Hey,

Getting a European/Asian MiM with an end-goal of getting a job in the USA is probably not the best course of action (a top USA school would have been better). But since you are already preparing to embark on your studies, you'll have to take it from there.

I think it would be best for you to apply to several geographies during a second year of your masters (it's 18 months at INSEAD if I'm not mistaken) and see how it goes. Your chances will depend on the hiring activity in each region, your nationality (incl. the languages you speak) and your residency (e.g. green card). 

Maybe it would be best if you gain some experience in your home country first and then request a transfer. But it's really hard to tell at this point since no-one knows what the consulting job market will look like in 2025. I suggest you keep networking during your studies to be prepared for all the scenarios.

Good luck and enjoy your studies!
Nick

(editiert)

Hi there,

1) I'm currently considering two main options and would greatly appreciate your insights.

Do you have current connections with the US and could you get a referral from a partner there? If so, if you prefer the US I don’t see issues applying there, given you have a green card. At the same time, depending on the office, it might be more competitive than Milan, so you might want to take that into account as well.

You should be able to check how many alumni are there for INSEAD in your target office as follows:

1. Go to LinkedIn
2. Add INSEAD  as "School"
3. Add the office location as “Location”
4. Filter by each MBB/target company as “Current company” 

2) I'm proficient in French and Spanish. I wonder if this international experience would be an advantage compared to the average US applicant.

I would consider this as a nice-to-have point. Having a strong local referral and a connection with the country would most likely be more important.

Good luck!

Francesco

You have a great profile, so I expect all of the options to work out. 

However, I would rather go for option 1 if your plan is to be long-term in the US and you already have a green card. 

Basically, the main thing that you need to get right is the story - meaning, why does this Italian guy studying at INSEAD want to join the Houston office of BCG? You fix this through a great application package that explains this proactively and shows the link to that particular location (CV, Cover Letter) and through networking (referrals). 

Sharing here two articles you might find useful for the above:

• Expert Guide: Build A Winning Application Strategy
• Expert Guide: How To Handle Networking Calls and Get Referrals

In terms of the advantages presented by language, I wouldn't say this is a huge differentiating proposition. Most projects are done in English anyway, so language is almost never the reason why they would hire one person over another. 

Best of luck!
Cristian

Hi there,

You're asking for a tailored, optimized, application strategy based on you/your profile.

No Q&A answer here is going to be optimal.

It's like asking “what should my workout + diet routine be”.

I need to know a LOT more for this (who you've spoken to, the exact offices, your resume/profile, working rights, etc. etc.).

Please please get coaching. You're paying $100k+ for an MBA. Get coaching for 1% of that cost to actually make your immense MBA cost + effort + time PAY OFF.

Feel free to reach out - I applied to different offices for different firms based on different factors. It's impossible to give you the best answer via a Q&A here as this needs a full discussion!