McKinsey

Question

Hi everyone,

I was going through LinkedIn today and came across a Business Analyst working at McKinsey & Company in the Riyadh office. He’s a Saudi national like me, from a non target undergraduate school, and comes from a non typical background. He worked as a rig foreman at Saudi Aramco for two years.

His profile really caught my attention because he doesn’t seem like the usual MBB candidate, and honestly, neither do I (non-target grad, non-typical experience). So I was thinking of reaching out to him on LinkedIn to ask about how he got in and his experience. What do you think? If you have any tips, I would really appreciate it.

P.S. He is also a CME 1, CME 5, and CFA Level 1 holder, which I do not think matters much for consulting anyway.

Answer 1

There is no such thing as a target profile or usual MBB candidate, especially at the entry level. In fact, his background brings unique sector and industry experience which is genuinely valued by clients these days, especially in the Saudi market where Aramco exposure is a real asset.

Reach out to him on LinkedIn. Several factors likely helped him get his foot in the door including networking with the right people, coffee chats, and being deliberate about positioning his experience. Ask him about that part specifically, it will be more useful than asking generally how he got in.

Once you are in the door, it comes down to cracking interviews through rigorous case practice and the right attitude.