Hi,
Recently got an offer at Bain, still recruiting with McKinsey/BCG. I got Bain in a smaller southern office -- Atlanta/Austin/Houston/Dallas. I was wondering what the process would look like to move to NYC or DC? Happy to work in my city for a year or two, but long-term want to move to a bigger city.
Is it hard? Is it even possible? How much politics is involved?
Thanks,
James
Hi James,
Generally office transfers are possible; however, there are usually a few contingencies that you will find across MBB firms.
1. Tenure: Usually, you will need work for probably around 1-2 years for an office transfer to happen. However, I would say its on the later end as you will not only need to have conversations with leaders and individuals who support you at your home office, but you would need to garner some support/network in the desired office as well.
2. Standing: Bottom line if you are not in good standing during the review process then it's pretty much impossible to make an office transfer happen. If you have a couple of stellar reviews then firms tend to feel better about an office transfer since it is a signal that you can be successful anywhere
3. Circumstances: You will need to make a case/give a reason why you want to change offices. The stronger your case the more likely the transfer happens. An example, your spouse lives in New York so you want to move there to join them.
4. Type of Work: Different offices tend to have work more focused in specific industries or functions. As an example, Houston may be more energy & healthcare focused. If you can try to work on projects in areas in which your new city has a plethora of, it makes it easier to sell yourself to that office. This goes especially for Bain since they tend to staff within offices more so than McK & BCG.
Overall, it can be a bit difficult but is very possible. I have seen it happen first hand. However, you will have to make a case and there is a lead time from when you bring this up with your office leaders to when the transfer actually happens.
Hope this helps!
-Ankit A
Hi James,
Yes, it’s possible to transfer within Bain, but usually not right away. The firm typically expects you to spend 1–2 years in your home office to build a track record before considering a move. Transfers depend on business needs and capacity in the destination office, so NYC/DC can be more competitive. That said, Bain is relatively open to mobility if you’re performing well and make a strong case. Politics matter less than demonstrating impact, being flexible, and maintaining good relationships with leadership in both offices.
Hope this gives you clarity on how to plan ahead.
Best,
Evelina
If you demonstrate high performance on your first 1-2 years, moving amongst the US offices should be relatively easy. Not much politics unless you are at a senior level and already have your industry specialization.
Best,
Emily
Hi James,
Congrats, first of all!
Yes, it is possible, though often times it's more of a headache than you'd expect.
In most cases, you need both a pull and a push.
Meaning, you need a pull from Partners from the office that you'd want to join. You need to have worked with a couple of them and them to make a case that they'd want you in their office because you have a particular skillset.
You'd also need a push, meaning to be part of an office which is ok with and supportive of these sort of transfers.
In short, it's best if you join an office from the location you're interested in right from the beginning. Saves some pain along the way.
Also, since you're joining soon, you might find this guide helpful:
Best,
Cristian
Hey James :)
Congrats on the offer! At Bain, internal transfers within the US are definitely possible, but usually not immediate. The standard path is to spend about two years in your home office, perform well, and then apply for a transfer once you’ve built credibility. Offices like NYC and DC are popular, so they tend to be harder to get into, and availability depends on staffing needs. It’s less about politics and more about timing, performance, and whether the target office has space.
If you’re clear with your current office leadership about your long-term interest, they’ll usually support you when the time is right. Many people start in smaller offices and later move to bigger ones, so it’s absolutely doable.
best,
Alessa :)
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