Montréal MBB Recruiting for European Candidates – Are Early-Career Lateral Hire considered (Finance → Consulting)?

Hi there,

Yes, Montréal MBB offices do consider early-career lateral hires, including candidates coming from finance, and your profile is actually quite well aligned for that office.

A few points to set expectations:

Eligibility / openness

• Montréal offices are generally more open to non-traditional and international profiles than some larger US offices.
• Fluent French is a big plus and, in practice, close to a requirement for many client teams.
• A bulge-bracket IB background is viewed positively, especially for analytical rigor and work ethic.

Levelling

• With ~1.5 years of IB experience, you would most commonly be considered at the entry-level consulting role:
  • Business Analyst (McKinsey)
  • Associate (BCG/Bain)
• There is typically no true “in-between” level for candidates at this tenure.
• In some cases, very strong lateral hires may be fast-tracked internally, but they usually still enter at the junior level.

What matters most

• Clear motivation for consulting (not just “leaving banking”)
• A convincing Montréal / Québec story (language, long-term interest, willingness to be based there)

• Strong case performance, especially on structured thinking and synthesis (finance skills alone won’t carry you)

  Your background would be taken seriously by Montréal MBB offices, and entry-level placement would not be seen as a downgrade but as a normal reset when switching industries early. If your long-term goal is consulting, this is a very reasonable and realistic path.

Best,

Evelina

That is a very competitive profile, and Montréal is an excellent target location for you. Your fluent French and top-tier European background are huge assets there, especially considering the local market dynamics require linguistic capability often more than other North American offices.

Here's the reality regarding your experience level: At 1.5 years of IB experience, you are sitting right on the fence. You are overqualified for the standard post-undergrad Business Analyst/Associate Consultant track, but you lack the 2.5–3 years of highly relevant experience or the MBA required for direct entry into the pure Consultant level. The firms hate creating new tiers, so they handle this primarily in two ways: They either hire you as an Accelerated Associate Consultant (or equivalent) with a higher salary and the expectation of a 12-18 month promotion cycle instead of the standard two years, or they level you directly as a Consultant (Pre-MBA) if their headcount need is urgent and they value your specific banking technical skills highly.

Your strategy should be to apply for the "Associate" or "Consultant" roles, not the entry-level analyst/BA position. During the interviews, you need to clearly articulate that your 1.5 years taught you project ownership, client management discipline, and rapid analysis—skills that negate the need for the standard AC training period.

Focus hard on networking with the Montréal teams. Because it is a smaller office, cultural fit and strong internal referrals often carry more weight than they would in a massive hub like New York or London. Your background is absolutely considered; you just need to manage the leveling expectation.

All the best with the pivot.

Yes, Montreal MBB offices do consider early-career lateral hires, and your profile is actually pretty solid for it. Bulge bracket investment banking experience plus a master's from a European target plus fluent French checks a lot of boxes. The French fluency especially matters for Montreal since many clients operate in French.

How you would likely be leveled

With 1.5 years of experience, you are in a bit of an in-between spot. Here is how it usually works.

At McKinsey, you would likely come in as a Junior Associate or Associate depending on how they assess your experience. They do have flexibility for people who are past undergrad but not yet at the typical MBA hire level.

At BCG and Bain, the titles vary slightly by office, but you would probably land somewhere between Associate Consultant and Consultant. Some offices call it Associate or Senior Associate. It depends on how they evaluate your banking experience and what skills transfer.

The truth is that 1.5 years is on the lighter side for a true lateral hire at the Consultant level. Most firms see that as closer to entry-level with a slight bump. Don't expect to skip the junior tier entirely, but you also won't be treated exactly like a fresh graduate.

A few things to keep in mind

Your IB experience helps. Financial modelling, working under pressure, client exposure, attention to detail. These translate well. But consulting is different, so be ready to explain why you want to make the switch and what you bring beyond just finance skills.

Networking matters a lot for lateral moves. Cold applications work, but a referral from someone in the Montreal office makes a real difference. Start reaching out to McKinsey, BCG, and Bain consultants there. INSEAD and other European school alumni networks are useful for this.

Timing can be tricky for international moves. Make sure you understand the visa situation for Canada and whether the firm would sponsor you.

Hi there,

With your background you would generally be considered, especially with a target school and fluent French which is very valuable in Montréal. Early career finance to consulting moves do happen, but most candidates with around 1 to 2 years of experience are typically leveled at entry role such as Business Analyst or Associate Consultant rather than an intermediate level.

That said, strong deal experience, clear motivation for consulting, and solid case performance can sometimes influence leveling slightly, though skipping entry level is not very common at this stage. Networking with the Montréal office and getting a referral can also make a meaningful difference.

Overall your profile sounds relevant, the key will be positioning your finance experience in a problem solving and impact oriented way.

Yes, they would. Your experience is highly relevant.

I would recommend preparing your CV and then reaching out to the recruiters at each MBB firm's Montréal office.

Regarding role level, typically, if you don't have an MBA, a PhD, or 5 years of relevant work experience, you start as a Business Analyst, not an Associate (using the McKinsey taxonomy here).

Some offices, however - and this is why you should clarify this directly with the recruiter - have intermediary roles, e.g., Senior Business Analyst, Junior Associate, etc. 

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out directly. 

Best,
Cristian