How likely is it that I get recruited into an MBB or similar?

Thank you for sharing your background and career aspirations. Based on your profile, here are some insights and advice:

Level to apply for: With your qualifications and work experience, you could potentially apply for a Consultant-level position in management/strategy consultancies. However, it's important to carefully review the job descriptions and requirements of each firm to determine the best fit for your skills and experience.

Highlighting your apprenticeship: To address any potential confusion regarding your work experience, it's important to clearly articulate the nature and duration of your apprenticeship in your resume and cover letter. Emphasize the skills and knowledge you gained during this period, particularly in finance, accounting, and taxation. This will help recruiters understand the context of your experience and avoid any misinterpretation.

Profile appeal to top consultancies: Your profile is indeed interesting to top consultancies. Your combination of a Chartered Accountant qualification, a master's degree in Data, and experience in risk consulting and a startup demonstrates a strong foundation in finance, data analytics, and problem-solving. Your coding and analytical skills are highly valuable in the consulting industry, as they contribute to data-driven insights and problem-solving capabilities.

Start-up experience: Working in a start-up can be seen as a positive attribute by top consultancies. It showcases your adaptability, entrepreneurial mindset, and ability to work in dynamic and fast-paced environments. Highlight specific achievements and projects from your start-up experience that demonstrate your impact and ability to drive results.

In summary, your profile is compelling and aligns well with the requirements of management/strategy consultancies. Emphasize your unique combination of qualifications, work experience, coding skills, and analytical abilities. Tailor your application materials to showcase your strengths

Hi there!

Cool profile. Let me take your questions one by one:

1. The level I should be applying to. Would that be entry level or Consultant level?

Let's use the McK nomenclature here for example: BA is entry level for Bachelor graduates, Associate is entry level for MBA graduates, PhD graduates and people with >5 years of work experience.

If you already have 5 years of work experience then you would qualify for an Associate role

2. How do I dress up my 3 year apprenticeship? Presently I suspect that ATS systems mark me unsuitable because it looks like I have 5+ years of work experience. 

Apprenticeship is also work. So it makes sense to be included as work experience. 

3. Is my profile interesting to a top consultancy? How much do my coding and analytical skills come into play? Does it help or hinder me that I'm working in a start-up?

My recommendation would be to also research whether you would want to be a generalist/integrative consultant or a data-focused one. You would have a more competitive profile for the latter. Also, what consulting firms care about the most are your skills, so don't worry too much about not having worked specifically in consulting before.

Best,
Cristian

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To MBB the odds are low. To management consulting, particularly Big 4 or Boutiques you have a fair chance.

Hello!

1. The level I should be applying to. Would that be entry level or Consultant level?

Since you neither have the relevant work experience nor an MBA, an entry level position, such as Business Analyst at McKinsey, Associate at BCG or Associate Consultant at Bain.

2. How do I dress up my 3 year apprenticeship? Presently I suspect that ATS systems mark me unsuitable because it looks like I have 5+ years of work experience. 

You can try and remove it from your work experience and mention it as part of your education so that it looks like you only have 2 years of working experience.

3. Is my profile interesting to a top consultancy? How much do my coding and analytical skills come into play? Does it help or hinder me that I'm working in a start-up?

I'm going to be frank with you. In such a competitive geography as London your profile would not be the first or even the second priority when it comes to screening.

As a person who made a jump from audit to management consulting (which took me one year of blood, sweat and tears), I can reliably state that your accounting experience and qualifications are almost irrelevant when it comes to interviewing for or working at management consulting.

Your coding experience, however, can be relevant if you decide to pursue the analytical track.

Moreover, you should certainly expand your application scope and also consider Tier2 and Tier3 (Big4) consulting companies.

As far as I can see it, if you still want to make a transition to management consulting, you have 4 options (in the order of priority):

1. Try to get into Big4 management consulting, work there for a number of years and make a switch to a Tier2 / Tier 1 firm;
2. Try to apply for the analytical track at MBB, work there for a couple years and then switch to a general track from within the company;
3. Consider applying to MBB in other, less competitive geographies, such as India;
4. Get an MBA and apply for a post-MBA position at MBB (The least preferred option, as, IMO, an MBA is just a waste of time and money which does not even guarantee you get invited to an interview with a top consulting company nowadays).

Good luck with your career shift!
Nick

 

The CA route of entry exists but is extremely small for generalist consultant role. I would say you have a good shot if you focus on roles where the qualifications are valued - this would be specialist roles in specific finance teams. Once you get in and in a year or so you can expand to different projects based on your interests.

Your best bet to be invited to interview is to network with people in MBB that have the same background as you and ask for their help in getting invited to interview.

Best,

Udayan

Hi there,

Completely agree with Udayan here.

I cannot emphasize enough how important networking will be, as well as building up your resume as much as possible.

In terms of your side project…I might recommend that you replace it with a pro bono/experiential learning program with consulting.

1. The level I should be applying to. Would that be entry level or Consultant level?

Entry level

2. How do I dress up my 3 year apprenticeship? Presently I suspect that ATS systems mark me unsuitable because it looks like I have 5+ years of work experience. 

Well, hiring a coach to do this for you (as part of a full resume review) is the best way. The only way to explain this in writing is you need to figure out which angle is best - which roles/activities are most consulting-skill-related. Then, when you write about them, you need to emphasize the right things and not emphasize the wrong things. This all needs to be “calorie dense”

3. Is my profile interesting to a top consultancy? How much do my coding and analytical skills come into play? Does it help or hinder me that I'm working in a start-up?

Not a top consultancy. Doesn't mean you can't get an interview though (through an optimal resume + effective networking). Certain boutique consultancies it fits more. A start-up neither helps nor hinders - it's a tangential experience that is “good” but doesn't directly scream consulting, if that makes sense. 

Again, highly recommend you do some part-time experiential learning consulting programs.