Nishith, a research analyst, shares his typical day at McKC.
Morning
It's Wednesday morning and I have just logged into my computer to check my mail.
As a senior member in the group, I manage the work flow within my 'huddle'. I call all the team members to huddle at my desk and allocate work to each of them.
I pick up one of the requests where the McKinsey consulting team in Hong Kong, needs our support to analyze a potential target. I call the requestor (an engagement manager in this case) to discuss the background and the possible sets of analyses that can be undertaken for this task.
I then head for a quick breakfast in the cafeteria and browse through the business and sports sections of the newspaper!
Back at my desk, I start studying the request. I have 3 hours to go but there is a whole lot that needs to be done. To start with, I need to understand the business model of this company, and come up with an analysis of its profitability and future growth prospects. A lot of this information will need to be compiled using a combination of databases, since there are specialized sources for each type of information. Reading a few analyst reports will provide me with a good insight on the company's future growth prospects.
Afternoon
It's 11:30 a.m. and I need to consolidate my findings and send them to the requestor in a PowerPoint pack. I provide him with the company's performance details. The team is excited with the findings, and we agree to compile a list of future projects announced by this company, along with an understanding of their overall growth strategy, as it will help us in tying the performance of the company with its future potential. I decide to incorporate this by tomorrow morning.
It's time to head to lunch with my colleagues from other teams. The chef has been quite adventurous today with a range of dishes from Indian to Italian. I come back from lunch to review some of the work that my junior colleagues have been doing since the morning and give them some suggestions on how they can enhance their skills.
Evening
At 7:00 p.m., I quickly review my to-do list for the next day and decide to call it a day. On my way home, I reflect upon the week so far and feel a sense of fulfillment. I have not only worked on valuing a potential target, but also helped some of my junior colleagues in sharpening their skills.
