Hi there,

Congrats on already having a good offer! With hard work and determination (and patience!)  you can absolutely keep progressing.

1. How do I strategize joining an MBB in a years time?

Get on great projects and perform well. NEtwork closer to the date. Get a stronger resume. Study more effectively to pass the assessment

1. When is the appropriate time to move from one firm to the other? Is it advisable to work for 2 years before going for MBB?

No harm in going for MBB in 1 year, but, set expectations as a jump from Accenture to MBB after just 1 year work is quite rare.

What other skill sets do I need to develop to stand out?

Less on skillsets and more on experience (promotions, network, etc)

I am still very curious about my performance /feedback from Kearney, its been 4 months since I interviewed. Should I reach out again or I might look like a nuisance?

Leave it. If you want to know how your casing is, use the new salary and signing bonus to get a coach!

Kearney feedback, even if they gave it, would not be particularly insightful. Get a coach to genuinely understand your performance and what needs fixing.

Hi there,

here some thoughts..

1. How to join MBB after 1 year? Might take a bit longer to maximize the probability (a bit more tenure helps, while not a must - see 2), but generally speaking just get your application materials in top shape.
2. When is the right time to move? Would say 18-24 months is ideal, but there is no hard rule to this.
3. Skills to develop? Think about it this way - which skills do they test in case interviews? ACN Strategy on your resume + strong academics will help you pass screening. From then on, it's the typical casing skills + fit that get you offer. No need to overthink things - same rules apply.
4. Reach out to Kearney? Doesn't hurt asking, if you want to get some further insights into your development areas.

Wish you all the best.

Regards, Andi

Hello,

To answer your questions:

How do I strategize joining an MBB in a years time?

Do good work at Accenture! Be sure to network with MBB closer to the time of your application, and spend some time workshopping your CV and resume.

When is the appropriate time to move from one firm to the other? Is it advisable to work for 2 years before going for MBB?

I would say to work at Accenture for at least 1 year before jumping ship.
 

What other skill sets do I need to develop to stand out?

I think it will be important to be proactive, volunteer to do things, learn quickly, network with colleagues, etc. – essentially, be the best consultant you can be! This will enable you to learn a range of different useful skills, as well as give you lots of great material to put on your resume and talk about in your interview.

I am still very curious about my performance /feedback from Kearney, its been 4 months since I interviewed. Should I reach out again or I might look like a nuisance?

I would say that that ship has sailed – I suspect they’ve filed away their notes by now.

Hi!

1. How do I strategize joining an MBB in a years time?

One year might be too tight for a move from Accenture to MBB. See next point.

2. When is the appropriate time to move from one firm to the other? Is it advisable to work for 2 years before going for MBB?

The best point is time to move “upwards” to a higher tier firm is shortly after a promotion. From experience, this has proven to be a strong signal which also rules out performance concerns that the MBB recruiters might have.

3. What other skill sets do I need to develop to stand out?

Conceptual work, analytical work, destillation of insights, capability transfer, evidence of continuous excellence. These are the rough categories that need to be strong on your profile.

4. I am still very curious about my performance /feedback from Kearney, its been 4 months since I interviewed. Should I reach out again or I might look like a nuisance?

My honest answer: I think you have very low chances to get anything useful from them. Maybe if you directly reach out to your interviewers and they remember you/still have their notes. But you can try - won't have too much downside.

Hope this helps!

Cheers, Sidi

_______________________

Dr. Sidi Koné 

(Former Senior Engagement Manager and Interviewer at McKinsey | Former Senior Consultant and Interviewer at BCG)

Hi there, 

Congrats on the offer!

Let me take your questions one by one.

1. How do I strategize joining an MBB in a years time?
   1. Ensure that you have a great application package - great CV & CL (get them professionally reviewed)
   2. Get referrals for all the MBBs - here's how to do it if you don't have contacts and need to use linkedin: Free Guide: How To Get Referrals Via LinkedIn? 
   3. If it doesn't work out in a year, apply again the year after. You will have a stronger value prop by then. 
2. When is the appropriate time to move from one firm to the other? Is it advisable to work for 2 years before going for MBB?
   1. There's no appropriate time, but generally it happens around the 2 year mark. That's when they assume that you already got the skillset from that particular firm
3. What other skill sets do I need to develop to stand out?
   1. For now, the main challenge is to pass screening. To do that, follow my advice from question 1
   2. Then, make sure that you are distinctive in both casing and personal fit. 
   3. This guide goes into more detail on how to optimise for your performance during the application process: Free Guide: Build A Winning Application Strategy
4. I am still very curious about my performance /feedback from Kearney, its been 4 months since I interviewed. Should I reach out again or I might look like a nuisance?
   1. It looks like a nuisance by now. Drop it. They won't give you feedback unfortunately. I know it's annoying. Consulting firms should do a better job at this but they optimising for their costs.

Best,
Cristian

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Practicing for interviews? Check out my latest case based on a first-round MBB interview >>> SoyTechnologies  

In short - I would recommend 2+ years in your current role before transferring. This is to allow sufficient time to gain valuable experience/skills you can leverage for an MBB transfer conversation and position you as a strong candidate. 

The reality is that demand for experienced hires is broadly driven at a macro level (with exceptions for roles that require very specific knowledge). When the economy is strong, hiring is robust then spending on consulting is high and MBB are quick to snap up experienced hires who can come in and hit the ground running. Given current economic conditions I think in two years you're likely to be in a market where your skills will be in high demand by mbb. If you try too soon you might face a tepid recruiting situation. 

Regarding feedback from Kearney - it's a shame they didn't get back to you. That's not a good look on them and them and makes it look like they don't really value their candidates much. At this point you're better off asking a coach for what you need to work on vs waiting on them. I would let it go. 

(edited)