Starting at MBB in 5 months... What should I do in the meantime to prepare?
Hi, I'll be starting as an associate at a MBB firm in the US 5 months from now. I'm currently working, but as a volunteer and with a lot of free time. I want to use my free time more productively and I have a few options I'm considering, and I'd love to get some advice.
- Do some kind of Microsoft office course to prep for the work. I've been out of college for 2 years now and haven't touched Powerpoint or Excel since. I'm a bit worried about being behind once I start.
- Study for the GRE. I want to do an MPP and/or MBA after 2 years in consulting, and figured this could be a good time to get it out of the way. I'm not totally familiar with the support given to associates studying for grad school exams, but I can't imagine I would have much time for this once I've started the job.
- Enjoy my time, invest in hobbies.
I've been living outside of the US for awhile now in a country with a very laid back work culture. It's really hard for me to fathom jumping into 60hr+ work weeks, and I'm split between preparing myself to make sure I hit the ground running versus making the most of the time I have left. I'd appreciate any insight. Thanks so much.
Based on the most helpful WSO content, here’s how you can make the most of your 5 months before starting at MBB:
Brush Up on Microsoft Office Skills
Case Interview Frameworks and Mental Math
GRE Preparation
Invest in Hobbies and Recharge
Networking and Industry Knowledge
Project Management Skills
Balancing preparation with relaxation is key. Use this time to sharpen your skills, but also recharge so you’re ready to tackle the challenges ahead.
Sources: Admitted to an M7 next fall, how do I best prepare myself for MBB recruiting now?, Q&A: Recent graduate starting at MBB soon, How to prepare for summer ASSOCIATE internship, Just got an IB offer, how do I prepare?, Ask mbaMission about Business School Admissions
The 3 things you've listed are all great. I would also add working out and developing good sleeping & eating habits if those are things you think you need work on. Good luck in your new role!
WORKOUT AND GET FIT.
Are you starting as a post undergrad entry level? Considering you've already been in the real world for 2-years, you'll for sure have a leg up against your peers in terms of maturity.
A couple things:
In summary, I'd say you should enjoy your time while doing some light excel work. And if you desire grad school, study for the tests you wanna take.
Are there any MBB-specific PowerPoint courses/resources that you would recommend? Feel like I need to learn some of those storytelling mechanics on PPT
Curious what your background is prior to MBB and how you were able to land this opportunity.
You can't really prepare for this. You probably don't even know yet what the job really is about, unless you've done a long internship.
Isn’t the point of asking this to get insight from people who do know what the job is? Obviously there’s advice to give
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