Short Term MBB Internship

Hi there,

First of all, congratulations on the offer!

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

• First of all, I'm sure they wouldn't have mentioned the possibility of a full-time job after the internship if there wasn't one. So yes, I think you can be successful in getting that return offer, even if the average rate depends on the country and isn't that high, contrary to what other coaches have said.
• Moreover, to maximize your chances, I would advise you to focus on the immediate tasks in front of you and try to excel at them as best as possible. Being visible and a helping hand on the team is also something that is highly sought after in potential full-time candidates.
• Finally, I would advise you to actually work with MS Excel and PowerPoint as much as possible by learning the most common shortcuts and formulas instead of analyzing existing spreadsheets. There is an almost infinite number of free resources to help you with these applications.

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

Best,

Hagen

Hi there,

Congrats! :-)

Generally, the return offer rate is quite high with around 80%.

To make the most out of it and get a return offer, there are a few things you should do:

1. Perform well at your core tasks (ownership of your work, analytics, double checking your work, visualization, communication) and improve quickly (your manager and partners evaluate not only what you can do right now BUT how quickly you develop and what potential you have for the future.

1b. Learn from your peers, either by asking (don't be afraid to ask) and by observation.

2. Be visible in front of your team, client, partners, and office. Speak up, take the opportunities to lead meetings, present, and contribute your opinion (this is the single biggest reason why interns do not get a return offer if they fail to show that they are here).

3. Network, make sure people know you across the office/practice.

4. Manage your stress. Find a way to balance work and life. I have recorded a session for PrepLounge on this topic: https://youtu.be/4VK8wL_xsmQ?si=go1vmIEiAmwLz76T

Reach out if you want to learn more! I coach people on getting the entry right and have also written a book about the topic called Consulting Career Secrets. It's on Amazon.

All the best,

Florian

Thank you for sharing your concerns. It's understandable to feel anxious, especially when starting a new role, but it's great that you're already taking steps to improve your Excel skills.

First, it's important to approach this opportunity as a learning experience. Even though 4-6 weeks might seem short, it's often enough time to show growth and adaptability, which are key traits employers look for. Focus on developing a strong work ethic, being proactive, and seeking feedback regularly to demonstrate your commitment to improvement.

Regarding Excel, don't worry about mastering everything immediately. Instead, concentrate on the core skills needed for the tasks you expect to handle, such as basic data analysis, VLOOKUP, and pivot tables. You can also check out online courses or tutorials that provide more structured learning paths and practice files.

As for the promotion, while it’s hard to say definitively what the company's intentions are, many organizations do use these types of periods to evaluate candidates for long-term roles. Your performance, attitude, and willingness to learn will be key factors in their decision.

Lastly, don't hesitate to ask for help when needed—whether from peers, supervisors, or online forums. Showing that you're resourceful can also make a strong impression.

You’ve already got the right mindset by preparing ahead. Keep up the effort, and remember that no one expects perfection—what matters most is showing progress and potential.

Best of luck!

Hi there,

It's understandable to feel anxious, but this is not an uncommon practice. My advice is to focus on learning and don't stress yourself. If you put too much pressure on yourself it can be counterproductive and hinder your performance.

They will evaluate your execution of tasks given, adaptability to learn quickly, how you integrate yourself in the team and how you interact within client situations.

I would recommend to ask for feedback regularly and if you are stuck, ask questions.  

All the best for your start!
Kairavee

Hi!

Massive well done on getting the offer! Getting your foot in the door is more than 99% of candidates can say, and the question now is: can you pass the 'strong performance' criteria set for you during the internship?

From my experience, most analysts who join have relatively low competence in Excel and PowerPoint. These firms offer comprehensive training courses for these programs to all analysts.

What I believe they will want to see is 3 things:

1. Ability to learn – They will want to see you progress over the 4-6 week period. This may not be a huge amount, but it is important to show some improvement. My best tip for this is to ask for feedback at the end of every week on a few metrics, such as Excel skills. Then, using this feedback, you can demonstrate the progression you've made over the weeks.
2. Eagerness – This one is simple—just be keen to get stuck in. Focus mainly on project work but also participate in wider firm activities and networking. I'm sorry to say you might not have much free time during the 4-6 weeks with work + networking, but it's a worthwhile investment!
3. General competence – This is harder than the other two. They will want to assess if you have a strong foundation to do the work required of an analyst. This is a combination of skills and knowledge. While both are assumed to be low for analysts at the start, reading deeply into the industry your project is in, plus brushing up on basic Excel and PowerPoint skills, will give you a head start.

Most importantly, you will smash it. Go in with some false confidence and a willingness to get stuck in, and you'll be set.

Best of luck!

the offer rates are typically quite high, especially the more junior you join. Although there has been a trend in McKinsey where there have been alot of rejections, but those are mostly at MBA level.

General tips, which to be honest, applies to all new joiners across CA, BA to ASC tenures; be coachable, have a point of view, be proactive and most importantly work hard. The perception/actual impact of all these 4 points is what people care about, because at the end of the day the technical aspects of consultant toolkit is easily coachable and learnt. 

A good general mindset to keep in mind is; Am i helping my EM actively solve problems and free up time in their busy calendar, or is he/she taking too much time out of the day just to fix my work or think about what i should do next?

Get your EM/AP/Partner to like you for these reasons, and you will get the offer

Hi there,

you should be engaged in a number of ways:

• be proactive with your team and offer support where you can, don't just wait passively until they talk to you or give you tasks
• proactively ask your manager for regular feedback and make it a point to work on it so that you can showcase a learning curve in the highlighted areas
• participate in team discussion and don't be afraid to share your own ideas, suggestions and observations (it's not about being right or wrong compared to more senior consultants, it's about your underlying rationale) - consulting firms want people who think for themselves so demonstrate that
• network within the company, both inside and outside of your project team - have chats with people at the office, make sure they know your name, participate in office/practice events and the likes

I hope that helps to give you an idea.

Best

They will teach on you the ground.

None is expecting you to be a master in Excel. You will learn as you need it. Make connections across business analyst and ask them to teach you. A lot of them were in your position and will be happy to help.