Lateral into MBB

Hi WSO! I just started at an economic consulting firm (think NERA, Cornerstone, Brattle etc.) and am hoping to lateral into MBB. I'm not the biggest fan of the work that economic consulting does & am hoping to work at a firm that will sponsor my MBA down the line (was admitted to a H/S/W deferred). I know I'd have to reset to AC/BA level, which is okay with me. For context, I did not land any interviews during FT MBB recruiting last year, which I know makes this an even steeper uphill battle. I know that I can get referrals at 2/3 MBBs (friends and alumni from my school), however, I'm not sure if that will be enough to land me interviews. How realistic is this (especially given these times and my econ. consulting "background")? Should I be applying during the campus recruiting cycle or would it be to my advantage to apply at off-peak times? Are my odds higher if I stick it out a year at my current job before applying to MBB? Any insights or tips are greatly appreciated :) Thank you!!!

 

I transitioned from econ consulting (not at a leading firm, but at the consulting arm of an FS firm) to MBB (in Europe though), so I don't think your chances should be lessened. Make sure to tick all the boxes on your CV and cover letter, get your referrals lined up, and emphasise that drive toward impact and insights in your achievements.

Best of luck to you! I hope you make it, and well done for that deferred MBA! These are some great schools!

 
Most Helpful

I'm surprised you didn't land any interviews but got into HSW deferred. I think with the 2+2 designation on your resume, you should have much better success in getting interviews (even without referrals).

Most experienced hiring in MBB has cooled down for the time being as the recruiting focus has shifted to on-campus for the next few months. Experienced hiring will probably pick up by end of year, so I'd just focus on excelling at work and making solid impact until then. If you literally started like 2 months ago, that's extremely early to be shopping around tbh.

Applying at end of year with ~8 months of experience is more than enough. It honestly doesn't matter because you'll come in as a post-undergrad hire anyways.

 

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