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Approaching the end of my studies - Apply for an internship or full-time position?

BCG McKinsey and Bain full-time germany internship MBB Study university
New answer on Jul 25, 2022
4 Answers
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Anonymous A asked on Jul 24, 2022

Dear all,

I'll be handing in my thesis at the end of the year. My formal graduation date will be on the 31/01/2023, which means there is a period of month where I'd be free.

 

My question is: Does it make sense to apply for an internship position starting on January 01 or go for a full time position right away in February?

Pro internship : no previous experience in strategy consulting, shorter interview process

Pro full-time: job security (in case I don't do well)

 

My main concern is that there is the chance that I do not secure a FT offer after my internship, so I am left without a Job after the internship. On the other hand, it would seem weird if I apply for an internship at McK in January while at the same time apply for a FT position at BCG in March ( 2 months internship)…

 

How would you go about solving this problem?

 

 

PS: I am specifically interested in insights from the German job market! 

 

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Francesco
Expert
Content Creator
replied on Jul 25, 2022
#1 Coach for Sessions (4.500+) | 1.500+ 5-Star Reviews | Proven Success (➡ interviewoffers.com) | Ex BCG | 10Y+ Coaching

Hi there,

Q: Does it make sense to apply for an internship position starting on January 01 or go for a full time position right away in February?

Most consulting companies have fixed periods when you can start, so you may not have the flexibility to choose.

I don’t think there is the pro for full-time you are referring to. In most countries, they can terminate a full-time offer within a certain period of time. So even if you join full time you won’t have specific advantages. 

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In terms of internship vs full-time: usually it makes sense to apply for an internship if:

  1. You have fewer interviews to go through
  2. You can start significantly earlier
  3. You want to “try” consulting as you are not sure and still get a good brand on your CV

In your case #2 and #3 don’t seem to apply and full-time could make more sense, unless #1 is true.

You should also check with HR/internal contacts about what they would recommend – in some countries there may be limitations on the role you may apply for given your background. 

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Overall my recommendation is to:

  1. Find someone that can refer you (it will help with getting the interviews as well)
  2. Align with them based on the office needs / their suggestion on the best option, unless you already see a clear winner given the criteria above

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You can find more on referrals here:

 How to Get an MBB Referral

Good luck!

Francesco

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Anonymous A on Jul 25, 2022

Thank you for the input. Wouldn't you think that it's harder to secure a FT offer after an internship compared to securing a FT offer (and surviving the first 6 months where you can get fired)?

Francesco on Jul 25, 2022

Hi there, I don’t think you are comparing the correct situations. Unless they cannot let you go if you get a full-time offer (in most countries they can, not sure about Germany), they will be able to do so regardless of whether you are an intern or have a full-time offer. So, in case they would have let you go after the internship, they could have let you go after full-time anyway. In any case, in your case as mentioned I would expect full-time could make more sense given there is little difference on the period when you could start. Hope this helps, Francesco

Pedro
Expert
updated an answer on Jul 24, 2022
30% off in April 2024 | Bain | EY-Parthenon | Roland Berger | Market Sizing | DARDEN MBA

Honestly, I don't see a benefit in applying for the internship. 

If you fail recruiting for the internship will you get a second chance one month afterwards for the same company? Not really. 

If you get the intership but have a bad performance will it be different from getting a full time offer and having a bad performance? Not really, in both cases, you'll be counselled out. So no, you don't have higher job security if you go for the full time offer.

Frankly, you are almost done with your degree. You need a full time job. You know this, they know this. They are likely to perceive you as a full time candidate anyway. You don't even have enough time for a full project between January and February…

Meaning that you either apply as a full time candidate, or you ask them what they prefer, and let them choose.

(edited)

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Ian
Expert
Content Creator
replied on Jul 25, 2022
#1 BCG coach | MBB | Tier 2 | Digital, Tech, Platinion | 100% personal success rate (8/8) | 95% candidate success rate

Hi there,

I personally don't see a reason to apply for an internship. You may as well go straight for full-time.

Now, I strongly recommend you network extensively. As you network, you can ask this question to the consultants/recruiters at that exact office! They'll be able to tell you with absolutely certainty what makes most sense given your profile and their office dynamics!

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Florian
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replied on Jul 25, 2022
Highest-rated McKinsey coach (ratings, offers, sessions) | 500+ offers | Author of The 1% & Consulting Career Secrets

Hey there,

For McKinsey, you can only apply for a full-time position at the end of your studies.

Cheers,

Florian

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Anonymous A on Jul 25, 2022

So only after I graduate I can apply for a FT position at McKinsey?

Francesco gave the best answer

Francesco

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