McKinsey Hierarchy

Question

What are the different levels of Specialists at McK? Is there like a senior specialist, expert, etc?

Answer 1

Hi there,

If only there was an easy answer to this one :)

The truth is nobody knowns anymore and it also differs from region to region.

Most locations have Specialist, Expert, Senior Expert, Partner. Other regions have Junior/Senior Specialist or other types of granularity. It's usually best to check directly with the location where you are applying and it also makes for a great question to ask the interviewer during the process (shows that you have a long-term interest in the firm).

I'm saying that nobody knows anymore because the firm is changing so fast it's really hard to keep up with all the different roles that pop up even when you're inside.

Answer 2

Hi there,

It's essentially the “midpoint” between the entry level role (BA) and the consultant-level role (Associate).

It means your path to consultant is accelerated, and yes, it's generally for when you have more qualifications than a BA, but aren't quite ready experience-wise for the Associate role.

Answer 3

Hi there,

The standard generalist path at McKinsey is the following:

Business Analyst
Associate
Engagement Manager
Associate Partner
Partner
Senior Partner

“Junior Associate” is a role between Business Analyst and Associate used by McKinsey in some countries.

In a few countries, the role is called “Senior Business Analyst”. Some countries may also have additional intermediate roles (eg Junior Engagement Manager).

The exact experiences/qualification needed to access the role depends on the country, it is used often for candidates who have a PhD or advanced degrees without relevant work experience.

Best,

Francesco

Answer 4

It's essentially a Sr.BA.

Only exist in some offices for PhDs with no work experience or undergrads with extensive experience.

Cheers

Answer 5

Hi,

It is an entry-level position in several European and African offices (e.g. Paris, Casablanca), for new entrants that have a Master's degree/grad school degree but no prior work experience (~ max 1 year). It is specific to countries where studies last at least 5 years, and do not stop once you get your Bachelor's degree or equivalent undergrad degree.

It is equivalent to a Senior BA position, but you would typically be promoted to “Associate” before being promoted to “Engagement Manager” (a few differences across offices).

Best,

Mehdi

Answer 6

Hi there,

This is indeed an interesting question which is probably relevant for quite a lot of users, so I am happy to provide my perspective on it:

Generally speaking, there is a lot of ambiguity across countries and regions when it comes to the specific hierarchy levels.
Still, most countries have the following hierarchy: Specialist → Expert → Senior Expert → Partner. I would advise you to ask before the application what level people with a Bachelor's/ Master's/ MBA/ PhD normally enter.

In case you want a more detailed discussion on what would be the best entry-position for you, please feel free to contact me directly.

I hope this helps,

Hagen

Answer 7

Hi there,

Apologies for an unclear answer, but your best bet here is to directly ask people at the office to which you are applying (be it HR or the individuals with which you are networking).

Good luck!

Answer 8

Hi there,

This is indeed an interesting question which is probably relevant for quite a lot of users, so I am happy to provide my perspective on it:

The Junior Associate role was specifically designed for European and African offices' new hires with a Master's degree but without prior work experience (approx. 1 year of work experience). It applies mostly in countries where studies last at least 5 years (i.e. studying Bachelor's and Master's degree is the norm, not the exception).
The role of the Junior Associate is very similar to the Senior Business Analyst role yet you would still need to be promoted to the Associate role before being promoted to the Engagement Manager role.

In case you want a more detailed discussion on what should be your personal entry position at McKinsey, please feel free to contact me directly.

I hope this helps,

Hagen

Answer 9

Hey there,

Depends on the office.

An issue within McKinsey is that they use different naming conventions for the same positions, which also leads to confusion when staffing colleagues from multiple countries.

Could you elaborate specifically on which office you are referring to?

Cheers,

Florian

Answer 10

Hello,

Francesco's hierarchy is spot-on. “Junior Associate” is used by McKinsey in some countries to delineate between Business Analysis (entry-level role after undergrad degree) and Associates (post-MBA role). It will depend on how much experience you have and how applicable it is to consulting, but yes it is common for candidates with a Master's + a few years of experience to come in as JAs.

Answer 11

JA falls between BA and A - however its presence is office dependent. It is not completely entry-level since BA is a more junior position. A BCG equivalent is Senior Associate - that lies between Associate and Consultant.

Someone with Master's degree and prior work-experience should definitely be eligible for this role. Given the right combination of degree and experience - you may also be eligible for Associate at McK. Best to check with people in the firm you may know, or even the HR/recruiter.

Answer 12

Junior Associate is a role offered in lieu of Associate as a post MBA role in some countries. In places like India it is very common. I personally think its an unfair distinction and is just a way for them to pay you less for the same amount of work. The main justification provided is that in some places like India people do an MBA without any work experience so it would not be fair to make them an Associate directly.

Best,

Udayan

Answer 13

Hi!

The Junior Associate position is between a Business Analyst (entry-level seniority) and an Associate.

You can check McKinsey's career path on their website.

Hope this helps.

Best,

Anto

Answer 14

Cristian is spot on.

One thing that you do want to focus on is which roles have a path to Partner vs which roles do not. Some roles allow you to eventually become an Expert Partner which is a stronger career path depending on your goal, while others do not lead to partnership at the firm.

The roles differ a lot by geography and are of specialization so you will have to do research independently on this by speaking to HR and people in the various roles you are interested in.

Best,

Udayan

Answer 15

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