MBB Internship - Afraid to ask questions

Hello!

In my experience, the best performing BAs and Associates I've worked with asked the most questions. They were persistent to get to the right answer and were not afraid to come to me or other leaders on the team to problem-solve and move toward an answer. These BAs and Associates also showed the work they've done before coming to me and the solutions they tested before our discussion.

So my advice would be to have the courage to ask questions, as well as show the work you've done to find the answer yourself. The typical rule I gave my teams is to not get stuck for more than 1h - meaning that if you spend 1h looking for an answer and cannot find it, you should come to me (your manager).

For simple questions such as "I saw you use a shortcut that I would like to learn, could you show it to me?", the sooner you ask, the faster you will learn. And the faster you learn, the more you can contribute to the team.

Best,

Maria

Hi, 

First of all, congrats on landing a MBB internship! 

I've worked, coached, mentored many summer interns and co-ops and would always encourage to ask questions in projects. There is no dumb questions, and it is always better to clarify before hand instead of going too far in a wrong path without knowing. 

Some tips:

• Finish the initial thinking process before asking questions: For example, when assigned a task in an unfamiliar area, first confirm the due date. Then, do quick, focused research (80/20) and list any clarification questions if needed.
• Try to avoid open questions and frame as an alignment of proposal: The expectation for interns at MBB is surprisingly not THAT different from a full-time BA/ASO except you may have a JEM to coach you. To show your problem-solving skill, would always recommend to come up with a proposal and frame the question to be an "alignment". It is also absolutely ok if you have no idea after researching and just need to brainstorm, but clearly communicate that you've went through the thinking process and still need some help developing a path forward
• Be mindful of timing when asking questions: Sometimes the manager may give a time-sensitive tasks focus purely on implementation (e.g., please consolidate X spreadsheet or follow an example to craft a quick page within 2 hours). There are cases when managers have time and bandwidth to coach and answer any clarification questions, there are also cases when managers just need you to get it done. Use your best judgement on the scenario and leverage your JEM or peers in the project when you see your manager is clearly under pressure
• Be top-down with your communication: Present information concisely to maximize your chances of getting an answer quickly

Feel free to reach out if any follow up questions!

All the best,

Han

Hey there, 

A few thoughts on this:

1. As an intern, you'd be expected to ask questions and it's good for you to do so. Your manager has been in your shoes before and knows you'd have questions. The answers to these questions are foundational and important for your own development, so don't withhold the growth opportunity. The way you grow in consulting is by asking and learning from those who've walked the path you are on
2. Try develop a point of view first and not ask open-ended questions. Show some proactiveness by developing an opinion or thought on the answer. This will also teach you to develop solution thinking and independence as opposed to being 'spoon-fed' answers. Also you manager would appreciate this approach as it sends the right consulting signals
3. Your re-application for post-grad role will be assessed by recruitment, not your manager. Unless your manager actively goes to recruiting with negative feedback, asking questions won't have an impact on your reapplication as that will be handled by recruiting. 

All the best!

Hey there,

Congrats on landing an MBB internship—that’s awesome! I totally get the hesitation about asking questions, but honestly, asking thoughtful questions is a strength, not a weakness.

Here’s the thing: your manager doesn’t expect you to know everything—internships are for learning! Asking smart questions shows you’re engaged and proactive, which is way better than staying silent and risking mistakes.

A couple of tips:

• Do some research first so you can say, “I looked into X, but I wanted to confirm if I’m thinking about it correctly.”
• Batch your questions and ask for 10-15 minutes to go over them. It shows you respect their time.

Remember, this internship is about showing curiosity and growth—not perfection. If you make an effort to learn and deliver, you’ll leave a great impression for when you reapply. You’ve got this!

As a manager, I always appreciated consultants who were open and honest about their progress (or lack thereof). It's impossible to solve a problem that I am unaware of, and it's not up to you to figure it out all alone! 

You should definitely be proactive in looking for solutions yourself (e.g., peers, research, other resources at the firm), but you should time-box that type of effort wisely (e.g., I'll spend 30min looking for this answer and then will go to my managers with a sharp question and point of view on potential solutions -- no matter how wrong they will be). 

Ask TONS of questions and show you've done the work to come into the conversation with a thoughtful approach vs. showing you were lazy and didn't do any thinking or problem-solving on your own. 

Good luck!  

Hi there,

First of all, congratulations on the internship!

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

• First of all, please keep in mind that asking questions is generally viewed positively in a professional setting. It shows your eagerness to learn and your commitment to doing your job correctly.
• Moreover, if you're worried about the simplicity of your questions, you may try to phrase them in a way that shows you've thought about the issue first.
• Lastly, if you do not get a return offer at the end of your internship, I think it is unlikely that getting a full-time offer in the future will be any easier because of the way you came across.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on your specific situation, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Please get rid of that mindset / habit rather quickly!

It is not only appreciated, but expected (!) that you ask for clarification in case something is unclear. That is for at least two reasons:

a) If you avoid asking for clarification about e.g. a task, and instead make your best guess and proceed with it, you risk working on the wrong things. It is 1000x better to spend 5 min on clarification with your manager than wasting hours on things that need significant re-work - believe me, the latter is a red flag if it happens too often, even for interns.

b) Do not assume your manager or even your partner know everything. Yes, they are more experienced, but they by far do not know everything. A consulting project is supposed to be a team effort, means everyone is expected to contribute their own thinking as opposed to just executing someone else's ideas. Thus, every time you ask a question, you are giving someone else food for thought, because it is likely that they do not even know the answer themselves - maybe look at it from the perspective of doing the team a favour by asking a question or brining up a point.

Share that concern directly with your engagement manager.

You’re likely not the first intern to work with them, and their performance is also measured by their ability to create a collaborative and open environment.

Best,

Alberto

—

Explore my latest case inspired by a real MBB interview: StayPro - Consumer Growth Strategy