Firm events
Info sessions, workshops and virtual series the firms run themselves.
- McKinsey
- Edge, 4 virtual sessions, Nov 4 to Dec 3
- BCG
- Launch, virtual, Nov 9 to Feb 17
- Bain
- Webinars and campus events, by office
Consulting networking, who to reach and what to say
Consulting networking means meeting people at the firms before you apply: at firm events, through your school's campus team and consulting club, and on short calls with alumni. Ask for 15 to 20 minutes of advice, never a job. BCG says it actively encourages candidates to attend its events and speak with alumni and current BCGers, and Bain says the best way to learn about a role is to drop by and ask questions. Networking gets you in the door, and the case decides the offer. Soreno, an AI voice interview practice app for consulting and finance, runs a free sample case out loud with no sign-up.
Updated
- Start with the firms' own events. McKinsey Edge and BCG Launch run online from November, and Bain hosts virtual webinars and campus events.
- Then your campus team. McKinsey, BCG and Bain have recruiting pages and teams for many schools. Some BCG MBA pages, such as HBS's, list the BCGers in your class.
- Then alumni, one at a time. A short, personal note that asks for 15 to 20 minutes. Follow up once after a week.
- Bring real questions. Ask what you can't read online, and end by asking who else you should talk to.
- Referrals come from people who know you. BCG asks you to apply through your referrer's link before you apply, not after.
Who to reach, and what to send
Four places to meet consultants, roughly in the order to try them. The messages under the cards are our own wording: copy one and change every bracket.
Your campus team
The recruiters and consultants who cover your school, if a firm has a page for it.
- BCG
- Many campus teams include alumni of the school
- McKinsey
- Bookmark your school's page for events
- Bain
- A dedicated team on campus, with a contact form
Your consulting club
Classmates who are recruiting too, and the seniors who just went through it.
- Bain's recruiter
- A consulting society can find you case partners
- Our advice
- Ask last year's interns who they talked to
Alumni and coffee chats
One-on-one calls with people from your school, club or hometown at the firm.
- BCG
- Encourages speaking with alumni and BCGers
- Length
- Ask for 15 to 20 minutes
- Ask for
- Advice and names, never a job
Sample outreach messages4 messages, our wording
Each is under 100 words. Send from your school email, one person at a time.
An alum
Subject: [School] student, question about [Firm]
Hi [Name], I'm a sophomore at [School] studying [major], and I found you through our alumni directory. I'm exploring consulting, and your move from [club or major] to [Firm]'s [office] office is the path I'm hoping to take. Would you have 15 minutes for a call in the next couple of weeks? I'd love to hear how you chose [Firm] and what you'd do again. Thanks for considering it. Best, [Your name]
Someone you met at an event
Subject: Thank you for [event name]
Hi [Name], thank you for speaking at [event] on [day]. Your point about [something they said] stayed with me. I'm recruiting for consulting this year and would love 15 minutes to hear more about your work in [practice or office]. Would a call next week or the week after work for you? Best, [Your name]
No shared school
Subject: Question about your work in [practice]
Hi [Name], I'm a junior at [School] interested in [industry]. I read [Firm]'s piece on [topic] and wanted to learn what the work looks like for a first-year consultant in that practice. Would you be open to a 15-minute call in the next two weeks, at whatever time suits you? Thank you for reading this. Best, [Your name]
LinkedIn
A short connection note
Hi [Name], I'm a [School] student recruiting for consulting, and I saw we both [shared link]. Would you be open to a 15-minute call sometime in the next few weeks? Thank you!
Follow-ups3 messages, our wording
No reply after a week
One short nudge
Hi [Name], I know this is a busy season, so I wanted to bring this back to the top of your inbox. Even 10 minutes would help, or if there's someone on your team you'd point me to, I'd be grateful. Best, [Your name]
Within a day of the call
Thank you
Hi [Name], thank you for the time today. Your advice on [something they said] changed how I'm preparing, and I'll reach out to [person they named] as you suggested. Best, [Your name]
When you apply
A short update
Hi [Name], a quick update: I applied to [Firm]'s [role] today, and our conversation is a big part of why. Thanks again for your help. Best, [Your name]
From BCG: candidate FAQs, BCG: careers FAQs, McKinsey: Connect with McKinsey, Bain: a campus page and Bain: how to stand out.
What McKinsey, BCG and Bain say about networking
Six things the firms' own careers pages say, read October 27, 2026.
BCG: talk to its people
Asked whether candidates can talk to a recruiter, BCG says it actively encourages it, by attending its recruiting events and speaking with alumni or current BCGers. Its campus and office pages have contact details.
BCG: referrals start with a link
If someone agrees to refer you, apply through the link they give you. BCG says it can't turn an application you already sent into a referral.
Bain: drop by and ask
Bain's events page says the best way to learn about a role is to drop by and ask questions, and that a few events will tell you whether Bain is the place for you.
Bain: know who you'll meet
Bain says it always looks great when candidates know the backgrounds of the people they'll talk to, and suggests writing your questions out ahead of time.
McKinsey: follow your school's page
Connect with McKinsey tells North American undergrads to bookmark their school's recruiting page and check back for events hosted by their recruiter and school alumni. Members get event invitations, deadline dates and priority access to the Solve game.
McKinsey: one bar everywhere
McKinsey's FAQ says the standards for getting an interview and an offer are the same globally. It suggests weighing your own network of family and friends when you pick an office.
From BCG: candidate FAQs, Bain: recruiting events, Bain: what to expect, McKinsey: Connect with McKinsey and McKinsey: careers FAQ.
Firm programs you can join now
Programs for students, from each firm's own page, read October 27, 2026. None is a job application, but each puts you in front of recruiters and consultants.
McKinsey
- McKinsey Edge
- 4 virtual sessions, Nov 4 to Dec 3, 2026
- Who
- Undergrad and non-MBA master's, graduating Dec 2028 to Aug 2029
- Connect with McKinsey
- Open Sep 1, 2026 to Jun 30, 2027
Edge needs no case prep or business background. Connect with McKinsey is for North American students recruiting for roles starting in 2028.
BCG
- BCG Launch
- Virtual, Nov 9, 2026 to Feb 17, 2027
- Who
- Undergrad and non-MBA master's at a US or Canadian school
- Register by
- March 29, 2027
Launch covers the basics of consulting, BCG's Associate application and life at the firm. BCG says signing up is not a job application.
Bain
- Sophomore programs
- BEL, CREW and First Forward, 1.5 days in person
- Apply by
- November 30, 2026, 11:59 p.m. PT
- Then
- Video prompts on HireVue
The programs run in Bain's US offices on January 28 to 29, February 4 to 5 and February 18 to 19, 2027. Bain also runs a virtual First Look at Bain and case prep session for North American undergrads on November 10, 2026.
When to network, in the recruiting calendar
Our suggested order for a US undergrad aiming at a summer internship. The program dates are the firms' own. Application dates move every year, so check our timeline.
Show the steps
Freshman and sophomore fall
Join the firm programs
Sign up for Connect with McKinsey, McKinsey Edge and BCG Launch, and find out whether McKinsey, BCG and Bain have a page for your school. Apply to Bain's sophomore programs by November 30.
Sophomore winter
Start coffee chats
Two to four alumni calls a week, our suggestion. Start with consultants a year or two out of school, who went through recruiting most recently.
24 coffee chat questionsBefore applications open
Go to every campus event you can
Info sessions, case workshops and office events. Say hello to the people who ran them, and send a thank-you the same week.
From BCG.
When you apply
Ask for a referral the right way
Only from someone who knows you and offers. At BCG, apply through your referrer's link, since a sent application can't be changed into a referral.
From BCG.
Once you apply
Switch from networking to cases
Send a short update to the people who helped, then put your hours into case practice. The interview decides the offer.
Consulting recruiting timeline
The order and the weekly numbers are our advice. The program dates and the referral rule are from the firms' pages linked under each step.
8 questions consultants may ask you on a call
A coffee chat is not an interview, but people often ask a little about you. Our wording. The questions to ask them are in our coffee chat guide.
About you4 questions
Have a short answer ready for each.
Tell me a bit about yourself.
What a strong answer does
Sixty seconds: school, one thing you did, and why you're looking at consulting. Not your whole resume. Practice it, see a model answer
Why consulting?
What a strong answer does
One or two reasons from something you did, plus what you want to learn in the job. Practice it, see a model answer
Why are you interested in our firm?
What a strong answer does
Something you learned from its people, ideally from an earlier chat, not its ranking. Practice it, see a model answer
Which office are you thinking about, and why?
What a strong answer does
A real reason, such as family, an industry the office serves or people you've met there.
How ready you are4 questions
Signals that you know what the job and the process involve.
What do you think a first-year consultant actually does?
What a strong answer does
Analysis, client meetings, slides and travel, said plainly. It shows you know what you're signing up for.
Have you started practicing cases?
What a strong answer does
Say how: how many, with whom, and one thing you're working on, such as case math or structure.
Who else have you spoken to at the firm?
What a strong answer does
Names and one thing each told you. It shows you're doing the work, not collecting contacts.
Do you have any questions for me?
What a strong answer does
Always yes. Ask one thing only this person can answer, then ask who else you should talk to. Practice it, see a model answer
Mistakes to avoid
Networking mistakes
Asking for a job or a referral in the first message
Ask for advice and 15 minutes. A referral, if it comes, comes from someone who has talked with you.
Copying the same note to 30 people
A message with no reason for that person reads as spam. One line about why them makes it personal.
Asking what's on the careers page
Read the firm's pages and the person's profile first. Bain says it looks great when you know who you're talking to.
Skipping the free programs
Edge and Launch are open to anyone eligible, and Bain's sophomore programs take applications until November 30. All three put you in front of recruiters.
Networking instead of practicing
A great chat won't carry a weak case. Keep doing cases out loud every week from the winter on.
Networking opens the door, the case gets the offer
Soreno's AI interviewer runs full consulting cases out loud, asks follow-ups, checks your math and scores every case, any time you have 30 minutes. Try a sample case with no sign-up, or start your free week.
Questions people ask
How do you network for consulting?
Start with the firms' own programs and events, then your school's campus team and consulting club, then short one-on-one calls with alumni. Ask for 15 to 20 minutes of advice, come with questions you can't answer online, thank them within a day and send a short update when you apply.
Do you need to network to get into consulting?
No firm says networking is required, and every firm takes online applications. BCG says it actively encourages candidates to attend its events and speak with alumni and BCGers, and Bain says the best way to learn about a role is to drop by and ask questions. Chats also give you specific answers to why this firm.
What should I say in a consulting networking email?
Who you are, how you found them, why them, and a 15-minute ask in the next couple of weeks, then thanks. Keep it under 100 words and don't ask for a job. Our four sample messages are above.
How do I get a referral at McKinsey, BCG or Bain?
From someone at the firm who knows you, usually after a call or two, and only if they offer. BCG says to apply through the link your referrer gives you, because an application you already sent can't be changed into a referral.
When should I start networking for consulting?
Our suggestion for McKinsey, BCG and Bain undergrad roles is your first or second year of college. McKinsey Edge runs November 4 to December 3, 2026, BCG Launch November 9, 2026 to February 17, 2027, and Bain's sophomore programs take applications until November 30, 2026.
How many coffee chats should I do?
No firm gives a number. Our suggestion is two to four a week in the months before you apply, and a few good chats at each firm you care about over many quick ones.
What if I can't find anyone from my school at a firm?
Use the programs open to every eligible student, such as McKinsey Edge and BCG Launch, go to the firms' virtual events, and write to people who share something else with you: a major, a club, a hometown or a past employer.
How do I follow up after a coffee chat?
A thank-you within a day that names one thing they said, then a short update when you apply. If an email gets no reply, follow up once after a week, then move on.