Work of a particular McKinsey or BCG office and why MBB

Use this "research" as an opportunity to network - two birds one stone. Find contacts through your network for quick calls/catchups (being very congnizant of the time you're asking from people).

Generally, you'll want to find out (and include in your reason "why"):

• Industries the office works in
• Functions the office specialises in
• What the culture (and size) of that office is
• Any "fun facts" that you can (do they do a monthly x or bi-annual y)

When preparing your "answer" you want to make sure to tell a story. "I come from x, I've learned y, AND I'm ready to take it to the next level with you for z reason.

Hi!

It should be your personal research since the reasons may vary in different geographies. Here are some ideas of what you can use to structure your thoughts:

• You can start with general facts about the local office. Something like “Sidney office is the fastest growing McKinsey office worldwide.”
• If you have an interest in a particular industry or client this may also be a great reason. For example, McK can be the only consulting firm working with airlines in your region.
• You may address the different Global opportunities and office initiatives. E.g. international staffing can be a good opportunity to learn about business in a particular country
• Try to combine professional and Non-business rational. If you have friends working in that company, don’t forget to mention them and what you’ve learned from their experience.
• You may use your other personal experiences like working with this McKinsey, it's deliverables or as it's client
• You can provide your personal experience of working with McKinsey Alums

Good luck!

Hi Anonymous,

even if you don’t know anyone in the office now, you can definitely connect with someone there (ideally alumni of your university) to obtain some information. This would also offer the advantage to potentially receive a referral from the person, in case you still have to apply.

You can find below some tips to connect with people for information/referrals:

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/hey-everyonehope-all-is-well-3176

In terms of general topics of why you should work for a specific company/office, potential options to mention include:

• Company/office potential: how much the company grew in the last year, which is a good guarantee for your future career as well
• Sectors of interest: specific focus of the company/office in areas interesting for you
• People you met and culture: specific people of the company/office you discussed with, and the things they shared on the company
• Your growth opportunities: specific programs of the company/office you heard about to enhance your growth
• Size/reputation of the firm: smaller companies usually offer a more entrepreneurial culture, with higher growth potential internally. Bigger companies have more resources and support staff, and more prestige in terms of exit

Hope this helps,

Francesco

If you search linkedin for "city company", you should get several names and, often, a brief description of their expertise. That should let you figure out what that particular office focuses on. How you then sell that information depends a lot on what you find and how it relates to your own experiences and interests. Good luck!