MBB Background Checks - Self / Informal Employment On Resume

Hi there,

First of all, congratulations on your offer from your dream office and company!

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

• Since you have already received the offer, it is likely that any concerns about your background in freelance or informal employment have been addressed and resolved during the background check process.
• It's worth mentioning that companies like McKinsey, BCG, and Bain typically conduct thorough background checks as part of the recruitment process, and they understand that not all candidates have a traditional professional work history. They are looking for a variety of experiences, skills, and qualifications, and the fact that you have a background in the arts and have demonstrated your commitment and qualifications to the role during the recruiting process, it's unlikely that this background would be an issue.
• As you move forward with the firm, it's important to continue to demonstrate your qualifications and value to the team and the company. Also, be ready to provide any additional information or documentation they may need to confirm your employment history or qualifications.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare before the actual start of your strategy consulting career, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Congratulations on your offer!

Do not overly stress about this situation. 

Background checks are meant to verify if any considerable former past experience is true. If you did describe your freelance art work as such on your resume, you can simply explain to whoever will conduct the background check (should they ask any explanation).

Also note that not all the firms actually conduct a background check, and sometimes depends on the location of your office. Usually they rely on 3rd party providers. 

All in all, if you get any questions simply explain the situation. I am sure you will not face any problems.

Best,

Alessandro

Hey there,

Sounds exciting! :-)

This is a non-issue → don't worry about it.

Enjoy your time in consulting! :-)

Cheers,

Florian

Hi there,

Congratulations on the offer! In terms of your question:

Q: I never incorporated, don't have any tax forms. Any thoughts on how to navigate this? 

This should not be a problem – if during the background check they require some information, you should be able to provide evidence of the activity via any document related to the experience (eg email, payments).

All the best for your new job!

Francesco

If they need proof you can always provide contracts signed, W2s if in the US and other proof of income from that time period. It will be a pain to explain to the background check people but is highly unlikely to impact your offer.

Hi there,

You don't have to send them all kinds of files! Something as simple as your annual tax returns (with personal info blacked out) should do.

Ultimately, ask them what they need. That is how you should navigate (clear and open communication)

Hi there,

You did work with other parties I presume? Maybe clients, collaborators, etc.? If so, get them to ‘testify' on your behalf.

I just hope you didn't make any misleading statements in your CV, which could be problematic. The nature of your experience itself isn't problematic at all and actually sounds pretty cool.

Hope this helps a bit. Best of luck!

Moritz

Having just gone through one myself, it is a third party that does it. However, they only ask about your last job.

The HR team will follow up with you potentially but I would worry about this at all. There is no reason that this is a barrier to your employment.

Hello!

I don't see any reason to worry tbh. You made it in, that is all that matters. Delete from SM anything that you don't want people to see, and you are good to go.

Hope it helps!

Cheers, 

Clara

It's perfectly fine. As long as you are stating the truth it should not be an issue. Just go with the truth, and if there are any questions during background check just be open. This is definitely not something new to them and you won't have an issue because of this.