Schedule mock interviews on the Meeting Board, join the latest community discussions in our Consulting Q&A and find like-minded Interview Partners to connect and practice with!
Back to overview

Delayed Start Date

Hello,

A few friends of mine have opted for a delayed start date (Jan.) at BCG after their summer Internship. 

Would doing so be a stunt in terms of career growth (slower progression)?

9
1.5k
18
Be the first to answer!
Nobody has responded to this question yet.
Top answer
on Nov 10, 2023
#1 Rated McKinsey Coach | Top MBB Coach | Verifiable success rates

Hi!

It will have no effect. 

Basically, reviews are typically twice per year (for MBB across most offices). 

Promotion decisions are based on your tenure and performance. Tenure means in this case the number of months since you've been in the firm. So the actual starting month doesn't matter, but the total number of months you've been in the firm for.

For anybody who is just starting in the industry, these two resources might be useful:


Good luck!
Cristian

———————————————

Practicing for interviews? Check out my latest case based on a first-round MBB interview >>> CodeWave  

on Nov 13, 2023
#1 Coach for Sessions (4.500+) | 1.500+ 5-Star Reviews | Proven Success: ➡ interviewoffers.com | Ex BCG | 10Y+ Coaching

Hi there,

Q: A few friends of mine have opted for a delayed start date (Jan.) at BCG after their summer Internship. Would doing so be a stunt in terms of career growth (slower progression)?

Long-term, there won't be any real impact. 

The only possible impact I can think of, in terms of career growth, is if the later start will imply a later start to a possible MBA in the future as well. However, given that there are MBAs starting both in September and January, this should not be necessarily a concern. Plus, even in this case, in the long term it won’t really matter.

Best,

Francesco

Nikita
Coach
on Nov 14, 2023
MBB & Tier2 preparation | 100+ offers | 8 years coaching | 3000+ sessions

Hi,

Would doing so be a stunt in terms of career growth (slower progression)?

No, it will not affect their progression relative to their start dates. It will still take them the same amount of time to get promoted.

Regards,
Nick

on Nov 28, 2023
Ex-BCG Principal | 8+ years consulting experience in SEA | BCG top interviewer & top performer

Hi,

Zero effect. 

Career growth (in absolute time) is driven by your performance on the case and actual tenure (E.g. excluding Leave of Absence etc).

Beatriz
Coach
on Nov 10, 2023
I have 2 years of experience in McKinsey and have given support to potential candidates

Hi,

I'm not 100% how it works in BCG. But in McKinsey it does not slow down your career progression. You take 2/ 2,5 years to progress to next level if you start in September or August

Alberto
Coach
on Nov 12, 2023
Ex-McKinsey AP | Professional MBB Coach | +13yrs experience | +2,000 real interviews | +150 offers

Hi there,

Absolutely not. There might be some misalignment between tenure and evaluation dates (meaning than some people will need to wait a few more months before going to their evaluation / promotion committees). Few months is nothing in a 40 years professional career.

Best,

Alberto

Udayan
Coach
on Nov 10, 2023
Top rated Case & PEI coach/Multiple real offers/McKinsey EM in New York /12 years recruiting experience

No - your career is long - it spans decades. A 6 month delay is not a meaningful issue in the grand scheme

Ian
Coach
on Nov 11, 2023
Top US BCG / MBB Coach - 5,000 sessions |Tech, Platinion, Big 4 | 9/9 personal interviews passed | 95% candidate success

Nope!

The typical career is 40 years.

6 months does not make a difference.

It took a 4 month gap. The goal? Get bored and ready to go before the tough job. It's the best opportunity to take time off, when you have a high paying job locked in and security!

edited on Nov 30, 2023
FREE INTRO I exMcKinsey EM I exKearney consultant I High Success Rate I Official Coach for HEC (160 coachees in 2022/23)

Hi,

Would doing so be a stunt in terms of career growth (slower progression)?

It won't have any impact, professional life is long before retirement :)

Cheers

Similar Questions
Consulting
BCG First Round Behavioral
on Aug 06, 2024
Global
6
5.0k
Top answer by
Lorenzo
Coach
IESE MBA | Bain&Co | OC&C | Private Equity | Consumer Goods
70
6 Answers
5.0k Views
+3
Consulting
BCG Application status
on Aug 08, 2024
Global
5
5.1k
Top answer by
Achal
Coach
How to Break Into MBB 101: Mastering the Interview (Ex-McKinsey EM with 5+ years of consulting interviewing experience)
132
5 Answers
5.1k Views
+2
Consulting
Got a lower offer from BCG than expected, should I take it?
on Sep 26, 2024
Global
8
2.5k
Top answer by
Mattia
Coach
Bain & Co | 100+ interviews | Free 30-min alignment call | Experienced Hire | SDA Bocconi MBA
101
8 Answers
2.5k Views
+5