Becoming a consultant
My choice to become a consultant was not intuitive. I have always seen myself as someone who would “drive from the front seat” and start my own business. Before becoming a consultant, I worked in the public sector and in start-ups, and in parallel to my consulting applications, I was in the hiring process for investment banking, VCs, and business development and sales roles in start-ups.
I chose management consulting when I thought of what I would enjoy doing at this point in my life and where I could bring real value.
I like to work with smart, exciting people, I enjoy being a sounding board and a thought partner to senior people. I enjoy feeling invested in their success and helping to create change and real value for them.
Joining McKinsey
At McKinsey the pace of change, like the modern world, has set me up with tools that enable me to adapt quickly to different situations. We have an agile way of working, and the process is exciting. I work with companies that are making a difference in the world. It has been a crash course in leadership.
McKinsey is a diverse company in many ways, the topics we deal with range from business to economy, and from art to science. The people are as diverse in terms of ethnicity, background, and academic experience.
It’s truly an international firm; after spending time in the US—completing my LLM at Harvard Law School, and then leading a start-up on the West Coast—I was eager to gain more international exposure and experience, and since then have worked in Scandinavia, the UK, Italy, and Malta.
Professional development
I have learned to lead diverse teams of extraordinarily talented people andhow to get everyone to understand what the goal is, bringing everyone along the journey. I have built and improved my communication and presentation skills. I have become more open, and a better listener to my teams and clients. I am continuously improving my techniques of managing stress, and today feel more comfortable in a boardroom communicating with senior clients than I ever did before.
I have gained deep industry experience in payments, banking, and risk, and have diversified my interests within the office as well, contributing to recruiting and sharing my passion with potential candidates.
The experience of working with incredibly talented people and the constant feedback have humbled me over my time at the firm, and I am immensely grateful.
Advice for applying to McKinsey
You need to be excited about the types of problems we solve, and be a team player, and enjoy working with people. You don’t need to have it all figured out in order to apply!