McKinsey Delivery vs Strategy – Salary, Assessment, Presentation

Question

Hi everyone,

I’ve recently applied for a role at McKinsey within the Delivery practice in Saudi Arabia. I’ve already completed the assessment game and submitted the requested documents, including a full salary breakdown for the past three years (base, allowances, bonuses, etc.). I’m now scheduled for a call with the recruiter to discuss the role and my preferences.

I have a few questions I’d appreciate your insights on:

Salary History: Is it normal for McKinsey to ask for a detailed salary history? Is it strictly for internal process alignment, or could it be used for client-related planning or other benchmarking?
Location vs Role Type: I’m passionate about strategy, but the Delivery practice has offices close to my hometown. Strategy roles are mainly in Riyadh, which is significantly more expensive to live in and far from my family. Would it be wise to prioritize location/lifestyle over role type, especially if compensation is lower?
Career Development & Exit Opportunities: I previously worked briefly at another MBB but was asked to leave. One area I struggled with was developing presentation-heavy material quickly. I now have 5 years of experience, including 3 years in industry. Does the Delivery role involve less pressure on high-stakes presentations? Also, do recruiters and clients distinguish between Delivery and Strategy consultants when it comes to exits?
Recruiter Discussion – How to Prepare: Since this is my first time going through the Delivery path, what should I be ready to explain or ask during the recruiter call? How can I position myself if I’m still open to Strategy long-term but considering Delivery for now due to personal and practical reasons?

Thanks in advance to anyone who’s gone through something similar or has insight into the Middle East recruitment process.

Answer 1

Hi there,

Congratulations on having gone this far!

1. I have never heard of it to be honest. Let’s see what other people have to say about it.

2. Prioritization depends on what matters to you. If you put more weight in work life balance and/or want to be near your home, that’s a great role to take. However, if you rather work with strategy in a fast paced environment, having a better salary but letting the other things go, the strategy role would be better. Think about it, only you know what matters to you and what your circumstances are.

3. You’ll have to address this issue, you will have to do presentations and as you progress in your career, that can’t be a barrier. Look for courses that can help you with that and talk to your peers. Do not shy away from it. As related to exit, McKinsey is a strong brand, opportunities may be similar depending on your achievements and time spent at the firm. But rest assured, you’ll have plenty of good opportunities.

4. You can do the same questions you have done in this post, also: ask the contact of a delivery consultant to have more information about the day-to-day, ask about about the case interview/behavioral and its nuances compared to strategy roles. Prepare for “walk me through your resume”, “why McKinsey”, “why this role”, “tell me about a time where you executed something difficult” type of questions from her side. Regarding your question about how to tackle delivery vs strategy preference, be honest and just say it. Frame it in a way that the delivery role sounds like something you’re very excited about, not a plan B.

Feel free to DM me if you have further questions.
I wish you a great meeting, keep us posted! 🙏

Best,

Mari

Answer 2

Hello there, here are my thoughts :

1. Salary History: this is the first time I hear about this. McKinsey usually has strict pre-defined salary grids, so they don't usually need to know what your salary was before.

2. Location vs. Role: It’s reasonable to prioritize lifestyle/location, especially if Delivery aligns with your current goals. But keep in mind that strategy salary is higher, which could bridge the gap of the high costs of living.

3. Career & Exit: Delivery roles usually have less pressure on slide production and fewer C-suite-facing moments. Exit opps can differ slightly, Strategy may open more high-profile doors.

4. Recruiter Call Prep: Be ready to explain why Delivery fits your current stage, but express openness to Strategy long-term. Ask about internal mobility, development support, and typical project types.

Answer 3

1. First time I hear about something like this. This is not the norm

2. Depends on your priorities / the career you want to have. Please be aware that Consulting, in general, is a short term career. Particularly if you want to give priority to your family.

3. You have less high-stakes presentations. But you have to update a lot more documents.

Answer 4

Congrats on your progress!

1. Never heard of this.

2. This is a real trade off. Strategy may give you better comp and exits, but it’s up to you how much you prioritize this over lifestyle and proximity to family. There’s no right answer.

3. Yes, delivery will require less prep for C-level presentations and more hands on implementation. That being said, recruiters will know the difference and you won’t get exactly the same exit opps.

4. Be ready to explain your background, interest in the role, etc. You don’t have to mention that you might be interested in going back to strategy, unless you feel that it benefits the conversation

Answer 5

Hi there,

First of all, congratulations on the progress in the application process with McKinsey thus far!

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

First of all, I have never heard of a consulting firm requesting a salary breakdown over several years. However, I would advise you not to worry about it because you cannot change it anyway.
Moreover, since you have already decided to prioritize location and proximity to family over functional capability, it seems meaningless to discuss this now. I would also strongly advise you not to seem undecided about your role, regardless of the fact that you would like to do strategy work.
Lastly, no one knows what your responsibilities will be. However, if you were criticized for this in the past, I hope you took the feedback seriously and worked on it.

You can find more on this topic here: How to succeed in the final interview round.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare for your upcoming McKinsey interviews, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Answer 6

Hi there!

Lots of great questions. I'll take them one by one.

1. That's rather unusual. Maybe they only recently started doing this. It seems like a lot to ask from a candidate.

2. It sounds like being close to your family matters a lot, so you can also just start in the delivery role and if you find you want to get into more strategy-like projects later, you could consider a transfer.

3. In terms of exits, what matters is less the name and more the actual experience that you've accumulated - for instance, the number of years spent serving a particular industry or working a particular type of project (digital transformations).

4. It might make sense to discuss with her the clear differences from the roles and to openly share some of your concerns. They are there to advise you and to help you make the best decision for yourself.

Best,
Cristian

Answer 7

Hey there!

Really thoughtful questions, and happy to share some guidance based on what I’ve seen in coachings and with others navigating McKinsey’s Middle East roles:

Yes, it’s normal for McKinsey to request salary history, especially in the Middle East. It’s mostly for internal benchmarking and offer alignment with local market standards, not client-facing.

On location vs. role type: If lifestyle and being close to family matter a lot, Delivery can absolutely be a smart choice short-term. Strategy roles do offer steeper learning curves and stronger brand value long-term, but Delivery still gives you McKinsey exposure, especially in implementation-heavy transformations. You can try to shift internally later if that remains a goal.

Regarding presentations: Delivery roles are typically less focused on slide-heavy strategy decks and more on execution, coordination, and transformation delivery. So the pressure on rapid PPT output is lighter, which might actually play to your strengths given past experience. Still, keep building those skills—it’ll help long-term.

For the recruiter call, be clear on why you’re considering Delivery (lifestyle, readiness to contribute, alignment with your experience) while keeping the door open to Strategy if that fits later. Ask about internal mobility, types of projects, and client exposure. Framing it as “choosing the best place to grow now” shows maturity.

Best,
Alessa :)

Answer 8

McKinsey, like many firms, often has specific eligibility criteria for their internship programs, including graduatio... (read entire answer)

McKinsey, like many firms, often has specific eligibility criteria for their internship programs, including graduation dates. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean your applica... (read entire answer)