MBB

Question

Background:

I graduated from a target school.
I passed MBB CV screening around 3 years ago, but at the time I was not ready for interviews, so I joined big 4, non strategy instead.
I was recently let go from that consulting firm at a junior level (personal reasons)
Promotions there typically happen after around 3 years, so I was still relatively early in my career.
I am an immigrant in Europe, so visa/work permit considerations are very important for me.
Because of paperwork and financial reasons, I would ideally like to start my next role around September or October.

Current situation:

I think I could become MBB interview-ready with a few more weeks or maybe 1 month of preparation.
However, I am worried about timing because we are already close to June, and recruiting activity in Europe slows down significantly during July and August due to holidays.
At the same time, I am worried that waiting until September to apply could delay everything too much because of my immigration situation.

My questions:

Should I apply to MBB now, even if I’m not fully interview-ready yet, since waiting longer may weaken how I position my profile after being let go?
Given the summer slowdown in Europe, is it smarter to apply now rather than wait until September?
Should I apply simultaneously to MBB + Tier 2 firms, or sequence applications differently?
Should I also include smaller/niche consulting firms as backup options given my visa situation?

I’m feeling quite overwhelmed because I invested a lot of time into case interview preparation while working at my consulting job, and I don’t want to waste the opportunity if I still have a realistic shot at MBB/Tier 2. Add to that that I hated non-strategy / digital / IT transformation work and the environment, and I’m scared of ending up there for another 3 years. Transitions will also become harder later

Thank you !

Answer 1

First of all, keep in mind that the slowdown during July and August is much heavier in Southern Europe. If you are targeting Northern European countries, the slowdown still exists, but usually to a lesser extent.

My suggestion would be to apply earlier rather than later. If you think you can become interview-ready within a few weeks, then I would probably apply at the beginning of June. Best case scenario, you may interview before the summer break. Worst case, recruiters review your profile now and schedule interviews for early September.

If instead you wait until September to apply, there is a high chance the process gets pushed into October, which likely means joining in Q4. From what you described, that timing does not seem ideal given your immigration and visa situation.

So overall, I think it makes sense to take your shot now. The interviews could realistically happen anywhere from late June to early September depending on the office and country.

I would also not over-optimize sequencing too much at this stage. Given the uncertainty of the market, I think it makes sense to apply broadly across MBB and strong Tier 2 firms now. In this market, increasing the number of quality shots on goal is probably the safest strategy.

Hope this helps
Franco

Answer 2

Hey,

If you have consulting experience and you think you can get R1-ready in ~3 weeks, I’d apply right now to try and get a response before the summer.

Chances are that your interviews might not be before 3-4 weeks in any case.

Hope this helps!

Tom