“I found my mentoring session with André very helpful, particularly because I came into it with very little understanding of commercial banking. My background is in life sciences and healthcare, and most of my career exploration so far has focused on consulting. Although I had become interested in commercial banking, I had not previously explored the area in any depth. I therefore needed a clear starting point and an honest conversation about what I should understand before deciding whether to pursue it.
André helped me establish that starting point. The session gave me a clearer way to think about commercial banking, how it differs from consulting, and what I still need to learn. Before the conversation, I was looking at opportunities and wondering whether I should begin applying alongside consulting applications. Afterwards, I understood that I needed to take a step back and make a more informed decision about whether the work genuinely interests me.
One of the most valuable aspects of the session was how it helped me recognise the gaps in my current understanding. I knew that I was new to banking, but I did not necessarily know which questions I needed to answer for myself. André’s guidance helped me think more clearly about where I am now, what I am missing, and what I should begin doing next. Having that direction was useful because it made the process feel more manageable. Rather than treating banking as a broad and unfamiliar industry, I now have a clearer starting point for learning about it.
A particularly helpful message was that I should first develop a better understanding of commercial banking and assess whether I actually like the work. I took away a sensible sequence: understand the area, decide whether it appeals to me, and then, if it does, commit to learning and preparing for applications. If I discover that the work does not suit my interests, I should be willing to recognise that and focus my efforts elsewhere. That advice sounds straightforward, but it was an important perspective for me at this stage.
The conversation made me realise that I should not rush into applying for commercial banking roles simply because I have found programmes that look interesting. Before the session, I was at risk of moving too quickly from curiosity to applications without having a strong enough understanding of the career itself. André helped me see the value of being more deliberate. I would rather make a considered application based on a genuine interest in the work than spend time applying to positions I cannot yet explain my motivation for pursuing.
Another important takeaway was recognising how substantial the differences between banking and consulting can be. Because consulting has been my main focus, it had become my reference point when thinking about other careers. The session helped me realise that I cannot assume banking will involve similar work, suit the same preferences, or require exactly the same preparation. I need to understand banking on its own terms rather than view it mainly as another option alongside consulting.
I also appreciated that the session was useful even though I did not finish it with a final career decision. At this exploratory stage, greater clarity about what I do not yet know is meaningful progress. I now feel better equipped to evaluate my interest, identify what I need to learn, and decide whether commercial banking deserves a more focused place in my career plans.
Overall, André was very helpful, and the session met an important need for me as someone starting with limited knowledge of the field. Its greatest value was giving me direction and encouraging a more thoughtful approach to my next steps. I left with a clearer understanding of my knowledge gaps, a more realistic perspective on the difference between banking and consulting, and a better sense of how to move forward before committing to applications.”
I work at one of those MBB's in SF, and my roommate works at the other. So I will caveat that all my input is based on our experiences.
The biggest difference between our lifestyles I can notice is the travel. In the SF offices, McKinsey travels pretty much every week while Bain does not really at all. I do think this has pros and cons - at McKinsey you meet and work with a wider variety of people, because most of the time you'll be staffed on projects with people from other offices. On the other hand, Bain you tend to work with the same pool of local people, but it also means you get to know those people really well. So it's a tradeoff.
In terms of the work/industry strengths, to be honest my roommate and I don't talk too much about our clients, but I think at McKinsey you definitely get the ability to explore more industries/clients just by virtue of the travel staffing model. Of course, both McKinsey/Bain SF seem to have quite a few clients in tech/healthcare.
If your goal is PE, I think Bain definitely has people who are more interested in Finance, and a higher percentage of the work seems to be DD's. Quite a few Bain AC's are interested in gunning for PE, whereas McKinsey has only a handful in each class (maybe like 10%). That being said, if your goal is PE I don't think choosing one or the other necessarily gives you a leg up though - you can do plenty of DD/Finance work at either.
The last thing is the culture - trying to be as objective as possible, Bain does an amazing job of maintaining their culture and selling it very well: AC class is very tight knit since they often work together/see each other in the office everyday, tend to be sort of fratty but very smart people, athletes, etc. McKinsey just doesn't have that same "fratty" feel - everyone is smart but feels like a more socially diverse group of people (some fratty ppl, some student body presidents, more introverted academics, etc). I think McKinsey still has a great BA culture, but it's just different - you tend to find a pocket of BA's and become really close with them, and mostly see people on Friday's at the office as well as events over the weekend. I think McKinsey tends to win most cross offers over Bain in SF (not that it should influence your decision) but almost always the reason why cross offers cite as their reason for choosing Bain is culture. p to you to decide what vibes with you!
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