Chance me for MBB full time

Hi,

Happy to answer, having been at McKinsey for 7 years, and currently based in Dubai :)

You definitely have an excellent chance. Here's what will work to your advantage:

- Preferred past experiences: MBB loves to hire PE/VC/IBD folks, especially from prestigious American brand names. So you are directionally good.
- Arabic speaker: Definitely a big plus if you are recruiting to Middle East offices. A lot of the client work in the Middle East is with Federal Governments, so speaking Arabic is always great for relationships  
- Excellent academic credentials: Wharton, 3.8 GPA, President of Consulting Club all work fantastically well for your case
- Middle East experience: They really do like it when your CV shows that you have had past association with the region. So your idea to do a boutique VC internship in Dubai is definitely a good one! 

What does not matter - whether you did a consulting summer internship or not. As long as you are strengthening your background (in this case a PE/VC/IBD internship and in Dubai), everything is working to your advantage! Also, do not stress too much about whether the Firms are hiring a lot or not. Irrespective of that, if you want to go into MBB, you should apply anyway. So might as well just focus on the controllable - and deliver as best as you can :)

I always use the following as a helpful guide to think of whether your case is attractive for MBB or not, so let me reshare it here (a bit more relevant for post-MBA roles, but sharing nevertheless). There is an unconscious recruiting bias when it comes to hiring into consulting, but you can see that there is a bit of a pattern as follows:

- Most preferred -> Candidates with prior Investment banking experience, private equity background etc. at large American brand names

- Next most preferred -> Candidates with ex-consulting experience at Tier 1.5-2.0 consulting firms, or roles like CEO's office, strategy work, in-house consulting etc.

- Next most preferred -> Candidates who have had experience in the same geography to which they are applying, with large global well-known brands (e.g., have previously worked in London for five years, if you are applying to London office etc.)

- Next most preferred -> Prior industry experience in sales, operations etc. if you apply specifically to that practice (e.g., Operations practice, Marketing and Sales practice etc.)

Happy to connect one-on-one if you'd like to chat. Hope that helps and good luck!

Hey there :)

Short answer first, your profile is very strong for MBB, OW and Kearney Dubai. Target schools, high GPA, relevant internships, clear leadership and Arabic plus regional exposure all put you in a very competitive bucket for Middle East offices. Not doing summer recruiting does not materially hurt you for full time as long as you network now and apply early, this is very common especially for people who explored PE or finance first. The market is tighter than in peak years, but Dubai and the Middle East are still among the most resilient regions and firms continue to hire strong candidates with local fit, so this should not be a dealbreaker at all. A boutique finance or VC internship in the UAE will not hurt you, being in region is actually a plus and the brand name matters far less than how you frame impact, deal exposure and problem solving, especially given your prior EY and PE experience. In terms of fit, McKinsey, BCG and Bain Dubai would all suit you very well, and OW and Kearney are also excellent bets as they value regional exposure and leadership heavily. If you network well and prepare properly for cases, your chances are genuinely very solid. Feel free to reach out if you want to go deeper on firm specific positioning or interview prep.

best,
Alessa :)

Hi there,

Overall, your profile is very strong for MBB, OW, and Kearney in Dubai. A top tier school like Wharton, Yale, or Princeton with a 3.8 GPA, economics background, Middle Eastern nationality, and fluent Arabic puts you in a highly competitive bucket for the region. Your internships in Strategy and Transactions and PE in MENA, combined with leadership as consulting club president and founding a community initiative, are all well aligned with what these firms look for.

Not having done summer consulting recruiting does not materially hurt your chances for full time, especially since you have relevant experience and a clear consulting narrative now. Many candidates successfully pivot into full time recruiting once their goals are clearer. Market conditions can affect hiring numbers, but strong regional demand in the Middle East and your language and regional fit should work in your favor, even in a tighter cycle.

A boutique finance or VC role in the UAE will not hurt your profile as long as you can clearly articulate your impact, learning, and why it reinforces your interest in consulting and the region. Being physically based in the UAE and building local exposure is a net positive, even if the brand is less well known. Firms like McKinsey, BCG, Bain, OW, and Kearney all value regional fit highly in Dubai, and your background aligns well across all of them rather than one specific outlier.

Happy to help you on your journey to secure a role - feel free to reach out

Best,
Evelina