How Do I Decide What Industries I Should State As My Preferences for McKinsey Staffing?

Hi,

I'm assuming you're a new joiner/ grad.

And your questions indicates you're open to any Industry (Construction ..Agri) and any Capability (Strategy..Ops)

If I wanted to EXPLORE the work mck has done, simply go to the capabilites on the intranet and have a look - ask Lily what were the recent studies in your region. Also, you can use the external mck website - it clearly outlines the industries and capabilities. 

The goal, honestly, as a new-joiner, is to simply get staffed on a study that is supportive and has an EM that has time for you.  

You want to be with an EM that can actually help you, review your work and guide you. For that you want a study that is EM + (1 to 3). Anything over 3 is a stretched EM (In my opinion).

 But at the same time you need to make sure everyone knows who you are.

1. Go meet every single Partner and AP in your office. Try to understand their work and their studies (this is how you will know if you'll enjoy working on their industries).

2. Cold email all those people

3. Regularly chat to your PD, make sure they know who you are, and that you want to be supported in your study. 

If you're new, explore the company and all it can offer.  Try out new studies - you will be suprised by what you end up enjoying.

Find your tribe! 

It might be all simpler than you expect because in practice, you have fewer choices. 

During this first staffing call, you can indeed communicate to your staffer if there any industries you'd like to focus on, or whether there are any industries that you're already experienced in and you'd like to continue with. 

You also don't have to communicate preferences. 

In practice, especially when you just start in the firm, you have no value proposition. You are typically staffed for free for the first 3 months or so and the client is also not charged on your behalf. You are basically an investment that the team is making in you, especially since they know you won't be able to bring a lot of value from the beginning since you're just learning the ropes. 

My strong recommendation is that you stay open to what comes project wise and as you gain more experience and a clearer sense of what you're interested in, then proactively communicate these preferences. 

I also wrote a guide for new joiners that you might find helpful:

• Expert Guide: How to Become A Distinctive Consultant

Hope you have a great start!

Best,
Cristian

Great question and one that many new-joiners have.

My recommendation is to take time to think about where you have previous experience and knowledge and where you could see yourself focusing or even getting into post-consulting.

1) Previous experience: if you have pre-existing knowledge on a certain industry the ramp up period of a new joiner is slightly less stressful. You're focusing on the consulting tool box and have a bit of an understanding of the context which can be great!

2) Thinking about where you might want to focus - this is great if you can start aligning yourself with the right people - though it will take time. You may also discover you do not want to join a particular industry group and should continue exploring.

Sometimes it also comes down to which cases are available and who you enjoy working with more so than the industry group itself. Make your initial choices but know that you can change over time.

Good luck!

Hi there,

First of all, congratulations on your upcoming career start with McKinsey!

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

• First of all, I would advise you not to overestimate your freedom of choice. McKinsey, like any other consulting firm, ultimately prioritizes its clients' interests over its own, and the firm's interests over those of individual employees.
• Moreover, you don't have to state a preference, and you can change your preferences at any time, so I would strongly advise you not to overthink the situation.
• Lastly, I would advise you to treat the first few staffings mainly as learning opportunities. Maybe pick industries where you can ramp up fast - CPG might be a good starting point if you have any familiarity.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare for your upcoming consulting career start, please don’t hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Hey there :)

It’s normal to start broad and then refine over time. Early on, focus on industries where your skills and background add clear value and where you’re curious to learn. Externally, read industry reports, news, and McKinsey insights to get a feel for challenges in each sector. Internally, your staffer, mentors, and project alumni can give practical insights on day-to-day work and growth opportunities. Be flexible, your preferences can evolve after a few projects.

best, Alessa :)

Hi there,

New joiners usually get staffed where their home office has active projects, but you’ll have more say later. McKinsey Insights and industry reports are great to explore what clicks with you. It’s less about picking the “perfect” area now and more about following your curiosity. You can also reach out to different Partners and just have a chat with them to have a feel of the leadership and type of problems they solve so see if it interests you.

Hi, 

You might be overthinking this. It sounds that you are still at an early stage and don't know your preference yet. The best way to find out what you'd enjoy and what you'd not enjoy as much, is by doing the project actually. 

Just be open to what comes your way and you will figure it out on the way. Unless staffing keeps giving you the same type of project, then you can ask for variety. 

Best,

Emily

2 good things:

1. You are open to everything
2. You don't have to chose

Which means you don't really have a problem, you are just afraid of making a mistake by omission. So just talk around the office to figure out who are the best managers and partners (vs. those to avoid) and if possible try to align with those. I would also provide preference to home staffing on the first project. So you build your internal network, become visible in your own office, and have a soft landing into consulting.