McKinsey Cover Letter Sample

McKinsey
Management
Cover Letter
Consulting
Sample
Resume Sample

McKinsey resume vs. cover letter
•

If you are applying for a position at McKinsey, you will be
competing with a large number of graduates and working
professionals who are also interested in breaking into the firm.
Therefore, you must be able to convince recruiters to invite
you to an interview. This includes submitting a McKinsey cover
letter that tells the story that you are a highly motivated and
ambitious applicant with a great potential.

•

A resume only summarizes your skills and experience, but a
cover letter tells the story about you: your career plans and
the fit of consulting in these plans, your personality and your
key accomplishments. You need to devote ample time to
crafting your letter as it can help you stand out from the pool
of highly qualified candidates.

In this presentation, you will learn:

•
•
•

What to do before writing a
McKinsey cover letter
Parts of a McKinsey cover letter
How to review a cover letter

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2

What to do before writing a McKinsey cover letter
Before writing your McKinsey cover letter, you need to make a list of your qualifications and
accomplishments that match the skills McKinsey seek in candidates. This will help you determine which
information to include in the document. Use the table below for ideas and suggestions:

Problem-solving

• Relevant coursework
• Consulting experience (internship or professional)
• Conducted researches

Achieving

• Accomplishments in the classroom and previous jobs
• Relevant awards and honors

Personal impact

• Exposure to different types of people
• Volunteer projects worked on
• Spoken and written languages

Leadership

• Positions held in a community, organization, or school
• Group projects

The cover letter should contain three to five paragraphs and the information you present should be
comprehensively written. If this document exceeds one page, recruiters will doubt your written
communication skills, something all management consultants should possess.


3

McKinsey cover letter structure
Contact
information and
salutation

There’s only one thing you need to remember in this section: accuracy. Double
check your contact information as the recruiters will use it to notify you about
tests and interviews. Also, don’t forget to address the letter to the correct person
and his or her position at the firm. Applicants often overlook these basic facts
when writing cover letters. Committing these types of mistakes will hurt your
application; recruiters will be disappointed that you omitted critical details.

Introduction

This section should be interesting enough to encourage the recruiters to read the
rest of your McKinsey cover letter. It should contain your objectives, the specific
job title you are interested in, and how you came across the opening. In order to
convey your own voice, try the following strategies:

Networking

Mention how a McKinsey employee has inspired you to pursue a
career with the firm. However, do not namedrop just to get the
recruiter’s attention; explain how the conversation moved you to
pursue your dream.

Events

Refer to an event, session, or any activity where you learned to
appreciate the services and expertise of McKinsey. It can be an
inspirational talk shared by a client or a lunch meeting with a key
person in the industry.

Articles

Cite a particular study or article written by McKinsey. State how
it has motivated you to follow your management consulting
dreams.


4

Introduction

Here’s is an example of this section:
I have learned from James Peterson, one of your managing directors that you
are looking for an operations consultant for your Chicago office. During our
conversation after his presentation on business transformation strategies last
month, he shared his experience in addressing inefficient processes, designing
marketing models, and helping clients build new capabilities. The valuable
information I learned from him has reinforced my passion for this field and my
entrepreneurial spirit.
Here’s is another example:
I met John Johnson at a recruiting event and he discussed an opportunity to
work with the Marketing and Sales Practice management team as a Digital
Expert. When I researched the position, I came across your article, “Powering
Growth through Digital Advantage.” After reading it, I was convinced that CEOs
should shape their marketing and sales agenda according to how digital media
has influenced consumer behavior. If given the opportunity, I would like to help
organizations realize, develop, and implement their digital strategies.


5

Middle
Paragraphs

Based on your list of qualifications, choose and highlight two or three skills or
accomplishments that will push your application to the top of the pile. Select the
ones that are most relevant to the position. If you are an experienced professional,
focus on your quantitative achievements at your previous job. If you are a recent
graduate, you can talk about your coursework, extracurricular activities, and
internship program. The important thing is to establish a connection between the
job and your competencies.
Here is an example of this section for experienced professionals:
My three-year experience as a director at an online marketing agency has
prepared me for this client-oriented role. I have developed various digital
marketing campaigns using a range of techniques such as Search Engine
Optimization (SEO), Pay Per Click (PPC), social media advertisements, and paid
searches. I also served as a marketing partner of Bangles, a startup company
that sells women’s clothing and apparel online. Two months after implementing
our marketing proposal, their monthly revenue increased by 25%.
Apart from my experience, my marketing degree from the University of
Colorado has also prepared me for advanced business writing, conducting
market research, and analyzing consumer behavior. I believe that my technical
know-how, coupled with my substantial experience, will be my key to
generating marketing strategies based on the industry’s best practices and
customer experience. I am confident McKinsey & Company will find my
contribution to the organization’s growth valuable.


6

Middle
Paragraphs

Here is an example of this section for recent graduates:
During my three-month internship at Fast Investment Bank, I helped my team in
providing financial services to companies and organizations. I analyzed an
investment opportunity for a private equity fund within the wind turbine sector,
leading to a critical investment decision. I also developed an Excel model for
the valuation using both multiple and discounted cash flow methods. This model
was used by the entire team.
In addition to my internship experience, I am a Finance major from the Leeds
School of Business at the University of Colorado. My college curriculum has
readied me for any challenges in business analysis, quantitative methods, and
organizational behavior. Despite my responsibilities as a soccer club vicepresident, I graduated with a 3.9 GPA. As evidenced by my excellent
educational performance, I believe I will be able to adapt to the challenging
demands of your organization.
In this section, you can also talk about your motivation for applying with the firm
and personal interests. Make sure to present them in a manner that’s relevant to
the desired position.


7

Closing
Paragraph

The closing paragraph revolves around you as a person. Write about what you can
contribute to the organization, your passion, personal values and skills. Finally, add
one more sentence that indicates your high value. Avoid writing “If you have any
questions about my application, please do not hesitate to contact me” as this
creates no value. If recruiters find you suitable for the job, they will find a way to
contact you. Here’s an example of the closing paragraph:
I take pride in my innate leadership potential. When I was still in university, I
was an officer of the consulting club for two consecutive years. Furthermore,
my former colleagues can attest to how I motivate other people to do their
tasks, and involve everyone in working towards the common goal.
Looking forward to discuss the opportunities with you.

Signature

It’s essential to close your McKinsey cover letter in a professional manner. You may
use the following closing examples:
•
•

Sincerely
Best regards

•
•

Respectfully
Yours truly

•

Most sincerely

Also, don’t forget to attach your signature in order to add sincerity to your
McKinsey cover letter. If you’re uploading your letter on the Internet, consider
creating a digital signature. Just sign a piece of clean, white paper, scan it, and
crop the image down to the ideal size of your signature. This will help you stand
out as a professional and technically-competent applicant.


8

How to review a cover letter
Before sending out your McKinsey cover letter, review its content and structure. If you know someone who
is qualified and willing to check it for you, ask for his or her objective feedback. After reviewing the
document, use the checklist below.
Question

Yes

No

Is the content relevant and interesting enough to pique the interest
of the recruiter?
Does it convey the value I can contribute to the firm?

Are my ideas or qualifications presented in a smooth and
comprehensible manner?
Does it look reader-friendly?
Is it free from spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors?
If you answered “yes” to all of these questions, you can submit your McKinsey cover letter with your
resume and other required documents.


9

Free Guide: Learn How to Break Into Consulting

Do you want to break into consulting? Download our free PDF guide, which
will show you the necessary steps and best practices on how to prepare.

1

2

3

Consulting Interview Process: Get an overview of the
application and interview process when applying to
management consulting firms. Receive tips on how to write
your cover letter and resume and get prepared for the
written tests and interviews once you get there.
Interview Preparation: Learn what you need to practice to
receive an offer from one of the top-tier consulting firms.
See our step-by-step framework to case study solving, learn
how to develop your own frameworks and get mental math
tips.
Case Study Example: Know what to expect from a case
study interview round. Read a real-life case study interview,
which includes a variety of topics. See the practical
application of the step-by-step framework to case study
solving.

McKinsey Cover Letter Sample

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