I have been working in MBB (started recently based in Africa) - and would like to explore transfers to global offices - preferably Middle East, London, US.
1. Is this possible ?
2. After how many years of tenure is that a possibility ?
3. What to do to increase my chances ?
4. Any possible roadblocks to avoid ?
5. Which other offices are generally more accepting that I should Target ?
Please advise. Thanks alot !!
Hi there,
Firstly, congrats on your new role!
Mobility options probably differ a little bit, based on which MBB you are employed with, but here is how this works at McKinsey:
1. Yes, it is definitely possible to transfer to ME, London or US.
2. At McKinsey, the general rule is that you should be:
A) An Associate or above (not Jr. Associate)
B) Have a tenure of at least 1 year with McKinsey, and ideally at least 1 year as an Associate or above
C) You are "In good standing" (this means a rating of 3 or more in your latest review)
PS: Important to note that these are guidelines, and I have seen cases where people are granted transfers even if they don't meet all criteria (e.g., I have seen a Jr. Associate of 8 months tenure in good standing get approval for transfer). However, this is more difficult to get.
3. Here are a few tips on how to increase your chances:
A) You need to make sure you have a rating of at least 3 ("Strong"). Your chances will be even higher if your rating is higher (e.g., 4 or 5).
B) Your chances will be MUCH higher if you have a Partner-level person (or Sr. Partner) in both your office, and in the office you are trying to transfer to, that support your transfer. This is the most important tip to getting the transfer approved.
C) Choosing an office to transfer to that is not incredibly popular for transfers will increase chances - e.g., in the US, if you choose NYC or San Francisco, it is much harder to get approval.
D) Finally, if you have any specific expertise or experiences that the accepting transfer office could benefit from, your transfer is likelier to be accepted (e.g., you know Data Science, and the accepting office is lacking in those expertise)..
4. There are no major roadblocks I can think of, beyond the tips I've listed above, and the general rules for transfers listed in point 2.
5. I would recommend that you ask your HR or a Partner you trust within your firm, which offices are more likely to accept transfers - this will change frequently, so it is difficult to give a precise answer here.
That being said, in general - offices that will be hard to get transfers to (due to high popularity), are: London, Dubai, NYC, San Francisco, Sydney, Melbourne.
I hope this helps, and best of luck on getting your dream transfer!
Sincerely,
Thor
Hey there :)
Yes, transfers within MBB are definitely possible, but they depend on tenure, performance, and business needs. Typically, you’d be eligible to apply for a global transfer after about 1.5–2 years, once you’ve proven yourself and built strong internal feedback. To increase your chances, you should actively network with partners or engagement managers in your target offices, express a clear business rationale for the move (e.g. industry focus, language skills, or market expertise), and maintain top performance ratings.
Main roadblocks are timing (if your home office is understaffed), lack of a strong internal sponsor, or limited headcount in competitive offices like London or the US. Offices in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Eastern Europe tend to be more open to internal transfers, while London and New York are the toughest due to demand.
best, Alessa :)
