I am applying to the strategy departments of Big4 (in Germany), and unfortunately I do not know anybody working there. Therefore, I would like to know how the different firms differentiate from each other in working culture. Thinking of a potential FIT question "why do you want to work with us (as opposed to another firm)"?
Hi there,
The truth: No matter what they say, they're all pretty much the same :)
Your answer: You tell them what they want to hear.
On each of their websites, they list out their culture. Reference some of those keywords in your answer!
Importantly, most will say they value diverse teams/teamwork, collaboration, curiosity, hardwork, drive, etc. It's ok to have the same answer for all of them, as long as they all purport to value those aspects!
Also important: You are not jsut saying why you want them, but why they want you So, if you say "I like Parthenon because they value diverse teams and topics", also say "This is how I've worked my whole life across x important project and y important initiative".
Hi Ana,
Out of all those 4, Strategy& is definitely the most prestigious firm because it is the former Booz and Company - one of the biggest consulting companies worldwide which was quite successful and ranked 4 after McKinsey, BCG and Bain. Previously it was called MBBB, the last last B - meaning for Booz.
In terms of working culture, even though Strategy& is highly integrated into PWC network it is still trying to stay a little nit independent with the firm in several regions - in Germany, but also in the Middle East, where they are particularly strong. They have good working culture, but you need to take into account that all this 4 firms are pretty big, so the culture is really formal in all 4 of them.
I already helped several mentees to get the offers from Strategy& in Dusseldorf and Berlin office, if you need any help in preparation to the interviews, either to them or any other big 4 company, reach out to me,
Best,
André
Hello Anna,
Honestly, they are very very similar in:
Hope it helps!
Cheers,
Clara
Hi Ana,
I used to work for EY-Parthenon and was very passioned about their unique strategic positioning / value proposition, and also know well their story and even met the founder on one occasion.
So I am more than happy to setup a quick chat and share with you (or anyone else who sees this post) and share my thoughts on the company, and also what is the difference between MBB and Big4 culture, and how EYP is in that context. Just send me a note and we'll setup the time.
Hello,
To be honest, culture depends a lot on the team/partner/geography that you work with. There is not much strikingly different based on culture across the firms.
However, some differentiating points could be that one of them is more stronger in a certain industry than the other.
All the best!
Rushabh
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