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Difference Fellow / Business Analyst at McKinsey

business analyst fellow McKinsey
New answer on Sep 30, 2023
6 Answers
16.5 k Views
Anonymous A asked on Apr 30, 2020

Hello!

I would like to understand the difference between both postions Fellow & Business Analyst at McKinsey. Same description on the website, but Fellow only available in DACH. What's the difference?

As I am fluent in German, although it is not my mother tongue. So I am thinking to apply in DACH as Fellow, and in my mother tongue Office. Does it sound possible?

:)

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Anonymous updated the answer on May 02, 2020

Dear A,


Business Analyst is an entry level position for undergraduates with 2–3 years of experience. Offered in different office of McKinsey. Also, in some offices the offer a fellow position. Young Leaders Program Fellow. Both undergraduates and graduates can apply. After 2–3 years of fellowship undergraduates are promoted to Junior Associates while MBAs, Masters are promoted to Senior Associate.

If you fit into requirements, I would recommend you to apply at DACH region (Germany or Switzerland) for their strong markets, growth and exit options.


Best,

André

(edited)

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Vlad
Expert
replied on Apr 30, 2020
McKinsey / Accenture Alum / Got all BIG3 offers / Harvard Business School

Hi,

The Fellow Associate role is also available in other countries as well. It is used in the following cases:

  • Interview performance was not good enough for Asc but the candidate can bring expertise to the company
  • You have more experience than the average BA / SBA (3-4 years) but still not enough for Asc
  • You have enough experience for Asc but your experience os relevant only partially (e.g. 4 years in legal and 1 year in business)

Best

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Sidi
Expert
updated an answer on Apr 30, 2020
McKinsey Senior EM & BCG Consultant | Interviewer at McK & BCG for 7 years | Coached 350+ candidates secure MBB offers

Hi!

Fellow was introduced to cater for the fact that formal education level in Germany is structurally higher than in anglosaxon markets (US, UK etc). Meaning that, traditionally, a BA is a position for Bachelors. However, in Germany the Bachelor's degree never had good recognition, and German companies would not accept a Bachelor as a Consultant who can be taken seriously (in fact, there wasn't even a really comparable university degree in Germany, because the first formal degree you would get from a German university would be a "Diplom", which is equivalent to the Master). So the German McK Office felt that they needed some intermediate entry position - more senior than a BA, but less senior than an Associate. This is how the "Fellow" position came to life.

Hope this helps!

Cheers, Sidi

(edited)

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Luca
Expert
Content Creator
replied on Apr 30, 2020
BCG |NASA | SDA Bocconi & Cattolica partner | GMAT expert 780/800 score | 200+ students coached

Hello,

You can see the fellow as an intermediate position between a senior business analyst and associate.

Best,
Luca

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Alberto
Expert
Content Creator
replied on Sep 30, 2023
Ex-McKinsey Associate Partner | +15 years in consulting | +200 McKinsey 1st & 2nd round interviews

Hi there,

Follow position is only available in some countries as Germany or Netherlands. It would be more or less the equivalent to Junior Associate in other geographies.

Best,

Alberto

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Clara
Expert
Content Creator
replied on Apr 30, 2020
McKinsey | Awarded professor at Master in Management @ IE | MBA at MIT |+180 students coached | Integrated FIT Guide aut

Hello!

Fellow is only in DACH for the different education levels.

Basically, it a fellow is something alike a senior BA -a BA who has been in the firm for at least 1 year-.

Hope it helps!

Best,

Clara

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