‘Felt like a loser’: How an IIT-IIM graduate bounced back from McKinsey & Company rejection
The IIT-IIM alumnus shared that he was ‘heartbroken’ and ‘felt like a loser’ after he faced rejection after the final round at McKinsey & Company.
A 25-year-old IIT-IIM graduate jumped from the 9th floor of his apartment in Mumbai and died by suicide on February 23. Police stated that the individual, an employee at McKinsey & Company, took his own life due to work pressure. This news sparked a debate about the company’s work culture. Amidst the discourse, an IIT-IIM graduate revealed that while he once prioritised joining McKinsey & Company, he was ultimately rejected after the final round. He shared his experience of coping with rejection and emphasised that it’s okay if one can’t meet the ‘societal standards’.
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“When McKinsey rejected me after the final round. I was heartbroken for months, so much so that I thought I wasn’t good enough,” X user Sandipan tweeted.
He then recounted the narrative he used to believe in, expressing how falling short of it made him feel like a ‘loser’. “I felt the only thing that mattered was to go through this set path- IIT, IIM, consult/IB, then ace at corporate, yada yada. Anything that didn’t fit this narrative made me feel like a loser. Period.”
Although Sandipan overcame the rejection, he expressed, “Meeting expectations is not easy, and I can only imagine the battles that they fought in their head.”
“Easy to comment from the outset, so difficult to live it. Sending hope to anyone feeling down because they couldn’t meet societal standards - there’s pride in beating the norm,” Sandipan concluded.
The tweet, since being shared on March 16, has accumulated over 75,000 views and the numbers are still increasing. Many even took to the comments section of the post to share their thoughts.
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Here are a few reactions to this thread:
“Had the exact same experience at B-school, but in hindsight, it turned out to be the best thing ever,” posted an individual.
Another added, “Relate max.”
“Terrible, terrible tragedy. Insecure overachievers (which there are many in a country with scarcity). When rejected, it could create a vicious loop. Be thankful in life and don’t take yourself too seriously,” expressed a third.
