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How do I apply for a consulting position?
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If you are not a student at a university where we currently recruit, the best way to get your resume or CV in front of the right McKinsey recruiter is to use our online application. You can apply either for a general consulting role (such as a business analyst or associate) or for a specific position listed in our current opportunities. When your online application is submitted it will be routed to specialised recruiters focused on the areas matching your strengths and interests. At the same time, your application will be visible to every one of our recruiters worldwide so that we may consider you for all possible opportunities. If you prefer not to use our online application, you may apply in writing directly to the office or practice of your choice. Please direct your inquiry to the manager of recruiting in the office of your choice, or to the manager of experienced hires for opportunities in a practice area.
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If I do not meet your academic criteria, will you look at my application?
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Generally we would expect you to show a good academic record with at least AAB at 'A' level. Having stated that, if your postacademic experience is truly distinctive we would consider your application.
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When can I apply?
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Please apply online for all positions, whether you are an undergraduate, a postgraduate or an M.B.A. student, or an experienced hire from industry. If you're applying as an undergraduate for either a full time or a summer opportunity, please apply before 31 October 2010.
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Once I have submitted my application, how long will the process typically take?
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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 three weeks. If either of these communications do not reach you, please contact us.
Please note: If yours is a milkround application you should not expect to receive a decision prior to the application deadline. If you receive an offer elsewhere and need to expedite the process, please contact us immediately and we will endeavour to complete the recruiting process within your limited time frame.
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To whom should I address my covering letter?
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When you apply online, your application is automatically routed to the correct recruitment team. Should your cover letter require a named person, please address it to either the graduate recruitment manager or the associate recruitment manager, depending on the level of the role for which you are applying.
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Are there opportunities for summer jobs/internships in the London office?
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At the undergraduate level we offer an insight programme as well as a summer Business Analyst intern programme. Our Discover Insight Programme—an all-expenses paid, two-day residential event—is available to all non-finalist undergraduates and will be held during the spring break. You will get the chance to experience the way we help clients solve problems through an interactive and realistic business scenario. In addition, you will also have the opportunity to work with professional coaches on personal impact, self-awareness, and teamwork. Applications for this open in early January 2011.
Our summer programme is open to undergraduates in their penultimate year and individuals currently studying for an M.B.A.
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Can I start in a more senior role?
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Apart from a few very highly experienced specialised individuals, everyone starts at business analyst or associate level.
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Can I start as a specialist?
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Yes. Most specialists joining McKinsey have an advanced degree and several years of work experience. They typically have deep industry knowledge or functional expertise. A specialist may serve as an active member of an engagement team, or as a source of primary knowledge support on which the team can draw. The mix of client and knowledge-building work performed by our specialists varies from person to person. A few play significant full-time engagement team roles throughout their tenure. Most focus more on knowledge building and on consulting to teams rather than to clients directly. Specialist roles are recruited for as and when the need arises, so please check the open positions database to search for relevant roles for your experience.
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How many hours will I work a week?
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There is no typical week at McKinsey. There may occasionally be some weekend work but you can usually manage your time to avoid this. Your weekly hours will vary according to the work, or engagement you are involved in and teams normally discuss working patterns at the start of an engagement to take into account individual needs and manage 'crunches'.
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How much time will I spend away from home?
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By working on site with our clients, we can do a much better job of understanding their situation. Given the diversity of clients we serve, about a third of our engagements take place 'out of town' and in such cases, consultants typically spend three nights away from home per week. However, all teams are encouraged to spend Fridays in the London office and there are opportunities for you to voice preferences for projects closer to home.
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How committed to diversity is McKinsey?
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McKinsey aims to be the leading professional services firm in attracting, retaining, and developing exceptional individuals, and to be the best professional services firm in the world for women. In the Our People section of this site you will gain an indication of diversity in terms of both nationalities represented here (more than 45 in London and Dublin) and differing professional backgrounds.
The London office has a particularly strong Women's Initiative, geared to offering you the best career opportunities working in every part of society—private, public and nonprofit sectors. Mentoring and coaching are core to the support we offer to women, as well as is specific training, such as leadership workshops. The leadership in London and Dublin actively encourages flexible work arrangements, and the project-based nature of our work makes this possible. An increasing number of our consultants (men as well as women) operate flexible working patterns: the models include three or four days per week; reduced days per year; and full-time on project, part-time in between. McKinsey women join an influential global network; women have gone on from McKinsey in London to hold posts on boards of major corporations, found their own companies, and be acclaimed in many fields.
McKinsey has a long-standing commitment to attracting and retaining black consultants, and to enabling gay men, lesbians, and bisexuals to develop professionally. Both the black client service staff (BCSS) initiative and GLAM (gays and lesbians at McKinsey) are represented in London. Read more about the firm's support for diversity.
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Isn't most of the work in London in the public sector?
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No, that's not the case. From the 'Our Work' section of this site you will see that many of our global industry and functional practices are located in London and Dublin. While we have an active public sector practice, including public healthcare, this is one of several and should be kept in overall context. The scale of our involvement has sometimes been exaggerated: we estimate McKinsey represents around 2 percent of public sector expenditure on management consultancy in the United Kingdom.
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How can I obtain copies of an article or book authored by a McKinsey consultant?
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Some articles are available on this site and may be printed in their entirety. Most books can be ordered directly from the publisher (please note that books by McKinsey authors in almost all cases are published by commercial publishers). Please visit the appropriate sections of this site for more information.
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Are McKinsey Global Institute reports available to the general public?
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Yes. You can go to the MGI section of McKinsey.com to download the reports. Reports are available in many university libraries and students may be referred there.
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I am doing research and need information on a specific topic. Can you help me?
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While we are unable to respond personally to each request we receive, you may find it helpful to refer to The McKinsey Quarterly, books and articles written by McKinsey consultants, and our list of recent press coverage.
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Who needs a work permit?
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You will not need a work permit if you are:
- An EU citizen
- Married to an EU citizen
- The child of at least one British-born parent
- A Commonwealth citizen with one British grandparent
If you do not fall into one of the categories above, you will need a work permit and your offer will be conditional on our ability to obtain one on your behalf.
In order for us to be able to do this, McKinsey must show that we have tried to recruit EU people with similar experience to you by providing the results of an advertising campaign. This process can take up to six months.
If you are not eligible to work in the United Kingdom, and we cannot secure a work permit for you, you may be able to join another office providing the office can accommodate you. However, you will need to be eligible to work in that country, or meet the requirements for us to be able to get a work permit on your behalf for that country.
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