I joined McKinsey to learn, but it has also offered me the greatest opportunities to facilitate positive change. We work with the world’s largest institutions and have deep expertise in nearly every vertical; that combination can drive real change, quickly.
I learned about McKinsey when I discovered its Women in the Workplace report during a workshop. I knew I wanted to work in an institution that could provide such groundbreaking research and change the game on gender action.
So, armed with a degree in geography from the University of Durham, I joined McKinsey as a business analyst in October 2020.
Why I chose McKinsey
My passions are social impact and fighting injustice. Therefore, many of the career paths I was considering were outside the private sector. However, when I was at a conference on combatting poverty, I met a senior UN representative who gave me some advice. She told me that if she could redo her early career, she would start in the private sector and focus on learning. After that conversation, I shifted my focus to finding an organization where learning and development would be at the forefront and I’d also be able to create change.
McKinsey accelerates my growth, offering experience across industries and cultures and opportunities to help solve a range of problems. I joined the firm to learn, but it also offered me the greatest opportunity to have impact. We work with the world’s largest institutions, and that, coupled with the deep expertise within the firm, drives real change, quickly.
My role at McKinsey?
My work has been primarily in the public and social sector and with the McKinsey Global Institute, collaborating with designers and development teams to build digital governance software.
My team works with clients to understand what problems they need to solve and to dig into the data to understand how to address them. We conduct data and expert testing to inform decisions and recommendations on user functionality, ranging from designing citizen journeys to building features.
Memorable projects that drive change
I came to McKinsey to solve meaningful problems, and so far, I’ve worked on some complex ones: imports/exports, the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, and mobilizing the power of design to solve the United Nation’s global Sustainable Development Goals.
Right now, I’m launching one of the world’s largest not for profits, which requires engaging with stakeholders and end-users to build the concept. We are working to solve some of the world’s most pressing issues, which could benefit millions of people.
Ultimately, our goal as consultants is to help our clients create a better world—whether it’s through building a new kind of organization or providing new services to citizens—and that makes my work fulfilling.
What sets McKinsey apart
What surprised me most was the responsibility I was granted at an early stage in my career. In my first month, I led the client relationship and process for a “hackathon,” and ran an event with 100 people. I was entrusted to work with clients and drive impact nearly from day one.
McKinsey is also the place to be if you’re eager to learn. I have access to experienced professionals, who have decades of sector experience and knowledge. The exposure to so many forms of brilliance is helping me decide who I want to be.
More about Alice
Alice is a member of McKinsey’s women’s initiative, PRISM (our network for colleagues coming from underprivileged socioeconomic backgrounds and first-generation college students) and a proud ally for Equal at McKinsey (LGBTQ+ at McKinsey), the Asian and Asian-American Network, and the McKinsey Black Network. Sheis deeply interested in economics, politics, and social justice. Outside of work, she spends her time singing in a jazz band, collecting vinyl records, and learning from her beautiful friends and partner.