McKinsey - How difficult is it to move office? How soon after joining can you move office?

Hi,

All reasons are valid (personal or professional, don´t think/believe that transfers are only driven by professional factors).

The biggest handicap can be that both offices need to agree on the transfer, timings and conditions. The "future" office also requests feedback from the "previous" office and even conducts and internal recruitment process (this holds true also with transfer to the McKinsey Global Institute)

It is not true that you need to be a top performer (e.g., tracking-plus or distinctive), but, as mentioned, you need to have good feedback providers for the future office to accept you.

Regarding compensation, you negotiate with the office and you are given some money for relocation. And, what is more important, they help you with the visas!

Cheers!

Hi,
there is an official internal process that after 2 assessment (by the 2 offices) let you move. There are usually required 2 years in the first office

Best,
Antonello

Hi,

The valid reason can be one of the following:

• Personal circumstances (You significant other should live in the country)
• Established relationships with the local office (e.g. you've done several projects abroad and negotiated your relocation)
• Ability to work in the country legally + some projects in that office
• MBA + relocation

Pls note that in all these cases you should know the local language and you should most likely be a top performer.

If you mean rental costs - they don't cover any since it's your personal relocation. However, there is often a relocation bonus

Best

Dear A,

Are you talking about transfers?

I need to say that transfers are a pretty tricky thing and require a lot of sensitive political skills.

Different companies offer three types of transfers:

1. Temporary project assignment abroad (for the duration of the project)
2. Short-term office exchange programms (usually between 3 and 12 months depending on the company)
3. Permanent office transfer

All of them are different in terms of difficulty to get. While project assignments abroad are quite common and easy to get, permanent office transfers are very challenging and require hard work from your end and a bit of luck.

In any way you would need the support of your mentor, the staffing manager in your region as well as partner in the targeted office, who will push your transfer.

If you need any help, just drop me a PM.

Happy to share my experience.

Best,

André

I had to change offices in McKinsey due to personal reasons in less than a year and they were very accommodating. If you have a good reason and spend some time networking with the partners in the office you want to move to you will have no issues