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Do you always need an MBA to get into MBB?
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All ranks weigh the same besides partner referrals
Including PL/EM vs A/BA/AC?
When I wanted to go hard on a candidate, I would set up a time for them to meet with our Office Managing Partner and make the case to them vs. a referral. And this would be under the framing of “not hiring this person is a disservice to the firm”. So I’d have to really think very highly of them.
Thanks - helpful - makes sense!
Let’s play that back from a different perspective. If they didn’t hold any weight, why do you think they’d exist?
Referral programs take time and effort, think about it.
Agreed, but do you think there’s a meaningful lift for target vs non-target? Or pre-partner level vs partner level? Wanted more color around this level of nuance. Obviously there is a reason for the programs 🤣
Honestly no weight. Only partner referral matters
Barely / not really for McK. Only P+ from the office you’re applying to.
Get a partner.
Enthusiast
If you don't mind me asking, I think a partner is willing to give me a referral. How do I make the ask, over a scheduled call or a post-call email?
Mentor
Do you mean directly out of an MBA program? From a target school? Not from a target school? I think so.e of these answers are for experienced hires.
Mentor
Then it really is all about the people visiting on campus and the partner who is handling the recruitment in that office. A referral may get you in the pipeline for a given office, but they are all in person at M7 for a reason. This is assuming you are recruiting this fall for an internship. If you are re-recruiting for 2026, different rules may apply. But all things being equal, personal referrals are always a good thing as long as they are a peer level with tenure or further up.