I joined McKinsey in 2011 after gaining an MBA from INSEAD. A career in management consulting was an obvious choice, but finding the right consultancy was more difficult. Because all the top firms serve leading clients on major strategic problems and put a lot of emphasis on individual development, it can be difficult to choose between them.
Global scope
In the end my choice came down to two things. First, McKinsey has a global platform that gives individual consultants true global mobility rivalling anything that other firms can offer. Second, the people here, from business analysts to directors, represent the most diverse group I’ve ever come across in terms of nationalities, backgrounds and interests. Every day my choice proves to have been the right one.
Being an associate
Having a group of other new associates around me is a constant source of support and encouragement. We turn to one another as we go through similar ups and downs. On Fridays, the day when we all try to be in the London office together, I swap stories over lunch with my colleagues. We are able to laugh about our missteps, celebrate our successes and seek advice about the next opportunity. In the end we become friends.
Working across industries
In my first year I’ve worked on the transformation of a global bank, supply chain optimisation for a high-tech firm and strategy for a large hedge fund. As a generalist, I don’t specialise in a single industry or function but instead do a broad range of projects across industries.
Although I always work as part of a team, I’m also given the responsibility and autonomy to work directly with senior clients and develop individual relationships. That’s one of my favourite aspects of the job.
Support for learning
When I first started, the learning curve was steep and people would check in with me often to make sure everything was going smoothly. After a few months I had built up more confidence, and now it’s my responsibility to seek out guidance when I need it. At the beginning of every client project we set our own objectives for development, and everyone on the team helps the others achieve their goals.
In the office, there are regular training sessions on skills such as structuring an interview with a client, as well as optional workshops on topics like the impact of social media on business, which is an interest of mine. At the moment I’m working to gain a qualification in organization, and for that I have to contribute to furthering McKinsey’s knowledge in a particular area.
Moving around
One thing I didn’t know before I joined was how flexible McKinsey is when it comes to choosing where you want to work. A while ago I needed to be in the US for family reasons, and the firm went out of their way to find a project where I could be based in New York for some of the time.
I’m currently applying for a transfer to another office, and again I’m getting amazing support: I’ve been put in touch with people who have done the same move themselves, talked to senior people about the possible effects on my career, and started to build networks in the office I’ve chosen. Even though I have personal reasons for wanting the transfer, McKinsey couldn’t have done more to help me. Support like that makes it so much easier to balance my work with the other things that matter in my life.