Hi there, 

I feel your pain and have been in your shoes. 

In fact, at the end of my first year in McKinsey I spent about 6 weeks on the beach and grew so desperate that I went for a project that was on a remote mining island on the other side of the globe (funnily enough that turned out to be one of my best projects). So I have lots of sympathy for you. 

I wrote THIS article on PrepLounge that lays out how to be an effective consultant as a new joiner. It might help you with a few points in terms of how to address your situation. 

But stay strong! And don't blame yourself. Staffing is not fully under your control.

Best,
Cristian

Hi,

Sorry to hear your frustration. 

I think there are a couple of things I would do if I were in your shoes, before deciding anything further

1. I would have a chat with both your mentor as well as someone who is involved in promotion decisions (e.g. HR, committee members) to understand 
   1. What the implications are if the current situation continues
   2. How long before being on the beach actually starts to affect your trajectory
2. I would have a chat with my mentor to understand
   1. Whether he/she thinks I am on trajectory 
   2. Whether he/she knows and acknowledges the work I am doing
   3. What possibly I could do to make sure I am still learning and growing

At the end of the day, if there really are no projects, that is not something that you can solve for. It may seem that you are being ‘singled out’ - but it's hard to comment because I don't know the actual quantitative numbers of your firms pipeline etc. 

And while 6 months is a fairly long time, it is also not uncommon. Anecdotally, in BCG in the region I was at, there were dry times when people were 6-8 months on the beach, but still able to get promoted within ~2 years once business picked up again. 

I think once you understand whether your current efforts are making any impact or not, can you decide then whether to try and switch firms or not. However do take note that

1. If your firm is dry - it's likely other firms are dry as well
2. 6 months of work experience is not really a lot, and even if you only did proposals this is also not a strong CV, which may make it harder to switch to MBB

All the best!

Hi there,

It sounds like you're in a frustrating situation, and it's understandable that you're feeling discouraged. On a personal note, I know how demoralizing this can be. Please know this too shall pass. You will get through this and past this and it will all work out.

It's good that you've been proactive in trying to address the issue by reaching out to seniors and participating in internal initiatives, but it might be helpful to have a more frank conversation with your manager to discuss your career aspirations and the type of work you'd like to be doing. This could also be a chance to ask for specific feedback on areas where you can improve and how to get more involved in projects.

If you do decide to switch firms, it might be helpful to research and reach out to recruiters or individuals in your network who work at the firms you're interested in. This can give you a better understanding of the opportunities available and the culture of the firms.

Ultimately, it's important to remember that career progression can take time, and it's not always a linear path. Keep working hard and seeking out opportunities to develop your skills, and hopefully, things will improve.

Please also do not grab any new job/offer you can just because you're desperate for an escape. Bide your time and pick a new job/role that you genuinely are excited for. Many make the mistake of leaving one bad job for another because they don't stay rational.

Hi there,

Unfortunately, the situation you are describing is pretty much global now. 

A recent client told me that one of the MBBs has more than 1000 juniors sitting on the beach at the moment in Europe. The grass is not greener there either.

I believe you are already doing what can be done at this point. If you want to leave, try to get to the Middle East, which is still less affected than other regions.

Cheers,

Florian

This is now an endemic issue not just in MBBs but also Big4 and Accenture given the recent economic situation. So, dont take this too personally.

The most important thing is to keep your mental health and wellbeing in check. We all get too insecure & too serious sometimes. Dont compare yourself to others too much as your mind will only exaggerate the situation. Rather, learn what they might be doing right to get staffed.

Continue to do what you have planned and dont be afraid to look for opportunities elsewhere but keep in mind its going to be a tough 6-9 months ahead.