Chances of getting MBB after GEMBA INSEAD?

Hi there!

You have a cool profile. 

They would definitely be interested in somebody like you at manager level, especially if you apply to the relevant practices within the firms. In that sense, you could go in as a specialist/expert instead of a generalist consultant, taking advantage of the fact that you already have a knowledge base and, thus, a value proposition. 

You need to come up with a short list of target firms and roles (feel free to reach out for a template) and then start contacting the respective recruiters to figure out what their hiring availability is. 

After that, it's about networking and building a proper application package to pass screening with multiple firms. Then come the actual interview for which you need to prep. 

Sharing with you a couple of articles that you might find useful if you're thinking of applying:

• Expert Guide: Build A Winning Application Strategy
• Expert Guide: How To Handle Networking Calls and Get Referrals
• Expert Guide: Are MBAs worth it?

Best,
Cristian

Hi there,

Q: Applied for Insead GEMBA Asia and offered interview. Interested to get into MBB (or boutique consulting generally) what are my chances to get offered/looked at/considered by the firms?

Before investing time and money in an EMBA, I would recommend (i) networking/finding a referral and (ii) applying for a position there, ideally for an expert role in the O&G practice. If it does work, you can join immediately. If it doesn’t work, you might consider the EMBA as a backup.

In terms of whether an EMBA is a good path in your case, I would check on LinkedIn the exits in your target region for people who have pursued it – this should give you a data-driven answer.

You can find more on networking and referrals below:

▶ How to Get an MBB Invitation

Hope this helps,

Francesco

Hi there,

INSEAD and Bain alumnus here.

I don’t recall Bain looking at GEMBAs, or any Exec MBAs, as hires in my time there, nor did I get the impression the GEMBA was orientated towards career changers.

You should be able to find out for sure by contacting the INSEAD admissions department, who will have all the stats on post-GEMBA career paths.

From the brief that you’ve provided, my suggestion would be to approach the O&G practices of the MBBs directly and look for an expert-type role (vs generalist) at an EM or AP level.

Cheers,

B.

Hey there,

Best way to answer these questions on your own with 5 minute of research time:

• Go on LinkedIn and check who has done the respective program and works at firm X. Is this common or not? Do the ones that made the move have something else on their resume that makes them stand out?
• If there are people with the same move, reach out to them and directly ask them about their experience.

All the best,

Florian

Hi there,

The always is almost always going to be “you have a shot”. Ultimately it's going to come down to how well you've created/positioned your resume, how well you have networking + attended events, timing, office selection, case/interview performance, and a bit of luck.

In particular, if you recruit for roles + regions where O&G and energy are more prevalent (Houston, Middle East, even, Singapore (trading), etc.), then your odds will be better!

hi guys, 

just want to give an update. spoken with a fellow Inseader alumnus and he confirmed it is possible to enter MBB albeit not easy but not entirely impossible. Someone from an oil majors entered as a director level hire with Bain after graduating from GEMBA. 

to those that are keen to know if its possible, here you go.