Is now a good time to apply to apply for consulting positions as an experienced hire at MBB?

Hi there,

This is indeed an interesting question which is probably relevant for quite a lot of users, so I am happy to provide my perspective on it:

• It really depends on the country you are applying in and the position you would want to apply to.
• On the one hand, many countries and their respective industries have been severely hit by the COVID-19 crisis and the situation is mostly far from the pre-pandemic state. Accompanying this, consulting budgets are just slowly being unfreezed.
• On the other hand, many consulting companies (partially) stopped recruiting activities and laid off people during the COVID-19 crisis resulting in a big need for new employees at the moment. Still, my impression is that the need is mainly there for entry-level positions as many more senior employees stuck to their current positions during the crisis.

In case you want a more detailed discussion on the specific situation of consulting companies you would like to apply to, please feel free to contact me directly.

I hope this helps,

Hagen

Hi there,

Now is an excellent time to apply. I will say, the big rush in the US was in July-early September, so you might be on the tail end. However, it is by no means a bad time to apply.

Based on current candidate trends, it seems Australia is also booming and Europe and the ME are starting to “wake up”. Asia and S. America don't seem particularly strong yet - demand should boom in parallel with their respective economies opening up (as we're seeing in the US and Europe).

Hiring in the US was extremely high from May to July…it has slowed down a little now as the focus shifts towards BAs and Associates from MBAs etc. but it is still quite robust and nothing like it was in 2020. If you feel ready to make a switch I would encourage you to apply.

Udayan

Hello,

I agree with Florian and Francesco - there's going to be some office differences, but generally speaking this is a good time to apply for consulting positions at MBB. Several McKinsey offices have had a larger than usual degree of turnover during the pandemic months, and as a result are very eager to hire.

Hey there,

Generally, it's a very good time. McKinsey's global recruiting director stated in February that they are planning to hire more people this year than ever before.

I would assume it's the same across MBB, with some local variance.

Cheers,

Florian

Insights from Australia, yes both MBB and Big4 are hiring now and as Australia borders are closed they are not able to fly in candidates. A lot my friends have got offers in the recent months.  Best time to apply. 

Hi there,

I think it would be useful if you could mention the country. 

In many countries, MBB are hiring quite a lot, thus making a good time to apply, but is also office-dependent (in some offices like McK Dubai they are currently not hiring for example and diverting candidates to other offices in the Middle East).

Best,

Francesco

Hi, 

Usually online you can find specialized e-learning platforms that provide you all information and details you need to apply in consulting 

Hi!

Definitely a good time for the industry but there might be variations across countries and across local offices. 

I would try to get more information by networking or by directly contacting HR and ask for more detail on their hiring status.

Best,

Anto

Hi there!

It's definitely a better time than now :)

The reality is that you cannot control the external factors. Even if the market is bad, it's still worth applying. You then just need a better strategy of doing so and you need to make sure that you're among the top candidates in order to secure a role. 

Best,
Cristian

Consulting is buzzing - and hiring like mad.

BUT

Not in all offices. Some offices peaked out and hit their COVID recovery goals a few months back. Best to check with people in the specific offices you intend to apply for - on the current hiring status.