Applying to MBB 1 Year Out of College

Hi there,

You’re in a great position to transition to MBB with your Ivy background, investment banking experience, and prior consulting internship.

1. Timing

MBB hires year-round for experienced candidates, but the best times to apply are early in the year (Jan–March) and late summer (Aug–Oct). Since you’re nearing the 1-year mark, now is an ideal time to start preparing.

2. Is It Worth It?

Absolutely. Your experience in finance is a strong asset, especially when paired with your consulting internship. Highlight transferable skills like problem-solving, analysis, and client exposure.

3. Off-Campus Recruiting
    •    Network: Reach out to alumni and contacts at MBB for referrals. Warm introductions help a lot.
    •    Apply Strategically: Look for experienced hire or generalist roles on MBB career sites and LinkedIn.
    •    Prepare: Practice case interviews and refine your resume to tell a clear story about why you’re pivoting back to consulting.

While hiring can vary by market conditions, MBB consistently seeks strong candidates. With your background and preparation, you’re in a strong position—good luck!

Happy to help you with your preparation - feel free to DM me.

Best,
Evelina

Hi,

You can apply already now as an experienced hire. This process is running all year round (with some calmer periods during the holiday periods). Having a referral is definitely an important factor that would largely improve your application. In my opinion, staying longer at your current company to gain more experience does not outweigh the fact you are not happy at your current job. 

Hope this helps.

Mattijs

Hi, you can definitely apply for an experienced associate position at BCG or a similar role at McKinsey or Bain. The process differs from on-campus recruiting—it’s essentially the same as any other job application where you apply online. Your chances of landing an interview will increase significantly if you can secure a referral.

As of November/December last year, BCG was hiring experienced professionals quite aggressively. I would imagine that all MBB firms will continue to focus on experienced hires as their business picks up rapidly.

Good luck! 

Hello!

Here are two options you can consider for applying to MBB 1 year out of college (given you wouldn't do on campus recruiting):

1. Networking and referral: Try to network with alumni of your school, people in the consulting company where you did your internship (provided you would like to work there), and other current consultants (if no alumni connection, the response rate will be lower, but some people will be open to chat). Through networking you could get referred internally and get an interview
2. MBA: Another option for you is to apply for an MBA and then do on campus recruiting there, but this might mean needing to stay in your current job longer, so you need to decide if you'd be open for that

Regarding your 3 questions at the end of your note: (1) The off cycle interview timelines are less organized vs. on cycle, so interviews happen throughout the year; (2) If you're asking whether you have a chance, then yes and that depends on, e.g., how well you can network / your access to school alumni who are consultants; (3) Yes, MBBs are hiring (in smaller numbers than a few years back, but hiring; some of the spikes in hiring a few years back were more out of the ordinary than current hiring levels)

Best,

Maria

Hey!

You’re in a solid position to apply, even with just a year of experience, especially given your Ivy background and previous consulting internship. MBB typically hires off-cycle for experienced hires, so you don't necessarily need to wait for the traditional fall recruiting cycle. That said, applying around late summer to early fall could align with their main intake periods. Networking is key—reach out to alumni and consultants to get insights and potential referrals, as off-campus recruiting is more relationship-driven. The market has been a bit slower recently, but firms are still selectively hiring strong candidates. Definitely worth trying! Let me know if you need any help. 😊

Alessa

Hi there,

The best time to apply is when they tell you to.

Please ignore anything you read online and trust your contacts at the firm.

Meaning....network...a lot!

Experienced hire recruiting happens all year round but it is office specific and depends on you, them, the market, etc. So, talk to people!

And, make sure you're 80% case ready before you apply + get your resume professionally reviewed.

Here are some resources to help:

How to Get a Consulting Internship - Tips and Tricks

Master Your Job Hunt with Proven Strategies 
 

Successful Interview Prep 

Hi there,

First of all, congratulations on your career trajectory thus far!

I would be happy to share my thoughts on your questions:

• First of all, and contrary to what other coaches have said, I doubt that you would qualify as an experienced hire with less than a year of work experience. However, and in any case, I would highly advise you to contact the recruiting departments and inquire about this to find out for sure.
• Moreover, while no one can seriously answer the question of what the hiring demand will be this year, I can tell you that I have helped numerous US coachees land full-time (and internship) positions at various consulting firms.

You can find more on this topic here: How to succeed in the final interview round.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare for your upcoming pre-interview assessments and/or interviews, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Hey,

I suggest you wait a little bit and apply right after you've hit a 1-year of working experience mark. Anything less on your CV may raise questions. 

In the meantime, start preparing now (as quality preparation takes several months). Also, I suggest you start networking at various consulting firms so that when the time to apply comes you'd be completely ready.

Good luck!
Nick