McKinsey or Goldman Sachs Capital Partners

I have just finished my masters degree in finance and choose b/w an offer from McKinsey and Goldman Sachs PIA (Capital Partners) in London? I have a strong interest in private equity but also consider an industrial career attractive. What is the preferred choice? I guess it is easier to go from GS PIA to McKinsey at a later stage than the other way around?! Any input?

16 Comments
 

Two top firms and a very luxurious problem. If I had that choice I would go for GS 100 percent. I once read in an article that if you worked for goldman, you can work anywhere (that was before all the legal shit).

 

I'd take GSPIA

Not because it's Goldman (in fact you can argue that McKinsey is more prestigious and has a stronger cachet), but because you're working in private equity (buy side vs professional services). However I heard (from others on this site) that GS is very much a financial buyer (don't operational improvement work as Bain cap or kkr) so if you really want to be a manager McKinsey might have an edge.

 
Best Response

Doesn't matter that GSPIA doesn't do ops. Bain and KKR don't do ops either - unless you're in their ops groups.

McKinsey is easier to lateral into at a junior level (pre-EM, or what would be VP in Ibanking). GSPIA would actually be easier to lateral into at higher level (though not from McKinsey since you wouldn't have the requisite financial skills).

I'd go with GSPIA b/c I life finance. Go with McKinsey if your goal is to work for/ run a big company someday

 

What's with all the monkey shit? Looks like somebody didn't get any of the jobs they wanted.

"You stop being an asshole when it sucks to be you." -IlliniProgrammer "Your grammar made me wish I'd been aborted." -happypantsmcgee
 

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