BA vs (Jr.) Associate

Hi there,

Not really, if anything is the other way round. At McKinsey:

• BA (Business Analyst) is the position normally offered to new grads. After 2-3 years you can be promoted to Associate
• JA (Junior Associate) is the position normally offered after 2-3 years of work experience or higher education. After 1-2 years you can be promoted to Associate

JA is thus a more senior role than BA. Expectations at least for PEI will be higher for the JA role, since you should have worked a few years and you are going to join in a more senior role.

Best,

Francesco

Hey!

Jr. is obviously easier to get into, however, the difference is not that big. Both jobs have high requirements and responsibilities. 

All best!

GB

Hi there,

While the same skillsets/abilities are required, yes the general bar/expectation is higher. You are going into a more senior role after all!

Hi, Jr associate is a more senior position than BA. Therefore the bar is slightly higher and a working experience of 2+ years is requested.

Best,
Antonello

Unfortunately this is a hugely subjective topic where you won't find a conclusive answer. Comparing the two is also not particularly relevant as the requirements are different. If you were to purely compare the probability of getting an offer, again it's very location specific based on hiring numbers; both number of applicants and offered which really vary.