A McKinsey referral can double or triple your chances of landing a McKinsey interview. Understanding the McKinsey referral process is the single most important thing that you can do to get your foot into the door at McKinsey.

 

If you want to know how to get a McKinsey referral, even if you don’t know anyone at McKinsey and don’t attend a target school, then this article is for you.

 

In this comprehensive guide to the McKinsey referral process, we’ll cover:

 

• What is a McKinsey referral?

 

• Do you need a McKinsey referral to get an interview?

 

• McKinsey referral process

 

• Five ways to get a McKinsey referral

 

• Six essential McKinsey referral tips

 

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What is a McKinsey Referral?

 

A McKinsey referral occurs when a current McKinsey employee recommends you as a candidate for a position at the firm. This recommendation carries significant weight in the application process for several reasons:

 

• It signals that someone who understands McKinsey's culture and standards believes you would be a good fit

 

• It helps your application stand out among thousands of others competing for limited positions

 

• It can potentially allow you to bypass certain initial screening steps

 

What makes McKinsey referrals particularly valuable is the firm's selective hiring process. McKinsey accepts less than 1% of all applicants, so any advantage in the process is meaningful.

 

However, it's important to understand that a referral isn't a guarantee. To get a McKinsey offer, you'll still need to demonstrate your qualifications by passing their interviews.

 

Here’s how the McKinsey referral process generally works.

 

You’ll connect with a current McKinsey employee, usually through networking, alumni connections, or professional relationships. If they believe you're qualified, they'll submit your referral through McKinsey's internal system, which gives your application special attention during review.

 

Do You Need a McKinsey Referral to Get an Interview?

 

No, you don't need a referral to get an interview at McKinsey, but having one can significantly improve your chances.

 

McKinsey has two primary paths for candidates to enter their interview process:

 

• Standard application: You submit your resume, cover letter, and application through McKinsey’s official careers website. This is the path most candidates take

 

• Referral-based application: A current McKinsey employee submits your name and credentials through the firm's internal referral system

 

While McKinsey doesn't publish official statistics, industry estimates suggest that candidates applying through the standard path have roughly a 10-15% chance of securing a first-round interview.

 

However, candidates with a strong internal referral might have a 30-50% chance of getting that first interview.

 

Think of McKinsey's application as having several key components, with varying importance:

 

• Resume and credentials (50% of the decision): Your academic background, work experience, and achievements

 

• Network and referrals (25%): Who can vouch for your capabilities

 

• Market conditions (25%): Timing and the firm's current hiring needs

 

This means that while referrals help, excellent credentials and a strong application can still get you in the door without one.

 

Referrals become particularly important in certain scenarios:

 

• If you're not from a "target" school or university where McKinsey actively recruits

 

• If you're making a career switch from a non-traditional background

 

• If you're applying during a period when hiring is more restricted

 

• If your credentials are good but not exceptional compared to the typical candidate pool

 

McKinsey Referral Process

 

The McKinsey referral process involves multiple stages, from making connections with current employees to the final submission.

 

Step 1: Build genuine connections

 

Before anything formal happens, you need to establish relationships with current McKinsey employees. This typically happens through:

 

• Alumni networks (particularly if you attended a university where McKinsey recruits)

 

• Professional associations and industry events

 

• LinkedIn networking with thoughtful, personalized outreach

 

• Mutual connections who can facilitate introductions

 

The key here is authenticity. McKinsey consultants are trained to evaluate people, and they can usually tell when someone is simply looking for a transaction rather than a genuine professional relationship.

 

Step 2: Demonstrate your value

 

Once you've established initial contact, you need to showcase your capabilities. This might involve:

 

• Sharing thoughtful insights related to their work

 

• Asking intelligent questions about their experiences

 

• Discussing relevant projects you've completed that demonstrate problem-solving abilities

 

• Highlighting achievements that align with McKinsey's values

 

Think of this as an informal vetting stage. Before putting their reputation on the line with a referral, McKinsey employees want to feel confident you have potential.

 

Step 3: Make the referral request

 

When the relationship has developed sufficiently, you can request a referral. This conversation typically happens after you've had a few meaningful interactions. When requesting:

 

• Be specific about which position you're interested in

 

• Explain why you believe you're a good fit for McKinsey

 

• Provide your resume and any other materials that might help them evaluate you

 

• Make it easy for them to say yes by doing the preparatory work

 

Remember that McKinsey employees are extraordinarily busy, so being organized and respectful of their time increases your chances of success.

 

Step 4: Internal submission by the McKinsey employee

 

If the employee agrees to refer you, they'll initiate the formal process, which typically involves:

 

• Logging into McKinsey's internal referral portal

 

• Uploading your resume and possibly other materials

 

• Completing a brief questionnaire about how they know you and why they're referring you

 

• Indicating the position(s) you're interested in

 

• Providing a brief written endorsement explaining why they believe you would be a good fit

 

The strength of this endorsement matters significantly. A lukewarm "I met them once" carries much less weight than "I've worked with them directly and observed exceptional problem-solving skills."

 

Step 5: Referral review by recruiting

 

Once submitted, your referral enters McKinsey's recruiting system where:

 

• Recruiters review the referral and your materials

 

• They assess whether you meet basic qualifications for the position

 

• They consider the strength of the endorsement and the standing of the employee who referred you

 

• They determine whether to advance you to the interview stage

 

This review typically takes 1-3 weeks, though timing can vary based on hiring cycles and office location.

 

Step 6: Notification and next steps

 

After the review, both you and the referring employee receive notifications.

 

If successful, you'll receive an invitation to begin the formal interview process. If unsuccessful, you may receive a standard rejection notice

 

In some cases, recruiters might suggest alternative positions that better match your profile

 

The employee who referred you typically receives an update on the status of their referral, though they generally aren't given detailed feedback about why a candidate wasn't selected.

 

How to Get a McKinsey Referral

 

There are five different ways to get a McKinsey referral:

 

• Through friends, classmates, or colleagues

 

• Through second degree connections

 

• Through consulting networking events

 

• Through school or company alumni

 

• Through cold emailing

 

Friends, classmates, or colleagues

 

If you have a friend, classmate, or colleague that either currently works at or previously worked at McKinsey, then this step is a no-brainer.

 

This is the easiest way to get a referral and all it takes is a single email, phone call, or meet up.

 

Here’s what to say:

 

• Tell them that you’re really interested in working at McKinsey

 

• Mention that you are about to submit your application online

 

• Ask if they would be willing to put in a good word with a recruiter

 

Make sure that you have a polished consulting resume ready. For a referral, your resume will typically get passed onto the recruiter.

 

If possible, try to identify the recruiter that is responsible for reviewing your resume so that you can mention their name to the friend, classmate, or colleague that you are getting a referral from.

 

You want to make it as easy as possible for them to refer you.

 

If you attend a target school, there will be a designated recruiter that is responsible for overseeing all applications.

 

If you don’t attend a target school, you’ll need to find a recruiter from the specific office that you are interested in working at.

 

Each McKinsey office typically has several recruiters, each one responsible for a different candidate pool. For example, there will be a recruiter in charge of either:

 

• Undergraduate recruiting

 

• MBA recruiting

 

• Advanced degree holders

 

• Experienced hires

 

Second degree connections

 

Most people don’t have a friend, classmate, or colleague that works at McKinsey and that’s okay.

 

The next easiest way to get a referral is through a second-degree connection, or through a friend of a friend.

 

If you have any friends that have a friend that currently works at or previously worked at McKinsey, you’re in luck.

 

All it takes is a single coffee chat to get a referral.

 

Here’s what to do:

 

• Ask your friend to introduce you to their friend that works at McKinsey

 

• Schedule a 20-minute coffee chat

 

• During your coffee chat, briefly introduce yourself and express how excited and interested you are in working at McKinsey

 

• Ask questions to learn more about their background and experience working at McKinsey

 

• At the end of the chat, ask if they would be comfortable giving you a referral

 

Not everyone that you meet for the first time will be comfortable giving you a referral. So, you may need to repeat this a few different times with different people to get yourself a referral.

 

Consulting networking events

 

Even if you have no second-degree connections that work at McKinsey, you can still get a referral.

 

If you attend a target school, most consulting firms will host several different types of networking events for you to meet consultants and learn more about the firm.

 

Listed from most effective to least effective, these include:

 

• Invite-only lunches and dinners

 

• Coffee chats

 

• General information sessions

 

Invite-only lunches and dinners

 

If you are receiving an invite for a lunch or dinner networking event, you’re probably already on the shortlist of getting an interview. All you need to do is attend this event, be nice, show enthusiasm, and don’t ask dumb questions.

 

There’s no need to explicitly ask anyone for a referral.

 

Coffee chats

 

Coffee chats are great networking events because you’ll be able to talk to a McKinsey consultant either one-on-one or in a small group setting.

 

This is a great opportunity to build a connection and relationship with that person. Again, be nice, show enthusiasm, and don’t ask dumb questions.

 

At the end of the coffee chat, send a thank you email. In this case, don’t directly ask for a referral because it may be seen as too aggressive since you have no direct connection with that person.

 

General information sessions

 

These are large networking events where McKinsey will bring 10-20 consultants and give a presentation about their firm.

 

Since the ratio of attendees to consultants will be 10:1 or even 20:1, your chances of building a connection or relationship with someone is slim.

 

The biggest piece of advice I can give is to try show up to the event early so that you can talk to a few consultants before the masses get in.

 

School or company alumni

 

Even if you have no second-degree connections that work at McKinsey and don’t attend a target school, you can still get a referral. However, it will require a bit more work.

 

The biggest thing you can take advantage of is your school alumni. In general, people feel quite attached to their school and enjoy helping others that went to the same school as them.

 

Leverage LinkedIn or your school’s career center to find a list of alumni that work at McKinsey. Message them on LinkedIn or get their email address to contact them directly.

 

You’ll want to write a brief message that:

 

• Summarizes who you are

 

• Expresses your interest in McKinsey

 

• Asks for 10-minutes of their time for a coffee chat

 

You’ll likely need to message 10 alumni in order to get 1-2 responses back. Remember, the goal is to get a 10-minute coffee chat set up either virtually or in-person if they are nearby.

 

Again, during the coffee chat, be nice, show enthusiasm, and don’t ask dumb questions.

 

Afterwards, send a thank you email and at the end of the email, ask if they would be comfortable connecting you with a recruiter at the firm.

 

This strategy may also work with company alumni. If you previously worked at a company that a current McKinsey consultant also previously worked at, then you share something in common with them.

 

Leverage this and see if they would be willing to give you a 10-minute coffee chat.

 

Cold emailing

 

This last strategy of cold emailing should only be done if you’ve exhausted all of the previous strategies. Although this strategy is the least effective, I have seen it work for quite a few people from non-target schools.

 

It will be a lot of work though.

 

You may need to message 50-100 people to get a response back from 1-2 of them.

 

Using LinkedIn, find people that work at the consulting firm and office that you are interested in.

 

Write the briefest message that you can that summarizes:

 

• Who you are

 

• Your interest in McKinsey

 

• Asks for 10-minutes of their time for a coffee chat

 

Most of your emails and messages won’t get read, but that’s okay. We only need 1 person to respond to have a chance to get a referral.

 

McKinsey Referral Tips

 

Here are our best tips to successfully getting a McKinsey referral.

 

1. Leverage your school’s alumni network

 

Identify McKinsey consultants who graduated from your university or program. These connections typically feel an additional responsibility to support promising candidates from their alma mater.

 

Reach out with personalized messages that reference your shared background and demonstrate your understanding of their current work at McKinsey.

 

2. Customize your contact strategy by seniority

 

Develop different approaches based on the consultant's level. With partners, be concise and emphasize your most impressive credentials. With associates, focus on building a more personal relationship through shared experiences or interests.

 

Recognize that junior consultants often have more time for mentorship, while senior partners have more influence but less availability.

 

3. Cultivate multiple touchpoints over time

 

Instead of a single interaction, create several meaningful exchanges over weeks or months. This might include informational interviews, following up on their professional advice, or sharing relevant articles.

 

Each positive interaction increases their comfort level with endorsing you and provides more substance for their internal recommendation.

 

4. Time your request for maximum impact

 

Research McKinsey's hiring cycles and time your referral request accordingly. Referrals submitted during active recruitment periods receive more focused attention.

 

5. Use respectful language

 

When making your McKinsey referral request, use language that respects the consultant's judgment: "Based on our interactions, I'd appreciate your assessment of whether my background would be valuable to McKinsey."

 

This approach acknowledges their expertise while giving them a graceful way to decline if they don't feel comfortable providing a strong endorsement.

 

6. Nurture relationships post-referral

 

Regardless of the outcome, maintain the relationship after the McKinsey referral process. Update your contact on meaningful developments, express genuine appreciation for their support, and look for opportunities to provide value to them.

 

This demonstrates professional maturity and builds a connection that transcends the immediate application.

 

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