U.S. Schools
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What are the different business analyst opportunities available to me?
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There are a number of different business analyst opportunities in what will be an exciting and rewarding career with our firm. Throughout your tenure, you will have the opportunity to work in a variety of industries. In addition to our Generalist Business Analyst position, there are also many function specific analyst roles. To read more about all of our opportunities, please review them here.
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Once I begin as a Business Analyst, how easy will it be for me to work abroad?
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Business Analysts are typically assigned to projects within the country of their home office. In your first year, you are supported by your home office in building your basic consulting toolkit. Opportunities to explore work beyond your home office are more likely in your second or third year. If you choose to remain for a third year (or beyond), we encourage Business Analysts to seek a unique experience in another geography, a practice role or an externship position. We work closely with each Business Analyst to craft an exciting experience.
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Since I have a master's degree, is the Business Analyst position the right one for me?
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The specific position for which you are considered is based primary on the amount of work or research experience you have had since receiving your undergraduate degree. For instance, master’s candidates from schools in Canada and the U.S. who have 2 years or less work experience between their undergraduate degree and the completion of their master’s should apply for a Business Analyst position with us. If you are hired, we hope to promote you to an Associate role within 12-24 months. If, after your final round of interviews with us, we find that you are better suited for an Associate position, an Associate offer would be made at that time.
Non-M.B.A. master’s candidates who received their undergraduate degree more than four years ago should apply for an Associate position by visiting our Ph.D, MD, Law and Masters recruiting website. All M.B.A. candidates should visit our M.B.A. recruiting website.
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How do I think about McKinsey compared to my other options, for example, investment banking?
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A critical difference is that, at McKinsey, we work directly with senior management to find solutions to a company’s most challenging problems. In banking, you will primarily work to execute the transactions management has crafted. A career with McKinsey teaches you to think like a CEO by sequentially solving problems on the CEO’s agenda.
McKinsey Business Analysts focus on a single client at a time and spend a great deal of their time with key clients working from the client site. In this role, Business Analysts "dig deep" into the problem and its causes, and work with a team of consultants and clients to develop the comprehensive solution. An investment banking financial analyst spends the majority of time in the office working with his/her colleagues on the various parts of a deal, including modeling, analyzing comparable transactions, and writing prospectuses and sales memorandums. They can work on 4-6 deals at various stages and of different types, e.g., merger, equity, financing etc., and may only assist with certain activities in a transaction.
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After two years with the firm, what options are available to Business Analysts?
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We encourage you to spend your third year pursuing an experience that will truly broaden your leadership and problem solving capabilities. Business Analysts can pursue work in one of our international offices, functional practices, nonprofit externships, or with the McKinsey Global Institute, to name a few. After this experience, Business Analysts either stay with the firm to advance to Associate roles or attend graduate school with financial support from McKinsey.
We are committed to supporting you in whatever career path is most exciting to you and best fits your development goals. We believe that our analyst opportunities provide an outstanding starting point for a long-term relationship with McKinsey.
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Where do Business Analysts go after McKinsey?
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By joining the firm, you will develop unparalleled leadership skills that will open many doors to you for a career after McKinsey. Our Business Analysts have gone on to a wide variety of exciting careers. Some examples include becoming senior Partners at McKinsey, founding non-profits in Asia and Africa, becoming partners in private equity firms, entering medicine, embarking in senior policy-making careers at the White House, rising to senior posts in the media and entertainment businesses and establishing successful technology ventures
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Can Business Analysts receive graduate school tuition financing?
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Business Analysts with an offer to return or who advance directly to an Associate role are eligible to receive graduate school financing. Our policy has been to forgive this loan over two years for former Business Analysts who return to the Firm as Associates. Please see the Analyst Opportunities section to learn more about the programs that offer tuition financing.
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What is the best way to submit an application?
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To receive full consideration, you will need to complete McKinsey’s online application. Some schools also require you to apply through their school’s career services office as well. If you are unsure of your school’s requirements, please check with your career services office.
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When do I submit my application?
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Although we accept applications year round, our primary recruiting season is in September/October for our Business Analyst programs and in December/January for Summer Business Analysts. Please visit your school page to see your school’s application deadline.
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What is the process for students who have an exploding offer?
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Candidates who need to make a decision earlier than their school’s time frame due to a competing offer should complete our online application and contact their school recruiter as soon as possible.
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Do I have to submit two applications if I’m interested in two different Business Analyst roles?
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No—simply indicate in your office preferences which roles/cities you are interested in, ranking your preferences accordingly.
If you were more interested in working as a Generalist BA in Chicago, for example, but would also be interested in working in Corporate Finance in New York, on the application you select Generalist for role 1, North America for region, and Chicago for your office with Corporate Finance for role 2, North America for region, New York for your office.
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Will my office preference affect whether or not I receive an interview?
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We select candidates to interview based on the criteria listed in the "What We Look For" section, not on geographic preference.
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Which McKinsey offices are hiring new Business Analysts for the Fall of 2008 from U.S. Schools?
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The majority of McKinsey offices, globally, will be hiring new Business Analysts for the Fall of 2008.
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Can I preference/be interviewed by an international office?
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Yes. While many of McKinsey’s international offices meet their hiring needs by recruiting at schools within their own geographic region, many consider candidates who have ties to their country and are studying in the United States. All McKinsey offices require fluency in the local business language as well as English, and oftentimes, legal authorization to work in that country.
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Why isn’t McKinsey coming to my campus?
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McKinsey is committed to hiring diverse and exceptionally talented people. However, our resource capacity makes it difficult to visit every school where we know top talent exists. Even if we are unable to come in person to your campus, we are still interested in reviewing your application.
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How is the interview process structured?
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We use case studies and experience interviews to assess candidates. The first round of discussions will typically consist of two back-to-back interviews, each including a case study and an experience interview. The final round interview date and format will vary by office location. More information is available in the "How to Do Well in the Interview" section of the website.
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I’ve heard that McKinsey only interviews students from Ivy League schools. Is this true?
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McKinsey interviews Business Analyst candidates from a variety of undergraduate sources, including large state colleges and universities and smaller, private educational institutions. We also interview master’s candidates with limited work experience for the Analyst positions.
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Do I need a business background?
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While a keen interest in business is critical, a business degree is not. Our Business Analysts have degrees in many fields, including liberal arts and sciences. In fact, the majority of Business Analysts have degrees outside of business or economics.
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How are Business Analysts assigned to projects?
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Business Analysts are staffed on one study at a time. Staffing assignments are made by considering clients' needs and the kind of work, client interaction and experience the Business Analyst needs to continue growing his or her skills, in addition to other factors. As this suggests, there are many elements, therefore, that go into each staffing decision. Business Analysts need to understand that while they are able to express study preferences as time goes on, they do not get to choose their studies.
When available for staffing, Business Analysts have the opportunity to review a list of confirmed engagements and discuss the pros and cons of a handful of these with their Professional Development Manager. Business Analysts will often have a discussion with the team leader about the study and the role they would play on the team. Sometimes, a Business Analyst will also seek input from his/her Development Group Leader (a senior firm member, who offers career and staffing guidance and represents them at performance reviews). Final staffing assignments are made by Professional Development with the input received from both teams and Business Analysts.
We invite you to read more about our "Day to Day" experiences.
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What training is available for Business Analysts?
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As a Business Analyst, your experience on engagement teams and the coaching you will receive on them will be the most valuable means for you to develop your business problem solving skills. In addition, we offer a number of training programs. Some of these are designed to build your general consulting skills, others will develop you in specific areas where you need additional coaching, and still others will lay a foundation of knowledge in specific industries or functional areas.
New consultants learn how we work in teams, interact with clients, and approach problems through a week-long introduction to our people, values, and the work that we do. In addition to continuous on-the-job training, McKinsey sponsors open training seminars on current business issues and provides a week-long program for analysts with approximately 12 months of experience. This training builds on problem solving, interpersonal, and communications skills.
Different Business Analyst opportunities may also offer additional types of training. To learn more about our different Business Analyst opportunities, please click here.
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How much do Business Analysts travel?
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The amount of travel varies amongst the different Business Analyst roles. Mondays through Thursdays, you'll likely work from your client's offices and on Friday from your home office. Being on-site not only gives you access to client team members and helps you build relationships with them; it also helps you to better understand the nature of their business and their issues. Working on-site does not always require travel, however. Many of our consultants work at client offices in the same city as their office. In return, you will have the best business education you can possibly get right out of school.
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How many hours does a Business Analyst typically work?
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Our focus is our results to our clients so there is not a typical work week. There may be some days that have a higher workload due to a client presentation or what phase you are in on your study.
You can set the tone for the way you work on an engagement. At the outset of each engagement, the team will meet to determine its preferred work schedule and style. Some team members may prefer not to hold morning meetings, for example, while others may need to leave earlier in the day to be with their children – it's up to each member of the team to speak up and ensure that individual needs are met to the best extent possible.
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How is a typical client team structured?
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The team is the center of McKinsey life. You’ll find that teams are made up of a diverse mix of people from many different countries as well as educational and professional backgrounds. This diversity not only makes our work enjoyable, but it also enables us to bring a broad range of perspectives to solving our clients’ problem.
As a new Business Analyst, you will work closely with a small team of four to five people. Every member of the team is expected to make a significant contribution. From team brainstorming sessions to client presentations, your team will look to you to participate actively by voicing your opinions, challenging findings, responding to client concerns, and presenting recommendations. Everyone, from the most junior consultant to the most tenured partner, has a voice and an obligation to use it.
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What is the role of a Business Analyst on a client team?
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Business Analysts take responsibility for a distinctive part of the problem solving for each client engagement. They play a key role in data gathering, contribute to the team's final recommendations, and present their work to senior client executives. They also have a voice in determining the team's style and pace of work.
As your skills and experience grow, you will take on more responsibility within each engagement. You may find yourself leading a client brainstorming session or coaching other team members on models that you've already mastered. These years as a Business Analyst are a great chance to learn so we will encourage you to test your boundaries with problem solving, try different types of engagements, and push yourself.
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When do I submit my application?
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Please visit your school page to see your school’s application deadline.
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Can I be considered for an international office?
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While many of McKinsey’s international offices meet their hiring needs by recruiting at schools within their own geographic region, many consider candidates who have ties to their country and are studying in the United States. All McKinsey offices require fluency in the local business language as well as English, and oftentimes, legal authorization to work in that country. Please email your recruiter about international offices recruiting for summer opportunities on your campus.
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What if I apply for the Summer Business Analyst program and am not selected? Can I still apply for a full-time position with McKinsey?
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Absolutely. In the early fall, we will look forward to hearing from all Summer Business Analyst applicants, if they are interested in full-time career opportunities with McKinsey.
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Why is McKinsey not coming to my campus for summer opportunities?
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McKinsey is committed to hiring diverse and exceptionally talented people. By keeping our Summer Business Analyst program smaller in size, we are able to ensure that all students have the right experience with us over the summer.
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