Ken
Business Analyst
Choosing Corporate Finance
Coming from a finance background and having done investment banking for the summer, that’s where I thought I would end up, especially after receiving offers from several investment banks … that is, until I got an offer from McKinsey in Corporate Finance. I have not regretted my choice: The broader business understanding and problem structuring skills I’ve gained at McKinsey have made me a more effective business leader and the opportunities open to me (including staying on at the firm) are simply amazing.
“I have no idea what I want to do 10 years from now, but I’m pretty sure that whatever it is, McKinsey will have prepared me well for it.”
The Spice of Life
The consulting role is a lot more variable than I thought, and keeping this in mind is important. There will be interesting studies and less interesting studies; good weeks and bad ones. It’s possible to have two lousy weeks in a row, just as it’s possible to have two amazing weeks in a row. There have definitely been times (for example, taking a $500 cab from Dallas to Austin in a flood with two senior directors at 3 a.m.) that you would not expect!
Opportunities and Development
I appreciate the emphasis on development here—we all have our say as to which studies we take on, including the choice to “roll off” a study if another one is better for individual development. There is a wealth of opportunity available at McKinsey, from public policy to the McKinsey Global Institute (a think-tank) to nonprofit work. I have no idea what I want to do 10 years from now, but I’m pretty sure that whatever it is, McKinsey will have prepared me well for it.
BA Impact
In my first major study, I worked on a piece of analysis for the chairman and CEO of a large U.S. PC manufacturer as part of a client development effort. The North American high-tech leadership had designated this client as a key target for the firm. I remember getting calls from partners at midnight Singapore time (where I was for a McKinsey training session) just before the meeting. Apparently my analysis, along with the team’s overall approach, completely blew the client away. The next thing I knew, we had three studies with the client, and I was helping all of them as a result of my work.
A Day in the Life
I arrive in Bergstrom, Texas at 3:30 a.m. due to a flight delay and I am in my room by 4. I wake up at 7 to meet my team in the lobby. We drive over to the client site, making a detour for Starbucks. As we walk to our team room, we are already chatting about the day’s agenda and to-dos.
9:30 a.m. We check in by phone with the three directors and two partners on the study. I update them on my two workstreams. They seem impressed, but grill me on the details. My engagement manager helps me out and we brainstorm as a team to better solve the challenge in front of us.
10:30 a.m. I dash off to meet with a VP in finance. There is some data I need urgently, so I want to talk in person. I’m on my best behavior; after all, this is a first-time study for a client.
11:30 a.m. I spend some time sending e-mails—updating my staffer on the progress, scheduling meetings with experts to discuss another part of my workstream—and catching up on local news and how the market is doing. I follow up on an issue from our morning call with one of the directors, who listens to my point of view and agrees. We think about how to approach another problem.
Lunchtime is approaching and I have a call with a German partner to discuss trends in Europe. Grabbing some food on the way to an empty conference room, I outline in my mind the context I need to set, what I want to learn about, and what resources I can leverage outside of the firm.
Other than a couple of client meetings, the team and I work steadily throughout the day. The client has a policy of lights-out at 8 p.m., so we take this chance to return to our hotel, grab a quick dinner, and complete the day’s work. I’m able to finish around 10 p.m., after which I quickly hit the gym and then take care of some personal things. No matter how hard you work, McKinsey always gives you personal space, which is one of many things I appreciate about the firm.
Personal Favorites
Favorite Book: The Bible
Favorite movie: "Zoolander"
Hobbies/interests: Rocking out, traveling (for fun!)