Better to quit or be laid off at MBB?

Hi,

At least for BCG, if the decision is made that you will be counselled out, then you will be put on ‘transition’, which is a defined period of time the firm gives you to find a new job/transition out. During this period you are not staffed and you can fully focus on finding a new opportunity etc.

I guess it depends on what you define ‘better’ as:

• If its for Pride/Ego
  • i.e. so you can tell people “well I quit MBB” instead of “I was asked to leave”
  • Then sure quitting when the writing is on the wall would probably be better
• If its because of a concern of putting it on your CV 
  • You are not obligated to write this on your CV
  • You also don't need to lie about it to future employers, especially if you are applying for a new role while you are on transition 
    • As long as you are still officially employed, prospective employers have no way of knowing that you are on transition
    • As far as it is from their POV, you are a MBB consultant who is looking to leave - very standard
    • The only way is that they call someone in your firm and ask about you

So if you ask me, I think it's not necessarily a bad thing to fully utilize transition :)

Hi there,

Which scenario gets you the job you want post-MBB?

^The answer lies there

In general, being managed out isn't a “bad” thing at MBB. They help you find a role and make sure you're placed well.

If you can get your ideal exit job on your own, do it! If you can't, don't worry too much as they will help you.

They don’t let other companies know you were asked to leave And typically you get time to find a new job while being paid by MBB so objectively it’s better not to quit. 

Dear candidate, 

It depends on timing but depending on what the situation is you can choose to leave voluntarily, but what about taking a super chance and staying on by discussing ways to stay with the firm, explore roles or discuss how you can contribute? Best regards,

Pope

Hi there, 

Yes. They do give you this option. 

In fact, in most cases the people leave themselves, they aren't actually ‘fired’. 

Best,
Cristian

Hello,

I like Ian's framing of “whatever choice gives you the best chance at getting the job you want post-MBB”. When you get counselled to leave, they usually give you some time to look for new opportunities before you are laid off, and in many cases are willing to help you in your job search. This can be helpful for finding new job opportunities, so if this is the scenario you are expecting, there's no advantage in quitting yourself necessarily.