Hi there,

As part of your learning, please be concise and direct. 

Lead with your question.

This is going to be immensely important to succeed as a consultant. We did not need your 1st two paragraphs…all you had to ask was “how do I transfer to Switzerland as a German speaker”.

I've transfered a few times within companies and have the following advice:

1) Build a stellar reputation - do good work, work hard, and be known as "the guy/gal" for xx

2) Build your network - network agressively (yes, networking doesn't end once you've gotten the job offer). Make sure you're known by and have allies in people who make decisions such as staffing managers, Partners (specifically those responsible for recruiting/resources and who are heads of industry/function verticals), etc.

2) b). When I say network "aggressively" please don't be needy/annoying :) There's nothing worse than someone who is obviously working the room or trying to please!

3) Look out for opportunities - Look for office transfers, short-term projects, ambassadorships, etc.)

4) Practice patience and be flexible - This might take a year or two. And you need to be ready to go at the flip of a coin.

Hi there,

First of all, congratulations on the offers!

I think this is an interesting question that may be relevant for many people. I would be happy to share my thoughts on it:

• It's important to note that office transfers are typically based on the firm's business needs and the individual's performance within the company. The criteria and process for office transfers can vary from firm to firm, but in general, the following conditions are usually considered:
  • Be a part of the business for a sufficient amount of time (somewhere in the range of at least 1-2 years).
  • Perform consistently in the top X% of the company (which often also takes time to position yourself in the company).
  • Be fluent in the language spoken there. That would be English, German, and French for the Zurich office, with French proficiency preferred but not necessary.
  • Local commercial demand is vivid. It's important to keep in mind that the strategy consulting industry is currently experiencing a hiring slowdown with an undetermined end. To my knowledge, Swiss offices were among the first to experience this slowdown.
• Given that you have a solid reason for wanting to transfer, such as a partner living in Switzerland, and you meet most of the above criteria, an office transfer should generally be possible. However, it's recommended to speak with your HR contact or a mentor within the firm to get a better understanding of the specific requirements and process for office transfers. They may also be able to provide you with more information on the likelihood of a transfer to the Zurich office.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to address your specific situation, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

(edited)

Hello,

It is generally firm-specific, but MBBs and majority of Tier-2 firms generally do permit office transfers under the following conditions: 

1) Reasonable timeframe of service at the firm (for BCG specifically, this is 1.5 years)

2) Top 30% performance (which also takes time to demonstrate, so the 1.5 years timeframe in reality is more like 2 years)

3) Fluency in local language (For Zurich office, that would be English and German, with French knowledge being desirable but not required)

4) Local business demand (There is a worldwide slowdown in consulting at the moment, but this is expected to reverse in 2023, so should also positively impact the Swiss offices)

As long as you have the above and a reasonable reason such as the one you highlighted, an office transfer should generally be possible

Hi there,

Petros already provided a perfect answer! It is definitely not a short-term endeavor in any case.

I want to add one thing: As far as I know, McKinsey Switzerland has stopped hiring at the moment and even withdrew interview invitations for Q1. The current situation does not play in your favor. Let's hope it improves soon!

All the best,

Florian

Hello!

I secured a transfer to Switzerland (where McK used to have a branch of the MGI) without knowing German, so you will be fine!

Cheers, 

Clara