Hello. I graduated my undergrad (2020) and PhD (2024) both from University of Oxford. I have since had 2.5 years of industry experience as a start-up founder on commercialising a plastic recycling technology I invented. I am pivoting into consulting and am doing case studies for preparation.
At which point in the application process will the decision be made on which seniority (business analyst / associate consultant / consultant) we are hired at, please?
Hi Bryan,
This is usually decided before interviews even start, based on your CV and background. Firms have fairly standard entry points, so by the time you’re invited to interview, they already have a level in mind.
In your case, I’d expect something like Consultant at BCG or Associate at McKinsey, given the PhD plus your startup experience. As a reference, a PhD without post-PhD experience typically enters one step below that (e.g. Senior Associate).
There’s some flexibility, but it’s limited; it's much easier to negotiate things like a sign-in bonus than to shift your seniority level.
Best,
Franco
If you want, feel free to DM me and we can sanity-check your positioning.
