Recruiting doesn’t stop after interviews
Recruitment at McKinsey is about more than interviewing—it’s about making real connections and building relationships. Mayowa shares how she builds those connections and what she’s learned about herself, our candidates, and our firm along the way.
Why do you enjoy talent attraction, and what have you learned about our firm through your recruiting efforts?
Recruiting is fun, and I get to meet great people. Most colleagues think about broadening their network through client activity, but through my recruiting work, I have met people from various continents who have become wonderful friends. I’m also constantly amazed by the caliber and diversity of our hires. We bring on wonderful people who make our firm stronger.
What has the recruiting process taught you about yourself?
How competitive I am. I take it very personally when our offers aren’t accepted, especially if I think the candidate would be a great fit and that McKinsey would be ideal in the candidate’s career journey. I’ve learned that recruiting doesn’t stop at interviewing. We continue developing relationships with candidates after the interviews are over. I spend a lot of time communicating with people who have already accepted an offer to join, so they are prepared and excited when they actually start.
What are the most important qualities you look for in a candidate, and why?
We look for people who want to make a meaningful difference in the world and who can do that while working with diverse stakeholders and approaches. To me, intellectual curiosity is very important. The kind of problems we need to solve on this continent require people who will ask thoughtful questions, see past obstacles, and have the tenacity to think creatively about our client work. Lastly, because collaboration is key to our working model, I look for fit and ask myself, “Will this person be a great addition to my team room?”
In your opinion, what qualities or priorities of our firm and our people remain steadfast?
Our focus on values remains core to who we are. I love that we have so many different profiles, capabilities, and so on, and that from Peru to India, from digital expert to generalist consultant, we share common values. That makes the firm a very special place.