Which role do I stand a better chance of getting into at McK, BCG, Bain and etc coming from academia

Hey there,

Cool background!

I would argue that there is very little difference in terms of difficulty. The interview process would be a bit tougher for consulting roles, yet there are many more free consultant spots (both for a Practice and as a Generalist) than spots for Knowledge Analysts in a specific Practice.

This is a great opportunity for networking with people in the relevant roles. I would look on LinkedIn and contact a few to get the discussions going (current demand, etc.).

Cheers,

Florian

Hi there,

Given your desire to work in a strategy role post-consulting, I would strongly recommend moving to a generalist consulting function, rather than a vertical specific or knowledge role.

That’s were you’re going to (i) get the best/broadest experience, (ii) receive the best pay and (iii) get the best brand recognition on your CV.

Of course, that also means that the interview/application process is the hardest but nothing worth doing is easy 😊

Let me know if I can help, otherwise all the best!

B.

Hi there,

Q: I want to leave academia but I don't know which role I should apply for at McK (Associate - Operations or Associate or Knowledge Analyst - Underground Mining). I want to eventually work in Strategy or Business Improvement and similar roles at a mining company.  

The two roles are quite different. The Associate role is a traditional consultant role, with common interactions with clients. The Knowledge Analyst is a research role, where you support consultant teams in their project for research and data analysis.

If you want to work in strategy later, the Associate role would fit better that path. In general, you will develop better communication skills, have more opportunities to see different industries/projects and have more exit options. If you prefer a purely research role later on, instead, the Knowledge Analyst role could work fine.

At the same time, besides considering exit opportunities, I would also recommend trying to understand what you enjoy more in a job. There is no reason to pick a role for better exit options later, if you don’t like that role at all.

Good luck!

Francesco

I did work in mining while at McKinsey and worked closely with some of the experts within MineLens, which is a division within McKinsey specialised within mining. 

You'd definitely find a home there with your background. 

My strong recommendation would be to apply for mining roles in order to leverage the knowledge that you already have, rather than go for a generalist role. This is especially the case since you want to pursue mining long-term anyway. 

What you need is a strong application strategy for the process, so here's a guide on how to think about it:

• Expert Guide: Build A Winning Application Strategy

Feel free to reach out, and I'm happy to answer any questions you might have about how it works at McKinsey.

Best,
Cristian

Hey,

I highly suggest you check out Partners in Performance. It's an Australian boutique consulting company that was formed by McKinsey alumni which now operates across many parts of the world.

Their main speciality is mining&operations but they also do projects in other industries / functions. The pay is above MBB but there's less fancy extra stuff that MBBs usually provide.

If you want to learn more about the company and prepare for their interviews - just DM me. My students have received 14 offers there.

Good luck!
Nick
 

Hi,

In general you will be deemed most desirable for a role that you can show you have demonstrable experience and knowledge in. In your case, if you expertise and work experience focused on mining, then that is where you will have the most pull from a hiring perspective.

If your end goal is to work in a mining company, then any mining focused role at McK is a great path to get there as you will gain both experience and credibility allowing you to join at a senior level once you leave.

All the best,

Udayan

Hi there,

General rule: Network and find out. See where each firm see you fitting (each one will be different).

That said, in this case you would likely fit best as a knowledge analyst (but remember this is a totally different role to consulting)