Generalist or Digital?

Hi there,

I think this is an interesting question that may be relevant for many people. I would be happy to share my thoughts on it:

• First of all, I would highly advise you not to make such important career decisions solely based on current trends in strategy consulting. Instead, I would highly advise you to opt for the option that better aligns with your professional (and maybe even personal) mid- to long-term goals. In order to make an informed decision, I would advise you to do the following:
  • Weigh the different criteria that are meaningful to you independently of the current options (e.g., capabilities, international exposure, (sub-)culture). After that, score the two options based on your criteria and their weighting, resulting in two scores. This way, you have covered the left-brain perspective.
  • Critically assess your initial reaction to the outcome of the scores. For instance, if you feel the urge to tweak the numbers, this is a solid indicator that you do not want this decision to become reality. This way, you have covered the right-brain perspective.
  • By doing so, you will be able to integrate both parts of the brain into the decision-making, guaranteeing a higher chance that you will still be happy with it years later.
• Moreover, while the digital track obviously has a narrower scope regarding projects, both career tracks are very similar, even if depending on the region, country, and strategy consulting company you apply to.

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

Best,

Hagen

Hi there,

1) Given the current climate and the increasing number of digital projects MBB firms are doing, would it make sense to join BCG TDA/Bain Vector/ McKinsey Digital rather than becoming a generalist? 

I would target a career in digital if that’s interesting to you, not just based on the probability to join MBB. If you like the digital space, you can by all means apply there.

2) What are the differences in career track, international opportunities, team, general reputation and so on?

I would expect most factors to depend on the firm and geography, so the best way to know that for your target office would be to network with consultants working there. In any case, I would use as the main criterion whether or not you would enjoy the digital focus.

Good luck!

Francesco

Hi there,

I would advise you to base that decision primarily on what your profile is and what your career goals are - and less so on the current economic climate. 

Cheers,

Andreas

It would make sense to do the thing that GENUINELY INTERESTS YOU.

Please don't do the thing that you think everyone wants you to do and that you think gives you the best odds. If you like Digital, then amazing go for it! If you don't, then you're going to hate it and quit after 2 months.

Please don't lose the forest for the trees here…apply to the roles/jobs that you genuinely find interesting (and that your profile fits and you would be good at)

Hi,

If you have the right profile and would enjoy to specialize in that domain, then I think it might be worth applying to the digital practice since that seems to be an in-demand practice area.

Best,

Rushabh

Generally you can do digital cases if you're a generalist, but it's much harder to get on generalist cases if you're in digital. If you have a real love of doing digital projects then it makes sense to go for a digital route, if not then I would personally go for generalist as it'll give you more varied work. 

Good luck!

This really goes down to whether you want to be a digital specialist and focus on that field or just wanting to be a busines specialist.

Both options are fine and MBB are great for any of them

Hi there,

At the end of the day, it all has to do with where you see yourself in 10 years from now. 

If joining one of them brings you closer to that vision, then it's the right thing to do. 

Best,
Cristian

Hello,

I would recommend you answer this question for yourself based on your interests, expertise, and where you want your career to go. Both generalist and digital tracks are prestigious and competitive. Your experience and exit opportunities will depend more on what you personally make of each role, in my opinion.