The Fifth Rejection: How I Got An Offer at McKinsey

"Unfortunately, at this time..."

My laptop screen burns at 3 AM in my Mission District studio. McKinsey rejection number five. The fog outside feels like San Francisco's way of mocking my clouded future.

The evidence of failure litters my IKEA desk: cold pizza, case books turned to mush, empty Red Bulls. Three years of engineering at a fintech startup, and I can't crack this one bug: getting into consulting.

My phone lights up. Another LinkedIn message. Almost swipe it away.

"Hey - saw your McKinsey post. I got an offer last month. Coffee? Same story, different ending."

Sightglass Coffee, next morning. Sarah's not what I expected. No consulting speak, no frameworks. Just an engineer who made it to BCG, drawing circles on a napkin while I vent.

"Found this platform called I Got An Offer," she says, pushing my cold brew closer. "Different approach. Real stories, real people. Changed everything for me."

"Tell me about your worst day coding," she continues. "Not your rehearsed behavioral stories. The real stuff."

I tell her about the payment system meltdown. Midnight alerts. Angry clients. Leading a team through chaos.

She grins. "That's not just engineering. That's pure consulting gold."

Despite my maxed-out credit card screaming no, I sign up for I Got An Offer that night. Something feels different this time.

Eight weeks turn my tiny apartment into a story laboratory. Sarah doesn't drill frameworks. She helps me find my voice. That database migration? Market entry strategy. The API documentation? Change management. The team restructuring? Organizational behavior.

"Stop trying to become a consultant," she repeats during our I Got An Offer sessions. "You're already one. Just speaking the wrong language."

The moment it clicks, I'm on practice case forty-something. Healthcare startup expansion. Without thinking, I map user flows alongside market segments.

Sarah goes quiet. Then: "There it is. You see systems and strategy together. That's your superpower. Own it."

McKinsey interview six. Different building, same fog. Partner asks about scaling challenges. This time, no frameworks. Instead, I tell him about scaling our payment system from 100 to 100,000 users. About balancing technical debt against market growth. About leading through uncertainty.

He puts down his pen. Actually listens.

Two weeks later, during standup at my startup. Phone buzzes. McKinsey's area code.

First words to Sarah: "I got an offer!"

Her response: "No. You finally told your story."

Today, watching the same fog from McKinsey's office, people ask how I Got An Offer made the difference. I tell them about finding my voice. About speaking consulting without forgetting engineer. About authenticity beating frameworks.

To every engineer staring at rejection emails: Your debug logs are full of consulting stories. You just need the right translator. I Got An Offer wasn't just a platform - it was the compiler that turned my engineering language into consulting impact.

P.S. To my past self, drowning in case books and imposter syndrome: Those midnight debugging sessions are preparing you for partner track. Just not how you think.

Dave K.

San Francisco, 2024