I have applied to a number of strat firms and some applications are progressing faster than others (infact some firms have yet to even respond after 8 weeks - my opinion of them is falling fast).I am interested to know if it is common to be offered exploding offers... I am keen to try and finish with as many of my applications as possible but am afraid I might have my hand forced.Are there any firms who are more guilty of this than others? (Perhaps I can delay with them!)Thanks, J

Well let me rephrase the question then!For the consultants here: How many of you had multiple offers? Was there lots of freedom to put off accepting to wait for other applications? Were consultancies impatient to get a reply?Thanks

I have no idea what an exploding offer is. However as far as receiving multiple offers goes then generally you can only put them off for a limited time e.g. two weeks. To ensure they all finish at the same time you need to delay the fast ones and speed up the slow ones.To delay you can arrange 2nd interview say 3 weeks away claiming you are busy. If necessary you can then ring up a couple of days before and make an excuse to postpone another week or two.To speed the others up just call them and tell them you are at second interview stage with their competitors.

Ah, ok. Yes an exploding offer is one that is withdrawn after a small time period... ie you have two weeks to accept or the offer is withdrawn.So I gather this is common? Damn, I have several applications where the firms are delaying because they are busy, and others that are rapidly progressing!Having said that, if anyone else is reading, I do gather some firms can speed up the process if you do have another 'exploding' offer. I will keep my fingers crossed...

So if you are offered a job you accept- the starting date will be at least a month or two away and the paperwork to get a signature etc always takes ages- and then if you get offered a job that you prefer you accept the latter and withdraw the first. Its the same sort of thing they'll pull on you, just keeping you holding on and then if they fill their quota dropping you, just make sure you've read all the small print, it might not always be possible but these things can usually be navigated.

Hi J!Now that u have gone through the application processes of different strat firms, why dont u share with us the respective time taken by each of them to respond.I am applying to a number of them in a couple of days. Your experience will be helpful in timing my applications. Do share ur experience about the leading strat firms especially.Will appreciate comments from anyone knowing these delays.Thanks,B.

What makes you so sure that you will get multiple offers and that you should be so worried about "timing the applications”. Have a heart dude. Your energies would be better spent focusing on landing a job than "timing the applications".

Don't worry, once I get a beter idea of where I am, I will definately post what's happened here. There was not much to help me here to be honest so the least I can do is help future guys/gals!!!

What makes me so sure I will get offers... the fact that all my feedback has been great. I have excellent grades and degree, and unrivalled experience. While this won't be a walk-in, as long as I show decent business sense there is no reason for anyone to reject me.That's how I see it, and that is how it is paying out... if it is different then I will learn and be able to advise people here differently!!!

Although let me qualify my earlier post about slagging off this place! There has been lots of EXCELLENT help in giving me a view of various firms and how people see them (especially from the top-consultant team), but when it comes to advice of the specifics that people look for in interviews, not much.I will be posting soon. Just need to hear back and then I can qualify my comments!

J, if I had any inkling that you had an interview with my firm now I'd do everything within my power to make sure that interview didn't happen. You seem to show every trait that I've seen that makes an unsuccessful consultant - Arrogance ("unrivaled experience" - have you found a cure for AIDS in your spare time or something?), inexperience (you talk about excellent grades and degrees - something nobody needs to talk about if they have good WORK experience) and a total lack of business understanding ("as I show decent business sense there is no reason for anyone to reject me"). I don't think the issue will be that your offers will explode, rather that they will ultimately fail to materialise.

Well, there is difference a between 'arrogance' and 'confidence'. I go into an interview to show the firms that I can do the work and I am the person for them. My "Unrivalled experience" was not meant unrivalled in quality/goodness, just that not many people have done what I have done.While my earlier post was certainly abrupt and my comment "there is no reason for anyone to reject me" can certainly be read as arrogant, I could perhaps clarify that as "there is no reason for anyone to reject me on what I can offer" (business sense being assumed). Of course, performance at the interviews is very important too, and I have certainly had my moments! But I am now seeing the huge and important difference in the firms' characters. And that is certainly another reason to reject or accept both from the firm's view and the candidate's. I am not going to walk into a job, but I am going to walk into an interview, determined and confident that I have what they want.Bri500, if you feel this attitude is not suitable for your firm, then I accept that and perhaps I wouldn't make it through with you. But I also can't see a consultant lasting long if he walks into a client's office not confident about what he is selling. My last post was prompted by "What makes you so sure that you will get multiple offers ?" Of course I am not sure, the original post was to ask about "what IF I did". In my view, and yes it is just my view, I see no harm self-confidence.