Would I be considered an experienced hire?

dont wait. your current window is ideal. apply through grad recruiting in October

By October 2026, you'll have roughly 19 months of total experience. MBB experienced hire thresholds generally sit at 2-4 years minimum, with the post-MBA Associate level requiring either an advanced degree or 6-7 years of experience. You don't clear either bar yet, and you don't need to.

On the "experienced hire at Analyst level" confusion: Yes, McKinsey and BCG do have an experienced undergraduate / experienced pre-MBA track, but that's still grad-level recruiting, just a separate pipeline for candidates 1-3 years out who missed campus cycles. You'd enter through that same band, not as a specialist hire.

On waiting for the healthcare/life science angle: Don't. Your background is already a differentiator at the BA/Analyst/AC level right now. MBB healthcare practices do recruit generalists from grad cycles; deep domain expertise is a nice-to-have, not a requirement at entry level. Waiting another 2-3 years to become a "true" experienced hire means more years in a boutique when you could be building the brand now.

What I would do:

• Apply October through grad/experienced undergrad track at all three
• Lead with your healthcare market research + boutique consultancy combo as a tight narrative
• Signal interest in the healthcare practice in cover letters, not just in interviews

Hi,

Short answer: You would most likely be applying through the graduate / entry-level recruiting cycle.

Some quick points below:

1. How MBB defines "experienced hire": Generally, experienced hire recruiting kicks in when a candidate has 3+ years of meaningful post-graduation work experience. With your timeline — graduated July 2024, ~10 months in healthcare market research, and now a few months into a boutique consulting role — you are well within the entry-level / graduate recruiting window.

2. Why you see some Analyst/Associate-level "experienced hires": This sometimes happens when candidates have prior work experience that is specialized that the firm wants to slot them differently — example candidates who did 2-3 years in investment banking or a PhD with industry experience. It does not apply to most candidates with under 2 years of general work experience.

On whether to wait longer to qualify as an experienced hire — I would say no, do not wait. Here is my reasoning:

- Entry-level cycle is your best bet right now. Expectations from experienced hires is also a bit different (example senior-client handling etc.)

- Your healthcare/life sciences background is already a differentiator. MBB firms, especially their healthcare practices, actively value candidates who bring sector-specific knowledge. You do not need more years of experience to make that story compelling — you just need to articulate it well in your application and interviews.

Apply in the October cycle, in your application, make it clear that you are interested in the healthcare / life sciences practice. That signals intent and helps the recruiting team route your application appropriately.

Hope that helps! Happy to connect over a session if you would like to talk through your application strategy or do some case practice together :)

All the best!

Hi there,

Based on your timeline, you would not typically be considered an experienced hire yet. With roughly 1–1.5 years of post-graduation experience by October, you’d still fall into the early-career / analyst-level recruiting track at most MBB offices.

“Experienced hire” usually refers to candidates with several years of substantial full-time experience (often 3–5+), or people coming in at Associate level with clear seniority.

In your case, applying through the regular analyst/associate cycle is completely appropriate. It also won’t prevent you from joining a healthcare or life sciences practice — MBB typically hires generalists first, and specialization happens through staffing and interest alignment after you join.

You don’t need to wait longer just to be labeled an experienced hire. Focus instead on building strong case skills and clearly positioning your healthcare exposure in your CV and interviews.

Happy to help you prep – feel free to reach out

Best
Evelina

You would still be applying through the graduate recruiting cycle, not as an experienced hire.

Experienced hire usually means 3-5+ years of work experience, coming in at a higher level like Consultant at BCG/Bain or Associate at McKinsey. With roughly 1.5-2 years by the time you apply in October, you would be targeting the entry level: Business Analyst at McKinsey, Associate at BCG, or Associate Consultant at Bain.

The confusion you are seeing is probably people with 1-3 years applying to entry-level roles. That is normal and still goes through graduate recruiting, not experienced hire.

Should you wait?

No, I would not wait just to become an experienced hire. That would mean waiting another 2-3 years, which does not make sense if you are ready now.

Your healthcare market research plus life science consulting background is actually a good combination for MBB healthcare practices. That domain expertise helps you stand out even as an entry-level candidate and increases your chances of getting staffed on healthcare projects once you join.

One thing to know

At entry level, you typically join as a generalist and get staffed across industries. You cannot guarantee healthcare work from day one. But your background makes it more likely, and you can express your preference during recruiting and after joining.

Apply in October. Your profile is solid for the grad cycle. No need to wait.

That's a really common point of confusion, and you're spot on to ask about it. The distinctions between campus and experienced hire can feel blurry from the outside.

Based on the timelines you've shared, with roughly 1.5-2 years of total post-graduation experience by the time you apply in October, you would almost certainly be considered for the graduate/campus recruiting cycle at most MBB firms. Generally, the threshold for being considered a true experienced hire (meaning you're no longer applying through the structured campus process) is typically at least 2 years of high-quality, full-time work experience, and often closer to 3-5 years for a direct entry into a Consultant-level role that skips the traditional Associate track. When you see people with less experience referred to as "experienced hire" at the Associate level, it usually means they're coming in with 2-4 years of experience and applying off-cycle, rather than straight out of undergrad.

Given your background, applying now puts you in a good position for an entry-level Associate or Business Analyst role. While your boutique life science consulting experience is excellent, MBB entry-level roles are generalist positions, though your background would certainly be a plus during interviews. If your goal is to join MBB sooner rather than later, apply now through the campus cycle. If you decide to wait and build more experience, say another 2-3 years, you might then be a stronger candidate for a Consultant-level role, but that comes with its own set of expectations around demonstrated impact and leadership.

Hope it helps!