I have some product experience (4 years). although I'd love to try my luck at consulting roles, how to get into MBB product management roles? Is it as demanding as the consulting roles? What kinda products do you work on at MBB? Is it more internal or client side?
Hey!
I can give the MBA perspective here.
The structured recruiting paths for MBB hire into generalist consulting roles. That being said, you can request to join McKinsey Digital, BCGX etc etc. on your application. It's in these parts of the business where you'll find the product management roles.
I also have some classmates that have applied directly to MBB in product management roles outside of the structured recruiting paths and had success, so that's also an option.
Best of luck and reach out if you need advice!
Will
Hi there
Breaking into MBB product management roles is competitive. That said, MBB increasingly hires experienced PMs for their digital, AI, and tech-focused arms (e.g., BCG X, McKinsey Digital, Bain Vector), in line with client demands.
Getting in
Work
Roles are high-impact, though travel and long hours still apply.
Cheers,
Florian
Hi there,
I suppose you are talking about product role in BCG X, Bain Vector, McK Digital etc. The best way to get in I think would be through referral. So try to see if you can get to know someone already in the team and build a connection towards referral.
Overall I would say it is not as demanding as the generalist consulting roles. But do expect some peak time when you get staffed on a case together with the generalist team.
There could be a mix of both internal and client facing roles. Internal work would be developing / improving the firm’s digital product offering. External work, basically you would be part of the client serving team, working together with the generalist consultants, to deliver part of the project scope. You might not be on the project from end to end, but just as and when there is product need.
Best,
Emily
Hi there,
PM role is less demanding than client-facing consultants typically but doesn’t mean you will be fully internal either. Best way is definitely referral. Beyond the fact that it will increase the chance of interview, having someone knowing the firm well can also help find the best fit of the role that you are looking for.
One thing to note is that some roles are quite likely to allow you to transfer to PM. For example, I’ve seen several engagement managers in McKinsey successfully transferred to solution managers or product managers. Given you have an MBA, entering as an associate and change your track later on can be an option too, given PM roles are relatively limited.
Happy to answer more follow up questions through DM!
Cheers,
Han
Hey there 😊,
Great to hear you're considering product management roles at MBB while starting your MBA! Here’s a breakdown of how to pivot into MBB PM roles, what the work looks like, and how it compares to traditional consulting.
✅ Target Digital & Tech Practices – Each MBB firm has a dedicated digital and technology arm that hires product managers:
✅ Apply via Campus Recruiting – Many MBA students only consider consulting roles, but MBB also hires for product roles through the same recruiting channels.
✅ Network with PMs in MBB – Since product hiring is less structured than consulting, speaking with current MBB PMs gives you an edge in understanding what they look for.
✅ Position Yourself as a Business-Minded PM – Unlike tech firms, MBB looks for PMs who understand business strategy and digital transformation, not just feature-building.
🔹 Client-Facing Digital Products – Most MBB PMs work on building AI-driven tools, data platforms, and enterprise software for clients. Examples include:
🔹 Internal Tools for MBB Consultants – Some PMs work on improving knowledge management systems, workflow automation, or data-driven decision platforms used internally at MBB.
⚖️ More stable hours than consulting, but still high expectations
✅ Highlight your PM + strategy skills – MBB doesn’t hire PMs like Google or Amazon; they want business-first, strategy-driven PMs who can work in client environments.
✅ Network with MBB PMs early – Since product hiring isn’t as structured as consulting, strong referrals help a lot.
✅ Target digital-focused roles at MBB – Look for roles in McKinsey Digital, BCG X, or Bain Vector rather than generalist consulting roles.
If you love product but want the prestige & strategic exposure of MBB, a PM role at MBB can be a great fit. It’s less intense than consulting but still high-impact, and the work is often client-facing, solving real-world business problems with digital solutions.
Let me know if you need help with positioning your application! Best, Alessa 😇
Hi,
I would be keen to understand your rationale behind wanting to do Product within Consulting firms vs Product firms.
In my experience, having done Product work both within Consulting & outside, I have noticed that Product work at Consulting is not "pure" Product work.
You can think of it as "we have noticed a pattern in client requests. To boost our profit margin, we can create a product that does 80% of the work and then customise the remaining 20% as part of an engagement". This is similar to for e.g. the Palantir model.
So, in terms of your Product work in Consulting, you could either:
- be the person building the 80% of the product. But note that your customer pool is likely a handful of clients, so customer feedback can be limited
- be the person implementing the remaining 20% with a client.
It depends on your interest. The main thing though to call out is that the success metrics for products in Cons may be different to those in true product companies. This can create interesting dynamics for PMs & can make exiting into other Product roles a bit more challenging (in case you wanted to do that).
Happy to chat further, if helpful.
MBB product roles differ significantly from traditional tech PM positions. At these firms, you'll typically work on digital solutions that complement consulting projects - either client-facing products or internal tools depending on the assignment.
McKinsey Digital, BCG X, and Bain Vector are the main product-focused divisions. The work is intellectually demanding but usually involves less travel than traditional consulting roles.
With your 4 years of product experience, you have a solid foundation. During your MBA, network specifically with people in these divisions rather than just general consultants. Make it clear in applications that you're targeting product roles specifically, as they often have separate recruiting tracks.
The interview process will test both your product thinking and business acumen, so prepare for both product cases and traditional consulting cases.
I suggest you also read some reviews at Glassdoor.
What are the key steps to pivot into product management at MBB firms after starting an MBA, and how can one leverage their MBA experience to gain the necessary skills and network for making this transition successfully?
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