Need Interview guidance/sessions for MBB/Dalberg + Do Impact Consulting firms like Dalberg pay sign on bonus? If not is it something you can negotiate or stay off negotiating since it is impact consulting and negotiating might be a bad look?? Any perspective would be appreciated

Hi there,

First of all, congratulations on the invitations from Dalberg, McKinsey and Bain!

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

• First of all, I would strongly advise you to focus all your energy on the application processes in front of you instead of pondering which offer to accept in the rare case you'd get offers from all three of the consulting firms. The chances are minimal, and not being fully focused on the interviews is an easy way to get rejected early on.
• Moreover, signing bonuses heavily depend on the country you are applying to, as well as on the consulting firms. I would, again, advise you to wait if you even get an offer, and see whether they mention a signing bonus. This bonus is often times reserved for undecided candidates, it's not always a standard one-time bonus.
• Lastly, if you really end up with all three offers, contrary to what other coaches have said, I would not blindly take McKinsey or Bain, and instead, reflect on the interview processes that will lay behind you. There is simply no point in picking a consulting firm because of firm age or no. of employees, if you didn't feel a basic connection to the interviewers. Also, you can most likely move from Dalberg to MBB as "easy" as you can do it the other way around - not only MBB has challenging application processes, despite what other coaches may want to tell you.

You can find more on this topic here: Salaries in the consulting industry.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare for your upcoming pre-interview assessments and/or interviews, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Hi,

On the sign-on: ask, and don't overthink. You're not asking for more because you think you deserve it, you're asking to be made whole on money you're walking away from. Bring the number and the payout date in writing, keep it factual. The bad look isn't negotiating, it's negotiating in a way that suggests comp is your main driver.

On choosing between the companies, if you're lucky enough to have all of them: the gap isn't just salary, it's optionality afterwards. MBB opens more doors, including into the development and impact space later, while the reverse move (Dalberg to MBB) is harder. So the question I'd ask myself is whether you want impact work now or the ability to choose later.

Hope it helps,

Franco

hey Archangel :)

congrats, that's a great position to be in!

If you receive all three offers, I'd first decide what you want your long term career to look like. McKinsey & Company and Bain & Company will generally offer broader exit opportunities, stronger brand recognition, and higher compensation. Dalberg is an excellent choice if you're genuinely passionate about international development and impact work, but the work, clients, and exits are naturally more niche.

Regarding compensation, Dalberg typically pays less than MBB, and sign on bonuses are less common. That said, if you're forfeiting a bonus at your current employer, it's completely reasonable to ask whether they can offer a sign on bonus or make you whole. As long as you frame it professionally as compensation for a bonus you're giving up, it won't be seen as a bad look.

My advice would be to first focus on getting the offers. Once you have them, you'll be in a much stronger position to compare the roles and negotiate where appropriate.

Best, Alessa :)