“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.”
if you want to move into a pure strategy house, i dont think risk management will help much. risk management would help if you wanted to move into a BB MO or something like that.
At least in the US, if you can't get a management consulting internship, brand name is pretty valuable. If you can find a strategy/strategic planning internship at a F500ish company that would be a great option.
My buddy had good luck with some actuarial internships and economic consulting stuff ->MBB its not ideal and certainly not easy to get but it can be done. The actuarial internship he got just based on his math background, meaning he wasnt an actuarial science major or anything
agreed with 2x2 on F500 being a great bet. At my MBB sell weekend a few weeks ago, the F500 was very well represented (myself included). Just anecdotally, others came from boutique banks, other consulting firms and non-business fields (service leadership, engineering). GE and Target stuck out as two F500 internships that were well represented.
So would you say that in general, industry internships tend to be better than professional services (Big4), for consulting recruiting?
Mr. Avocado, that's an interesting question. If you mean Big 4 accounting, I have no idea - I go to a school without an accounting major, so none of my classmates have gone that route. If you mean Big 4 consulting (which I guess is just Deloitte), that's definitely a fine route. Within industry, strategy is the most relevant internship, but finance, marketing, etc. are good, too; those probably beat the majority of Big 4 stuff. But if you had a choice between Big 4 or F500 IT, you'd go with the Big 4.
And just to be clear, I've never been on the recruiter's side of the table, but I do have a pretty broad sample of MBB people to draw from, and F500 seems to be much more common than Big 4.
I'd also give a common sense explanation as for why consulting. The work of an entry-level consultant and the interview process both require a knack for understanding how businesses make / should make decisions. Auditing does not prepare you for that, whereas most F500 internships would. The F500 internship will also do a better job of developing interpersonal skills. I know some very smart accounting majors with a surprising lack of business savvy.
Best Internship for MBB Consulting (Originally Posted: 08/16/2014)
Hey all, I'm new to WSO but I've done my due diligence and looked through the forums to see if anyone else had my specific question. Hoping you guys can help.
I'm currently a rising JUNIOR, and really want to land an MBB internship for full-time work. I'm wondering what to do during the summer as a rising SENIOR. I've seen people here recommend an IB BB internship as the best way (since it'll be a very solid brand name on your resume), but I really don't see myself in finance in my career.
Should I just suck it up and try to land an IB BB internship as a rising senior (I'm at a target school, so I'm hoping it won't be unimaginably difficult)? Or should I go for a T2 consulting internship? Or would that not be enough of a brand name for the FT process?
Note: I'm assuming I can't land an MBB internship (which would obviously be the ideal stepping stone) as a rising senior; I've heard the process for that is even harder than the FT process.
Thanks so much in advance!
I'd say tier 2 consulting or corp strat, Liberty Mutual has OCR for corp strat. You'll probably be happier at a Tier 2 if you don't get MBB for FT.
Absolutely dont do BB IBD to go MBB full time, could leave you in a tough situation timing wise. Get the best consulting offer you can and see if you even want to do that job. Nothing beats real experience to reaffirm and test life interests.
Really, any internship with a well-known company on your resume will look good to MBB recruiters. It doesn't have to be consulting or IB or whatever. It could be energy, manufacturing, healthcare, whatever. It just sort of needs to have that "brand name".
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