One MBB to another for full-time?

Bain BCG full-time MBB McKinsey recruiting Summer Internship
New answer on Apr 18, 2023
8 Answers
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Anonymous A asked on Apr 12, 2023

I am incredibly grateful and fortunate to have received an offer (undergraduate summer associate position) this summer with BCG at one of their US locations. In 4-5 years, though, I am hoping to leave consulting to work in VC or PE instead, ideally. From a few conversations I have had recently, it seems like BCG's exits to these specific fields are not as strong as McKinsey's (or Bain's for PE, I guess). 

Is it worth my time to re-recruit for the other two full-time for such a reason? How difficult would it be to explain or switch from one company to another? 

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Matteo
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replied on Apr 18, 2023
McKinsey & Company | Currently offering 1 free coaching session| Happy to PARTNER with you to get an offer from MBB

Hello Dear, 

First of all big congratulations for your offer. 

In my opinion it is not worth but following my specific answers to your questions: 

1) Is it worth my time to re-recruit for the other two full-time for such a reason?

First of all, I would say that a background in one of the MBB is an excellent one and there is not a BIG difference between them in terms of VC or PE exit. I would put your focus on the following factors: 

  • Partecipate in PE projects as much as possible and try to perform exceptionally
  • Network with professional of the sectors both in BCG and through other online channels such as LinkedIn 
  • Build your own story (e.g., the reasons why you choose BCG and why you think this would help for a career in PE) 

2) How difficult would it be to explain or switch from one company to another?

Linking back to the previous answer I do not think it is necessary but in case you can leverage some of the following reasons: 

  • Strong interest for PE and VC practice, better in Bain/McKinsey compared to BCG
  • Your personal link to one of those firms (e.g., dream company ecc. ) 

Hope it helps, 

Good luck, 

Matteo

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Francesco
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replied on Apr 12, 2023
#1 Coach for Sessions (4.000+) | 1.500+ 5-Star Reviews | Proven Success (➡ InterviewOffers.com) | Ex BCG | 10Y+ Coaching

Hi there,

Congratulations on the BCG offer! In terms of your question:

1) Is it worth my time to re-recruit for the other two full-time for such a reason? 

I moved to VC after BCG so it is possible to do so. It took 3 months of solid networking though.

The likelihood depends also on your geography.

Personally I would also take into account the fit with the company besides the possible future exit in 5 years for a few reasons:

  1. You may change plans and not look at PE and VC anymore
  2. What if you love the BCG culture and McK or Bain are not a fit? In this case it might not be worth having 5 meh-years just because maybe you are going to have a better exit later

If you think there could be a better fit with McK and Bain, by all means you can interview with them, but I would keep both factors (exits and fit) in mind. You can also double-check the info you got via conversation via research on LinkedIn to confirm the exits from McK and Bain are better.

2) How difficult would it be to explain or switch from one company to another? 

You can use the sector focus as a reason, but I would add a couple of other reasons as well (eg people). You can find a structure for that below:

How to Answer "Why us" in a Consulting Interview

Good luck!

Francesco

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Cristian
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Content Creator
replied on Apr 12, 2023
#1 rated MBB & McKinsey Coach

Hi there, 

No, it's really not worth it. 

How easy your exit from one firm vs another is a matter of perception. There's no reliable data on it. What matters far more is what you do during your time in the firm, the experience that you gather and the value proposition that you develop. 

For instance, if you work mostly in the PIPE practice of BCG for a couple of years, you'll have a very attractive profile for VCs/PEs rather than working on random projects in Bain or McKinsey. 

Sharing with you also two guides you might find useful to ensure you hit the ground running on the new job:

Best,
Cristian

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ALEXANDRE on Apr 12, 2023

Hi, I confirm what other coaches says : it's really not worth it. The most efficient thing to do is to find the accurate practice and work for it at BCG in order to prepare your transistion. The only reason to switch from one MBB to another MBB is that you don't fit with the culture of the firm. Cheers, Alexandre

Ian
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replied on Apr 13, 2023
#1 BCG coach | MBB | Tier 2 | Digital, Tech, Platinion | 100% personal success rate (8/8) | 95% candidate success rate

Hi there,

You can if you like. If you feel like you will regret not trying in the future, feel free.

That said, I personally wouldn't.

I have colleagues who went into the PIPE practice at BCG (PE/VC) and are setup beautify for a PE/VC exit. BCG has this practice area and you can shine in it. What Bain “gains” in PE focus, it “loses” in 1) Global brand recognition/standing and 2) Diversity of projects (Not saying Bain is bad, just that there is a “cost” of going to Bain).

But, do what you want! If you feel you want to re-recruit sure…I just personally would be more focused on doing well at BCG (it's exhausting and challenging), and feel comfortable/rested knowing I didn't have to worry about more interviews.

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Andreas
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replied on Apr 12, 2023
McKinsey EM | Top MBB Coach | >70% Success Rate | Free Introductory Calls

Hi there,

the expertise and network you build is more important than the consultancy you work for. I would advise you to get exposure to the PE practice to be able to get projects in the field and get to know PE consultants and clients.

Best regards,

Andreas

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Hagen
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Content Creator
replied on Apr 12, 2023
#1 Bain coach | >95% success rate | interviewer for 8+ years | mentor and coach for 7+ years

Hi there,

First of all, congratulations on the BCG internship offer!

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

  • First of all, while it is great to see that you have a mid- to long-term career plan, since you are only doing an internship and plan to move into the PE/VC space in 4-5 years, I would highly advise you to consider other options for making your profile PE/VC-ready than interning as well with McKinsey and Bain.
  • While it might be true that BCG does not have a strong reputation in PE consulting and, as such, may not offer great exit opportunities in this industry, I would advise you to consider an internship at a PE/VC company instead to ensure that your profile is PE/VC-ready.

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

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Emily
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Content Creator
replied on Apr 15, 2023
Ex McKinsey EM & interviewer (5 yrs) USA & UK| Coached / interviewed 300 +|Free 15 min intro| Stanford MBA|Non-trad

I wouldn't recommend trying to re-recruit. Your exit opportunities will be dependent on the network which you build during the time at an organisation, as well as how well you perform. I would focus instead on nailing your role at BCG and you never know where things will take you. 

Good luck! 

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Pedro
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replied on Apr 15, 2023
30% off in March 2024 | Bain | EY-Parthenon | Roland Berger | Market Sizing | DARDEN MBA

You can do it. But, it is not clear to me that it is that relevant. 

You see, there's a bit of self-selection here. People going to Bain are more prone to want to work in VC/PE. So you may see more Bainies because of their own self-selection (which is exactly what you are planning to do).

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Matteo gave the best answer

Matteo

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