Starting at MBB in 5 months... what should I do to prepare?

Hey there, 

first of all: What a comfortable position to be in to have some free time now but also have the security of that offer! :) 

My honest advice: Do not stress about it too much. Enjoy the time that you have before starting to work full-time.  

If you want to do something: 

1. Prepping PPT and Excel is a good idea. This is your bread-and-butter as a Consultant. There are lots of courses and videos out there to work with.

2. Studying for the GRE seems smart. I believe the scores are valid for 5 years. If you know that you would like to do an MBA, you might as well get it out of the way. From my time at BCG I know that people get some time allocated to prepping for this but it is usually not enough and they end up taking unpaid leaves to further prep. 

3. If you feel really insecure about the speed of working life: Have you contemplated doing an intership before to get up to speed again? I would not advice it as I think it is not necessary but if it helps you mentally, you can think about it. 

Best, 
Sebastian

Hey there, 

Ultimately, ensure that you come in and start feeling fresh, relaxed and full of enthusiasm! So make sure that whatever you do will help support that because the work is going to be hard with long hours and you don't want to come in tired nor not at 100%

Otherwise, it to reduce learning curve, brushing up on powerpoint and excel (shortcuts and modelling) skills would be highly beneficial. If you can get access to publicly available slide presentations from MBB and read them and try recreating those pages and understanding their communication style etc. - that could be helpful. Also stay up to date with current affairs, read articles published by MBB partners and websites to see what topics they are thinking about and the content they prepare (and how they prepare it). 

A mix of all these could be useful! 

All the best!

Congrats on the offer!

My advice will be to focus on using GenAI tools in your day-to-day life, to get a sense of what they can accomplish if you aren’t already.

This may feel trivial but there is a pretty high chance, given the market, that there will be at least 1 GenAI project in the pipeline when you join. 

Your hands-on experience will position you to be the top choice for that role, if that aligns with your interest.

Depending on your career prospects, being involved in internal GenAI efforts of your MBB firm is also likely to be lucrative in the long run.

Excel etc. you will pick up in a couple of weeks so I wouldn’t worry about that too much. With AI, choose something that you have an interest in (music, art, writing, coding etc) & just explore how AI impacts it. It should be enjoyable & set you up for success! Win-win! 

Hi there,

Congratulations on getting the offer!

I would recommend the following:

1. Get the GRE/GMAT done

It is essential to get the exam done because it will help you to focus on the job. Inside the MBB, there is a lot of noise between Associates and/or consultants about MBA/MPP applications, which creates stress for the ones who have not taken the exam or are not actively studying. It depends on how you manage pressure, but getting this kind of stress is very common as a new Associate/Consultant. 

2. Enjoy life

Get as much time with family and friends as possible because it will be limited when you start. Go to concerts and do activities that are hard to schedule before joining. Time is something you won´t get again.

I would not invest much time in MS tools because MMBA has their own training programs and software with add-ons that help you to be faster and more productive. 

Best,

Carlos

Hi there,

The best advice is to enjoy your free time—the real learning starts on the job, and once you begin, things will get intense quickly. That said, if you want to feel more prepared, consider:

1. Light Excel & PowerPoint refresh – No need for a full course, but spending a few hours getting comfortable with shortcuts and basic functions can help ease the transition. Keep in mind that you’ll likely use additional tools like ThinkCell in PowerPoint, which requires a subscription—something you might not want to pay for now. You’ll pick it up quickly once you start, and depending on your firm, much of the alignment work will be handled by support teams.
2. Grad school prep – If you’re serious about an MPP/MBA, this is the perfect time to study for the GRE. You won’t have much time later, and your mind will be occupied with work. Make a structured plan for your prep, and if possible, aim to take the exam before your start date.
3. Balance with hobbies & personal time – Adjusting to long hours will be tough, so take this opportunity to travel, relax, and do things you enjoy before work ramps up.

No need to overprepare—your firm will train you. Use this time wisely, but don’t forget to recharge. Enjoy your upcoming 5 months and all the best with your start thereafter!

Best wishes,
Johannes

Hey there,

Congrats!

Most people who start in consulting feel the same way and are not sure what to expect/how to prepare.

A bit more context:

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 in 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, and learn from your colleagues, your mentors, and 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 almost a fully blank slate with a lot of curiosity and eagerness to soak it all up and quickly learn the ropes.

In truth, no book, no training, and no coach can fully prepare you for your first day, your first week, your first engagement. Nothing matches the experience and the learning and this is a good thing (also the reason why ex-consultants are valued highly in the job market).

Yet, there are certain things you can do before you start and after to make the transition and first months smoother.

What helps in this journey is to know 

• what to expect in terms of requirements, work hours, stress levels, travel, staffing, and logistics (helps with your nerves and expectation management)
• what to take care of and buy before you start (as you will have very little time to do so afterward)
• what skills you need to display and how to display/acquire them as well as what traits are perceived well and evaluated in your constant performance evaluations (helps you shine early on and know where to put the focus)
• what ways can help you keep the stress levels acceptable (if you don't tackle this early, it's tricky to reverse later on)

Once you know how to prepare and act, it will be easier to learn everything you need to master while doing it. You will be thrown in the cold water and need to swim many times.

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 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.

For exactly that reason I wrote a book on starting in consulting (you can find it on Amazon). It details how to get a great entry, build your career and profile early, AND make sure you are not burning out in the process.

I have also recorded a session for PrepLounge here on the topic of work-life balance, which could be very helpful: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VK8wL_xsmQ&t=9s&pp=ygUKcHJlcGxvdW5nZQ%3D%3D

Enjoy the ride!

Cheers,

Florian

Hello there,

Find a similar question with additional answers here.

Best,

Mari