Development and exit opportunities for BCG knowledge analysts

BCG exit options knowledge Research
New answer on Oct 12, 2023
3 Answers
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Anonymous A asked on Jun 02, 2017

Hi everyone,

I am currently interviewing for the knowledge analyst position at the knowledge team of one of BCG's practices. I am quite excited about the industry covered by the practice and about BCG, however, some of the details about the position are not clear to me and it's hard to find information about knowledge analyst positions so I decided to ask several questions here.

1. Is there any client facing or its strictly back-office research duties?

2. Is it possible to develop into a consultant, if yes, after what period?

3. Do knowledge analysts have similar exit opportunities as consultants (especially withing the covered industry)?

Thank you in advance!

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Benjamin
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replied on Oct 12, 2023
Ex-BCG Principal | 8+ years consulting experience in SEA | BCG top interviewer & top performer

Hi,

Sharing my perspective on this:

1. Is there any client facing or its strictly back-office research duties?

  • It is highly weighted towards back-office research duties
  • Sometimes knowledge team is embedded with the client facing team, but this is rare and even then your opportunities to engage the client are on average less than the consulting team

2. Is it possible to develop into a consultant, if yes, after what period?

  • Some have made the switch - but again this is rare
  • Normally after ~2+ years of proving yourself first

3. Do knowledge analysts have similar exit opportunities as consultants (especially withing the covered industry)?

  • No, I would argue that knowledge analysts have less prestigious / wide array of exit opportunities versus consultants

 

 

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Vlad
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replied on Jun 04, 2017
McKinsey / Accenture Alum / Got all BIG3 offers / Harvard Business School

Hi,

1) It depends on the project. Mostly it will be back-office research. Sometimes you are assigned for full-time to the teams

2) It requires support from consultants and partners you worked with from. I would expect that it takes 1.5 years yo build that relationship. But you should be a top performer

3) Exit opportunities are more industry related. I would expect some standalone role, while for consultant it is much easier to find a role where you will be leading a team.

Vlad

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Stanimir on Jun 05, 2017

Hi Vlad, you mention that industry related exits are an option. Does that hold for all practices, e.g. is it realistic for a knowledge analyst in the principal investor and private equity practice to expect a private equity exit?

Stanimir replied on Jun 04, 2017

push

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Benjamin

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Ex-BCG Principal | 8+ years consulting experience in SEA | BCG top interviewer & top performer
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