Job Starts 4 Months After I Graduate -- Any Recommendations for What I Should Do?

Got a job at a top consulting firm, but it starts kinda late. I have about 4 months between my graduation and my start date. I have some money set aside, but certainly not enough to make it through the whole summer. Any recommendations for what I should do?

4 Comments
 

Not sure where you're located but head to SE Asia if you can. Backpacking there can be done quite cheap ($20 - $30/day, e.g. Vietnam, Cambodia & Laos). For booking cheaper flights, clear your cache and use a VPN (set your location to a lower income country) - that should save you a few hundred bucks.

Imo travel for 2 months or so and spend the rest of your time catching up with friends and family. If you're joining a top firm you're gonna be working fairly long hours so enjoy the downtime while you have it. If you're bored pick up some self help or finance books. Learn how to trade stocks/get into ETFs to start building your nest egg of wealth early on.

Enjoy your time off and best of luck with the new job!

 

GMAT GMAT GMAT.

If there's even a 20% chance you want to go to B school, why not take it now? You'll never have this much free time again and you're already in the "schooling" mode.

I am a few years out now, applying to b school soon, and have never been happier that I got my GMAT out of the way during that summer after graduating and before starting in consulting.

If you are interested in b school, bonus points would also be to look into 2+2 / deferred admish programs

 

Ipsam laboriosam atque dignissimos qui voluptates vel iure. Magnam possimus eos quasi molestias eaque doloribus. Nemo explicabo quis aut dignissimos voluptatem sit. Rem quo aut aut quia voluptas.

Recusandae et qui dolores consequatur eligendi fugiat. Ab est voluptatibus dicta reprehenderit saepe iure modi. Quaerat culpa qui voluptates est incidunt. Nisi repudiandae facilis sequi nesciunt aut dolor. A est labore et.

Career Advancement Opportunities

July 2026 Consulting

  • Boston Consulting Group 99.5%
  • Bain & Company 99.0%
  • 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 99.0%
  • 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 99.0%
  • 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 (634) $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
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
6
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
7
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
8
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
9
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
10
Linda Abraham's picture
Linda Abraham
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...”