Offer from MBB as Consultant – Should I Push for C2?

Once an offer is issued, it's not all that common for them to bump up your seniority.

That being said, there's no harm in trying. I suggest scheduling a meeting with your recruiter, explaining your situation in depth, and asking directly if they would be willing to consider you for a higher position.

The worst they can say is no, so you don't have much to lose here.

Hi there,

Congrats!

From my experience, it's almost never a good idea to negotiate yourself in a more senior position. 

I've seen this in multiple cases. 

Basically, the only situation in which it makes sense to do it is when you feel they genuinely made a mistake when they recruited you for that role. And even then, it's likely they won't just bump you up to the next role, but you might have to go through the recruitment process again. 

In almost all situations, they put you in that role because that's the one that they believe is most suitable for your current skills and knowledge and the one which will give you the best chance of integrating in the organisation. 

Whenever people negotiate themselves into more senior roles, they end up regretting it because they suddenly need to deliver on a higher level than they expected and can. 

Also, if you are able to deliver beyond your current role, you are typically promoted rather quickly and that creates a positive momentum which helps you find better projects and gives you more options.

Best,
Cristian

Hello there,

MBB dynamics are very different from those of a T2 company. Up or out is real, long hours almost every week and a lot of pressure on daily basis, specially for more senior roles.

I recommend for you to see this as an opportunity for you to ramp up and get familiar with the working style of this company. You’ll be able to perform well leveraging your past experience, build a reputation and that will definitely be a great thing to have as you progress in your career.

Good luck!

Best,

Mari

Hi there,

First of all, congratulations on the offer!

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

• First of all, with 6+ years in consulting, your background is solid. I would advise you to bring this up with your recruiter before signing the offer. You can simply ask whether C2 would be more aligned with your profile and expectations.
• Moreover, consulting firms are usually quite structured with leveling, and it’s common that people enter at one level below what they think fits them best. I would advise you to be ready for a “no” and not push too hard - it’s often easier to prove your case inside and get a fast promotion.
• Lastly, if you do decide to negotiate, I would strongly advise you to frame it as a question rather than a demand. That way, you keep the conversation open and show you are aligned with their process and evaluation.

You can find more on this topic here: Salaries in the consulting industry.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on your specific situation, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Hi there,

Well done on securing the offer! In terms of your question:

Q: Would it make sense to try negotiating for a higher entry point (e.g., C2 instead of C1)?

You can evaluate pros and cons.

Pros

• Higher seniority
• Higher salary
• With 6 years, I assume you were already or close to manager in your previous company, so you should have the experience for C2

Cons

• You have to negotiate the higher position
• You have less time to adapt/the expectations will be higher

If you consider the pros above the cons, I agree with what suggested by Mihir, and I would recommend scheduling a call with HR. It seems they never mentioned the exact seniority before, so that's a reasonable point to raise.

If they don't want to consider a C2 level, an alternative could be negotiating a fast-track promotion if you perform well.

Good luck!

Francesco 

While, there are obvious upsides to bumping up your seniority, some risks exists as most MBBs are not the greatest when it comes to making sure lateral hires are easily embedded into the system. That basically would mean, that while you spend your first year acclimatizing to the playbook/ ways of working, you would by end of the year be expected to have some EM/ PL level capabilities, which can be tricky. So if you feel somewhat confident right now for that EM/ PL level, would make sense to negotiate, else it is actually better for longer term career to stick to C1 and spend time absorbing

Hi,

I lateraled to BCG as a Senior Associate after ~3 years of experience at a T2. I would have been a C1 equivalent position at my T2 but I was happy to join as an SA. 

My suggestion.. take C1. 

If you are C2, then you are assessed at the 6-9 month mark on your PL readiness. Which means you have a 6-9 month runway to learn the ways of working, to get used to the difference in expectations, to build your network again.

• What happens if your first project does not go well - for whatever reasons including some out of your control - that means after the first 3-5 months, you now have to try and find someone else to staff you and then try and change your trajectory and reputation

Why not give yourself an extra year? If you are staying for the long term, it really doesn't make a difference.