I’ve been reaching out to people at McKinsey, BCG, and Bain for the past few weeks, and I’m getting mixed signals on my approach. Some people say my messages are too formal and robotic. Others say I’m not formal enough and I’m coming across as desperate. One mentor told me to completely rewrite my pitch, another said it was fine but my resume was the real problem.
Here’s what I’m struggling with: how do I actually know whose advice to take? Like, is it the person who’s been at a top firm for 10+ years? Or is it someone who got in more recently and might remember what worked last year? I feel like I’m drowning in conflicting feedback and I’m second-guessing everything now.
The frustrating part is that some of the feedback feels surface-level—like “be authentic” or “tell your story”—but not actually actionable. I need someone to tell me what’s working and what isn’t based on real patterns they’ve seen, not just generic advice.
Has anyone else dealt with this? How do you actually filter through mentor feedback to figure out what’s legit versus what’s just someone’s personal preference?
lol yeah, mentor feedback is like half guessing game. here’s the thing tho—if someone’s been at a top firm for years but their advice sounds like a linkedin article, they’re probably not that useful. real feedback comes from people who’ve actually rejected candidates and hired them. they can tell you why some resumes don’t make it past round one. most people just remember what worked for them, not what actually moves the needle across the board.
also watch out for mentors who are too cheerleady about your stuff. if someone tells you everything’s great without nitpicking, they’re not paying attention. the brutal feedback—the stuff that stings—that’s usually worth something.
omg this is so helpful. i didnt realize u need to ask wether theyre hiring managers 2. im just gonna ask ppl directly if they’ve actually rejected ppl or hired them. ty for the reality check!
wait so ur saying generic advice isnt worth it? ive been eating up all the linkedin tips lol. this changes how i approach mentors ngl
You’ve got this! Seek out mentors who give specific, honest feedback about what works now. Trust that gut feeling when advice resonates with real examples. You’re on the right track questioning it!
Research shows that feedback from recent hires (within 2-3 years) in your target role carries higher accuracy than advice from veterans further removed from the hiring process. Prioritize mentors who can quantify their input: ‘I see X% of resumes filtered out at this stage’ or ‘Response rates typically spike when you mention Y metric.’ Track which feedback correlates with actual responses—did restructuring your resume increase calls? Did changing your outreach tone improve reply rates? Use data to validate advice rather than intuition alone. This approach removes personal bias from the equation.
Additionally, consider the source’s role in the hiring funnel. Recruiters see volume; interviewers evaluate fit; hiring managers assess potential. Their perspectives differ significantly, so their feedback should be weighted accordingly. Cross-reference advice across all three to identify common patterns—that’s your signal-to-noise separator.