"I can finally live my truth at McKinsey. We are a role model for creating an inclusive environment for LGBTQ+ colleagues."
When I applied for the role of recruiter at McKinsey, I decided to be fully transparent about my identity. I knew the firm had GLAM, a network connecting colleagues who identify as LGBTQ+, but I wanted to test for myself how the values of diversity and inclusion were applied in real life in the McKinsey Prague office.
During my interviews, when I spoke openly about being gay, I was pleased that none of my future colleagues looked surprised. The fact was accepted in a business-as-usual manner, and I exchanged life stories with my interviewers, trying to determine if we could work together. This is also what we tell our candidates: interviews are not designed to “test” you; they are here for us to get to know each other better and find out whether we share some core values and principles that will help us work together.
I joined during the pandemic, which was quite a challenging period. But now that we have many more in-person meetings, I feel great to be able to live my truth—for example, when I share how my boyfriend and I spend our weekends. There is a culture of very strong acceptance within the firm. GLAM also connects its members and allies from other countries—for example, I have recently been invited by German colleagues to take part in their Pride month activities.
As a recruiter, I love interacting with our candidates. Since we do not limit ourselves to job seekers with business background, we receive a wide variety of resumes—I even recently talked to a candidate who graduated with a degree in molecular diabetology and virology. I am surrounded by inspiring people and my workdays are never the same.
McKinsey in the Czech Republic is, in my view, a role model for creating an inclusive environment for LGBTQ+ colleagues. Our office is a member of the Pride Business Forum and we organize a number of activities and initiatives, such as Day of Pink, that proudly support our GLAM colleagues. I cannot imagine a better place to work.