Moving to MBB from other strategy firm

Hello!

To best achieve a move from a strategy consulting firm to an MBB in the Middle East as a 1-year EM, focus on the following steps:
    1.    Strengthen Your Case Interview Skills: MBB firms have rigorous case interview processes. Practice with real MBB case studies to familiarize yourself with their style and expectations. You can also use resources like Case in Point or Victor Cheng’s material to refine your skills.
    2.    Leverage Your Network: Build relationships with MBB consultants in the region. Networking through LinkedIn, alumni groups, or industry events can give you insider insights and help you understand the specific challenges and opportunities in the Middle East market.
    3.    Tailor Your CV for MBB: Highlight your strategy consulting experience, particularly any leadership roles or client-facing work. Emphasize quantifiable results and strategic impact, and tailor your CV to align with MBB’s expectations of a strong problem-solver and leader.
    4.    Understand the Region: MBB firms value knowledge of the local market. If you’ve worked on any projects or have an understanding of the Middle East’s economic landscape, regulations, and industries, make sure to highlight this expertise.
    5.    Be Ready to Demonstrate Leadership and Impact: MBB firms value candidates who have demonstrated leadership and tangible impact. Be prepared to discuss how you’ve led teams, influenced senior stakeholders, and delivered results for clients.

By networking, practicing case interviews, tailoring your CV, and understanding the region, you’ll significantly increase your chances of successfully transitioning into an MBB role.

Let me know if you need any further help when preparing!

Best,

Evelina

Hi,

Congratulations on the offer. A few things for you to consider

1. Does the type of work align well with what you are doing currently? Taking on an EM role from day 1 is a huge responsibility. You need to be able to hit the ground running and add value immediately. That is only possible if you have the right expertise and past experience to bring to the role for people to trust you with the responsibilities

2. Cultural fit - it may not be super clear from outside, but each MBB has a distinct culture, a way of doing things and an expectation from everyone to approach projects a certain way. Make sure you are aware of all of this when starting in your new role so as to quickly get up to speed and avoid unforeseen issues with the role

3. Location fit - assuming you are new to the middle east - make sure you are familiar with what it is like to live and work there to see all the adjustments you would need to make and how that aligns with your personal and professional goals.

Hope the above helps. All the best with your new role!

Udayan

Hi there,

First of all, congratulations on your career trajectory thus far!

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

• Apart from your leadership skills, which you may be specifically asked about, there shouldn't be anything special to consider when applying to another consulting firm.

You can find more on this topic here: How to succeed in the final interview round.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare for your upcoming applications, pre-interview assessments and/or interviews, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

First consideration: ask more specific questions :)

What do you mean by “considerations”? Are you asking about:

• Which role you can apply for?

• How to get interview invites?

• How to prepare for the process?

• How your salary would be impacted?

• How your career exits will change?

• What skills you need to learn to pass the interview or to shine at work?

Clarifying this will help provide the most relevant advice.

Best,

Alberto

—

Explore my latest case inspired by a real MBB interview: FastFashion - Customer Loyalty

Hi,

I think this question really depends on the nature of your current situation specifically. 

• Pre-offer: Are you thinking of switching, but have not yet applied/have an interview?
• Post-offer: Do you already an offer and are asking considerations AFTER you make the switch?

I'll share some pointers on both. I lateralled from a T2 though at a more junior level, but I have managed and seen enough manager laterals during my time as Principal.

Pre-offer

• What in my experience can I leverage to make my application the strongest?
  • Laterals are a target segment, however you still need to make sure your CV is relevant and strong or you are applying for a firm/practice area that is needing your expertise
• Is this a region I would like to work in?
  • Middle east is not an easy region to work in - are you aware of the differences between the different offices and what the working environment is?
• Am i willing to take a tenure cut?
  • Very rarely do MBB hire Managers laterally, so you most likely have to start as a Consultant/Associate (post-MBA role) with some tenure at best
  • This is not a bad thing, IMO, as it gives you more time to acclimatize
• Am i fully prepared for the interview?
  • Given you have consulting experience, the bar for interviewing especially at a manager level is higher. If you are just giving responses that a fresh grad/MBA hire are giving... then this will not impress the interviewer

Post-offer

• No network
  • All the good will and reputation you have built up in your current firm, does not matter in the new MBB firm you are joining
  • You will have to go through the entire difficult and risky experience of building up your reputation, which can only happen through successive strong scores on projects and good project delivery
• New ways of working
  • Even though you are working already in consulting, it will take a couple of months to ramp up and understand the dynamics and nuances of ways of working at your MBB
• Higher bars / expectations
  • Even though the work might be similar, the bar at MBB will be higher
• Competition is higher
  • Given #1, 2, and #3, it is much harder to excel at MBB versus a smaller / T2 consulting firm
  • If you do enter as Manager 1, you will be competing against homegrown consultants or those who have had at least 2 years experience already within the firm

Remember - Manager 1st year is the hardest role in consulting. You need to understand how to develop and lead your team of high performers, manage the client and most importantly navigate the firm internally. The latter takes time to build up. 

All the best!

Hi, 

3 points to reflect on as you consider your transition to MBB in ME. All based on my experience in London and ME as well as MBB and non-MBB. 

1) To be an attractive profile you will need to show strong sector specific knowledge / interest. At EM level you will be aligned to an industry (FS, PE, Public Sector etc). So make sure you have a good story and understanding of local challenges and dynamics 

2) A transition to MBB from any other firm  requires a fundamental shift in problem solving approach and speed. Practice cases that require you to rapidly formulate and iterate hypotheses - top-down problem solving is key. This is irrespective of location 

3) Soft skills / EQ are critical in consulting but even more so in ME where relationship dynamics play a big role, as does general resilience and flexibility in style. Highlight experience that brings out these elements. 

Would be happy to chat over any of these and more insights if helpful. 

Best of luck 

Anil 
 

Hi, transitioning from a one-year EM role in strategy consulting to an MBB in the Middle East means focusing on showcasing your tangible impact, regional insights, and strong analytical and leadership skills while building a compelling personal narrative and leveraging your network; my own journey as a Full Time Consultant at McKinsey taught me that even a short tenure can be a solid foundation if you clearly demonstrate your value, so feel free to reach out if you have any questions.

Alessa

Hi there,

The two main things to consider for making the move from EM to MBB in the Middle East:

1. Current demand – You’ll need to assess the market demand for your profile, which is best done through networking in the region. Lateral moves are possible, but be prepared to potentially take a one-rank downgrade and start as a Senior Associate (e.g., at McKinsey) before moving back up.
2. Prep time – The MBB interview process is intense, requiring serious case and fit interview preparation. Given your EM workload, finding the time will be challenging. Working with a coach can make this much more efficient and structured - let me know if you want to discuss this further!

Cheers,

Florian

Hi there!

As someone who was at Deloitte and moved to McKinsey, I have learned a thing or two:

There are three elements in this scenario.

1. You need to get your foot in the door.
2. You need to secure an interview.
3. Once in, you need to succeed (starting as an EM is notoriously hard).

For 1:

• Network to make your interest known:
  • Reach out to your personal network and ask for referrals (most MBBs offer good referral fees for successful candidates).
  • Reach out to HR and fellow EMs, Associate Partners/Principals to say that you are interested in making the jump.
  • I'd invest in LinkedIn Premium for a free month and send a number of cold emails to your target places.

For 2:

• Tailor your CV: Highlight your consulting experience, your leadership qualities, etc.
• Sharpen your case prep skills: Your interview will need to be great. EMs lead teams, and you will need to showcase your structuring skills.
• Hone your FIT interview questions: Really go through your experience and write down your leadership qualities, entrepreneurial skills, and crisis management skills.

For 3: (This is important)

• FIND YOUR TRIBE: You will need to unlearn your old company's ways and learn the new ways of the MBB. You need to find a mentor. Reach out to people. Knock on doors. Make your own career.
• Do not wait for work to come to you! Go find work, go find partners, know what you can offer, and tell them you can do it. And then go do it. (Consulting is a precarious industry at the moment. You need to own your career.)