FAQ | Copenhagen

Frequently Asked Questions

In this section, we have gathered the most frequent questions our applicants tend to ask most frequently. Click on the topics below to get answers to common questions within each category.

The Application Process

Who We Are and How We Are Organized

Our Daily Work

Life as a Consultant

Shaping a Career at McKinsey

Internship with McKinsey

When should I apply?

We accept applications all year round, and we rarely place job ads in the newspaper, so feel free to apply whenever it suits you. Many of our applicants send their application 6 to 12 months before they plan to start. The only exception to this is applications for internships taking place during the summer period (May–June or August–September) For these, the deadline for applications will be in January/February each year. The exact date will be announced on the Internship Program page.

What should an application include?

An application should include a cover letter, a CV, grades transcripts from high school and onward and reference letters if available.

Should the application be in English or in Danish?

The application must be written in English.

How do I apply?

Complete our online application where you will be asked to fill in a few biographical core fields and attach your cover letter, CV, grades transcripts and references.

Please collect your documents in no more than two attachments because the online application system allows you to upload only two files.

How long is the application process?

On submission of your application, you should expect to receive an automated acknowledgment e-mail within 48 hours. From the time you submit your application, you should receive a decision within two weeks.

For successful applicants, our assessment process consists of a variety of techniques all designed to give you a better understanding of the kind of work that we do. Some of the techniques that we use are written tests, case interviews and discussions around your accomplishments. You will receive further details on the process and plenty of tips and materials to help you prepare.

How often do you conduct interviews?

We typically conduct interviews three to four times per month. Therefore, you should not hesitate to contact our recruiting coordinator if the interview date you have been assigned does not fit your schedule, as there should be plenty of opportunities to find a more suitable date.

In what language will the interview be conducted?

The interviews can be in English as well as Danish, depending on the interviewer.

Can I apply for a job in a foreign McKinsey office?

Yes. Some choose to apply for a job in another office, but in that case you should apply directly to the specific office. Visit our locations page for a list of international offices and contact persons. Here, you will also find a link to the Web site of the specific office you are interested in.

Can I apply even though I have worked for a few years elsewhere?

Yes. We welcome experienced hires, and you can apply regardless of which academic or professional background you may have.

How many consultants work in the Copenhagen office?

The Copenhagen office employs approximately 100 consultants. Including support staff, there are approximately 130 employees.

How many female consultants work in the Copenhagen office?

In the Copenhagen office, approximately 20 percent of the consultants are female. This number is similar in other Scandinavian offices.

How many countries is McKinsey present in?

We have 89 offices in 50 countries and our consultants represent 109 different nationalities.

How is McKinsey organized?

McKinsey is a global partnership. In other words, the firm is owned by the 1,251 partners worldwide. McKinsey has a managing director who is elected from among the partners, who sets the overall direction for the firm and is the head of McKinsey’s administration. The managing director also appoints various committees among McKinsey’s partners (e.g., the committee that elects new partners in the firm). Each McKinsey office is led by its partners, who make all operational decisions regarding the office (e.g., regarding which projects to work on and how many new consultants to hire). And unlike many other consulting firms, McKinsey consultants or partners are measured not on revenue but on the impact they help their clients create and on their ability to develop their colleagues.

What are the academic backgrounds of your consultants in Copenhagen?

Approximately 60 percent have a business background from either Denmark or abroad. Approximately 25 percent have an engineering background, and the remaining have backgrounds as different as medicine, law, and literature. Many have studied business as well, but this is not a requirement. Through internal training programs, McKinsey offers several ways to build the required business knowledge (e.g., basic accounting and finance and mini-M.B.A.).

How long is a typical project?

A project will normally be three to four months long, but of course it depends very much on the specific issue we are helping the client solve. Projects can be as short as three to four weeks (e.g., a strategic due diligence for a private equity player) and as long as twelve months or even more (e.g., large-scale transformation programs). On longer projects, it is normal that the team will gradually be changed over the course of the project to ensure that all consultants get sufficient learning opportunities.

Can you choose which projects you work on?

Consultants have a large degree of freedom in terms of which projects they work on. Consultants indicate their preferences on our "project market" on the intranet which is updated weekly with all new projects globally. Our staffing coordinators then match the preferences with the staffing need to the largest extent possible, in close dialogue with each consultant and the partner responsible for each project. And right from the start all consultants are encouraged to work in different industries and with different topics in order to build a broad experience base. Then, after a couple of years, each consultant normally starts to focus on a specific industry and/or a specific functional area and start building a "spike" within this area.

Why do you never talk about clients?

McKinsey is based on a set of values, one of these values being that we adhere to the highest professional standards, and to McKinsey client confidentiality is a pivotal part of this. Our clients should never doubt that we will treat any information they give us with absolute discretion. Therefore, we apply the principle of never talking about which specific clients we serve or which topics we serve a specific client on, unless the client has explicitly agreed to this.

Is it possible to take a leave of absence from McKinsey?

McKinsey strives to offer consultants flexibility, and taking a leave of absence is one of the options offered. Every consultant can take a leave of absence to go traveling, extend a maternity/paternity leave, study, or just get some time off. And the nature of our work, where projects normally last three to four months, offers great opportunities to find a suitable time to take a leave of absence.

Can I work part time?

McKinsey has developed a part-time program that can be used by all consultants when their family situation requires it (e.g., when having a child or if a family member/significant other is ill, etc.). Being on a part-time schedule could mean that you work only three or four days per week, or it could mean that you work five days a week, but for fewer hours. The exact form and duration of the part-time program is agreed on an individual basis between the consultant and the office.

Can I take maternity/paternity leave from McKinsey?

Of course. All consultants can take maternity/paternity leave.

Can you have a family while working at McKinsey?

Yes. Approximately 30 percent of the consultants in Copenhagen have children. As with any career job, it of course requires some planning to make it work, but people at McKinsey generally find that the flexibility the job offers in terms of working from home etc. is a great help in making everyday life with their family work.

How many hours do you typically work per week?

There is no typical week at McKinsey. On average, a consultant works 55 to 65 hours per week, but it varies from project to project and from week to week on the individual project.
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How is the social life in the office?

There is a great social life in the office. The average age at McKinsey is around 30, and there are several social activities, such as monthly Friday bar visits, office parties, wine tastings, office retreats, and various sports events, and often spouses are invited to these events as well, so there are plenty of opportunities to get to know people in the office. In addition to this, all teams typically have a team event and/or dinner every now and then.

When can I start working?

We prefer that you start by attending a basic consulting readiness course (a training course for all new hires), so your starting date depends somewhat on the course schedule. We have several of these courses each year, so in practice the starting date is quite flexible.

How much internal training do you have?

All new hires will start out with a one-week training course (basic consulting readiness). All nonbusiness students must complete a mini-M.B.A. course of three weeks. During the first four to five years, all consultants spend two to three weeks per year on training and conferences, typically in an international setting with consultants from many different offices on the same course.

When and how do you specialize?

After a couple of years, some consultants choose to specialize in an industry or function (e.g., finance, retail, or telecom.) This happens based on which interests each consultant has in terms of knowledge building and working areas.

Do you have a chance of working abroad?

McKinsey offers great opportunities to work abroad for shorter or longer periods of time. See the section on international opportunities for more information.

Is a transfer to an overseas McKinsey office an opportunity or a requirement?

It is an opportunity, which can be exploited after two to three years at McKinsey. See the section on international opportunities on this Web site for more information.

Is the work environment at McKinsey very competitive?

No. In fact, many people who join McKinsey are surprised to find how helpful everybody is. One of the strengths of McKinsey is that every consultant has his or her own “performance track” that he or she is evaluated against, and nobody can achieve a better performance evaluation by having “sharp elbows”. In fact, a core part of the evaluation of each individual consultant is how good he or she is at helping and inspiring others.

What does it mean that you have an “up-or-out” policy, and how do people normally quit?

The up-or-out policy basically means that you constantly have to develop to be successful in McKinsey. The rate of development will typically go up and down over time for the individual consultant, as some development needs will be more difficult than others to meet, the pace is very different from person to person, and everyone has different strengths and weaknesses. But as long as you demonstrate that you have the potential to grow further, you can stay in McKinsey. Most people who leave McKinsey leave because they are offered a position where they find opportunities more appealing.

How long do people stay?

On average consultants stay two to three years with McKinsey in Copenhagen.

What is the typical career after McKinsey?

People leaving McKinsey after two to three years typically get product/market manager positions in larger companies, or management group positions in small or medium-sized companies (business development). People leaving McKinsey after five to ten years often go directly to top management positions.

Who can apply for an internship?

If you have approximately one year left of your master’s or Ph.D studies, you can apply for an internship in Copenhagen. The application process is the same as for permanent employees and the criteria are the same (see how to apply).

When is it possible to have an internship?

We have interns all year, not just during the summer. Normally, we have five to eight interns a year in Copenhagen.

What responsibilities do interns have?

Interns work with a team just like every other new consultant. This means that you will collect data, complete analyses, prepare presentations, and participate in meetings, but you will of course receive extensive coaching from the consultants on your team along the way.

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