Hi everyone,
I’ve reached a point where I’m considering preparing for applications to MBB firms (as well as boutiques). However, I keep hearing that consulting in Italy often involves very long working hours.
What are the typical working hours for an Associate at MBB in Italy? What are colleagues like? Is it a healthy environment where team members support each other?
Hi,
I spent nearly 10 years at BCG in the Milan office, so let me give you my very honest view;:
Working hours: yes, you do work a lot. Southern European offices, including Italy, tend to be on the tougher side in terms of hours compared to other regions in Europe (especially the Nordics). That said, it varies a lot depending on the client, your team (PL/EM), and the partner. In my experience, long hours were more noticeable when working from the home office; when on client site, it often felt less heavy as you’re fully immersed and there’s not much else going on anyway.
Team environment: this is where I’d push back on some of the negative narratives. I’ve never experienced colleagues as competitors. There is a strong sense of camaraderie; if you’re overloaded, people step in and help. You’re all in the same boat. The pressure doesn’t come from internal competition, but from the fact that you’re constantly evaluated; performance reviews determine promotions, progression, and compensation.
There are many factors to consider, but the fact that I stayed for 10 years should tell you something; for me, the positives clearly outweighed the downsides.
If you want to go deeper, feel free to reach out.
Best,
Franco
Hello there!
Great question :)
I’m replying because I also worked at an MBB in Italy and had the exact same fears. Tbh, I only partially agree with the other comments here on PrepLounge. My experience was incredible for opportunities and growth, and I made great friends and mentor. However, having studied abroad and worked on international projects, I can confirm that hours and hierarchies in Italian offices tend to be 1-2 standard deviations heavier.
It’s highly subjective: some thrive in it, while others prefer flatter hierarchies and prioritize work-life balance. As for any intense work environment, you can definitely prepare for it (mindfulness and therapy helped me a lot!). Regarding team dynamics, I never saw a cutthroat, one-against-the-other environment. What happens sometimes is that people with different core values struggled to integrate. Many of them (some who are now great friends) left within 1 to 2 years, but they still built amazing careers and are very happy and grateful they started in an MBB firm.
The beauty of starting young in such a prestigious place is the worst-case scenario. Even if you leave after 6 to 12 months, you've learned a massive amount, secured a top-tier brand on your resume, and can easily pivot to whatever is next!
Feel super-free to DM me if you want to continue this conversation. Un abbraccio :)
Tom
Ciao,
Good question — and fair concern.
On working hours: yes, consulting (including MBB in Italy - and also tier 2) can mean long hours. There will be periods where you work late, especially close to deadlines or during intense project phases.
That said, it’s not every single day, and it’s quite project-dependent:
Over time, you also learn how to manage your workload better.
On the environment: from my experience, it’s generally very collaborative.
In Bain there is a Motto: "A Bainie never let another Bainie fail". This was just... true.
People often expect a “cut-throat” culture, but in reality:
At least in my experience, the idea that consulting is hyper-competitive internally is quite exaggerated.
So it’s a trade-off:
If you’re okay with that, it can be a great experience.
If you want, happy to share a more detailed view of day-to-day life :)
Happy to connect.
Mauro
