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I recently accepted the offer to join one of the MBB as a post-PhD consultant in a few months. However, I feel completely unprepared for the job. I joined my PhD straight out of undergrad and have not had any real work experience other than a couple of engineering internships in college. I don’t know what it’s like to be in a business setting working with corporate clients; I haven’t even had a real boss for a long time. Compared to those with the same job title in the office I will be joining, who have either been with the firm for a few years or have spent 3-5 years in industry, I feel utterly unqualified.
I guess my questions are:
How can I prepare myself mentally to reduce my anxiety and insecurity?
What can I do to prepare myself for the job? On the technical side, I am currently going through the Training the Street Excel and Financial Modelling courses, but what can I do to improve my problem solving, communication, and prioritization skills?
Thank you all for reading
I recently accepted the offer to join one of the MBB as a post-PhD consultant in a few months. However, I feel completely unprepared for the job. I joined my PhD straight out of undergrad and have not had any real work experience other than a couple of engineering internships in college. I don’t know what it’s like to be in a business setting working with corporate clients; I haven’t even had a real boss for a long time. Compared to those with the same job title in the office I will be joining, who have either been with the firm for a few years or have spent 3-5 years in industry, I feel utterly unqualified.
I guess my questions are:
How can I prepare myself mentally to reduce my anxiety and insecurity?
What can I do to prepare myself for the job? On the technical side, I am currently going through the Training the Street Excel and Financial Modelling courses, but what can I do to improve my problem solving, communication, and prioritization skills?
There are no admission mistakes - you are there for a reason
Your first months performance will not be evaluated, however, it's still important to demonstrate yourself as a good performer
Sleep a lot - that's the most important
Spend all the rest of your time at work
Ask for the feedback as much as possible and spend a lot of time with Managers, Partners, etc
Client first! So whatever issues / mistakes you have - the client should not see that
Double-check for mistakes everything you do
Training the street is amazing. Make sure you are good and fast with PPT as well
First weeks will seem crazy and you'll feel like you are not coping with it. The key thing here is to understand that everyone feels that, no matter what's the background
Best
Hi,
Several thoughts here:
There are no admission mistakes - you are there for a reason
Your first months performance will not be evaluated, however, it's still important to demonstrate yourself as a good performer
Sleep a lot - that's the most important
Spend all the rest of your time at work
Ask for the feedback as much as possible and spend a lot of time with Managers, Partners, etc
Client first! So whatever issues / mistakes you have - the client should not see that
Double-check for mistakes everything you do
Training the street is amazing. Make sure you are good and fast with PPT as well
First weeks will seem crazy and you'll feel like you are not coping with it. The key thing here is to understand that everyone feels that, no matter what's the background
I empathize with your worries as I too have felt similar feelings of anxiety before starting a new role. As your question is quite personal and broad, I think private, one-on-one coaching would actually be the most effective support for you. That being said, I have provided a few brief, but useful, tips below:
1) Focus on the fact that they hired you for a reason! They believe in you, so you must have more talent than you think
2) Remember that no one wants you to fail - your new firm is on your side
3) Rather than view any perceived shortcomings as concerns, reframe them as gaps for development - and, rather, build anticipation for how much you will learn
4) Don't discount the skills and experience developed during your PhD. Apply the same work ethic, professionalism and interpersonal skills that have gotten you this far
5) Practice clear and concise structuring of your thoughts; practice clear and concise communication of these thoughts
6) Establish your own approach to organising and prioritising your tasks and to-dos (spreadsheets, Trello boards, etc.)
7) Try to relax! Stressing about each action or conversatiom will lead to greater doubt and anxiety, distracting you from doing a great job in your new role
Really hope this helps - feel free to send me a message if you have any questions or you want to chat further.
Jessica
Hi Anonymous,
I empathize with your worries as I too have felt similar feelings of anxiety before starting a new role. As your question is quite personal and broad, I think private, one-on-one coaching would actually be the most effective support for you. That being said, I have provided a few brief, but useful, tips below:
1) Focus on the fact that they hired you for a reason! They believe in you, so you must have more talent than you think
2) Remember that no one wants you to fail - your new firm is on your side
3) Rather than view any perceived shortcomings as concerns, reframe them as gaps for development - and, rather, build anticipation for how much you will learn
4) Don't discount the skills and experience developed during your PhD. Apply the same work ethic, professionalism and interpersonal skills that have gotten you this far
5) Practice clear and concise structuring of your thoughts; practice clear and concise communication of these thoughts
6) Establish your own approach to organising and prioritising your tasks and to-dos (spreadsheets, Trello boards, etc.)
7) Try to relax! Stressing about each action or conversatiom will lead to greater doubt and anxiety, distracting you from doing a great job in your new role
Really hope this helps - feel free to send me a message if you have any questions or you want to chat further.
MBB Final Round Case - Smart EducationOur client is SmartBridge, a nonprofit educational institution offering face-to-face tutoring services. The client operates in the US.
The mission of SmartBridge is to help as many students as possible to complete studies and prevent that they drop from the school system, in particular in disadvantaged areas.
The client is considering starting operations for its services in the Chicago area. They hired us to understand if that makes sense. Due to the nonprofit regulation, SmartBridge should operate on its own in the market, without any partnership.
How would you help our client?
Our client is SmartBridge, a nonprofit educational institution offering face-to-face tutoring services. The client operates in the US.
The mission of SmartBridge is to help as many students as possible to complete studies and prevent that they drop from the school system, in particular in disadvant ... Open whole case
Espresso, Whatelse?Espresso Whatelse is an Italian company that produces coffee and espresso machines since 1908. It is the Italian market leader and has a strong presence overall in Europe. In 2019, Espresso Whatelse has increased its revenues but it has seen declining profit margin.
Your client wants to understand the root causes of this 2019 trend and how to increase its profit margin again.
Espresso Whatelse is an Italian company that produces coffee and espresso machines since 1908. It is the Italian market leader and has a strong presence overall in Europe. In 2019, Espresso Whatelse has increased its revenues but it has seen declining profit margin.
Your client wants to understand ... Open whole case
Hot WheelsProblem definition: Our client is Korean Car Parts (KCP), a multi-national original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of car parts based in Korea. They've recently seen a decline in profits and have brought us in to understand how to address this falling profitability.
Problem definition: Our client is Korean Car Parts (KCP), a multi-national original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of car parts based in Korea. They've recently seen a decline in profits and have brought us in to understand how to address this falling profitability.
Open whole case
Chinese Chess - Airline Business During COVID-19Sky China, a government-backed Chinese airline, has recently seen profits plummet due to COVID-19. Profits are down 80% in the months of February and March, but are showing early signs of a rebound in April.
They've brought you in to first investigate what can be done immediatedly to prevent hemorrhaging cash and surive in the short-term. They are also looking to see how the current situation can be viewed as an opportunity, and what can be done to prepare for the future.
Sky China, a government-backed Chinese airline, has recently seen profits plummet due to COVID-19. Profits are down 80% in the months of February and March, but are showing early signs of a rebound in April.
They've brought you in to first investigate what can be done immediatedly to prevent hemor ... Open whole case
Coronavirus Times - COVID-19 BrainteaserYou and your family are faced with a challenging set of decisions. Due to coronavirus, your partner has taken a 20% paycut and you are worried you may lose your job. In addition, while daycare is still open, you are worried that sending your two children there will increase the risk of them bringing the virus back to your house, where your elderly grandparents are also staying.
How would you go about thinking about this problem, and what would you recommend?
You and your family are faced with a challenging set of decisions. Due to coronavirus, your partner has taken a 20% paycut and you are worried you may lose your job. In addition, while daycare is still open, you are worried that sending your two children there will increase the risk of them bringing ... Open whole case
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Integrated FIT Guide for MBB by Clara 
