Is mckinsey ops easier to break into than generalist? Is it possible to transfer to generalist role after sometime at ops?

Hey there,

The key difference is in the screening stage of your application. If you have a strong ops background then it will be easier to get to an interview invitation.

From then onwards (Solve, Case, PEI), it will be the same.

Have a look at how to prepare here:

1. Case: https://www.preplounge.com/en/mckinsey-interview
2. PEI: https://www.preplounge.com/en/articles/mckinsey-pei

Cheers,

Florian

I was a Generalist in McKinsey's Ops Practice, so let me elaborate.

• Is it easier to break into OPS? Depends on you! Interviews are exactly the same so there's no difference from that perspective. However, the candidate pool is different. OPS people typically have industry experience, often quite a few years, and tend to have a very hands on approach. People often worked in roles within supply chain, engineering, etc. (though there's really a wide variety). If you're more of an OPS person on paper as opposed to generalist, you will have an easier time getting an invitation for an OPS interview.
• Is it possible to change from OPS to a generalist path? Yes, if you can make a strong case for it. Despite working in OPS, I did a bunch of M&A and classic strategy projects and could have switched on the back of those. That's because I had Senior Partner support (office head), which is pretty much what it takes. Just make sure to network internally and get some project exposure outside of OPS, which is generally possible.

Hope this helps! Let me know if there's anything more specific you'd like to discuss.

Purely based on numbers, I think its fair to say that if you have a strong ops background then its easier to join the operations practice.  Transferring to a generalist role will be tricky but it also depends which track you join (integrative vs. expert consulting) and your office.  More specifically, if you don't have exposure outside operations client work, then it will be difficult to build a case for why you should be a generalist. 

Hi there,

In terms of “ease” it truly does depend on you! It depends on your background as well as the way you think/operate.

In terms of transferring it's possible but not super common. You need to be really good at what you do, network, and have a bit of luck/patience. I wouldn't bank on it. i.e. I wouldn't go into ops hoping to switch into generalist…I would just aim directly for generalist.

If you have a strong ops background… it is easier to get the ops interview. There's no comparable route to “generalist” as there isn't such a thing as “strong generalist background”.

Transfer… possible, but not that easy. They're hiring you for ops because they need an ops person, and also you'll be much more valuable to them in ops than as a generalist…

Hello!

It totally depends, it can be easier provided that you had an ops background that makes you stand out in their screening in a way that you wouldn´t in the generalist queue. 

And yes, I have seen quite some people changing, tough the other way arround, specializing.

Hope it helps!

Cheers, 

Clara