Hey there,

In short: Yes!

Client demands are becoming ever more specific, so is the hiring base of MBB. I have worked with plenty of PhDs from all different kinds of backgrounds.

Go for it!

For McKinsey, have a look at the following two articles that I wrote for your prep:

Case: https://www.preplounge.com/en/mckinsey-interview

PEI: https://www.preplounge.com/en/mckinsey-pei

Cheers,

Florian

Hi there,

I worked with people that were previously professional violinists, flautists, dentists, etc. Trust me, you can get into MBB!

However, there are a few things you need to do to improve your odds:

1. Get some consulting-related experience (bro-bono consulting projects, academies, etc.)
2. Network
3. Adjust your resume and make it a 10/10 (change your wording etc. to change the way it's pitched)

Happy to help with all of the above!

Good luck!

I come from a similar background and am joining MBB soon. The answer is definitely yes. Being invited to “Keep in touch” by McK is a good sign you have a good resume despite having no consulting type experience. You need to 

1) Network. Start with school alumni, then others with similar backgrounds in the offices you're interested in and secure referrals. This is also a good way to learn about consulting/MBB and demonstrate interest.

2) Prepare for case interviews, this takes time to get to a place where you're ready to interview so don't wait to start preparing until you secure interviews. Look for case partners that can provide good, constructive feedback. Preplounge is a good resource for this, as well as any local consulting clubs you have access to. Look up crafting cases for case prep. Don't forget preparing for fit interviews.

3) Also, network with and apply to tier 2/boutique firms (EY-P hires LS/Biomedical PhD students directly into their LS practice). There are several boutiques as well, including but not limited to, ZS Associates, Clearview Healthcare, Health Advances, Putnam, Trinity, LEK consulting, Simon Kucher etc. 

If you have access to a consulting club in your school or elsewhere, that's a great place to start. This may seem intimidating, but it's very doable. Good luck!

Hello, 

Like the other experts mentioned, yes! 

I suggest you check out specific hiring progams for advanced degrees. BCG has a program called “Bridge to BCG” and a specific recruiting channel for advanced degrees. Bain has a program called ADvantage offering week-long internships in North America for advanced degree candidates. 

Best of luck!

Hi there, 

Based on your description, it doesn't sound impossible, but it's also not very likely. 

If you come from a good school and have a good track record with a proven interest in consulting that can maximize your chances. 

But practically, what i would do if i were you, is to figure out if you could get an internship or short-term engagement in some sort of consulting-related entity. It could be an internship with a smaller consulting company or it could be being active in the consulting club at the university. The whole point is to show that you going full-time into consulting has some sort of continuation from your current interests and it's not totally random. 

Hi there,

Generally speaking, can say the following..

1. PhD - attractive to any consulting firm
2. Non-target school - not ideal, but not a deal-breaker. If profile is strong, polished CV and networking will help 
3. Engineering - very sought after by consulting firms, as engineers often perform very well on the job (their quant acumen and structured way of approaching problem helps a lot) 

That said, feel free to share your CV via PM - will be happy to provide very specific advice. 

Cheers, Andi