Jonathan

Associate

Joining as a summer associate to test the fit
When I joined as a summer associate, I wasn’t sure whether consulting was the right fit for me. In fact, I had not considered consulting as a career option when I went to business school, but I was so impressed with the former business analysts in my classes and the people I met during the recruiting process that I wanted to give it a shot. My summer program was fantastic with tons of international travel. During my 8 weeks, I went to Dubai, Germany, Washington DC, and Connecticut—in addition to the summer associate retreat in Colorado. I found the problems we were asked to solve to be hugely stimulating with high expectations on our performance. At the end of my summer, it was apparent that McKinsey is a special place and I decided to join full-time.

Questioning assumptions to help me succeed
On my first full-time client study, I was stunned by the questions that my teammates asked and how they challenged my assumptions to make sure that we had the right answer for the client. Why did this growth rate? Why did this discount rate? Sometimes I knew the answers, sometimes I didn’t. But that's the beauty of a McKinsey team—they're there to strengthen your recommendation. On that first client study, I wasn’t left to sink or swim. Whenever I needed it, the team threw me a life preserver.

Seeing a different side of my team
On one study in Asia, my team decided to go to karaoke. In that business culture, it's very common to go out after work and sing karaoke to help you relax. I love singing, but I was put to shame by the partner that was with us. At McKinsey, I’m continuously amazed by the people I meet.

Being an entrepreneur for my career
I may not always get to work on exactly the study that I want, but I usually get one of my top preferences. Every time I’m available for staffing, my professional development manager will give me a log of all the studies that need people in the next week or two. I pick the ones that I am interested in and start discussions with those teams and see if there's a mutual interest. I have McKinsey’s full resources available to pursue my interests.

Striking the right balance
Traveling Monday through Thursday is extremely tiring. You're making sacrifices in terms of your personal life, but it has also allowed me to see a lot of different cities and a lot of different companies and cultures. It’s allowed me to meet and work with colleagues that I would have never even dreamed of working with in any other organization.