I'm a recent graduate working in a Big4 full house firm. I'd like to make the move into strategy. I've been hunting roles and will apply once the milkround begins.I was searching my alumni directory and found that an alum is a director in McKinsey. Now this is shocking as he is the only person I've heard from my particular uni being hired by McK (my uni is a redbrick and miles apart from Oxbridge et al).What would you suggest as the best method to approach him? I assume my (relatively) poor A'Level grades prohibit me from any shot in hell with McK, but I was thinking more along the lines of any contacts he may have that could lead to (at least) an interview being offered.

Think not what your contact can do for you, but rather what you can do for him

What would a McK director want from myself?Sexual favours are out!

I think Sage was making a point more relevant to experienced MCs.2 points Superman:1. Drop him an email or a call; it is hard to refuse a polite, interested and enthusiastic request for some guidance. Just make sure you are all these things first.2. Where is the value to you though? Surely if you want to be a strat consultant you can manage some research to identify strat firms in the UK? And it is not exactly a strong selling point for you to be referred by a contact at McKinsey if you are not good enough for them (image the conversation "This one is not good enough for us but maybe for you?"!).

Hard to refuse, true, but out of all the things the guy could be doing with his time this isn't going to be the first choice.I get calls from newly graduated alumni all the time with questions about my firm or requests for advice. I'm lucky enough to work for a good brand and be the front-man for campus activities at my alma mater, so a lot of people reach out to me around recruiting time. I enjoy helping those who have a clear interest in the industry or my firm, but I am bemused by those who have no fit with the job and somehow expect me to open a magic door for them. My old university graduates thousands of bright young things every year - I'm not going to bend the rules or use up favours for a stranger who's at the bottom of that group.

There aren't that many redbrick unis and McKinsey employs graduates of all of them. There are bound to be much more appropriate contact points for you than a Director. Besides which, given how many suitable candidates the red-bricks turn out each year, why would an alumnus use up a favour to promote an unsuitable candidate. Recommending or associating with a substandard candidate will only harm their and the university's reputation in the eyes of anyone they recommend you.