Community Forum
Ask anything about cases, applications and recruiting. Members and coaches answer.
What are you actually supposed to talk about in an MBB networking call?
- Networking & Coffee Chats
I have an MBB networking call coming up and I feel weirdly underprepared because it is not an interview but it also does not feel casual. I do not want to waste the person’s time with generic questions they have answered 100 times. What do people actually talk about in these calls that makes the conversation useful and not awkward?
The best networking calls usually mix three things: a little bit of rapport, a few thoughtful questions about the person’s path or current work, and some targeted recruiting questions that genuinely help you make decisions.
Asked for a coffee chat and got left on read. Follow up or let it go?
- Networking & Coffee Chats
I reached out to someone at an MBB office for a coffee chat, they opened the message, and then nothing. It has been a while and I cannot tell whether following up is normal or if that just makes me look annoying. Do people usually send one follow-up in this situation, or is being left on read basically a soft no?
One respectful follow-up is completely fine. Busy consultants miss messages all the time, and a short nudge after several days is normal professional behavior, not desperation.
What should you ask consultants in coffee chats before applying?
- Networking & Coffee Chats
I have a few consultant coffee chats scheduled and I keep defaulting to generic questions about culture and staffing. What questions actually help before applying without sounding like I copied a list from Google?
Ask questions that help you make a decision or understand something you cannot learn from the firm's website.
Does optimizing LinkedIn help with MBB recruiting?
- Networking & Coffee Chats
I keep seeing LinkedIn optimization services claiming they can help people get noticed by MBB recruiters. Is there any real value in polishing LinkedIn for consulting recruiting, or is this mostly irrelevant compared with the actual resume and networking?
A clean LinkedIn profile is useful because people you contact may look you up, but it is rarely the main reason an MBB candidate gets screened in.
Is networking over golf still a thing in consulting?
- Networking & Coffee Chats
Random question: does anyone actually network with consultants over golf anymore, or is that mostly old-school finance lore? If you genuinely play and someone at a firm invites you, is it useful or just an awkward four-hour coffee chat?
If both people genuinely enjoy golf, it can be a perfectly normal relationship-building setting. The activity itself is not a recruiting hack.
How much networking do you need if you are already at a target school?
- Networking & Coffee Chats
If McKinsey/BCG/Bain already recruit heavily at your school, how much extra networking is actually necessary? Is attending official events enough, or should you still be doing individual coffee chats before applying?
At a target school, you already have access that many candidates spend months trying to create. That means networking can be more selective.
Does networking actually matter for MBB applications?
- Networking & Coffee Chats
How much does networking really move the needle for McKinsey, BCG, or Bain? I understand it can help you learn about the firm, but can a few coffee chats actually change whether you get an interview?
Networking can help, but it is not a substitute for a competitive application. Its biggest value is context, access, and sometimes a credible referral.
How should you prepare for a coffee chat with a BCG partner?
- Networking & Coffee Chats
I have a 20-minute coffee chat with a BCG partner next week and I am overthinking what to ask. I do not want to waste the time on questions I could answer from the website, but I also do not want it to feel like I am interrogating them. What should I prepare so the conversation feels natural and useful?
Prepare around the person's actual experience. Look at their office, practice area, career path, and any public work so your questions have context.