How valuable in Big 4 experience for interviews out of MBA?

Hi there,

I would be happy to share my thoughts on your questions:

• First of all, work experience at a Big 4, even if not in strategy, is generally viewed positively by consulting firms. It demonstrates a solid foundation in professional skills, business acumen, and an understanding of corporate environments.
• Moreover, however, keep in mind that your applications will be assessed holistically, not only based on your past work experience. Thus, having strong application files along with a potential referral will be the most important aspects for securing an invitation.

You can find more on this topic here: Salaries in the consulting industry.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare for your upcoming interviews, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Hi there,

I ran a data analytics program to determine exactly what matters to GETTING an interview from an MBA program. I was luckily enough to see, from the data, exactly what matters :)

Remember that your application is reviewed hollistically (other roles, MBA program, GMAT score, resume strength, test scores, etc.)

Is Big4 a good thing to have on your resume for MBB interviews? Yup! All consulting related experience will be. 

But was the coefficient statistically significant and a strong predictor? Not really. (the target variable in question being “has prior consulting experience”)

What was the strongest factor with the highest coefficient/predictive power to interview success?

NETWORKING

Remember, networking is absolutely critical here!

Hi there,

Q: How Is Big4 experience (not strategy) seen at top MBA programs, in terms of professional background for MBB interviews?

It depends on what you have done during your experience (Big4 cover several divisions), but in general if you graduate from a top MBA (eg INSEAD) you should have a chance to get interviews with MBB with your background.

To find actual data points for your specific firm/office/MBA, you can check LinkedIn for candidates with a similar background.

Good luck!

Francesco

Big4 does offer an advantage because it shows you've already been part of the consulting space. 

It's even better if you were in Big4 in advisory roles. 

It's important to note that not everybody who goes for an MBA program has already worked at big brands. In fact, that's the main reason why many people go to MBA programs in the first place. 

Best,
Cristian

Hi there,

Big 4 > reputable MBA program > MBB is a common route so it should work in your favor.

What matters more is the reputation of your MBA program and what you did during the MBA to connect with MBB (see Ian's reply).

Cheers,

Florian

Hey!

The relevance of Big4 experience for MBB interviews is as follows:

Strategy&Operations > Corporate Finance > Tax > Audit

Hope this helps,
Nick