MBB Southeast Asia or Tier 2 US consulting

Hi there,

1)Are full-time offers more competitive than internships at MBB and tier 2 firms.

Hmm, honestly it depends on how you define this. It also depends on the channels in which you are recruiting as well as the time period (year), competition (other candidates), geography, etc. Quite honestly it's not really worth thinking about - getting either offer is incredibly tough and you need to be at your best!

2)In general, how would you compare the difficulty of entering into a tier 2 firm compared to an MBB firm on a scale of 10.

Pointless exercise. They are both tough. Furthermore, there's an element of “luck of the draw”. I know people who aced MBB and didn't get tier 2, and vice-versa. It depends on match, culture, performance the day of etc. Let's say 10 and 8, but you're worrying about the wrong things here.

3) If you have an opportunity to co-found a student organization(not related consulting) and an opportunity to do an internship at an F500 company which is better if you aim for MBB in the future.

100% the 2nd (internship at F500). This probably applies for almost any other future job you want to get.

4) Do tier 2 firms also look for a very strong GPA and strong brand names.

Yes.

5) Can anyone give me feedback on my CV

I always offer my 1-minute pass over for free. You'll get my first 3-5 observations of your resume. Of course, the full review (to get your resume to 10/10, at a level where recruiters have told my candidates “this is the best CV I've ever seen”) does require a full session.

Hi there,

1) Are full-time offers more competitive than internships at MBB and tier 2 firms.

Very difficult to say as it depends on demand and supply in a particular company and office. In some cases, you may have fewer steps for internships, however this doesn’t necessarily mean it would be easier to get an offer if there are limited slots.

2)In general, how would you compare the difficulty of entering into a tier 2 firm compared to an MBB firm on a scale of 10.

Very difficult to say as it depends on demand and supply. In general MBB firms are more competitive as some candidates only apply to MBB.

3) If you have an opportunity to co-found a student organization(not related consulting) and an opportunity to do an internship at an F500 company which is better if you aim for MBB in the future.

I would go for the F500: (i) stronger brand name (ii) most likely more relevant activities to list in the CV (although that depends on what you would do).

4) Do tier 2 firms also look for a very strong GPA and strong brand names.

Yes.

5) Can anyone give me feedback on my CV

Your best options are:

• Free but less accurate: Post your sanitized CV here in the Q&A
• Paid but more accurate: Book a coach (you can select a CV session on most profiles)

Best,

Francesco

Hey there,

1. Not necessarily. Generally, the bar to get into an internship or full-time is very similar and often there are more full-time positions available than internship roles.

2. Cannot generalize here. Depends on recruiting situation, office, and a bit of luck. Also not, all T2 firms are the same. If you want a pointer based on your framework, I'd argue MBB is at 10, whereas T2 is between 6 and 8. Take that with a grain of salt.

3. Definitely the F500 company. Having strong brand names and prestigious work experience on the CV is mandatory, extracurricular activity is a nice add-on.

4. Yes.

Cheers,

Florian

Hello!

First of all, congratulations are in order! Well done!

Both are really good options, and the good news is that here you cannot really make a bad choice. 

Overall, I would have it pretty clear and would go for MBB, since what I have seen with time, is that brand is the most important thing. What you will see in some time from now was I was in McK vs. I was in OW, despite the roles. 

This said, given that you want to exit to PE, this can complicate things a bit… since OW can gain you good connections there too. I would try to see which type of network and connections both companies give you IN THE REGION/AREA of you interest, to see if this changes the pic. 

Hope it helps!

Cheers, 

Clara

Hi there, 

In terms of brand, I'd go for the MBB offer. 

Geography doesn't have that much bearing in terms of how employers see your experience. Knowing that you were in MBB is enough, especially since the firms are global and your range of skills isn't dependent on your office location. 

The question you need to figure out in the meantime, however, is if you do want to live in SE Asia in the meantime. 

Regardless, they're both great options and congrats on having them in the first place!

Best,

Cristian

Hi there,

I think this is an interesting question that may be relevant for many people. I would be happy to share my thoughts on it:

• Given your goal of working in strategy in tech with FAANG or top consulting firms in the US after your MBA, I would recommend taking the internship with a tier 2 consulting firm in the US. While interning at MBB in Southeast Asia can be a valuable experience, it may not be as directly relevant to your ultimate goal of working in the US tech industry.
• Additionally, while some US firms may recognize the prestige of working at MBB abroad, it is not guaranteed to hold as much weight as an internship at a US-based office.
• Ultimately, the best choice will depend on your own personal and professional goals, and you should carefully weigh the pros and cons of each opportunity before making a decision.

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

Best,

Hagen

(editiert)

1) Are full-time offers more competitive than internships at MBB and tier 2 firms.

Yes, they are.

2) In general, how would you compare the difficulty of entering into a tier 2 firm compared to an MBB firm on a scale of 10.

It's basically the same. If MBB is 10, a Tier 2 is a 9/10. The major difference does not come from the bar being lower at Tier2, but to the fact that MBB get “first pick” on the talent pool.

3) If you have an opportunity to co-found a student organization(not related consulting) and an opportunity to do an internship at an F500 company which is better if you aim for MBB in the future.

Both are valid options. Doing stuff you don't want to do to get into MBB is not a great career or life option. Look at things long term, and think about the experiences you want to have in your life. If you are founding a club just because you want to get into MBB, it's not going to be a great club. 

4) Do tier 2 firms also look for a very strong GPA and strong brand names.

Yes. The only difference is that they will be actively recruiting from a wider range of schools so they can broaden their talent pool. The bar won't go down, so they will widen their options.

In terms of getting into MBB London:

• It is likely easier to move from MBB ME to MBB London; than it is to move from a Tier 2 firm to MBB London. The reason for this is that you would need to get into MBB all over again moving from Tier 2 - and it's always easier when you get a foot in the door
• That being said, it will likely take at least a year to be able to transfer from the ME to London - and it's not a given that you're able to transfer. To transfer you need to find a couple of sponsors in the London office who will vouch for you; the ME office needs to let you go and the London office needs to have space for you
• Also, the WL balance in the London office isn't going to be substantially different to that of MBB in the ME. I'm also not sure that the tier 2 firms have substantially better lifestyle.

If you decide that you want to prioritise being in London over moving to the ME, you can call the ME office and say that something personal has come up and you're not able to move to the ME, but you still want to be with the firm. Sometimes they're able to transfer your offer before you start. To make this work you'll also need to know the people in the London office, and so you need to reach out to them. I don't recommend doing this though unless you're happy to give up the ME offer as you don't want to burn bridges. 

Remember, life is much more than just your job. It's entirely appropriate to decide that you don't want to move. 

Hi,

Working for MBB anywhere sets you up with a brand name to leverage globally. Also remember getting in to any MBB office is extremely difficult, just because it is in Vietnam doesn't mean it will be easier to get into

Pros

Lots of fun projects with interesting problems to solve

Great team mates and client exposure

MBB brand

Cons

Long hours

Some cultural/language requirements

Limited industries served

Q2

There will definitely be a difference in culture and project work vs Australia - the industries are quite different, people and culture are different and lifestyle is quite a bit worse. But MBB as a whole works in the same way across the board

Q3

Transfer - assuming you are from Australia or have very strong ties to the region, if you have a strong performance record you can transfer after a minimum of 2 years

Best,

Udayan

(editiert)

First of all, congrats for your offers! Your position is a very good place to be.

Needless to say that no one here can make the decision for you, however I think what you choose will depend on what you want and value more.

Do you want a change in lifestyle, live somewhere else and experience a new culture? This for me would be the key question, together with whether I plan to do an MBA or not. As the latter will also influence where you will end up living at some point. Everything else is possible to sort afterwards. Let me explain, I have very close friends that have started their careers in Dubai in Tier 2, moved to MBB in Dubai, pursued a sponsored MBA in the US and now pursuing an internship there. I have other friends which instead started off in MBB in Dubai and decided to come back after 2 years in London, they either decided to transfer office or pursue industry after deciding consulting wasn’t for them.

Finally, if you want to and have the skills, you can always move to MBB 1,2, 3 years in the job either from Tier 2 but also Tier 3, for example I have few friends that got into MBB London after 1-2 year experience in boutique firms. 

In summary, I would consider your partner and current friends, your desire to experience new things and pursue an MBA and the implications that these choices could have on your life in the next 2-3 years. After having clarified those, your career choices should just support your objective in my opinion and not the other way around. 

Just a note on ME vs. London, I think the former involves more frequent travel particular in Saudi and other close markets and several key projects are inevitably public sector focused (or sponsored), working hours I would say are comparable, although ME I believe has more top-down / hierarchical work environment than that in London based on my project experience there.

Hope it helps!

(editiert)

Hi there, 

congrats! if you are thinking in exit opportunities, MBB is probably a better choice because:

1. MBB is a diamond name on your CV

2. Steep learning curve (problem solving, dealing with C levels, commercial excellence etc.)

3. Amazing networking access including becoming alumni with its advantages

4. MBB can actually secure you a job

Good luck!

Lucie

Was this answer helpful?

Hi,

1. Pros / cons

- Pros will be working in an emerging market with lots of growth and interesting projects. Growth will translate into more career opportunities than slower-growing markets.

- Cons will be lower pay (ex Singapore) than in Australia and likely longer working hours than tier 2 in Australia

2. Differences in work culture, project work

- In addition to the obvious cultural differences, I think you can expect more working hours and less pushback from partners to clients as they are still building the client base and trying to "impress clients" with the good work they can deliver for the client base.

3. Ability to transfer back

- If you perform well, you will always have a good opportunity to go back to Australia. Good consultants will always be in demand especially as you rise the ranks of the firm and you have a proven track record.

-A

Hi there,

Some thoughts on your questions:

(1) Pros: MBB give you more options later compared to tier 2. Plus, SEA is a booming place, with a lot more exit opportunities esp in the tech space.

Cons: In general SEA office work longer hours compared to Australia. Also you might travel more. So physically might be more tiring.

(2) There would be some culture difference btw SEA and Australia. E.g. in SEA the senior leaders (partners, principals) are more accommodating to clients, i.e. less push back. Within SEA countries the project work and firm culture won't be too different.

(3) If you are a top performer, it is easy to transfer back. I had a few ex-colleagues who moved to Australia after a few years. In some industries esp mining, it is quite common to have joint team from both SEA and Australia, and that'd be an easy way to build connection with Australia office and partners.

Hope it helps,

Emily

Hi there,

Very simple: MBB all the way!

Some good answers pointing out some good reasons already. I will just add one thing - career progression is very fast and as an MBA hire you will be advancing to an EM role between 1-2 years.

When that happens, you can either do a couple of projects and exit with the EM title (very common). or you stick around and commit for the long haul. 

However, if exiting after a short stint is your game plan, nothing beats an MBB EM title on the job market!

Hope this helps a bit! Best of luck!

Hello,

Congratulations on the offers! Here are my thoughts:

1- Work-life balance: London is SLIGHTLY better than Dubai, not significantly. This again varies a lot per firm. Tier 1 WLB in Dubai is much better than Tier 2 WLB in Dubai.

2- Transfers: I would say it takes a minimum of 18-24 months to initiate a transfer from the Middle East. There is a huge demand for work in ME and on the contrary there is a huge supply of talent in London, thus transfers to London will not be as smooth as you think.

I have some specific insights per firm that I can offer - message me personally if you want to know more!

All the best!

Rushabh

Hi congrats. It’s a good dilemma to have. Have you talked to the recruiting teams at MBB to potentially consider you for London offices. Since you have offer from not one but two of the MBB firms you have a potential leverage as well to bring up. Message me offline and Happy to provide you a perspective in general on the working style and culture in ME Consulting. 

First of all, it is quite unlikely to move to PE with just CDD experience.
In particular, it is even more unlikely to move to PE if you are not coming from MBB.
MBB overall have much more interesting projects than OW.
 

Sorry for not providing more details. The internal consultancy is as follow:

- Management, Ops & Transformation projects for a large Oil&Gas/Energy company

This consultancy offers me a very decent salary package almost on par with MBB package. Hours are very very lenient, but I am just afraid of missing out the training/methodology part I could have at a tier 2. Moreover, maybe better exit opportunity? Even though Middle East may give me more experience in government work and therefore not very sellable afterward.

- Tier 2 (ATK or OW let's say) excellent salary due to ME being tax free and a nice "prestige on the resume". It could also mean I am eligible to apply for McK/BCG in a few years. However, I am not sure it is "worth the burden" of moving to Dubai especially with crazy hours and lots of work in KSA.

I am not quite sure what I want to do next, but definitely interested in a challenging and rewarding first step in my career with lots of learning. I feel like the lifestyle will be much better at the internal consultancy and learning opportunity as good as a tier 2.

Thank you!

Hi,

Which one is a better FIT in terms of your career aspirations, risk profile & values? Go for the one with better FIT. You need to look purely beyond brand, $$ etc. Please have a look at this article for plenty of tips and guidance on this question- https://www.preplounge.com/en/articles/how-do-i-know-which-career-is-right-for-me

All the best choosing and congrats!

Hi,

It really depends on your objective (Future career plans, location, etc). How could we help without knowing it?

Best

What are you looking to do in the future? Tier2 consultant will usually (not always) have better prospects down the line, and this would also typically be considered more prestigious in most places. As usual, devil is in the details, we need more information to really tell.

My personal vote probably goes to internal consulting unless the tier 2 consultancy offers MBA sponsorship after which transition into MBB is a realistic career path. ME is also not just about government work but yes the lifestyle of an ME office vs Europe will be a lot more demanding

I still vote internal consulting as if you want to transfer to MBB then both routes can get you there and the F500 seems like an easier although a slightly less exciting path to get there

Dear A,

It's difficult to say out of the blue without knowing your intentions. What I can say is that I've been working in cosulting companies in Germany and in the Middle East, so I can compare. You final decision might depend on many-many factors.

I'm happy to share my insights, so feel free to drop me a line.

Best,
André

Hello there,

Below you can find my answers to your quetions:

1)Are full-time offers more competitive than internships at MBB and tier 2 firms?

Of course it depends on the firm making the full-time offer and on the geography, but usually they are more competitive 

2)In general, how would you compare the difficulty of entering into a tier 2 firm compared to an MBB firm on a scale of 10.

They are more similar than you can think. I can assure you that you can not tell the difference between a business case coming from OW and BCG. What is usually different is the bar to enter and the competition of other candidates, that can vary within the year and different offices. 

3) If you have an opportunity to co-found a student organization(not related consulting) and an opportunity to do an internship at an F500 company which is better if you aim for MBB in the future.

Internship at an F500 COmpany

4) Do tier 2 firms also look for a very strong GPA and strong brand names.

Sure, every tier-2 feels very close to MBB and is looking for the same standards

5) Can anyone give me feedback on my CV

Feel free to send it to me for a brief feedback