The way from a small manufacturing company to MBB

Hi there,

1) I wonder how likeable my overall profile would be for MBBs? Especially for the offices in the ME, where historically mostly Public, Oil & Gas have power.

If you apply as an MBA student at a top school, you can definitely have a chance. The likelihood depends also on how strong is your CV and if you manage to get a referral.

2) How many people in MBB have manufacturing background? Or shall I say industrial? 

Industrial goods is definitely an important practice for most consulting companies. The best way to see the relevance for a specific company in a specific office is to network with consultants there.

3) Frankly, I wish I did not get my consulting offer long time ago. But, maybe my deep understanding of manufacturing processes would be valuable as well?

It could definitely be useful, it depends on what exactly you did.

Best,

Francesco

Hi there,

1. I wonder how likeable my overall profile would be for MBBs? Especially for the offices in the ME, where historically mostly Public, Oil & Gas have power.
 I think your profile could be attractive! In particular, that MBA is huge. Of course, make sure to optimize your resume and network extensively to improve your odds.

2. How many people in MBB have  manufacturing background? Or shall I say industrial?

I would say a small percentage, but, quite honestly, the “small percentage” answer would exist for pretty much any other profession (law, healthcare, IT, music, etc.). The makeup of MBBers is incredibly diverse!

3. Frankly, I wish I did not get my consulting offer long time ago. But, maybe my deep understanding of manufacturing processes would be valuable as well?

You can do a LOT of things with your resume! As long as you demonstrate consulting-related skillsets/responsibilities, you can make your resume attractive!

Hi there,

First of all, congratulations on the great career progression so far!

This is indeed an interesting question which is probably relevant for quite a lot of users, so I am happy to provide my perspective on it:

• Generally speaking, both your work experience (though I can only guess what you are doing exactly) and the upcoming MBA will definitely play in your favor. While the size of your current employer will not make it very interesting for MBB, your work experience still does. In case you are working in the key industries of the ME, this will obviously play in your favor as well.
• To answer your question regarding your background in MBB, it really depends on the definition. In case you mean people with an engineering background, I would say about 20-30% of all employees. However, very few people are senior hires, and even less have a background in manufacturing.
• I highly advise you to just give it a try and not worry too much about it in advance. You have a lot to offer to consulting companies, you just need to make sure it stands out in your application.

In case you want a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare your upcoming consulting applications already during MBA, please feel free to contact me directly.

I hope this helps,

Hagen

Once you get in a top MBA school, you get a fresh start. This is what they will value the most, so there's a good chance to get the interview. 

They value people with a diverse background, so coming from manufacturing is not a disadvantage, quite the opposite, it's something that makes you stand out from the pack, and that works to your advantage (even in the Middle East).

Hello,

I'm noticing that MBBs are moving towards more operational, practical, hands-on projects (ops transformation, ops analysis in an M&A, etc.), so a person that knows what they are talking about  in terms of a plant functioning is EXTREMELY valuable, especially with an MBA. 

There are still few people with such a practical background, especially on the senior level, but the number is definitely increasing, as the consultancies are actively recruiting them.

The bottom line is that your profile is undoubtedly attractive, in my opinion, but you have to assess whether consulting is attracting for YOU. Keep in mind that consulting is still filled with a lot of theoretical work, which might be frustrating for senior managers with a lot of hands-on experience. But if you ready for this paradigm shift, then best of luck!