Advice for a graduate

I graduated in July from a non-target (top 30) university in the UK in Economics. I have been constantly changing my mind about which career to pursue. When I first started university I considered IB however the hours put me off. I didn't have much luck with spring weeks or internships and ended up with a placement in marketing.

I only started developing a keen interest in strat consulting whilst on placement. MBB is a long shot however I was wondering what firms I could apply to given my background. I will consider LEK, RB, ATK, Arthur D Little, and the big 4 which is my best bet.

But outside of pure strat firms what other options are there. I aim to work for a few years and then hopefully get an MBA at a top B school and make the transition to MBB. With regards firms such as PwC and KPMG is it better to secure a role in M&A even though I want to work in strat eventually. Is M&A at a boutique an option?

1 Comments
 

Ipsam rerum mollitia voluptatum. Ut illum dolores voluptates qui velit et omnis. Officiis necessitatibus qui fugiat aliquam.

Omnis officia non consequuntur dolor. Nobis consequatur sapiente et.

Provident quis aut distinctio aut iusto sed corrupti ut. Itaque dolore ut blanditiis voluptatibus quam consequatur occaecati. Voluptatum possimus maiores sit reprehenderit odio aut ad. Hic cumque illum aliquam nihil. Asperiores consequatur deserunt nam distinctio quaerat earum. Sed in eum velit odio quia eum.

Nulla aspernatur nihil accusantium facilis. Quo dolores sit fuga voluptatibus. Esse odio asperiores enim quaerat distinctio quaerat qui est. Provident non at repellendus aut occaecati aut eum. Odio ut illo magni et dolores non.

Career Advancement Opportunities

July 2026 Consulting

  • Boston Consulting Group 99.5%
  • Bain & Company 98.9%
  • McKinsey and Co 98.4%
  • Oliver Wyman 97.9%
  • LEK Consulting 97.4%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

July 2026 Consulting

  • Cornerstone Research 99.5%
  • Bain & Company 98.9%
  • Boston Consulting Group 98.4%
  • McKinsey and Co 97.9%
  • Oliver Wyman 97.4%

Professional Growth Opportunities

July 2026 Consulting

  • Bain & Company 99.5%
  • Boston Consulting Group 98.9%
  • McKinsey and Co 98.4%
  • Oliver Wyman 97.9%
  • LEK Consulting 97.4%

Total Avg Compensation

July 2026 Consulting

  • Partner (4) $361
  • Principal (30) $294
  • Director/MD (58) $274
  • Vice President (53) $247
  • Engagement Manager (113) $232
  • Manager (171) $173
  • 2nd Year Associate (185) $142
  • 3rd+ Year Associate (116) $135
  • Senior Consultant (354) $132
  • Consultant (642) $122
  • 1st Year Associate (577) $121
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (164) $121
  • NA (16) $114
  • Engineer (6) $114
  • 2nd Year Analyst (391) $104
  • Associate Consultant (176) $101
  • 1st Year Analyst (1163) $90
  • Intern/Summer Associate (208) $83
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (633) $68
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
4
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
5
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
6
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
7
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
8
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
9
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
10
bolo up's picture
bolo up
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”