Question:
Thank you for the fabulous resource you’ve put together. Your site was recommended to me by a first-year at BCG and it’s been great prep. This question is probably on a lot of minds right now and I was hoping to get your perspective.
I have received invitations for two final round consulting interviews this Friday at their offices, and I’m not sure how to handle this situation. Is it frowned upon to ask for an alternate final round interview date? I do not want to appear disinterested in either firm, as I’d be delighted to work for either if given the opportunity.
Thank you ahead of time for answering this question.
My Reply:
It is perfectly acceptable to ask for an alternative final round date. It is best to ask the recruiting coordinator, who is more focused on the logistical aspects of recruiting and would be least likely to be “offended” by the request.
In the business world, it is very common to juggle scheduling… very typical whether that is for an interview or any other kind of meeting.
You might not want to say your conflict is with another employer, but just say you have a pre-existing commitment or a conflict. In general it is better to raise the issue as soon as possible.
The top firms often have multiple final round batches… typically every few weeks when they’re “in season.”
I would suggest attempting to attend your preferred firm’s interview unchanged if at all possible, and try to re-schedule your second choice firm.
Sometimes the re-scheduled date can be several weeks later. If you end up having a final round very late in the season, often many of their spots are already filled. Some feel this makes the firms more selective late in the process versus earlier.
I don’t know if this is factually true, but there does seem to be some common sense validity to the argument.