BB to MBB lateral
Around 8 months into a BB after lateraling but realising I’m not a fan - is it crazy to try and lateral to MBB?
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Based on the most helpful WSO content, lateraling from a BB to MBB is not unheard of, but it does come with challenges. Here are some key considerations:
Timing and Experience: At 8 months into your BB role, you may not have accumulated enough experience to make a strong case for a lateral move to MBB. Consulting firms like MBB typically value structured problem-solving skills, client interaction experience, and a demonstrated ability to handle strategic projects. If your current role doesn't align with these, it might be harder to transition.
Networking: A strong network is crucial. Reach out to current MBB consultants or alumni from your school who have made similar transitions. They can provide insights into the process and potentially refer you.
Skill Alignment: Highlight transferable skills from your BB experience, such as financial modeling, analytical rigor, and client-facing work. Tailor your story to show how these skills are relevant to consulting.
Recruitment Cycles: MBB firms often have structured recruitment cycles. Research their timelines and prepare accordingly. You may need to wait for the next cycle to apply.
MBA Consideration: If the lateral move proves challenging, pursuing an MBA at a top program could be a strategic way to pivot into MBB. Many consultants enter MBB post-MBA.
Challenges: Be prepared to potentially start at a lower level (e.g., as an Associate) and rebuild your seniority. This is common for lateral hires.
If you're serious about the move, start networking, refining your story, and preparing for case interviews. MBB values candidates with a clear narrative and strong problem-solving abilities.
Sources: Unhappy at MBB, Transitioning from Tech Sales to IB, Lateral hire from another consulting firm to MBB, Q&A: MBB, BB S&T+IB, Top MBA, US/Global, Q&A: MBB, BB S&T+IB, Top MBA, US/Global
People do move from BB to MBB, so it’s not insane but it will be competitive and you’ll basically be re‑running a full MBB recruiting process.
I made this jump too and one thing that was really helpful for me alongside casebooks and live partners was using a tool called Minerva (ask-minerva. com) when I didn't have someone to case with.
You actually talk through cases out loud while it plays the interviewer. You can choose the case type (profitability, market entry etc) and it pushes you on structuring, reading charts, doing the math, and answering follow‑ups. At the end it breaks down what you did well vs. what was off across a few dimensions and tracks your sessions over time so you can see patterns.
You still 100% need real partners (your firm’s alumni at MBB, uni consulting clubs, LinkedIn, this forum), but when you can’t line someone up, having something structured like that has been useful for keeping my casing sharp.
Least obvious product shill
Anyone who truly went through the process knows you can’t just case with a bot and you need live reps. You’re going to get generic / bad feedback from a bot. Cases and banking techs are super different in how you do and you cannot really do them by yourself
This is bad advice - ask some friends to case you who’ve gone through the process
made the jump from internship and know people who did it full time, happy to answer any questions.
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