Post MBA hire - how to compete with home grown consultants?

Hi there,

First of all, I am sorry to hear about your negative thoughts!

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

• First of all, it's common to feel overwhelmed in the initial stages at a consulting firm, especially as an MBA or even industry hire. The learning curve can be steep, but I would advise you to focus on your development process rather than comparing your situation with others.
• Moreover, although it may seem difficult, I would highly advise you not to worry about it. All major consulting firms will provide you with excellent onboarding and training that will prepare you for everything you need to know.
• Lastly, leverage your unique industry experience. While it may seem irrelevant initially, offering a different perspective can be highly valuable. I would highly advise you to communicate your insights and how they can apply to different contexts, even outside your direct experience.

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

Best,

Hagen

you/most experienced hires will never be able to compete against a mbb-baby on "technical toolkit". 

Rather, focus on your strengths as an experienced hire. Namely,

1. domain knowledge; tampered with real world applicability and what works/doesnt work
2. client hands and stakeholder management
3. Maturity

Alot of consultants care too much about shoring up their gaps, when what you should really focus on is championing your strengths. In parallel, work on the technical consulting toolkit to make sure you aren't sucking in those elements but its really not that important to be stellar in those either, just average - (let the BAs and other MBB-babies be great at it instead)

Congratulations on landing the job! First, you're on the right track to ask these questions and seek advice. Here are some tactical steps you can take: 

1. Staffing opportunities: Besides working with your staffer, network with PLs, Principals/Partners, and MDPs in industries/functions that align with your interests and experience to get staffed on projects that set you up for success. Look for folks with a reputation as strong people developers. This will make a massive difference in your development. If the pipeline is slow, be sure to offer your time for business development/internal efforts. As you approach the end of a case (2-3 weeks out), start networking again for the next thing (if your current team isn't extending you) to minimize downtime and line up the best opportunities. If you find great people and exciting work, consider sticking with them for more than one project. Holding that constant can help a ton.
2. L&D resources: You have infinite tools, trainings, and resources at your disposal—make sure you use them effectively. Here are a few favorites:
   1. Competencies in Action: If you don't have a copy of this already, ask your local L&D team (or peers) for a link/copy. It clearly outlines what is expected from A/Cs (and PLs—two versions). As you get feedback from your managers, zero in on your strengths (build on them, keep showing excellence, and sell this story to your CDA) and areas for development (everyone has AFDs, so don't be discouraged by gaps/deficits early in your tenure).
   2. Local mentors (the Boston office called them L&D Boost): Whether they are official "tutors" or informal connections, find seasons A/Cs or PLs to coach you outside of your case team. You should leverage them for tips and tricks, as a sounding board when deciding on cases, or to troubleshoot difficult situations. Don't just think of your peers as competition. Folks at BCG are very generous with their time. They live and breathe the idea of "growing by growing others."
   3. Coaching: You can sign up for spot coaching (45 min 1-1s) or a coaching engagement with coaching.bcg.com. Don't wait until you're behind or get told to get coaching. Be proactive and purposeful; coaching can be a great tool to shape your trajectory. 

If you need some additional coaching from someone who just lived through that ramp-up to PL recently, don't hesitate to reach out for coaching.           

Hey! 

I would advise to leverage your corporate experience strategically while rapidly building core consulting skills. 

First, actively seek mentors who are senior consultants or project leads—home-grown consultants often have strong networks, and mentorship will help you catch up on firm culture and best practices faster. Be proactive in asking for feedback and incorporate it immediately; demonstrating a fast learning curve is crucial. 

To compete on technical skills, focus on mastering core consulting methods like problem structuring, hypothesis-driven analysis, and efficient communication of insights in slides. Practicing these skills outside of client work through internal projects or case practice can help accelerate your confidence and technical expertise. 

Where you really stand out, however, is through your corporate background—use it to bring practical, real-world insights that add value beyond pure technical analysis. For example, offer perspectives on client dynamics, stakeholder management, and industry context that can elevate discussions in ways newer consultants may not. 

As you progress, start identifying areas where you can become a knowledge expert or go-to consultant for specific sectors, skills, or industries relevant to your past experience. This dual approach—learning core consulting skills while leveraging unique industry insights—will help differentiate you and provide a faster path to leadership and specialized roles.

Good luck! 

Alessa :)

Hi there,

My main advice would be to bring your unique profile to the table. 

If you already have several years of corporate work experience, this would be a great addition to the home-grown consultants because you can bring your own perspective on making the deliverables and recommendations client-friendly and easily digestible. 

You have worked on the other side and know better how to communicate, package and influence to drive the recommendations of your team home. Even before that, you might be able to better connect with client stakeholders due to your shared experience.

Build on that and you might create a spike in "client hands."

For the rest:

When I got the offer some years ago I did the same. I reached out to people I knew in McKinsey and people who interviewed me to ask: what can I do to make the start easier? how can I prepare?

The answer from everyone was: Relax! Enjoy your time before you start and don't think about it. You will figure it out on the job. I followed that advice and it made sense to me once I joined.

When you start at in top tier consulting there are 2 ways to learn:

1. Formal training. The formal training sessions/ weeks/ days in the beginning, are nice, however, they are more for networking and meeting your peers. You learn some interesting concepts and get some useful tips from more experienced consultants BUT
2. Constant and implicit learning on the job is where it's at. No matter if you are a newcomer or a veteran after 2 years, you will always find yourself on a steep learning curve. As soon as you barely mastered one skill or the skills needed for one level in the hierarchy, you will take care of things, which are expected from a more senior colleague. This cycle never ends. You are expected to learn on the job, learn from your colleagues, your mentors, sometimes even the client. So basically a newly promoted Engagement Manager has the same 'struggle' as a new-hire Business Analyst. They both need to work in a completely new environment and role.

Knowing that, if we now go back to square one in your consulting journey it makes perfect sense to enter the firm with a blank slate with a lot of curiosity and eagerness to soak it all up and quickly learn the ropes.

Nothing matches the experience and the learning and this is a good thing (also the reason why ex-MBBs are valued highly on the job market).

You will learn everything you need to master while doing it. You will be thrown in the cold water and need to swim. However, your colleagues will always be happy to help you and mentor you. And for the rest, you will figure everything out along the way. The key here is always to ask for tips, shortcuts, feedback, etc. Don't be quiet if you get stuck.

Lastly, if you have no domain knowledge about a certain industry or topic, read through the internal library of documentation (which is endless) and call some of the firm experts on the topic. Usually, they are happy to offer you a short call to get you up to speed.

But here’s something extra: Since the question came up ever so often with my clients, I've authored a book titled "Consulting Career Secrets," specifically to guide newcomers like you in navigating this journey. The goal of the book was to answer all typical questions of entry-level consultants and show them the way to make the entry and the transition as simple and painless as possible. While no book or training can entirely prep you for the unique experiences of your first day, week, or project, it offers comprehensive insights to mentally prepare you, suggests essential tools and skills to acquire, shows you the ways how to do that, and strategies to quickly adapt and excel in your new role. 

You can DM me if you want to know more.

In any case, don't sweat the small stuff and enjoy the ride!

Florian

Find ways to shine with your current strengths.

I didn't know what they are but I normally see experienced hires doing better than home grown consultants in:

• Senior communication
• Industry / functional knowledge
• Relationship management

Find mentors and ask for feedback. Some partners will help you if you ask for help and show commitment to improve.