Stress in an MBB: Advice on my situation please

Absolutely—I've coached many analysts and associates at BCG facing exactly the same issue. This experience is very common, especially at an MBB firm. Consulting can be intense, particularly during your first 6–12 months. Here are practical strategies to help you overcome these challenges:

1. Recognize This Is Normal (and Temporary)

Feeling overwhelmed and making mistakes initially is common. You're learning rapidly, and discomfort is often part of growth. Trust that your experience is typical and temporary.

2. Managing a Challenging Supervisor

Having a supervisor who gets agitated or annoyed by questions can significantly increase your stress. Here’s how to handle it constructively:

• Batch Your Questions: Group your questions and clarify them all at once to minimize interruptions.

• Frame Questions Proactively: Present what you've done and suggest possible solutions. For example:

  "I've explored approach X and Y, and I'm leaning toward Y. Does this align with your expectations?"

• Identify Allies: Build relationships with senior analysts, associates, or approachable team members who can guide and support you. Having these allies is key, especially when your direct supervisor seems intimidating.
• Rotate to New Projects: If the project duration is long (e.g., 6+ months), consider rotating to a new project. Handle this carefully and thoughtfully (happy to provide further advice).

3. Balancing Speed and Accuracy

Your goal isn't perfection, but consistency and reliability. Try these methods:

• One Thorough Pass + Quick Review: Complete your tasks carefully once, step away briefly, then return for a single structured check focused on frequent errors.
• Track Your Mistakes: Keep notes on common errors your supervisor identifies. Regularly reviewing these notes will help you avoid repeat mistakes.

4. Accelerating Your Improvement

Improvement can feel slow at first. Here’s how to speed up your progress:

• Ask for Feedback Proactively: Initially request specific feedback weekly, then shift to every two weeks as you improve. For example:

  "Can you suggest two areas I should specifically focus on next week?"

• Leverage Past Projects and Internal Resources: Regularly review previous high-quality deliverables. This approach significantly helps in understanding how to structure your answers, design effective slides, and approach common problems.
• Set Structured Improvement Goals: Each month, clearly focus on improving 1–2 specific skills (e.g., slide structuring, analysis clarity, Excel accuracy).

5. Manage Stress and Maintain Well-being

Managing stress is crucial:

• Short Breaks: Take regular, brief breaks to refresh your mind.
• Physical Health: Prioritize sleep, exercise, hydration, and good nutrition.
• Share Experiences: Talk openly with peers or mentors. You'll discover you're not alone in how you feel.

Final Thought

You were hired because of your potential, not because you were expected to be perfect immediately. Be patient, proactive, and persistent—you're making more progress than you realize.

Hey there. 

1. This is a very typical experience for a new joiner at a consulting firm. Don't beat yourself up. This is normal. 

2. A friend of mine at BCG used to say "there is a lot of hope in this job". What he meant, if you are stuck with a bad manager (which sounds like you are) (or a bad client, bad travel, etc...) it is most likely short-lived. So hang in there 

3. For the trade-off of speed vs. quality. Err on the side of quality (which sounds like you are). You will get faster over time. Again, totally normal progression. 

Hang in there and don't be too hard on yourself! 

-Andreas

A lot of consultants (the majority?) goes through this.

1. You need a checklist that you use as you do work. 

2. You have to always do the analysis or slides "the right way", no shortcuts of any kind. Make sure you spend time doing the analysis in an organized way.

3. You use the checklist as you do the work. Then you use it again to review the whole work

4. Before you send your analysis always think about the implications of the result. Usually this is where good managers find issues - the output has weird implications, and then they feel the need to go an revise the assumptions that lead to that result... frequently finding errors. 

This is how pro's do it!

Hello there!

That’s very common, been there and I know the pain. Spoiler: you’ll get way much better in a few months and will find all this stuff easy.. and new challenges will then come! :)

Can you elaborate more on your main issues so I can give you targeted advice?

Also, in advance I must say that having a tenured colleague and a DGL / lead to help you navigate this first months is very, very helpful.

Waiting on your response!

Mari

Hi there, 

this has happened to all of us, so hang in there, it will get better, trust me! :) 

What you can do in the meantime: 

1. Create a structured list of things that you check prior to send out. This will help you do the sanity checks quickly. Tailor this list to what you respective PL is looking for (e.g., format vs. content)

2. Get feedback often and early. While in an ideal world, a manager tells you exactly what you need to improve on, oftentimes, he or she is so stressed and swamped that they do not take time for that. The result is you making similar mistakes over and over and they are scolding you for it. Be proactive and have an open and honest discussion about what is expected / required of you. 

3. Dont lose hope, projects are usually rather short. If you get staffed on a particularly tough project or have a very frustrating PL, usually it only lasts for a few weeks / months until you get onto something new. Hang in there! 

Best, 
Sebastian

Hi there,

You're not alone in this - what you're going through is a common struggle for new analysts, especially in a high-pressure environment like MBB.

A few things to keep in mind:

1. Learning curves are steep: Five months in, you're still adjusting. Mistakes are part of the process, and even experienced consultants make them. The key is how you adapt and minimize repeated ones (see below). At around 6 months, expectations would rise.
2. Difficult managers are everywhere: Some are great coaches, others just expect you to "get it" without much guidance. If your manager is harsh and unapproachable, focus on learning from their feedback without taking their tone personally (easier said than done, I know).
3. Speed vs. accuracy balance: This is tricky early on. The reality is, no one expects perfection, but they do expect you to catch the big things. Try to identify patterns in your mistakes and create quick-check frameworks to help you review efficiently.
4. Your progression isn’t slow: MBB sets an intense pace, but that doesn’t mean you're behind. Many new hires feel like they're struggling, even if they don’t say it out loud. Once you master one part of the job you either get more work to finish in a shorter amount of time or new responsibilities like managing clients. Keep focusing on steady improvement and the things you are good at (developing strengths is easier and one way to stand out) while also learning how to minimize mistakes.

This job is tough, and it's normal to feel overwhelmed. Keep refining your approach, seek out peers for advice, and if your supervisor is truly toxic, see if you can get support from others on the team or your mentor. You’ve got this!

Cheers,

Florian

Hey there ?,

First—you’re not alone, and what you’re describing is extremely common, especially in the first 6 months at MBB. The pace, expectations, and pressure can feel overwhelming, and a tough supervisor doesn’t help.

Here’s what I’d say, from experience and from coaching others in exactly your shoes:

? You’re still early—MBB expects a learning curve

5 months in, you’re not expected to be perfect. The key is: are you showing ownership, learning from feedback, and steadily improving? Mistakes happen—it’s how you respond and recover that matters.

⏳ Speed vs. accuracy is a real tension

Try this:
– Do one full pass quickly, send for a gut check (if possible), and then do a tighter review before final delivery
– Keep a personal “mistake tracker”—it helps you spot patterns and avoid repeating small slip-ups
– If your supervisor gets agitated, try to group questions or confirm direction early, so they’re not surprised later

?‍? It’s okay to feel overwhelmed

Don’t let a difficult supervisor shake your confidence. Many great consultants had rocky starts, and the right support can make a huge difference. If you ever want help with speed, structure, or mental reset strategies, I’d be happy to support you—I’ve been there too.

You’ve got this. Really.
Best, Alessa ?