker. Like your referral said, just kill the case study interviews.

GPA won't even become a talking point until the in office interview part if it even does.

It sounds like you haven't started the process so GPA may come up, but have a really good answer. Talk confidently about it and keep it short. If you haven't already started practicing, you'll quickly learn that less is more RE and verbal diarrhea during cases will kill you.

 

I'm not nor have I ever been in consulting so this come from a more general business perspective but don't you think you should cast a much wider net than just McK? If the IB's are saying no and your only hope is to use a connection to get you an interview at one of the hardest to not only get into but hardest interviewing companies on earth (I have multiple good friends who were at McK, one of whom headed regional recruitment and he told me how difficult it was and he was sitting on the other side of the table), I'd highly suggest looking at that like a reach school and try to have a few safeties out there.

That said, connections in the ME carry a lot more weight than in the US (I don't know specifically with regard to MBB) so it may be easier; however, betting it all on a nailing the interview seems like a big risk.

Just my two cents.

 

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