Consulting networking

How to Network Into MBB and Consulting

Chang LiuFormer McKinsey Engagement Manager and interviewerOctober 6, 202626 min video

Everyone preps for the case, but you can't show your casing without an interview, and the interview comes from networking. I spent five years at McKinsey, interviewed candidates, and got offers from McKinsey, BCG, Bain, and PwC Strategy& when I recruited. This is networking from the other side of the table: what I noticed, what I remembered, and what made me reply.

Example emails in this video use made-up names.

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Transcript

Why networking decides who gets the interview

Everybody talks about prepping for the case interview when it comes to consulting recruiting. Casing is obviously very important, but you won't even get a chance to show off those casing skills if you don't get the interview. How do you make sure you get the interview? Through networking. So in this video I'm going to talk about how to master networking so that you get the interview.

Who I am

My name is Chang, and I'm a former McKinsey Engagement Manager and interviewer. When I was recruiting for consulting, I got offers from McKinsey, BCG, Bain, and PwC Strategy&. So it's safe to say I know what it's like to be on both sides of the table. I remember being super nervous heading into coffee chats, not knowing what to say. I also remember reading cold outreach messages from students and candidates and deciding whether to reply. So I'm going to help you make the most of your networking, so that you actually get the interview invite.

The one goal of networking

Before we get into the how, let's talk about the goal of networking. You only have one goal: making sure that you are remembered and well liked. How do you do that? You need to really know who you are and what you want. As you prepare for networking, it's a perfect opportunity to reflect and start preparing for your fit interviews.

The recruiting timeline

Let's first look at on-campus recruiting. This is where the firms already work with your career center to come to you on campus, and it's the best-case scenario. Typically there is a large kickoff, which signals the start of the recruiting season. After that, you'll have a chance to meet one-on-one with recruiters or the consultants leading recruiting that year, and you might get introduced to other consultants at the firm as you meet more people.

Then there are invite-only small group events, where you might be invited to a dinner or some kind of fun event based on the practice or office you're applying to, or a minority or interest group you're part of, for example women in consulting. Some firms also run recruiting support programs, where they pair you, or a group, with a buddy if they identify you as high potential.

Finally you get to the application stage, where you submit everything: your resume, transcripts and so on. After that, whether or not you've been paired with a buddy, you should be practicing cases directly with consultants to get a real taste of what the interview is like.

What if you're at a non-target school, or you're an experienced hire? You won't have a robust system like this. Where you really need to shine is the one-on-one opportunities: cold outreach, or attending a seminar and reaching out afterwards. If you've done enough of these, it's still possible to be invited to small group events or put into a squad or buddy program, but it's quite rare, so don't think you're doing badly if you aren't invited. Your goal is to have as many good one-on-ones as possible so that your name is recognized. It's even better if you get a referral.

A note on timing: the steps above are the same everywhere, but the dates are not. Recruiting calendars differ by office, and London, Singapore, Sydney, Dubai, Mumbai and Toronto can run on different dates from New York. Check the careers page for the exact office you're applying to.

Three types of events, starting with big events

Let's start with the big events: a kickoff or a company information session. Usually there are a lot of people, a presentation, and a free-flowing networking hour afterwards. At these events you have two goals. First, get your name on the list. Second, leave with at least three people you're going to connect with later.

Getting your name on the list just means filling out whatever paperwork they ask for. Register through the right channels, sign in, take your name tag. It shows the firm that you're serious. They usually go back and check who the no-shows were and who didn't take a name tag, and they might think you didn't make it. Make sure you're on the list so they know you were there.

The second goal is leaving with three people you can talk to later. At the least, identify the people you need to know. Usually that's the recruiter for the office and practice you're interested in (and you might be interested in two or three offices), and the recruiting partner or the consultant leading that year's cycle. Your third should be a person you feel you could connect with personally. For example, you overhear someone say they're running a marathon, and so are you. That gives you a way to connect and start a one-on-one relationship. Don't leave the event until you know who these people are, because afterwards you can reach out to them and begin your one-on-one journey.

What you don't have to do at these events is talk to everyone. You don't need to meet every single person. Your goal also isn't to corner one person and chat with them for the rest of the night, because chances are they won't want that: their goal at the event is to meet as many candidates as possible. As long as you fulfill your two goals, you're good.

Getting the 1:1: my 4 Cs

Now let's talk about the one-on-ones, which I think are the hardest part, and the part that really makes your networking successful. For one-on-ones, and networking in general, I came up with the 4 Cs.

The first is Connect: find some common ground to bond on, so the other person wants to help you. Second is Captivate: be so compelling that the other person remembers you. You have to stand out in a sea of other candidates. Third is Curious: be genuinely curious about what the other person is saying, not listing canned questions. Last is Clear: be very clear on what you want and what you're asking for.

The outreach email and the Bob test

Let's first talk about how you get the one-on-one, whether it's a phone call, a coffee chat or a Zoom. If you can just sign up through your school, that's perfect: do that. If you're doing cold outreach, or asking someone to refer or introduce you, make sure you demonstrate the 4 Cs very clearly in your very first email.

First is Connect: show that you've done research on them and that you share common ground, whether that's the same undergrad or the same sport. Second is Captivate: how do you stand out from everyone else who might share that common ground? Maybe you tell a short, interesting story, or you already know someone they know. Third is Curious: show that you're genuinely curious about their background or their story, and why you want to talk to them in particular. Last is Clear: a clear call to action. End your email with a clear question, whether it's 15 minutes to connect or an introduction to someone else. That way it's a simple yes or no for them.

Once you have all these components, I like to run a test, and the test has two parts. First, change your own name to, let's say, Bob, and read the message again. Does it still make sense? Does it apply to Bob, or only to you? If anyone else could send the same email and just change the sign-off, it isn't specific or captivating enough. Second, change the name of the person you're emailing. If you're sending the same thing to different people, chances are it won't be enough to connect with them, and it doesn't show your curiosity.

Go back and reread your outreach emails so it's clear you're trying to build a genuine connection between you and that person. That's why you'll see so many examples of good and bad outreach emails: the difference really comes down to whether they hit these four things.

Ask questions with a story

Now say you've got the one-on-one. How do you make sure they actually like you and remember you? I come back to the 4 Cs again: connect, captivate, be curious, and have a clear ask.

A lot of people use one-on-ones as a Q&A session. They've prepared a list of questions, they ask one, wait for the answer, ask the next, and so on. The issue is that a lot of people ask the exact same questions. The person on the other side gets very bored, and they won't remember you.

What I like to do when asking a question is say something that's uniquely about me and show why I'm interested in the question. For example, when I was recruiting I cared a lot about the mentorship model. A lot of people ask something like "How do you get support on your projects?" or "What kind of mentors do you have?", which is very broad. It's a fine question and they'll answer it, but it doesn't tell them anything about you. It doesn't show them that mentorship matters to you, or why.

How I would have worded it back then: "I was working in oil and gas in northern British Columbia, in the field, and I was often the most senior person there in technical ability, so I never really got the chance to learn from mentors. Instead, I learned by failing and trying again. As I think about my next job, I really want to understand how I can learn from mentors and become an apprentice. What has your experience been like at [firm]?"

That shows them why mentorship matters to you, and you're using the question as a chance to share more about yourself. Never ask a question just for the sake of asking. Your questions should also show your ability to think critically, or some unique experience you've had.

Introducing yourself

Now let's talk about how you introduce yourself, which is typically the first three to five minutes of a coffee chat. It's crucial, because it's their first impression of you. If you make them interested, the rest of the conversation flows naturally. If you don't bring any interesting nuggets into that introduction, the rest of your coffee chat will probably turn into a Q&A session.

This is where some reflection before the coffee chat, and before the whole networking phase, is really important, because you're essentially practicing for your behavioral interview. You can even use this time to A/B test which stories are so uniquely you that they make you memorable.

A couple of examples. Everyone talks about where they're from, what schools they went to, and why they want to go into consulting. That's fine, and most people stay very general. Instead, slow down to the moment you realized you wanted to be a consultant, and paint me a picture. Say you're working late, you're in a room by yourself, it's dark outside, and you get a bad call from your boss. Whatever it is, give one or two details so the other person can picture it and relate. That's how a one-to-three-minute introduction goes from something that goes in one ear and out the other to an image they can hold on to and remember you by.

The other thing to think about: does it really matter that they know you're an engineer, for example? Probably not. A lot of people can say they're engineers. What might be unique about you is that you worked in a plant that supplied 10% of the province's power. It needs to be almost a tagline for your behavioral fit story for it to stand out. I encourage you to test this with people you meet, and see which story makes them want to ask you more questions.

Once you're getting good at this, tailor the story you tell, the emphasis and the picture you paint, to whatever you and the other person have in common. If you're both from Wisconsin, paint a picture of some Wisconsin experience. Find the thing that connects you with the other person and bring it into your stories.

When the answer is flat: active listening

What if you ask a question and their answer is pretty flat? What do you do then? How do you practice active listening so you can follow up on what they're saying?

You can usually tell when someone is more excited to talk about a particular subject. Their body language changes: they might lean toward the camera, raise their voice a little, start smiling, or make small expressions. Your goal is to really be present and notice those things, so you know how to follow up.

Try to make sure that for any story someone tells you, you pause and think of three follow-up questions you could ask. You can do this with anything. Say they mention a project in Houston. Maybe you've never been to Houston. You could ask whether they had a chance to travel around on the weekends, or whether they got to visit Space Center Houston. It's just about tying something to what they're saying. Or: "I've never experienced what it's like to travel every week. What's been the hardest thing about it? Has it gotten easier? Are you used to it?" Repeat what they said so they feel heard, then ask a follow-up question.

Personally, it always works better for me when I can relate to them in a personal way. I try to see whether they want to share anything about what's going on in their life: whether they're married, have kids, have a big trip coming up. It's another layer you can bond on, and it shows them that you could be peers and work together.

Ending the 1:1

How do you end a conversation? First of all, if you and that person just aren't vibing, it's perfectly okay to let the conversation wind down and end early. You could say: "Thank you so much for taking the time. You've helped me think through what you mentioned, and I don't have any questions right now. I'd love to reach out if anything comes up in the future." Just end the conversation, because a neutral conversation is better than a bad one.

If you really enjoyed the conversation and want to ask them to, say, connect you with someone else, or whether you can keep in touch, be very direct when you ask. Don't give the wishy-washy version: "I think it might be cool if you could do X for me" or "If you don't mind, could you do X for me?" Be direct: "You mentioned you had a coworker who moved from New York to San Francisco. Would you mind connecting me with them? I'm deciding between those two offices." It's very clear, and you have a clear reason for asking.

Do thank-you emails matter?

Now the thank-you email, or the follow-up. To be honest, as someone who has been on the side talking to students and applicants, I don't really care whether someone sends me a thank-you email. However, if it went really well, and you want to keep the conversation going and make sure I remember you after a hard day of work or after talking to 20 students, yes, send that email.

When you send it, use the same approach and the same tests from the outreach emails, so it's very specific and adds to my impression of you. If you remember something about that person, like the marathon, or that they're visiting family or going on vacation in two months, you can follow up later and mention it. It gives you something to say to them without it feeling transactional.

You are putting on a performance

I want to drive home one thing: your job is to make them remember you, so you need to stand out. If you treat it as reciting your resume and listing the questions everybody asks, you're wasting your time. You are putting on a performance. You're almost entertaining them, and making them feel their time was well spent for those 15 or 30 minutes.

The file they write on you

The way things typically work, there is usually a file started about you. You want people to open your file and write down positive things. So first, make sure they have something to write about. If you aren't giving them anything that's uniquely you, there's nothing for them to write. If you don't give them something that makes them want to root for you, they won't write anything down either.

Small groups

Lastly, I want to talk about small group events. If you're invited, great: it means people have taken a vested interest in you, or at the very least they've heard only good things about you.

At small activities or dinners, the worst thing you can do is come across as trying to be the center of attention. I actually see this a lot with students, where one person wants to dominate the conversation. They keep showing off their achievements, how much they know about wine, their great travel stories. That's good, and you should have some moments where you shine in a group. You also need to show that you're emotionally aware of your surroundings, that you build other people up, and that you can carry a group conversation. You need to show you can actively listen.

What I find works: the people representing the firm are still the ones you want to impress, but you also want to find ways to lift up others around you, and the people at the event will see it. That's my one pet peeve and my advice for small group events.

At small group events, also take the time to sit down and have longer one-on-one conversations with some of the people representing the firm. When you see another candidate wandering by themselves, invite them into the conversation. Show that you could be a leader. It showcases your ability to work in a team and to lead.

Your buddy or squad lead

The other thing: say you're assigned a buddy, or put in a squad (the names vary, but it's one or two consultants working with a group of students). You want to find ways to bond more and more deeply with the leader of the group. I find it sometimes helps to open up and be more personal and vulnerable. It makes the other person more invested in you, and they may be willing to share more.

A tip I always used was to almost become friends with the person leading my group, because you can really make them see you as a future coworker. These people are usually at the consultant level, sometimes the engagement manager or case team leader. They're a bit more junior, they're investing time in the candidates, and they're the most willing to help and have the most time. If you make them feel you're already equals and peers, in how you communicate, the life stage you're in and the things you like, they may be willing to spend more time with you, or to do a case with you.

Quality over quantity

That covers all the different types of networking events, and I want you to leave with one thing: it's quality over quantity. One or two people supporting you, writing good things in your file and referring you, will beat 50 decent conversations that don't have an impact.

You're trying to find the people who get along with you, and it might take a few tries, so don't get discouraged if you don't click with everyone. The most efficient way to find the people you click with is to know what you want, be very clear about it, make them feel you're fun, and show your personality.

Please, I urge you: practice your introduction and think about the stories that are unique to you. Do all of that before you send that cold outreach email and before you go on that coffee chat. Even one hour of self-reflection will help you come across as much more polished and help you reach your networking goals.

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