BCG vs. McKinsey Prestige

Hi Samy,

Congratulations on the offers! In terms of your question:

Q: I feel as though McKinsey has higher prestige associated with the name, however, is this the case within the professional world?

McKinsey has more alumni so, everything being equal, regardless of the personal considerations of the brand name which could be subjective, it will have an edge in terms of helping you with networking in the future.

On the other hand, brand name is not the only thing I would recommend to consider in terms of making a decision and I would consider the following.

• Where do you want to be in 5-10 years? Look at the company that can help you to achieve that goal faster. You can check LinkedIn for that (see below). If you are not sure, the McKinsey brand is still stronger in most countries.
• If you consider the average consultant/partner you talked to in each company, which one would you rather be? You will spend a lot of time with your colleagues in the next years if you will join full-time after the internship - be sure you choose a company where the people are close to the person you want to become.
• If money and prestige were not a consideration, which company would you choose? This could help you to identify additional elements to weigh you have not considered yet.

In terms of exits (for most people they are a very important factor in joining a consulting company), you can check them as follows:

1. Look for alumni of the two companies on LinkedIn
2. Check how many moved to your preferred exits in your target region
3. Normalize for the size of the companies in the region

If you want to do extra due diligence, contact Alumni of your university (not current consultants) who worked for the two companies (bonus if they worked for both companies). You will learn more in a 30-minute call with them than with any online research you may do.

Best,
Francesco

Hi there,

Super congrats for the achievement!

I can speak from experience because I have also had to decide between 2 MBB offers (Bain vs BCG). One of the Bain interviewer contacted me after my interview and told me something that was really important to me: “know that whatever you will do, you will land on your feet”. I was really worried about making the wrong decision, and this really helped taking down the pressure. 

As others were anticipating, there is not much difference between MBBs, especially in terms of future employment opportunities. What I would focus on, therefore, is the culture and environment in general. You could ask yourself many questions to understand that, such as: 

• “did I feel comfortable talking with these people?”
• “did I liked the way they answered my questions at the end of the interview?”
• “did HR treated me well and with respect?
• …

Also, you could talk with your connections in these offices (if you have some) to understand the office culture.

Hope this helps,
Remember that you will land on your feet!
Francesca

Hi Samy, 

Congratulations on this fantastic achievement; you should be truly proud! Go with McKinsey of course ;-) (ok I am biased, but here some food for thought):

Prestige: As many highlighted already, McK has a slight edge here. Also driven by a stronger and larger Alumni network. 

Staffing: Global staffing and a strong culture of authoring your own journey will make you feel much more like an entrepreneur within the firm and give you more flexibility when it comes to deciding your own staffing.

Travel: If this is a factor for you, much easier to travel internationally at McK (I worked on projects in Australia, US, China, Japan, India, and all across Europe). Don't want to miss this. 

Warm regards and feel free to ping me for a coffee chat.

Frederic 🚀🌎☕

Hi there,

Wow! You're a consulting rockstar landing those offers. Congratulations!

In my experience, McKinsey has more prestige. Or more precisely, it's the more commonly known firm among people that aren't super familiar with consulting but could still have some influence over your career.

• If someone is not very familiar with consulting, McKinsey beats BCG. After being part of McKinsey myself for some years, I am now back in industry. Having the brand on my resume really helped me because most people have at least heard about McKinsey and immediately think that you're super smart (for better or worse…). However, when BCG comes up, people often don't even know them.
• If someone is familiar with consulting, including BCG and McKinsey, they're often perceived as being on-par (except for price, where McKinsey always ‘wins’…).

Hope this helps a bit. Best of luck!

Moritz

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>> Need a senior McKinsey coach? See my profile in a nutshell
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Wow! Congrats - that's a really cool achievement. 

Yes, in short, they're both very very similar. 

I got to know both firms really well since I was in McK for 5y and my wife in BCG for 5y. They operate in a similar way, do similar projects and have a similar culture (despite what you might hear). b

In terms of prestige, arguably because of its longer history and its size, McKinsey might have a slight edge over BCG. 

But I wouldn't make my decision based on this. Instead, I would rather be guided by the vibe that you got from the respective office that you'll be joining. This office will have a critical impact on how you'll navigate your first months and years in consulting and you ideally are in a place where you feel comfortable. 

Sharing with you a guide with a few tips on how to hit the ground running in consulting:

• Expert Guide: How to Become A Distinctive Consultant

Best,
Cristian

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Practicing for interviews? Check out my latest case based on a first-round MBB interview >>> SoyTechnologies  

Hi,

Congrats on receiving 2 internship offers - that is impressive :)

Here's my perspective having worked in consulting for many years:

• Generally, McKinsey is more of a ‘household name’ than BCG
  • This means that the random person next to you on the plane is more likely to have heard of McK than BCG (based on a real-life anecdote)
• For future employers/exit opportunities that you are likely to target (Corporate, PE), it really doesn't matter. MBB is regarded as the same tier by headhunters and companies that operate in that tier of corporate/business world

There will be of course geography specific nuances, e.g. in some countries McK offce is way bigger than BCG, but above is a broad generalization.

You wouldn't go wrong with either firm, I would suggest you to pick the firm that you feel is the better fit for you.

Hope this helps - happy to chat on this more if you'd like, just drop me a dm.

Hi Samy,

Congrats! What a fantastic position to be in.

Just know, you can't go wrong.

Once you've made your decision, do not regret it and do not think “what if”. You're already well on your way to success!

In terms of prestige, McKinsey wins out. But, remember, Tiers exist for a reason: the drop between tiers is far greater than the drop within tiers.

Personally, I would not make a decision solely based on prestige, when both have phenomenal brands/reputations.

Congratulations on receiving offers from both BCG and McKinsey for your consulting summer internship! Both firms, BCG and McKinsey, are highly prestigious and well-respected in the professional world. While there may be some differences in perception and reputation, it's important to note that the level of prestige associated with each firm can vary depending on factors such as industry, geography, and individual perspectives.

McKinsey has a long-standing reputation and is often considered the gold standard in terms of recognition across industries. Its brand recognition is indeed strong globally. However, it's important to recognize that BCG is also highly regarded and has been making significant strides in establishing itself as a knowledge-based company. BCG's reputation has been growing, and it is recognized for its expertise and thought leadership in various areas.

Ultimately, the perceived prestige of a consulting firm can vary among individuals and organizations. It's crucial to remember that both BCG and McKinsey are Tier 1 strategy consulting firms, and being selected for an internship at either firm is a significant achievement that speaks to your capabilities and potential.

When making your decision, I would encourage you to consider factors beyond just prestige, such as the culture, work philosophy, and fit with the firm's values. These aspects can have a significant impact on your overall experience and long-term career satisfaction.

If you have any further questions or need more guidance in making your decision, feel free to ask!

Hi,

First of all congratulations for your offers !

Here are my thoughts :

1. Both McKinsey and BCG are very similar in terms of operations, projects, and culture.
2. McKinsey may have a slight edge in prestige due to its longer history and size, but this shouldn't be the sole basis for your decision.
3. The office you'll be joining should play a significant role in your choice, as it can impact your experience in the first months and years of consulting.
4. McKinsey is more of a 'household name,' but in terms of future opportunities in corporate or private equity, both MBB (McKinsey, BCG, and Bain) are regarded in the same tier.
5. Geography-specific nuances can exist, where one firm may have a more prominent presence than the other in certain countries.

Ultimately, the advice is to choose the firm that feels like a better fit for you personally.

Hey Samy, congrats on who offers!

Yes, McKinsey brand bears more prestige and is more renowned across the globe. To the point that I've heard it mentioned by the people who are very far away from consulting or the corporate world in general. However, you should not base your decision purely on that factor. I'd rater pay more attention to:

1. Industrial & functional expertise of both firms in your geography;
2. The team you'll be working with and the company culture in general;
3. Overall opportunities for growth and development.

I would say that BCG has an edge regarding #2 but McKinsey is a better choice regarding #3.

Good luck,
Nick

Wow - congratulations!

In terms of prestige - there will always be debate on who has more but one thing McKinsey has is a much larger alumni network making it easier to talk to and network with people for roles once you decide to move on.

At the end of the day that should be one of many factors for deciding which firm to pick. Think of what matters to you the most - for example where do you feel most connected to the people? Or which firm works on projects/areas that you are most interested in etc.

There's a difference, but it is not large. You should not base your decision based on this. Both are well known, both open the same doors, etc.