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How to prepare for consulting career

Dear all,

I received offers from the three MBBs and will accept the offre from BCG as a consulant.
I am transitioning from a tier 2 consulting firm and would like to get some tips in order to prepare best for the role.
What are your tips in order to perform and succeed the best at BCG as a consultant?
Thanks a lot for your help,

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Top answer
on Dec 25, 2018
#1 Coach for Sessions (4.500+) | 1.500+ 5-Star Reviews | Proven Success (➡ interviewoffers.com) | Ex BCG | 10Y+ Coaching

Hi Anonymous,

first of all, congratulations on your offers - that's a really good outcome! Below you can find a couple of things that could be useful to practice during your first weeks:

  1. Take notes when your manager tells you something – this will help you to remember details and will show you care about them to the team.
  2. Always double check. The first impression is very important in consulting: if you show you are reliable from the beginning, you will create a reputation of a reliable person. Double checks should be done on expectations for your job, your excel analysis, your slides – basically everything.
  3. Define priorities before starting any set of tasks. The majority of the results usually come from a subset of activities – this is true also for your tasks in consulting. You have to identify which they are and prioritize them – the application of the so-called 80-20 rule or Pareto Principle.
  4. Socialize with your colleagues and start to build a network. Consulting is a people business and you should build a good network both within and outside the company. A good start is key to develop good relationships long-term
  5. Organize your private life activities. You want to organize your calendar to leave some space for personal activities (sport/ friends/ family). This is not easy but can be managed if you organize well, and long-term will be critical to keep a balance between work and private life. Also, it is better to align with your manager/teammates from the beginning on your core needs, so that there are no surprises later on.
  6. Ask for feedback every two-three weeks – this will show you are proactive and willing to learn.
  7. Ask for help when you don't know what to do – better to let know you are in trouble with meeting a deadline then missing the deadline.
  8. Be social and respectful with the support staff – these people are great and influential as well in the company.

If you want to prepare in advance before you start, you could work on both technical and communication skills.

  • On the technical side, Excel will be the most important technical thing to master at the beginning, in particular for VLOOKUPs and Pivot tables; you could also review PowerPoint, which you will also use intensively.
    • At BCG you will be able to take part in learning courses to improve, but so far that you have already mastered the skills before joining (you can find several courses online for both), even better.
    • Tip for Excel: learn how to use as much as possible the keyword and relegate the touchpad to the minimum – this will skyrocket your productivity in the long term.
  • For what concerns communication, a classic on the topic is the book “How to win friends and influence people” by Dale Carnegie.

Hope this helps,

Francesco

Ian
Coach
on Sep 04, 2020
#1 BCG coach | MBB | Tier 2 | Digital, Tech, Platinion | 100% personal success rate (8/8) | 95% candidate success rate

Hi there,

Really great question!

MOST IMPORTANTLY: Know that no-one can perfectly prepare for the job and that's the point: You will mess up, you will learn, you will be trained and supported. That's OK!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

First: Read the 25 tips in my consulting handbook here: https://www.spencertom.com/2018/01/14/consulting-survival-guide/

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Second: Attend an academy

There are so many great training programs that prepare new graduates for the consulting world! I'm part of a few myself. Feel free to shoot me a message and I can point you in the right direction!

 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Third: In terms of things you can learn/do to prepare beforehand:

1) Daily Reading

  • The Economist, The Financial Times, BCG/Mskinsey Insights

2) Industry deep-dives

  • Learn, in-depth, how the industries/companies your office advises, work. (PM me for an industry overview template)

3) Analytics tools

  • Alteryx, Tableau, etc.

4) Excel

  • https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/free-online-resources-to-learn-excel-basics-6946
  • Pivottables
  • Working with data
  • Key fuctions (vlookup, Index match, count and sum if/ifs, sumproduct, concat, etc.)
  • Hotkeys (i.e. use keyboard more than your mouse)
  • Financial modeling

5) Powerpoint

  • https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/powerpoint-skills-4072
  • Wireframing
  • Lead-in titles
  • Best practices/standards
  • Different layouts
  • Quickly editing/updating slides
  • Thinking in PowerPoint

6) Presentation skills / sharp communication

  • There are some great online/virtual classes for this (including the academies meantioned above

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fourth: In terms of doing well in your role when you're there:

1) Understand the context/prompt (what role are you in, what company, who's watching, etc.)

2) Understand the objective (what, specifically, is expected from you...both day to day, and in your overall career progression)

3) Quickly process information, and focus on what's important - Take a lot of information and the unknown, find the most logical path, and focus on that.

4) Be comfortable with the unknown, and learn to brainstorm - think/speak like an expert without being one

In summary, there will always be a flood of information, expectations, competition etc. and not enough timeFind out which ones matter when. (i.e. be visibile and focus efforts on the things that people care about)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fifth: Here are some great prior Q&As for you!

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/what-makes-a-good-consultant-how-to-get-a-good-review-6790

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/how-hard-is-it-to-excel-in-top-consulting-firms-6762

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/how-to-become-an-engagement-manager-and-partner-quickly-6722

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/need-to-learn-skills-in-the-ample-free-time-before-starting-at-an-mbb-what-should-i-do-6774

Luca
Coach
on Sep 04, 2020
BCG |NASA | SDA Bocconi & Cattolica partner | GMAT expert 780/800 score | 200+ students coached

Hello,

I would suggest to relax, since you will be very busy once that you will start :)
They will prepare an on-boarding course that will give you some time to prepare and they will not expect specific pre-requisites from you.

If you want to do something that could be useful for your next experience I would suggest the following (in this order of priority):

  • Prepare GMAT test, especially if you are interested in an MBA. It requires 1/2 full months of studying and it's really hard to find the time once that you are inside the company
  • Improve your Powerpoint and excel skills, focusing on shortcuts and effectiveness (it's not important to use complex functions..)
  • Learn a new Data Analysis software, like Tableau

Best,
Luca

Vlad
Coach
on Sep 05, 2020
McKinsey / Accenture Alum / Got all BIG3 offers / Harvard Business School

Hi,

1) Excel and Financial modeling - the best course I know is Training The Street. Take Financial Modeling, Valuation, Maybe LBO. They have the amazing templates that you have to repsoduce to be able to do that fast.

The key thing - throw away your mouse and put some tape on your touchpad. Do everything with your keyboard!

2) Power Point

  • First, read "Say it with charts" and "Pyramid Principle".
  • As a next step Google for MBB presentations on SlideShare and try to replicate them in PPT.
  • Finally, take MBA some cases (HBS or any other) and try to derive the conclusions and put them on slides using MBB styles.

3) GMAT if you are planning MBA

4) Take a long vacation before starting your job;)

Good Luck!

on Sep 05, 2020
#1 Coach for Sessions (4.500+) | 1.500+ 5-Star Reviews | Proven Success (➡ interviewoffers.com) | Ex BCG | 10Y+ Coaching

Hi there,

Congrats on the offer! If you want to prepare in advance before you start, I recommend to work on technical and communication skills and a proper mindset.

  • On the technical side, Excel will be the most important technical thing to master at the beginning, in particular for VLOOKUPs and Pivot tables; you could also review PowerPoint if needed. You will likely receive training on this once you start anyway.
    • Tip for Excel: learn how to use as much as possible the keyword and relegate the touchpad to the minimum – this will skyrocket your productivity in the long term. Some computer programs such as KeyRocket provide tips to improve on this.
  • For better communication, two great books are:
    • How to Win Friends and Influence People - Dale Carnegie
    • Never Split The Difference - Chris Voss
  • For mindset, two great books are:
    • The Compound Effect - Darren Hardy
    • The Magic of Thinking Big - David J. Schwartz

I agree with Luca and Vlad that preparing the GMAT would be useful if you are targeting an MBA.

Below you can also find a list of things that could be useful to practice during your first weeks:

  1. Take notes when your manager tells you something – this will help you to remember details and will show you care about them to the team.
  2. Always double-check. The first impression is very important in consulting: if you show you are reliable from the beginning, you create a reputation of a reliable person. Double checks should be done on expectations for your job, your Excel analysis, your slides – basically everything.
  3. Define priorities before starting any set of tasks. The majority of the results usually come from a subset of activities – this is true also for your tasks in consulting. You have to identify which they are and prioritize them – the application of the so-called 80-20 rule or Pareto Principle. Alignment on priorities and expectations is particularly important with your manager at the beginning of the project.
  4. Socialize with your colleagues and start to build a network. Consulting is a people business and you should build a good network both within and outside the company. A good start is key to develop good relationships long-term
  5. Organize your private life activities. You want to organize your calendar to leave some space for personal activities (sport/ friends/ family). This is not easy but can be managed if you organize well, and long-term will be critical to keep a balance between work and private life. Also, it is better to align with your manager/teammates from the beginning on your core needs, so that there are no surprises later on.
  6. Ask for feedback every two-three weeks – this will show you are proactive and willing to learn.
  7. Ask for help when you don't know what to do – better to let know you are in trouble with meeting a deadline then missing the deadline.
  8. Be social and respectful with the support staff – these people are great and influential as well in the company.

Hope this helps,

Francesco

Vlad
Coach
on Nov 02, 2018
McKinsey / Accenture Alum / Got all BIG3 offers / Harvard Business School
Originally answered question: How to prepare for my role in MBB?

Hi,

The things that you've mentioned will help you to have a good conversation with the client, but it's not the most important thing at the entry level.

I would concentrate on getting the right financial modeling skills and presenting your analysis in Power Point.

1) Financial modeling - the best course I know is Training The Street. Take Financial Modeling, Valuation, Maybe LBO. Also, learn pivot tables and the basic statistics tools

Excel and Financial modeling - the best course I know is Training The Street. Take Financial Modeling, Valuation, Maybe LBO. They have the amazing templates that you have to reproduce to be able to do that fast.

The key thing - throw away your mouse and put some tape on your touchpad. Do everything with your keyboard!

2) Power Point

  • First, read "Say it with charts" and "Pyramid Principle".
  • As a next step Google for MBB presentations on SlideShare and try to replicate them in PPT.
  • Finally, take MBA some cases (HBS or any other) and try to derive the conclusions and put them on slides using MBB styles.

And finally - take a long vacation before starting your job;)

While in consulting focus on the following:

  • Having a good DGL / career counselor, etc. (Each company has different names). This is a person who guides your development in the company, collects the feedbacks on you, and presents your case to a promotion committee. Make sure to have a person who is organized enough to collect the feedbacks in time, who is a nice person in general and who has enough authority in the company (i.e. Senior partner - the more power he has - the better)
  • Choosing the project you work on smartly (i.e. collect the feedbacks on each and everyone prior to accepting the project)
  • Perfect technical skills (Excel, PPT, Problem Solving)
  • Good feedbacks on you from the client. Thus try to make friends with your clients (Both senior and non-senior role. Even a bad feedback from a blue collar can ruin your career)
  • Ability to manage your own standalone workstream with minimum supervision. TOP performers bring the end products that impress others
  • Being proactive - helping the team with daily routine, scheduling, etc. Participating in the office initiatives
  • Establishing relationships with your managers and partners. Ideally, you should have multiple senior partners to be excited about you and to support you)
  • Being lucky!

Good Luck!

Anonymous
on Sep 06, 2020

Dear A,

Congratulations to your offer! Well done!

IMHO, I would propose to take rest for a couple of months and spend your time with friend and family. 

If you really want to train, you can improving your technical skills. Also, for candidates like you I have created a program "First 100 days in your career and long term career success". 

If you are interested in more details, feel free to reach out. 

Best,
André

7
Robert
Coach
on Sep 06, 2020
McKinsey offers w/o final round interviews - 100% risk-free - 10+ years MBB coaching experience - Multiple book author

Hi Anonymous,

On top of all the great conent-advice already given - don't forget to relax, it will be an intensive time and it's good to not be exhausted before you start.

What is oftenly overlooked is arranging your personal environment for this change - unless you come from investment banking, your personal life will need severe restructuring and it's good to prepare this in advance.

Hope that helps - if so, please be so kind to give it a thumbs-up with the green upvote button below!

Robert

Ian
Coach
on Sep 12, 2020
#1 BCG coach | MBB | Tier 2 | Digital, Tech, Platinion | 100% personal success rate (8/8) | 95% candidate success rate

Hi there,

Really great question!

MOST IMPORTANTLY: Know that no-one can perfectly prepare for the job and that's the point: You will mess up, you will learn, you will be trained and supported. That's OK!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

First: Read the 25 tips in my consulting handbook here: https://www.spencertom.com/2018/01/14/consulting-survival-guide/

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Second: Attend an academy

There are so many great training programs that prepare new graduates for the consulting world! I'm part of a few myself. Feel free to shoot me a message and I can point you in the right direction!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Third: In terms of things you can learn/do to prepare beforehand:

1) Daily Reading

  • The Economist, The Financial Times, BCG/Mskinsey Insights

2) Industry deep-dives

  • Learn, in-depth, how the industries/companies your office advises, work. (PM me for an industry overview template)

3) Analytics tools

  • Alteryx, Tableau, etc.

4) Excel

  • https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/free-online-resources-to-learn-excel-basics-6946
  • Pivottables
  • Working with data
  • Key fuctions (vlookup, Index match, count and sum if/ifs, sumproduct, concat, etc.)
  • Hotkeys (i.e. use keyboard more than your mouse)
  • Financial modeling

5) Powerpoint

  • https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/powerpoint-skills-4072
  • Wireframing
  • Lead-in titles
  • Best practices/standards
  • Different layouts
  • Quickly editing/updating slides
  • Thinking in PowerPoint

6) Presentation skills / sharp communication

  • There are some great online/virtual classes for this (including the academies meantioned above

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fourth: In terms of doing well in your role when you're there:

1) Understand the context/prompt (what role are you in, what company, who's watching, etc.)

2) Understand the objective (what, specifically, is expected from you...both day to day, and in your overall career progression)

3) Quickly process information, and focus on what's important - Take a lot of information and the unknown, find the most logical path, and focus on that.

4) Be comfortable with the unknown, and learn to brainstorm - think/speak like an expert without being one

In summary, there will always be a flood of information, expectations, competition etc. and not enough timeFind out which ones matter when. (i.e. be visibile and focus efforts on the things that people care about)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fifth: Here are some great prior Q&As for you!

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/how-hard-is-it-to-excel-in-top-consulting-firms-6762

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/how-to-become-an-engagement-manager-and-partner-quickly-6722

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/need-to-learn-skills-in-the-ample-free-time-before-starting-at-an-mbb-what-should-i-do-6774

Vlad
Coach
on Sep 11, 2020
McKinsey / Accenture Alum / Got all BIG3 offers / Harvard Business School

Hi,

  1. Financial modeling of all sorts since it's a must. Can recommend Training The Street courses
  2. SQL and Tableau are used more and more in consulting, so I recommend you practice them. I recommend starting with DataCamp

Best 

on Sep 12, 2020
#1 Coach for Sessions (4.500+) | 1.500+ 5-Star Reviews | Proven Success (➡ interviewoffers.com) | Ex BCG | 10Y+ Coaching

Hi there,

Congrats on the offer. If you want to take courses I would concentrate on the technical side on:

  • Financial modelling
  • Anything that could help to increase speed with Excel
  • Anything that could help with advanced data analysis (eg SQL and VBA)

Below you can also find a list of things that could be useful to practice during your first weeks:

  1. Take notes when your manager tells you something – this will help you to remember details and will show you care about them to the team.
  2. Always double-check. The first impression is very important in consulting: if you show you are reliable from the beginning, you create a reputation of a reliable person. Double checks should be done on expectations for your job, your Excel analysis, your slides – basically everything.
  3. Define priorities before starting any set of tasks. The majority of the results usually come from a subset of activities – this is true also for your tasks in consulting. You have to identify which they are and prioritize them – the application of the so-called 80-20 rule or Pareto Principle. Alignment on priorities and expectations is particularly important with your manager at the beginning of the project.
  4. Socialize with your colleagues and start to build a network. Consulting is a people business and you should build a good network both within and outside the company. A good start is key to develop good relationships long-term
  5. Organize your private life activities. You want to organize your calendar to leave some space for personal activities (sport/ friends/ family). This is not easy but can be managed if you organize well, and long-term will be critical to keep a balance between work and private life. Also, it is better to align with your manager/teammates from the beginning on your core needs, so that there are no surprises later on.
  6. Ask for feedback every two-three weeks – this will show you are proactive and willing to learn.
  7. Ask for help when you don't know what to do – better to let know you are in trouble with meeting a deadline then missing the deadline.
  8. Be social and respectful with the support staff – these people are great and influential as well in the company.

Good luck!

Francesco

on Nov 03, 2018
#1 Coach for Sessions (4.500+) | 1.500+ 5-Star Reviews | Proven Success (➡ interviewoffers.com) | Ex BCG | 10Y+ Coaching
Originally answered question: How to prepare for my role in MBB?

Hi Anonymous,

first of all, congratulations for your offer! I agree with Vlad that, although being updated on the news can be helpful, there are some more important elements to secure a good performance from the beginning. I believe a good preparation would include technical, communication and goal setting/stress management skills.

  • On the technical side, as also mentioned by Vlad, Excel will be the most important technical thing to master at the beginning, in particular for what concerns VLOOKUP and Pivot tables; an additional useful review may concern PowerPoint, which you will also use pretty intensively. At BCG we got learning courses we could use to improve on them, and I guess you will receive the same in every MBB, but so far that you have already mastered the skills before joining (you can find several courses online for both for free), even better.
  • For what concerns communication, a classic on the topic is the book “How to win friends and influence people” by Dale Carnegie. In case you have time for an additional job before starting your consulting career, an experience in a sales role could also help a lot.
  • Finally, for goal setting/stress management I would recommend “The Secret” by Rhonda Byrne - great book to cultivate a positive attitude in a stressful environment.

A couple of things that could help you during your first weeks are also the following:

  1. Take notes when your manager tells you something – this will help you to remember details and will show you care about them to the team.
  2. Ask for feedback every two-three weeks – this will show you are proactive and willing to learn.
  3. Always double check. First impression is very important in consulting: if you show you are reliable from the beginning, you will create a reputation of a reliable person.
  4. Ask for help when you don't know what to do – better to let know you are in trouble with meeting a deadline then missing the deadline.
  5. Be social and respectful with the support staff – these people are great and influential as well in the company.

Hope this helps,

Francesco

on Dec 20, 2018
Ex-MBB, Experienced Hire; I will teach you not only the how, but also the why of case interviews

Congratulations!

- Excel definitely a must. There are various (cheap) excel training modules around, I highly suggest you get familiar w/ excel quickly if you aren't yet. Pivot tables, vlookups, even index match...

- Keyboard shortcuts. My first manager told me to get rid of my mouse (which is also standard procedure in banking btw)

- PowerPoint, sure why not

- Web scrapping, sure why not

- Above all, I'd relax and enjoy the down time right now; go out, sleep, exercise... Pretty soon, you'll have more work and stress than you'd want

Norah
Coach
edited on Dec 23, 2018
I am here to get you an offer! | Ex MBB interviewer Expert in MBB and Tier 2, Deep knowledge of EU & Middle East regions

Dear Anonymous A,
First, congratulations on your 3 offers! That's a great outcome. What I would suggest in order is:
1. Celebrate your success: you have prepared for these interviews and you deserve some celebration with your family and friends, so go for it!
2. Prepare the hard skills:

- Financial modeling: Valuation models, basic analysis (pivot table, validation, formatting)

- Powerpoint: as you are transitioning from T2 to MBB, I think you already know this by you can focus on the messaging techniques, the formatting and the storylining. One exercise that I advised to junior consultants is to take any subject (really anyone) and draft 10 slides on it after 2 days of work (of course if you have some time) and go present it to someone outside the industry and a partner who is willing to spend 20 minutes on feedback. That might be helpful

- General knowledge: reading is key. If you think you can bring expertise in a certain field, I would recommend going through the market research / reports and get up to speed in the field you want to work in (let's say payments, you should then definitely check fintech forum lists, payments update by CB Insights etc)

3. Work on your soft skills:

Again, this should not be new to you as you are transitioning but I would really recommend you to work on those 3 skills, especially for BCG: assertiveness, empathy and team work.

- Get (a) mentor(s): maybe it's ont of your interviewers, or the first manager you will have, or else. Anyway, you should work on getting this network as soon as you get into the MBB you will choose

- Get a buddy: when you will start your journey at any MBB, they will assign you a mentor and a buddy. However, try to find someone who will give you the tips and tricks to succeed in the first month. As you are transitioning from another consulting firm, that could be very frustrating to get up to speed to consultants that have lower seniority than you but who are "at home". 

4. Other tips:

- Focus on giving your best on the first two projects to set confidence in the office and be a go to person 

- on the second semester, after you built your professional brand, start building your personal brand, by getting involved in the office activities

- After one year, you will feel at home

Anyway, again, congratulations! Don't forget it is quite rare to get all 3 of the MBBs, so good job and best of luck for your career!

Anonymous
on Sep 12, 2020

Two things:

  • travel and enjoy the time before the life hits you in the face again
  • if you do want to get a headstart - make sure you're up to speed in excel modelling, and potentially start with Tableau & Alteryx

Beyond that, the consulting firms will equip you with everything else you need to know.

3
on Sep 10, 2020
McKinsey | NASA | top 10 FT MBA professor for consulting interviews | 6+ years of coaching

Hi, congrats for the offer! I recommend enjoying these months and arriving relaxed. What really helps is Excel and ppt skills. In addition to what suggested by other coaches, I recommend reading Say it with charts and The pyramid principle

Best,
Antonello

Udayan
Coach
on Sep 11, 2020
Top rated Case & PEI coach/Multiple real offers/McKinsey EM in New York /12 years recruiting experience

MBB prepare you pretty well for the work you need to do so I would not necessarily worry too much about it. That being said, I think the one thing that set some of the top analysts/associates apart was the ability to perform advanced analytics- specifically to use python, SQL, VBA for obtaining and analyzing data alongside relevant software to visualize it.

Anonymous
on Nov 03, 2018
Originally answered question: How to prepare for my role in MBB?

What I've gathered from friends in consulting, you need to be:

  • Highly proficient at communicating information via decks (i.e. PowerPoint).
  • Fast and accurate in putting together numbers (i.e. Excel).

Seeing that it is an entry-level job, I am under the impression you are hired as a generalist. In that case, Businessweek/Financial Times for about an hour a day should keep you up to date on changes in the world.

Other than that, be sure to develop your wit and acumen (Elevate, GMAT questions, etc.).

Best of luck!

1
on Dec 23, 2018
Ex-MBB, Experienced Hire; I will teach you not only the how, but also the why of case interviews

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/recommended-readings-resources-to-prepare-for-consulting-job-at-mbb-3155#a7114

Vlad
Coach
on Dec 23, 2018
McKinsey / Accenture Alum / Got all BIG3 offers / Harvard Business School

Hi,

I would concentrate on getting the right financial modeling skills and presenting your analysis in Power Point.

1) Financial modeling - the best course I know is Training The Street. Take Financial Modeling, Valuation, Maybe LBO. Also, learn pivot tables and the basic statistics tools

Excel and Financial modeling - the best course I know is Training The Street. Take Financial Modeling, Valuation, Maybe LBO. They have the amazing templates that you have to reproduce to be able to do that fast.

The key thing - throw away your mouse and put some tape on your touchpad. Do everything with your keyboard!

2) Power Point

  • First, read "Say it with charts" and "Pyramid Principle".
  • As a next step Google for MBB presentations on SlideShare and try to replicate them in PPT.
  • Finally, take MBA some cases (HBS or any other) and try to derive the conclusions and put them on slides using MBB styles.

And finally - take a long vacation before starting your job;)

While in consulting focus on the following:

  • Having a good DGL / career counselor, etc. (Each company has different names). This is a person who guides your development in the company, collects the feedbacks on you, and presents your case to a promotion committee. Make sure to have a person who is organized enough to collect the feedbacks in time, who is a nice person in general and who has enough authority in the company (i.e. Senior partner - the more power he has - the better)
  • Choosing the project you work on smartly (i.e. collect the feedbacks on each and everyone prior to accepting the project)
  • Perfect technical skills (Excel, PPT, Problem Solving)
  • Good feedbacks on you from the client. Thus try to make friends with your clients (Both senior and non-senior role. Even a bad feedback from a blue collar can ruin your career)
  • Ability to manage your own standalone workstream with minimum supervision. TOP performers bring the end products that impress others
  • Being proactive - helping the team with daily routine, scheduling, etc. Participating in the office initiatives
  • Establishing relationships with your managers and partners. Ideally, you should have multiple senior partners to be excited about you and to support you)
  • Being lucky!

Good Luck!

Anonymous
on Sep 29, 2020

Dear A,

Congratulations to your offer!

It would be helpful for you to learn the business-focused Excel features.

In business, about 80% of your work will come from 20% of the functionality of the Microsoft Excel.

The core skills of a competent business Excel user are something like:

  • Formatting & basic formulas
  • Mouse-free Excel navigation
  • Vlookups & conditional statements
  • Data analysis - filtering, sorting, and analyzing data
  • Data visualization - tables, charts, and dual axis charts
  • What-if-analysis
  • Pivot tables

If you can do these things, you’ll outperform 95% of people in the workplace.

To learn these concepts, you could:

  • Learn the concepts online for free
  • Take an online course

If you’re looking for something free, I’d recommend Googling & Youtube-ing those topics on my list. Tons of free material online. On Udemy you can also find some courses. 

If you’re short on time, take a short business-focused online course.

I’d recommend the following business-focused course focused on mastering the 20% of functions that make up 80% of Excel work.

Best,

André

1
Clara
Coach
on Dec 31, 2020
McKinsey | Awarded professor at Master in Management @ IE | MBA at MIT |+180 students coached | Integrated FIT Guide aut

Hello!

Please feel free to PM to get some Excel resources :)

Good luck in the new job

Best, 

Clara

Anonymous
on Dec 21, 2018

And if you're not already a member: Get those frequent flyer programs :-D

0
Anonymous F
on Dec 23, 2018

*offer

*consultant

You belong in BCG 

0
Egor
Coach
on Dec 26, 2018
Collected McKinsey & BCG offers/ Ex-McKinsey consultant/Harvard/WBS/MSU

Hi A,

I agree with Guennael. If I were, I would prioritize excel and communication skills at an associate/BA-levels.

It is important to mention that you will have an induction week, during which you will practice all required skills.

What’s more, you will learn a lot on the job. Don’t afraid to ask questions, colleagues will be always happy to help you and suggest a more effective way of doing things. Once you know it, you can google it and that’s it.

All the best,

Egor

Anonymous
on Jun 12, 2020
Originally answered question: How to prepare for my role in MBB?

Dear A,

First of all, my congratulations to your MBB offer, I wish you best of luck in your career. 

For candidates like you, who have already secured the offer with a leading consulting firm, I have designed my program "Get ready for the first 100 days " as well as long-term career planning. This program touches all the important aspects: the mindset, the skills, knowledge, networking and ,managing yourself as well, your bosses and clients - everything that is important in your successful career. 

In fact, I'm sharing my knowledge of 6 years career experience in consulting, where I was able to land on the fast track promotion and to be promoted from consultant to a project manager just within 3 years, which is extremely fast. 

Happy to share these insights with you, feel free to reach out directly to me.

Good luck,

André

0
Anonymous
on Sep 15, 2020

Dear A,

First thing I would recommend you is to take rest and spend your time with family and friends. 

As mentioned other coaches, you can do some excel basic course, storry-telling etc. 

What I can add from my side is that I have a program "First 100 days in your career and long term career success", where you can get all skills you need to start you career successfully, tips on communications with different ranges of your co-workers, client, managers, and also trocks on how to get your promotion faster. 

If you have any further questions, feel free to contact. 

Best,
André

0
Anonymous
on Sep 30, 2020

Dear A,

First of all, my congratulations to your offers, I wish you best of luck in your career. 

For candidates like you, who have already secured the offer with a leading consulting firm, I have designed my program "Get ready for the first 100 days " as well as long-term career planning. This program touches all the important aspects: the mindset, the skills, knowledge, networking and ,managing yourself as well, your bosses and clients - everything that is important in your successful career. 

In fact, I'm sharing my knowledge of 6 years career experience in consulting, where I was able to land on the fast track promotion and to be promoted from consultant to a project manager just within 3 years, which is extremely fast. 

Happy to share these insights with you, feel free to reach out directly to me.

Good luck,

André

0
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