BCG Fast Track

Question

I managed to negotiate with BCG a fast track promotion. After 6 months from my employment, I will be eligible for the promotion to Project Leader.

However, I have some concerns.

How often do people in the "fast track" get promoted in 6 months?
Will I compete for promotion with all the other eligible candidates or only with the "fast track" ones?

I am asking because being new in the firm, I will be for sure behind other colleagues in terms of both network and support of sponsors (Principals, Partenrs).

Answer 1

Hi,

Shedding light on this question in case there are others who are in a similar situation.

What you described sounds like you have negotiated to enter as a C2 role, specifically with 18 months of tenure.

The normal progression from Consultant (C) to PL is 24 months, so if they say you are ‘fast tracked’ - it normally means they will recognize 18 months of tenure from the day you start at BCG
Based on my experience people who come in on this track normally do get promoted on time
You will not be ‘competing’ with others for the promotion, BCG will promote everyone and anyone who is ready and there is on ‘cap’ on the promotions per cohort

Hope this helps to clarify!

Answer 2

I'll start with the caveat that I do not have direct experience with Fast Track. That being said, here are a few things to keep in mind:

1. BCG is growing extremely fast in most regions, and this growth is often constrained by the staffing.

2. BCG has also been reaching out aggressively to its former employees to see if we'd come back. In other words: there is plenty of work

3. In any case - promotions are typically based on your performance level more than on the office needs or amount of work available. Sure, promotions may be a little delayed if business is particularly slow, but again we are nowhere near this situation now

4. Your concern re. network & sponsors is probably more valid. In my opinion however, this is mostly useful when (a) you underperform, and or (b) when you are looking to be elected Partner - neither of which are relevant to you today

5. All this being said... who cares? Get in BCG, get the 3 letters on your resume, learn everything you can while there and do the best you can. Your career will take care of itself. And what if you don't get the promotion after 6 months? In all likelihood, it will just be postponed a little bit but the experience will have been more than worth it in the worst of cases.

Congrats on the admissions, good luck & welcome to the BCG family.

G, ex-BCG Dallas

Answer 3

First, congratulations on the offer.

Second, I think your last sentence is a fair concern. Often project leaders lean on former associates for a variety of things like getting benchmarks to help with current projects, prior engagement decks that are similar to newly assigned engagements to come up to speed, etc... So, it does help to have a large network.

Third, one of the reasons for biggest reasons for failure, at least at McKinsey was being promoted too fast to Engagement Manager (Project Leader) too fast. It almost too me. I was a terrible Enagement Manager and was told so on many occassions. I just was not prepared.

Matthew