Doing a Side Hustle at MBB?

Hi All,

I want to get some views from current / past consultants who have side hustled at MBB

I am making the assumption that a lot of new consultants are not entirely sure about a career in MBB, and a lot come in with a degree of entrepreneurial aspirations

If you were able too / not able to make it happen - can you share your thoughts?

For instance, to email / check up on your side hustle - did you wake up early, do it while at work, or when you came back to the hotel. Were you able to use your work computer (did gmail work on it ? :) ) . Did you get to step out to make a personal phone call or not.

How did you think about it ? What did you do ? Tell me and us!

3 Comments
 
Best Response

You can do whatever you want on your computer, no one cares.

Lots of people have stuff they do on the side, as long as it doesn't impact your performance no one cares.

If your side hustle requires you to actively check in during business hours, it's going to be very hard to juggle. Basically most of the time it will be fine, and it's totally ok to step out for a personal call or check your personal email during the work day -- but sometimes it's not, and those times aren't predictable, and sooner or later you will be forced to choose whether you are going to do your day job or take care of your side hustle. If you choose your side hustle you won't last at MBB.

 

First of all, depending on the size and visibility of the side hustle, make sure your office is ok with you having obligations on the side. This mainly applies if it is something more "visible", but my office did not approve of any outside positions.

When you regularly come home past 10pm Monday-Thursday, unless you are super passionate about the side hustle, sitting down for another couple of hours of work is not going to be your top priority. "But what about weekends?" you say? Same thing here. When you've finished a long week, at least I want to maximize my weekend for exercise, time with gf, meeting friends etc. Sure, I could have had the time but my energy/will simply wouldn't have been there.

Consulting firms are however becoming more open to flexible arrangements. McK for example have their "take time" initiative and BCG flextime. I'm sure the others have similar deals.

Good luck!

 

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