I currently have an offer for an MBB internship in Southeast Asia, but I’m still unsure where I ultimately want to be. Next year, I’ll be recruiting for full-time consulting roles in the US. Would it be more advantageous for my resume to accept the MBB internship abroad or to intern at a lesser-known US company this summer with the goal of positioning myself for US full-time recruiting?
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Hi there,
My view is it is much better to take the MBB internship in SEA vs. a less-known US company. It just gives you so much more credibility for MBB full time recruiting. And if you secure a return offer after your internship (even though it is SEA), it can give you leverage to negotiation your full time recruiting (not in terms of pay, but in term of speed / location etc.).
Best,
Emily
By default I would say that it's better to take the MBB offer because the learning experience is going to be great and it's going to look great on your CV and will basically increase your chances of passing screening with any upcoming jobs.
The complicating factor however is the current visa / immigration situation in the US. It's hard to tell how things will change and how this will affect those who seek to relocate with work to the US.
Even so, I'd lean towards the MBB offer.
If you're starting soon in consulting, you might find this guide useful:
Best,
Cristian
Hi,
I would say take the MBB internship, unless you get something that is even more prestigious in the US (I would say IB, PE, HF, Big Tech etc)
The branding is recognized globally.
I would say the bigger challenge is in finding someone to sponsor you assuming you are not a US citizen/GC holder. But otherwise if you are studying in the US right now, you can always apply full time roles for the US in your final year.
All the best!
That’s a smart question, and it highlights a tension point that many candidates struggle with: prestige versus proximity. For your specific goal—securing a full-time consulting role in the US—the answer is exceptionally clear: Take the MBB internship in Southeast Asia.
Here is the reality of the recruiting machine: US recruiters primarily use the summer internship slot as a brutal quality filter. The MBB brand is universally recognized as the highest quality signal you can possibly send, regardless of the geographic location of the office. The brand name performs powerful CV arbitrage for you. When your resume hits the screening desk, "MBB Intern" immediately moves you past hundreds of otherwise qualified candidates who interned at lesser-known, regional firms. That high-signal pedigree completely outweighs the minor disadvantage of not having worked in the US office environment this summer.
Be realistic, though: the internship in SEA does not translate into a guaranteed offer in the US full-time pool. Those are separate recruiting cycles with separate headcount allocations. However, having that experience gives you credibility and substance for every single casing conversation in the fall. While you are interning, you should be dedicating time to networking specifically with consultants and alumni from your target US offices. You need to leverage that MBB stamp immediately to line up informational interviews for when you return to campus.
All the best!
Hi there,
I suggest taking the SE Asia MBB internship rather than an internship at a lesser known US company. Most employers would have an idea of what training an MBB intern would have vs. flip of a coin training at a lesser known company.
