Saeid

Business Analyst

While majoring in financing during undergrad I always thought I’d end up with a career at the heart of the markets. So when the offer came to spend a summer at a prominent investment bank, I jumped at the opportunity. However, it didn’t take me long to realize it wasn’t for me. It turned out that what interested me in the markets was learning about business—and it is this curiosity that led me to consulting. The global network of offices, the clients, the opportunities, and the amazing group of consultants I met during my decision-making process are what led me to McKinsey.

No two paths are identical

During my first week of training, I was told that my experiences would be very different from those of my peers, which turned out to be true. So far, my engagements have focused on health care, oil and gas, and industrials and have taken me to Calgary, San Francisco, New York, London, and Manchester. Collectively, my colleagues and I have worked in virtually every sector and geography—and each of us has had a completely unique experience.

Client impact with the support of my peers

To me, the most satisfying part of my work is drafting that presentation or doing that analysis that results in clients rethinking some aspect of their business. And, though this sounds like a cliché, the best part of my job really is the people I work with. Of the many highlights of my first year, those involving my peers are at the top of the list: getting to know the other business analysts and associates in the office during my first week; Fridays in the office reflecting on the week’s ups and downs with my officemates; business analyst training with friends I made across the globe; and, whenever I had the chance, traveling to meet other business analysts in foreign cities on the weekends.

I don’t know where I’ll be or what I’ll be doing in a few years, but I know I will be well prepared as a result of my experiences at McKinsey.