McKinsey is more than a place to work; it’s somewhere that promotes growth, professionally and personally. Since starting my journey as a Chicago-based summer business analyst after my sophomore year of undergrad, I noticed the great amount of care people here exercise in living our values, especially, creating an unrivaled working environment.
Full ownership on day one
On day one of my internship, I got to be in the driver’s seat for my work. I was in charge of reimagining cross-sector agricultural relationships. Getting to work in industries like travel and consumer goods on topics like strategy and procurement has challenged me to develop skills I learned in school and taught me completely new ones. In particular, I have been given full ownership over relationships with several clients. Through the apprenticeship and mentorship of my teammates, I learned how to manage my work load and build trust with clients.
Real-world impact
My favorite client experience was coaching a team on presenting to their senior leadership about the progress they had made on a particular piece of work. Helping my clients plan for the future of their product category and seeing that time and effort come to fruition was inspiring.
Empowered by my colleagues
From a personal aspect, I feel fully supported at McKinsey, particularly by the Hispanic and Latino Network and the business analyst (BA) community here in Chicago. I lean on these groups to bring my best self to work. From teaching me how to go about the daily aspects of the job, such as how to lead client meetings, to being an informal mentorship network, my colleagues have empowered me to take on challenges I could never have imagined otherwise. The Hispanic and Latino Network, meanwhile, has surrounded me with people who care about my development, created opportunities (including a procurement program at a multinational industrial client) for me, and been a source of fun and friendships. Some of my favorite events have been attending events at partners’ homes and other dine arounds.
Developing meaningful relationships at learning programs
From a connectivity standpoint, one of my favorite memories was Business Analyst Journey weekend in Chicago last fall. It was a long-weekend full of development and connectivity events for all the BAs in the region. While the professional programming, such as learning how to manage up and developing your network, was useful and the events like dine arounds were fun, the enjoyment of the weekend for me came from meeting colleagues across the Midwest. I have kept in touch with them and even worked on projects with a few. In other words, never let a weekend with your colleagues go to waste.
About me
Outside of work, you are likely to find me traveling or on the golf course. While traveling is paused for the moment, one of the things I love most about McKinsey is what you can do outside of work. Even during my short time at the firm, I have worked in places like Belfast, the UK, Dallas, Los Angeles, and Miami. In the future, I am excited to visit a new-to-me country: Argentina or Brazil. Amazing geography, even better food, and getting closer to visiting all seven continents has been priceless.
On the weekends in Chicago, I’m usually golfing. Before working at McKinsey, I spent seven years as a caddy and went to college as an Evans Scholar. Both experiences were incredibly impactful. In the future, I would love to work with the parent organization of Evans Scholars, the Western Golf Association, to give back to an organization that means so much to me.