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McKinsey Orientation Dresscode

BCG McKinsey and Bain McKinsey & Company
New answer on May 24, 2022
7 Answers
2.9 k Views
Anonymous A asked on May 23, 2022

Hi everyone, 

Thanks to everyone here, I landed a job at McKinsey! 
 

I was just told the orientation will be in-person for all USA new hires. I am wondering does anyone here have recommendations for what I need to bring - am I expected to wear suits everyday? 
 

I have seen most people on Reddit say business casual (just a nice dress shirt) is fine but I wanted to confirm with the preplounge community!

 

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Francesco
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replied on May 24, 2022
#1 Coach for Sessions (4.500+) | 1.500+ 5-Star Reviews | Proven Success (➡ interviewoffers.com) | Ex BCG | 10Y+ Coaching

Hi there,

Congratulations on the offer!

As mentioned by Stanislav, the best thing is to follow what HR will say. If they don’t provide information, you can proactively contact them. Most likely it will be business casual but I would wait for their confirmation as there could be differences according to the office.

I would also keep a more formal backup just in case (you may also have a final event requiring it). 

All the best for a great start!

Francesco

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Ian
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replied on May 24, 2022
#1 BCG coach | MBB | Tier 2 | Digital, Tech, Platinion | 100% personal success rate (8/8) | 95% candidate success rate

Congrats on the offer!

The welcome email should tell you what is allowed.

I personally prefer dressing 1 level up on day one, then assessing from there. Ultimately you need to think “what will I feel comfortable walking into the building in?”

If it were me, I would wear a suit without a tie. I'd keep it flexible where I could take off the jacket if everyone was dressed a level down.

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Cristian
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replied on May 23, 2022
#1 rated MBB & McKinsey Coach

Hi there, 

Congrats! Glad to hear that you're getting started. 

Business casual is indeed the norm, but more important than this is to wear something that makes you feel good. The entire industry, as well as the clients, are becoming increasingly more relaxed about attire. If anything, it's a chance to prove that you're not the standard ‘stiff’ consultant wearing a suit and tie. So don't be afraid to be creative with your clothes (obviously, avoid top hats and animal prints haha). 

Best,

Cristian

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Ken
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replied on May 23, 2022
Ex-McKinsey final round interviewer | Executive Coach

Definitely no need for a suit.  Shirt and chinos/jeans for men is completely acceptable.  You will likely even see some people in polos if it’s the summer.

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Stanislav
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replied on May 23, 2022
Ex-McKinsey AP | Interviewed 50+ candidates, gave 10+ offers | Own MBB-inspired cases | Oxford and Cambridge graduate

Hi there, congratulations on landing the job! Awesome stuff :)

You should receive the info on the dress code in the welcome emails / communication, and failing that – don't hesitate to reach out to the recruiter who contacted you / is organizing the onboarding. 

From my time at McKinsey US, in terms of male clothing New York and Chicago tended to favor suits and dress shirts but no tie, while the West Coast tended to be jacket-less and tie-less, but still with a nice dress shirt and suit pants. 

My advice for you would be – dress a bit more formally at the beginning (suit and shirt or female equivalent), you can always dress down later if the atmosphere allows. 

And in any case – enjoy your first week and spend time with the other newcomers. You might forge friendships to last for years! 

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Anonymous B replied on May 23, 2022

Congrats on joining the Firm! Agree with Stanislav, you'll probably receive an onboarding email with details regarding dress code. I started in one of the GC offices and my onboarding batch were in suits for reference.  This might differ depending on region, but in any case it's always better to be overdressed than under so I highly recommend suit the first few days. 
 

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Florian
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replied on May 24, 2022
Highest-rated McKinsey coach (ratings, offers, sessions) | 500+ offers | Author of The 1% & Consulting Career Secrets

Hey there,

The dress code is communicated in the invitation email along with other logistics detail.

If not, then just ask email via HR.

All the best at McKinsey :-)

Cheers,

Florian

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