First 2 weeks in BCG - Am I the only one feeling this way?

Hi there,

That happens more often than you think - don't worry, you're definitely not alone. Many of us felt the same way in our first weeks at MBB, especially with immediate staffing and little onboarding.

A few quick tips:

• Don't be afraid to ask, but do so in a goal-oriented manner: Ask structured questions instead of worrying about bothering people. It shows curiosity, not weakness. Try to offer hypotheses and solution-oriented questions whenever possible.
• Try to travel with your team if possible: It helps build relationships and gives you informal moments to ask questions, which reduces the feeling of being isolated.
• Keep clear notes of what you learn: Asking is fine and the learning curve is supposed to be steep, but repeating the same question signals chaos rather than curiosity.
• Focus on surviving, not networking: Building connections will come naturally once you’ve found your rhythm on the project. No need to do it in the stressful onboarding phase.

It does get better – the pace stays high, but you’ll adapt.

Happy to chat if helpful!

Hey — first of all, congratulations on starting at BCG. And second, what you’re feeling? Completely normal. Truly. Let me add a few real points to all the great advice you’ve likely already seen.

1️⃣ 

Everyone’s First Few Weeks Are Chaotic — Just in Different Ways
 

When I joined BCG, my batchmates and I all had wildly different starts — some were staffed late, some were staffed on day 1 and shipped to another continent (like me), others landed big-name cases with massive teams, and some were put on solo client modules with little support. None of it reflected talent — it was just staffing randomness and timing.

So don’t read too much into how your start looks. What matters is how you adapt and stabilize over the first 2–3 months.

2️⃣ 

You’re Not Alone — But You Are on Your Own (Kind Of)

BCG has support on paper — buddies, mentors, onboarding resources — but in the real world, you often feel like you’re being thrown into the deep end. That’s intentional to a degree.
 

You’re expected to figure out the basics fast and then know when to escalate, ask, or self-navigate. That balance is hard, but you’re already trying to find it — which means you’re on the right path.
 

Here’s what helped me:
 

• Grab time with your PL. Snatch 15 mins regularly — not just for task updates, but to say, “Here’s what I’m seeing. Am I focusing on the right things?”
• Treat every principal/partner meeting like a case interview. Structure your updates. Keep your communication tight. Show you’re learning fast. They’re still evaluating — even subtly.
• Be in the office on Fridays if you can. That’s when real bonding and casual debriefs happen. It’s informal but valuable — especially for visibility and peer connection.
   

3️⃣ 

About Feeling Drained and Not Networking — That’s Okay (For Now)
 

Yes, networking matters at BCG. But in the first 4–6 weeks, your focus should be surviving and learning fast. No one expects you to master both delivery and internal visibility on week 2.
 

Once you feel a bit steadier — even 10% more — you’ll naturally start picking your head up and making connections. But right now? Don’t burn out trying to play every game at once. You’re still onboarding in the battlefield — it’s fine to prioritize survival over visibility for a few more weeks.
 

Final Thought
 

Yes — the pressure is part of the environment. But it’s not there to break you — it’s there to build your instincts. Most people I know (myself included) felt lost, behind, and underqualified in the beginning. The ones who did well? Asked for help when needed, kept their structure under pressure, and didn’t try to be perfect — just better each week.

It gets better. You’ll find your footing.

Happy to chat more if it helps — I’ve been through exactly this.

– Pallav

Hi there,

First off—this is completely normal. Nearly everyone I know who joined an MBB firm felt exactly the way you do in those early days. High expectations, minimal onboarding, and a remote team all combine into a steep learning curve. It absolutely gets better once you find your rhythm. Here are a few practical tips:

1. Ask smart, hypothesis‑driven questions
   • Frame your questions around potential solutions (“I’m thinking X might work here—does that align with your thinking?”) rather than just information gathering.
   • Keep a running log of answers and best practices so you don’t repeat questions.
2. Find your informal “home base”
   • Identify one or two teammates (or fellow new joiners) to check in with daily. A quick voice note or DM can be less time‑intensive than formal calls.
   • If travel opportunities arise, try to join at least one team trip—it’s the fastest way to build rapport.
3. Leverage internal experts and resources
   • Most firms have dedicated “knowledge managers” or tool specialists (Excel, Alteryx, PPT, analytics) who are there to help. Reach out proactively.
   • Bookmark any template libraries or intranet pages the firm provides—you’ll save hours of reinventing the wheel.
4. Prioritize survival over networking
   • In your first few weeks, focus on delivering what the team needs. Once you’ve got a handle on the project, you’ll naturally have bandwidth for broader networking.
5. Schedule a weekly 1:1 with your manager or mentor
   • Even a 15‑minute sync can clarify priorities, give you early visibility on deliverables, and reinforce that you’re taking ownership of your development.

Hang in there—by week five or six, you’ll look back and be amazed at how much you’ve learned. Keep pushing, stay curious, and remember: everyone on your team was in your shoes once. You’ve got this!

I'm sorry to hear. 

This is absolutely normal. I went through a similar thing and many others too. 

A few things that might help:

1. Accept it for what it is. Know that it is difficult for everybody.
2. Lower the expectations that you set on yourself (please, don't even think about networking at this point)
3. Know that everybody is aware that you're going through a difficult adjustment period, they know how it was for them too, and probably they want to give you a hand if you're willing to ask and receive help (that's also why the first evaluation in MBB doesn't even matter)
4. All you have to do is try your best, but best meaning at a pace that you can sustain for a few weeks even a couple of months (don't go crazy skipping on sleep because then you'll definitely crash). 

These two guides might help:

• Expert Guide: How to Become A Distinctive Consultant
• Expert Guide: How to Manage for Lifestyle in Consulting

Feel free to reach out if you have any questions.

Best,
Cristian
 

Hi there,

First of all, I am sorry to hear about your negative experience with BCG!

I would be happy to share my thoughts on your situation:

• First of all, what you’re experiencing is very common, especially when onboarding is cut short and the first project hits right away. However, unfortunately, you are not the first new BCGer to rightly complain about having a somewhat odd project team setup, which is particularly challenging when you're new.
• Moreover, I would advise you to hold off on networking until the basics are in place. The first weeks are about survival and learning fast. Once you’re more stable, you’ll naturally start connecting with others - without burning out.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on your specific situation, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Hi there,

I was also staffed in a similar project in my first week of work. All of my colleagues were in different countries and no support was given.

I felt bad, cried a lot and discovered almost everyone faces the same things (tears included).

Try to understand what tools the company provides you to excel at your job. For instance, at least at McKinsey there are experts to help you with almost anything. Content-related (if you have questions related to the scope) and task-related (if you need help with excel, alteryx, PPT, etc).

If you know the names of the people that joined the comoany with you, it may be interesting to reach out to them, to find your group.

It will get better!

Best,

Mari

It is very normal to feel overwhelmed in the first few weeks (even few months) especially when you had no training and no proper team set up yet. 

No hurry to think about networking or make yourself known - you want to make yourself known with a good reputation as someone who does well on case, not someone still struggling to figure things out. So worry about that after you already ramp up the learning curve. 

More helpful for you at this stage is to get to know a few of your peers so that you can have a "support group" who are going through the same process and might share with each other what each of you learn. 

Best,

Emily