February 2013
Exciting studies
Welcome to my page! I’m looking forward to giving you a glimpse into my life as a BA.
I graduated from the University of Michigan (Go Blue!) in May 2012 with a BBA and joined the Chicago office in August. I can’t believe how quickly the past five months have flown by! I’ve had a great time and I can’t wait to see what’s next.
Trampoline dodgeball
I’ve been on three client engagements so far at McKinsey: I’ve been staffed at a healthcare payor, a basic materials company, and now a healthcare provider. The work at each one has been completely different, but always exciting—I love having a change of pace every few months. It’s pretty neat to look at my time here so far and say I’ve had experiences in so many different industries and functions.
Beyond the work, I’ve also loved my teams. We have a lot of fun both in the teamroom and outside of it. We’ve played trampoline dodgeball, gone to baseball games, and explored new cities together.
Upcoming travel plans
I’ve had a lot of fun traveling lately and I’m also looking forward to some upcoming plans. I’m currently staffed in Los Angeles and loving the warm weather in contrast to Chicago. Last weekend, my boyfriend Nate flew out and we explored the city. Neither of us had been to LA before, so we went to the Hollywood sign, Santa Monica Pier, and drove on the Pacific Coast Highway, which is absolutely beautiful!
On the Santa Monica Pier
When my current engagement finishes up at the end of this month, I’ll be flying to Hawaii for a week of vacation with my brother. At the end April, I’m traveling with my brother again, but this time on a river cruise on the Danube River. We have never been to Hawaii or the Danube, so I can’t wait! I’m sure I’ll have plenty of photos to share from the trips.
Catching up with my fellow BAs
Since I stayed in Los Angeles over the weekend, I haven’t seen my fellow Chicago BAs in a few weeks and I’m really looking forward to catching up with them in the office on Friday. We’re also having a mixer on Saturday night with BCG and Bain, which should be a lot of fun!
Everyone at McKinsey will tell you the BAs are a tight-knit group and, in my biased opinion, the BA role is one of the best to have. When you join the firm, you instantly have a group of new friends going through the same experiences, and people to talk to for advice or the latest Excel tips.
Beyond the people, being a BA also lets you gain a variety of experiences in whatever industries and functions you want to try out with no pressure to choose a certain path. You get to follow your passions and interests, which works out perfectly for someone a little indecisive like me. I didn’t want to commit to one industry or function straight out of college, so this gives me exactly the variety I’m looking for!
I’m sure I’ll have plenty of news to share with you in the coming weeks as my current engagement wraps up, I travel to Hawaii, and start a new engagement. Looking forward to what’s to come!
—Stephanie