Annie

Careers

McKinsey is good at making sure we have the time to get to know each other, and the people are so nice you want to hang out with them. I am one of the chairs for the social committee, and I help plan events for the business analysts. For me making those relationships is the reason I’m so happy here, and I wanted to contribute back. We have events ranging from apple picking in upstate New York, to watching the World Cup finals together, to all meeting at a bar near the office on a Thursday or Friday night. It is really nice to be able to get to know the other business analysts outside of the office.

“This is one of the best jobs you can get coming out of college because it gives you such a breadth of experience and responsibility. You’re able to be on a client location, manage relationships, come up with answers, and be on your own. People trust you very quickly. It’s a really good place to start.”

Why I joined McKinsey

I met people at other consulting firms and the people at McKinsey were by far my favorite -- really smart, helpful, and friendly. They were the type of people I wanted to spend time with. I’m still so excited to be here; I think it’s one of the best things you can do out of college.

Amazing people

It sounds like a cliché, but the people who work at McKinsey at all levels have made my experience, starting with the other business analysts and going up through the senior directors at the firm. The commitment to both clients and to each other is truly remarkable. The other BAs have become my friends, but also people who I can share stories.

One-on-one feedback

Commitment to development is something McKinsey talks about in recruiting, and it sounds nice, and when I got here I found it’s actually true. Senior people will ask me things like, “What are you looking to gain out of this? How do you want to learn? How can I help you?” And then they check in with me later to follow up on all of those questions. Every engagement manager I’ve had has given me one-on-one feedback. Everyone else—the engagement managers, partners—have also become my mentors, role-models and my friends. I still make a point to catch up with my first engagement manager on a regular basis. I wake up in the morning and want to spend time with and learn from these people.

Exploring industries

I worked on a women’s health strategy project that really inspired me; I was able to do extensive research on programs and treatments within healthcare and how different industries deal with women’s health as a concept. After that I did work on banking regulations, eventually becoming the go-to person on the regulations. Then I helped a media company redesign its sales force, and now I’m on a strategy study for a healthcare company. All of these experiences have given me a much broader view of the world and of business in general, seeing how industries interact and policies affect so many of our clients. I have a much more global perspective now.

Lifestyle balance

Having an interesting life outside of work is important to the people I’ve met at McKinsey. I have worked with people with young children who work from home in the evenings so they can have dinner with their families. For me, something that is important is my morning run. I always feel more awake and excited about work after a run. At the start of each project, I have discussed preferences with my team and explained that I can stay later in the evening, but would prefer to be able to run in the morning, and no one has ever had a problem with that. Everyone at McKinsey has commitments outside of work to their families, friends, and hobbies, and we all try as hard as possible to support each other.

Free time

I think it’s great to live in New York City; I enjoy the restaurants, theater, music…I am also an avid runner, and I run most days, exploring different running paths by the rivers and in Central Park. I also love to sail, go to the beach, and spend time with friends in the city.