Panel Discussion with McKinsey, Bain, & BCG
Panelists' Experiences in Consulting
1. Panelist background /Introduction(graduation year, college major, number of years with their firm)
2. Why did you decide to pursue consulting as a career? If it was a decision between consulting and another career, please also walk us through the decision making process .
3. How did you decide on the particular firm you’re with today or the particular location you’re in?
4. When you entered the field and started working on projects, what did you find most surprising about the space?
5. What has been your most enjoyable project to date? What made it so enjoyable?
6. Consulting is a fast-paced job--even more so for the top firms like McKinsey, Bain & BCG. How do you maintain work/life balance? How does your firm promote this work/life balance?
7. The firms that you represent serve some of the biggest companies in the world, and teams usually work closely with senior executives. As a young consultant, how did you build trust with these senior-level clients who have a lot of experience in their industries, and in meetings and team rooms, what helped you handle those client relationships with poise and confidence?
Consulting in General
8. What would you say sets the Big 3 apart from other consulting firms?
9. We hear a lot about teamwork in consulting; it’s a major theme in recruiting. Could you think of a time when you saw teamwork at its best?
10. There is a bit of a reputation out there that consulting is something to do for a few years and then pivot to something else. Are you seeing this to be true/Where do folks that leave end up? Startups, grad schools, industry?
Recruiting
11. What is the ideal candidate for your firm?
12. What skills can the students on this call start to hone to prepare for careers in consulting?
13. What do you know now that you wish you knew while you were in college about consulting at a Big 3 firm?
14. What is the last piece of advice can you give to help students on the call stand out in the process?