Project selection MBB

Hi,

Typical projects with focus on more qual than quant:

1. Early phase strategy (visioning aspect etc)
2. Organization / People
3. PMO
4. Internal research papers (sometimes heavy qual involved)

A couple of important pointers that I strongly encourage you to take note of :

1. In most places and instances you will not have the choice of what project you get staffed on (or at least they are alot of variables that go into the equation that you cannot control)
2. In the firm, we want to make sure that we hire the best and right people. Thus it is in the firm's interest to place you in a project that tests both qual and quant - which are both essential skills in consulting
3. I know that your immediate concern is of course getting a return offer - and while it is important to strategize and be smart, recognize that eventually you will be tested if you start the full time role. I know of people in MBB who have been counselled out only after just 6 months.
4. Thus its really important to start builidng an attitude of “how do I get this done despite not being an expert/good in this?”

All the best!

Hi there, 

It has nothing to do with the types of projects. 

Really, it only has to do with you. 

Tougher projects might actually give you more opportunity to ‘prove yourself’ than easier ones do. So your objective is to just perform well regardless of context. 

Here are a few materials you might find useful to help you with the preparation process:

• How to Survive Your First Year as a Management Consultant
• The Truth About Consulting Work Hours: What You Need to Know

Best,
Cristian

Hi there,

It's extremely unlikely that you will be able to control your fate here. You will get put on the proejct that they want to put you on.

If you truly want to succeed, I recommend you 1) Do prep now for that (learn the consulting toolkit now) and 2) Hire a coach to support you during the internship.

These 2 things will maximize your odds of get a return offer.

There's a very clear ROI here for your personal investment!

Some reading to help: https://www.preplounge.com/en/articles/tips-for-consultans

I advise not to worry about the project you will be staffed on. Trust the staffing teams to consider your experience. Getting a return offer really depends on your performance. It is almost certain you will have to deal with a new topic/type of analysis, etc.

Hi there,

First of all, you'll typically not be in a position to select your project as an intern.

That said, MBB firms will seek to evaluate your skillset holistically before they make a hiring decision, so it's hard to “hide” your flaws in most cases. 

Hence, would not worry too much about the project allocation upfront - as long as you listen to your superiors, take feedback seriously and work on the development areas they tell you about, you will be on a good track for conversion.

Feel free to reach out to me or the other coaches for advice on how you can get your quant aptitude up to (sufficient) standard in the meantime. Still have time to come in prepared. 

Wish you all the best.

Regards, Andi

In general, it doesn't matter - but you are asking what is more suitable for your profile. Qualitative vs. quantitative is not very informative, but based on that I would suggest an implementation / transformation type of project.